she complained in her
head.
She kept wandering until she stopped
cold facing the fourth dead-end or sixth, she’d lost count.
Danielle ran her fingers through her hair as frustration overtook
her emotions. I may as well just give up
now. She thought about sitting down right there to
wait, figuring he would come looking for her if she never showed up
at the tower.
Suddenly, strong arms snaked around her waist
from behind. She screamed, and then heard Ethan chuckling softly in
her ear. “It’s this way, Danielle,” he said, his shoulders still
shaking with silent mirth.
He then led her through the maze with his
hands on her waist to guide her. Danielle thought he must have it
memorized because he never entered a dead-end, and never slowed
down to think where he was going. In only a matter of moments the
yews opened to a clearing with the big gothic tower standing above
it all in the center.
“Was I even close?” she asked, feeling
annoyed with the ease he had just finished the maze.
“Not really,” he said, trying weakly to hold
his laughter in.
She rolled her eyes and exhaled. “This
garden is nice, but I hate mazes.” She put as much emphasis into the word “hate” as she
possibly could. “I hate getting lost, and I’m really good at it,”
she finally confessed.
Ethan suddenly snatched her close to him,
letting her see the full potency of his blue irises. “Are you mad
at me?”
“Um…” Besides being shocked by his
sudden move, she couldn’t help but ask mentally, Why is he so familiar? She was
losing her train of thought, but struggled to hold her ground while
fighting against his dreamy azure eyes. “Yes, a little. You left me
alone in that horrible maze. I should have told you—being lost is
one of my worst fears.”
He then released her from his gaze before she
could figure out what it was about him that was so familiar to
her.
“I’m sorry it upset you. I never really left
you alone,” he said, his tone sweet and gentle.
“What?”
He repeated himself using different words.
“I’m sorry, Danielle. I was only toying with you. I never would
have let you get lost.”
“So you were nearby the whole time?”
“Yes, of course.” His soothing smile spread
further across his face.
She wasn’t sure what to say to that, but
decided to believe his words, which had made her feel a little
better.
Ethan gathered her hand into his again. “Come
on. Let’s go to the top of the tower. You can see everything from
up there.” Danielle wobbled, still a little befuddled.
Once they got to the top, they shared a
moment of silence as they took in the breathtaking view. Danielle
rested her elbows on the stone ledge so she could lean out further.
The breeze was stronger from this height. It danced on her face,
and playfully ruffled her hair. She could smell the sweet flowers
and the impending storm in the air.
Danielle realized, with a start, that Ethan
was watching her again. Getting the weird feeling that he knew a
lot more about her than she knew about him, she searched his gaze
for an answer. She couldn’t fathom how that could be possible after
only one date. And strangely, it appeared like he knew why he
seemed familiar to her, but what did he know that she didn’t?
Danielle couldn’t understand it, and was debating whether she was
too polite to ask him flat-out. Her shyness was winning this one,
however. She couldn’t bring herself to it just yet.
Ethan spoke, as if meaning to distract her
from her thoughts. “So have you enjoyed this place? Well, except
for the maze part, I mean.”
“Yes, I’ve enjoyed it.” She exhaled. “Thanks
for bringing me here.”
“Are you hungry for a late lunch? You may
enjoy the Orangery Restaurant, it isn’t far from here.”
“Yes. Thank you.”
“Let’s go.”
They had lunch and tea. Danielle was pleased
to see peach tea available, which she selected without hesitation.
Ethan ordered food for both of them. However, he ordered more
head.
She kept wandering until she stopped
cold facing the fourth dead-end or sixth, she’d lost count.
Danielle ran her fingers through her hair as frustration overtook
her emotions. I may as well just give up
now. She thought about sitting down right there to
wait, figuring he would come looking for her if she never showed up
at the tower.
Suddenly, strong arms snaked around her waist
from behind. She screamed, and then heard Ethan chuckling softly in
her ear. “It’s this way, Danielle,” he said, his shoulders still
shaking with silent mirth.
He then led her through the maze with his
hands on her waist to guide her. Danielle thought he must have it
memorized because he never entered a dead-end, and never slowed
down to think where he was going. In only a matter of moments the
yews opened to a clearing with the big gothic tower standing above
it all in the center.
“Was I even close?” she asked, feeling
annoyed with the ease he had just finished the maze.
“Not really,” he said, trying weakly to hold
his laughter in.
She rolled her eyes and exhaled. “This
garden is nice, but I hate mazes.” She put as much emphasis into the word “hate” as she
possibly could. “I hate getting lost, and I’m really good at it,”
she finally confessed.
Ethan suddenly snatched her close to him,
letting her see the full potency of his blue irises. “Are you mad
at me?”
“Um…” Besides being shocked by his
sudden move, she couldn’t help but ask mentally, Why is he so familiar? She was
losing her train of thought, but struggled to hold her ground while
fighting against his dreamy azure eyes. “Yes, a little. You left me
alone in that horrible maze. I should have told you—being lost is
one of my worst fears.”
He then released her from his gaze before she
could figure out what it was about him that was so familiar to
her.
“I’m sorry it upset you. I never really left
you alone,” he said, his tone sweet and gentle.
“What?”
He repeated himself using different words.
“I’m sorry, Danielle. I was only toying with you. I never would
have let you get lost.”
“So you were nearby the whole time?”
“Yes, of course.” His soothing smile spread
further across his face.
She wasn’t sure what to say to that, but
decided to believe his words, which had made her feel a little
better.
Ethan gathered her hand into his again. “Come
on. Let’s go to the top of the tower. You can see everything from
up there.” Danielle wobbled, still a little befuddled.
Once they got to the top, they shared a
moment of silence as they took in the breathtaking view. Danielle
rested her elbows on the stone ledge so she could lean out further.
The breeze was stronger from this height. It danced on her face,
and playfully ruffled her hair. She could smell the sweet flowers
and the impending storm in the air.
Danielle realized, with a start, that Ethan
was watching her again. Getting the weird feeling that he knew a
lot more about her than she knew about him, she searched his gaze
for an answer. She couldn’t fathom how that could be possible after
only one date. And strangely, it appeared like he knew why he
seemed familiar to her, but what did he know that she didn’t?
Danielle couldn’t understand it, and was debating whether she was
too polite to ask him flat-out. Her shyness was winning this one,
however. She couldn’t bring herself to it just yet.
Ethan spoke, as if meaning to distract her
from her thoughts. “So have you enjoyed this place? Well, except
for the maze part, I mean.”
“Yes, I’ve enjoyed it.” She exhaled. “Thanks
for bringing me here.”
“Are you hungry for a late lunch? You may
enjoy the Orangery Restaurant, it isn’t far from here.”
“Yes. Thank you.”
“Let’s go.”
They had lunch and tea. Danielle was pleased
to see peach tea available, which she selected without hesitation.
Ethan ordered food for both of them. However, he ordered more
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