Chapter 2

Without properly explaining my late arrival to Diana and Dave, and making a lame excuse to ditch dinner for the night, I burst inside my room, breathless. I threw my bag on the floor, pulled the curtains close, grabbed my painting supplies from the shelf and set a blank piece of paper on the easel.

I closed my eyes, recalling the dream-like beauty I had witnessed today. The sunset, the cascading water connected to a never ending lake and that man. This is it.

I opened my eyes, paint brush in hand, and set to work. The entire oeuvre was an endeavor difficult to conquer and I was worried whether my skills were good enough to do his beauty justice. Capturing the allure of his eyes was the most difficult. Those emerald eyes, bewitching at a glance and enticing all the same. The closer I came to finishing the painting, the more incompetent I felt.

Yet, here it was. An opportunity to do something with the talent I honed. But for some reason I felt the painting lacked something. I used dull colors in contrast to his vibrance and it made him shine but it was not enough.

This painting lacked something crucial and it was insight. I painted a spectacle but that's all it was.

One thing I knew for sure, I needed to go back and meet him again. The mystery-nude-man. And I wanted to paint him again. But this time, not just from memory. I want him to model for me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I woke up with a groan the next morning as Diana took the liberty of entering my room without permission.

"Get up, already, you laggard!" she yelled followed by a gasp. "What in the world...?" she trailed off as she examined the state of my room which I'm sure wasn't pretty since I fell asleep without cleaning up after my artistic outburst.

I should have taken a bath before bed, at least. Now I have dry paint all over me.

"Oh my lord, the bed!" she squealed, shoving me off the bed and inspecting the damage. "Do you normally do this?" She pulled the sheets one by one.

"Well..." I scratched the back of my head, my eyes barely open, not really having the energy to deny it. "I'm sorry?" I said, hoping that alone would suffice.

Diana sighed, "It can't be helped." She stuffed the bed sheets under one arm and made her way to the entrance of my room.

"I'll make breakfast, today." She gave me a good look from top to toe and said, "You go and wash up."

I nodded as she left. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I looked at the painting lying on the easel and smiled.

Now, this is what I call a good distraction, I thought before I walked over to the bathroom to clean up.

After having eggs and toast for breakfast, Dave took me to the poultry shack next to the work garage. He explained the basics of what I had to do. Just feed them grains and collect the eggs.

Over at the barn, I was to unstack a few bales of hay to use as fodder for the barn animals. Since they didn't use cars for transport, they owned a few riding horses, kept at the stables. Dave even said he would teach me how to ride in his free time. I was in no hurry, though.

Apparently, my aunt and her husband were filthy rich judging by the amount of property they owned. They had some help from hired employees to manage the lands but I had no doubt, the two of them were more than capable of working by themselves if they had to.

My initial tasks at the farm were easy but the real problem was running errands. It took too much time and also my existence in the town was becoming more renowned. I was hoping to avoid familiarizing myself with the townsfolk. It makes it a lot less awkward for me when suddenly bombarded with questions regarding my history.

And with all the running around I could barely find time to sooth my artistic needs.

But I won't deny that since the past few weeks I had been here, I was successfully able to distract myself from my sorrows and slowly drift towards the so-called "fresh beginning" I was hoping for.

Although, in the back of my head there was always this itch wondering about the mystery-nude-guy I had a chance encounter with on my first day here.

It's been more than two weeks since I last saw him. If I didn't have the painting I made of him to convince myself otherwise, I would have believed it was all just a dream.

Even now, I sometimes think that maybe what I drew was just a figment of my imagination. But I still wanted to believe that someone with his beauty actually existed. For I still had yet to draw the perfect version of that painting.

I wiped the drops of sweat gathering at my forehead as I finished unloading the last pile of hay in the feed bin at the stables. I normally did this while the beasts were out grazing in the fields with Skipper, the farm dog. They don't like it when a stranger is dealing with their food.

I was new here but I was slowly getting used to the daily routine Diana had set up for me.

I gazed at the lush green fields of winter wheat as I left the stables and took off my gloves, momentarily letting myself revel in the harmony of a scenic morning in the mountain side.

I could get used to this, I thought.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Edvin marveled, appearing out of nowhere.

"Yeah," I nodded and inhaled a mouthful of fresh air, practically used to his sudden appearances.

Edvin inhaled along with me and smiled. "I like the mornings from here," he said.

I chuckled, "It's the same at your place, you know."

"But not as beautiful," he mused and I couldn't disagree. The open fields here stretching as far as the horizon, did best in capturing the breathtaking vast blueness of the sky clashing against the green fields.

Our aesthetic senses were quite in sync, I realized, as he would point out different sites I might consider as pleasing to the eyes. I also learned that Edvin and his family were quite close to Diana and Dave.

The farm has been collaborating with the inn since before I was even born so their history together runs long. Once I got to know Edvin, I concluded that he was a pretty decent guy. He didn't ask me about my family or why I came to live with my aunt and that was much appreciated.

"So are you done for today?" he asked and I assumed he had another fascinating place for me to see this time.

"Yeah, I just need to clean up my room and then I'm done."

"Great, how about a drink at the inn then?" he glanced at me before looking away. Was he nervous? No way.

My brows raised, I asked, "What's the occasion?"

"Is there a need for an occasion to ask a beautiful girl out for a drink?" He mimicked my raised eye brows and leaned closer with his hands casually in his pockets.

"I guess not." I punched his side lightly. "I'm flattered my charming escort finds me attractive."

"And I'm glad you find me charming," he winked and I punched him again.

"That was sarcasm," I said.

"So she can be sarcastic too," he teased.

I resisted the urge to punch him even harder, instead I just laughed and said, "Why don't you wait inside while I finish up here and then we can head out."

He nodded and I went back to finishing my chores. Once I was done, I took a quick shower and changed out of my sweaty clothes. I wore dark grey skinny jeans, a white blouse with a light blue cashmere sweater coupled with a pair of boots.

Now that I was dried up and ready, I grabbed my bag and slung it over my shoulder then traipsed down the stairs.

"Hey," I said to Edvin who had already made himself comfortable on the couch in the living room.

He was flipping through channels as he looked up and asked, "You ready?"

"Ready to be rejuvenated? You bet," I replied. "Let's go."

"After you," he stood up and gestured in a gentlemanly manner.

I just chuckled and grabbed my coat by the entrance before stepping outside.We took the rose and lily path which I had admired when I first came over to the inn for a delivery. Now it had become a path that I frequented often since the farm had many errands that had me running around here.

Edvin saved me a table when we arrived and left to fetch us some starters and beer.

I looked around, it was still too early for townsfolk to start swarming in. The place was nearly empty except for a few senior citizens that were probably regulars. A few of them, even I recognized.

Mr Ronald Bolt, Edvin's father, was tending the bar. He was a well connected man. Didn't speak much, though. His personality could be described in two words: quiet and brooding, much unlike his son, but from the little interactions I had with him I gathered he was kind and gentle no less.

Then there was Mrs. Hubert who sat with a group of three more elderly females near the hearth, they were considered the town's local gossip crew. She owned a boutique and was quite accomplished as a tailor around here. She was a nice lady but too prodding. I looked away from their table before they could turn my way and call me over. I wasn't prepared for answering a bunch of old ladies and their vast curiosity.

Another brooding figure caught my attention. His silhouette was slumped low at the far corner of the bar. He looked worn out and weary but still managed the posture of a former soldier. He was old and angular probably from the lack of proper diet. A walking stick rested by his side, with a very unique emblem (I couldn't quite view from this distance) engraved on its top.

"You look distracted." Edvin set the two beers on the table and sat beside me, following my gaze. "Ah, that's old man Robert."

I looked back at Edvin, he sensed my piqued interest and continued, "He was in the navy. He's a war survivor."

"He looks sad," I said glancing at Sir Robert's back.

Edvin chuckled, "You can't even see his face."

I smiled, "I don't need to." I can recognize his type at a single glance considering I wasn't much different from him myself.

"Well, you're right." Edvin smiled sadly at the old man's back. "He lost his wife and daughter to the war. It's been about 14 years since the war ended but he's still grieving."

"14 years..." I mumbled.

"A long time, isn't it? I guess he wanted to move on when he came here but it's not always that easy for everyone."

I returned the smile and silently hoped it won't take me that long either. We sat there in silence for the next few minutes.

Suddenly, an upbeat song with a quirky melody came up, completely unlike the previous cowboy music that I had become accustomed to, snapping us both out of it.

I looked at Edvin, grinning, "That's so unlike you, man. Were you even capable of being despond?" I joked, trying to lift the mood.

"Ouch," he faked pain, lifting his hand to his chest. "You have no idea how sensitive I am deep down."

"That must be very deep down." And we both laughed.

Edvin kept me good company for the rest of the evening. He made me laugh non-stop the entire time we were together. Every now and then I'd catch him looking at me as I laughed while he just smiled then looked away suddenly pretending to be distracted by something else.

It was getting dark outside and the inn suddenly became a lot more crowded as people came in, one after another. I decided it was time to head back.

"Come on," Edvin said as we walked out the door. "I'll take you home."

"You don't have to," I waved a hand at him, dismissively. "I'll be fine."

"Chloe, wild animals come out around this time. As much as I know you can fend for yourself, I highly doubt you'd stand much of a chance against a rabid beast with fangs," he said with genuine worry creasing his forehead.

Looking at his concerned face, I couldn't help but chuckle softly. "You're like a mother," I said and then we both fell silent, standing in the dim light of the setting sun, right outside the bustling hubub of the inn.

After a moment, I said, "It's only a ten minute walk to the farm, anyway. You should stay and help your dad out with the customers."

He didn't say much, only nodded and said, "I guess I'll see you later then. Be careful."

"I will."

With that I set off back towards the farm. As I walked, I thought about the evening and how good it felt to finally spend some quality time out of the farm without having to work my ass off.

Edvin was a charming company. In the brief time we had spent together, he had picked up on my personality and adjusted himself to it. I knew, he was being sweet.

Too much so.

I recalled the way he had looked at me when he thought I wasn't watching, how nervous he was even though he was nonchalantly trying to cover it up with his sense of humor.

However, whatever it was that I saw in his eyes, I refused to acknowledge it. I wasn't ready for that. Not yet. Edvin was a valuable friend to me and I had no intention of changing that.

A few minutes into the rose and lily path, I stopped abruptly. I looked at my wrist watch, it was 6:30 pm. Still some time until my curfew. Yes, I'm 21 years old and I have a curfew. Diana was strict about coming home early since the day I.... I had met the mystery-nude-guy.

Okay, I have got to stop calling him the "mystery-nude-guy". It's off-putting.

Since there is still some time before curfew, I turned around and started pacing in the direction towards north in the woods. The dim light from the sunset revealed a faint path heading towards the farm. I took this exact same path the first day I came here. My strides became longer and faster with every step and my excitement along with it.

Tonight, I'm gonna pay him a visit.

******************