Writer's Challenge 6

I've never been in a new room before....sweet! Looking forward to that challenge Jodie!

 carrie

I just got my eyes adjusted to the glare from the nice shiny new room and what do I see but Jodie's challenge - and it will be a challenge to come up with something creative that doesn't follow the traditional prince charming storyline. My daughter just said to make prince charming a cross dresser and I replied "but its supposed to be a romance story." Her reply? "He could fall in love with the dwarf!" Yup - should be interesting!

Thanks Jodie for keeping us on our toes!

Nice new room and a nice new challenge too!

I'm off to Turkey on Monday....not going to be around for a while.....well that is unless I sneak down the hotel reception and pay to log on......PROBABLY!!!!!

Anyway - love the challenge Jodie and I'll do my best to enter and post BEFORE I go on Monday and if I don't.....well I'll just have to do it from the hotel Reception (LOL).......and this was meant to be a holiday!

Mavis

Believe me Carrie, I intend to!    Mind you, can't seem to get my head around the packing!     I'll post here just before I leave on Monday, hate to miss out on the fun!

Mavis

Anna glanced out of the window as the aircraft started its descent.   Her job as Executive Assistant to Amir Al-Nassar had afforded her the luxury of travelling to many countries, but never Turkey.

Amir had two roles in life, the first being successor to the throne in the event of his father's death and the second, his true passion in life - hotels, of which his family owned more than a few.

Anna shifted restlessly in her seat.   She'd taken the job five years previous on a temporary basis to help out a friend who owned an employment agency.   Amir had gone through one EA after another and Sue had found it increasingly difficult to please the Crown Prince, or at least she had done, up until the point where she employed Anna's services.

Five years on, Anna smiled as she recalled Sue's description of her boss.    She'd said in her straightforward manner - "I won't lie - Crown Prince he may be, but where personality is concerned he's no Prince Charming - so beware.   According to all your predecessors, he has a foul temper and he's stubborn, self opinionated and doesn't suffer fools gladly."

He had been everything she had described him to be, but for some reason beyond Anna's comprehension they had jelled and thus formed a close working relationship.   Of course, it went without saying that the man was drop dead gorgeous, and Anna being the romantic Piscean that she was, would have been a liar if she hadn't admitted that she had fallen secretly in love with him.

She sighed as the aircraft touched down, because her feelings for Amir Al-Nassar had gone unnoticed, and anyway, it was ridiculous to think that a Crown Prince would marry anything other than a Princess of noble descent.    A girl was entitled to her dreams though.

As the private jet taxied towards its bay, she could see Amir's limousine waiting nearby.    He was, as always, surrounded by guards, and she wondered for a moment if he ever tired of their intrusion.

Amir watched as Anna made her way down the steps of his private jet and his heart rate quickened.    In the last five years, the only time he had spent away from her had been when he had travelled home to be with his family.

Recently, though, he had found himself needing her to be around more than was required of an Executive Assistant.     Anna, it would seem, had managed to get under his skin and no matter how hard he had tried during the past three weeks, he had been unable to get her out of his mind.   

Much as he loved visiting his homeland, because that was where his heart truly belonged, he had spent an uncomfortable 3 weeks in the company of every available Princess his father deigned to approve of as being suitable ‘wife' material.    Amir, on the other hand, had ideas of his own which didn't include any of these young hopefuls, pretty though they were.

He was conscious of his father's impatience at his reluctance to take a wife, but he'd marry in his own time and it would be to someone he loved, which brought him right back to the young woman now standing before him.

"You called?" - she asked, in a tone which he swore was laced with sarcasm. 

Raising an eyebrow, Amir replied - "And there was I thinking you enjoyed working for me, Anna."

She blushed.   "I thought that we agreed I should have a much needed break?   Remember, exhausted Executive Assistant who hasn't had any time off in the last five years."

This statement irked him a little.   Hadn't he taken care of her?   Sure she'd worked long hours, but then, so had he.

Ignoring her comment, he replied - "You can rest here - I've hired a villa and there's something I'd like you to see.   Anyway, it's raining back in England, what would you rather be doing, pottering about with those little dwarf things in your garden or lapping up the sunshine on Turkey's Turquoise Coast?"

Anna's mood lightened and she smiled.  

Amir's body sprang to life as he realized that he'd missed that infectious smile, which had the ability to make her eyes shine like two bright white diamonds.

He was pondering this thought and a few others too hot to mention, when she replied - "They're not dwarfs, they're garden gnomes; and you're right, I'd much rather be here with you soaking up the sunshine."

She blushed - "Sorry, she tripped over her words - that came out all wrong.   What I meant to say was that I'd rather be here working with you in this wonderful sunshine."

Silently cursing herself, she ducked into the limousine to hide her blushing face.

Amir was enjoying every moment of her discomfort.   As the chauffeur shut the car door, he moved dangerously close.  

Anna's heart was doing a veritable war dance inside her chest and she swore she was going to have a heart attack.   What had gotten into her overbearing boss, maybe the desert sun had finally gone to his head?

Amir decided to throw caution to the winds, no time like the present to test the waters.  

He brought one large hand up to gently cup her face, forcing her to look into his eyes.

"What would you say, Anna, if I told you that I'd missed you desperately during the last three weeks and   that I'd spent every waking hour wondering what it would be like to kiss those delectable lips?"

Anna, gazed down at her shoes and then back at Amir.

He frowned -"What are you looking at?"

She replied softly -"I was checking my glass slippers."

He grinned wickedly saying, "You haven't answered my question Cinderella."

Anna's heart was racing and the tension in the car was electrifying as she replied - "I'd say go ahead."

Amir needed no further encouragement.  As his lips crushed hers and desire erupted deep within him, he decided that Anna was definitely ‘princess' material.

Totally forgot I was reading a member entry! WTG Mavis!!

i think that's the best one of yours i've ever read.....honest. you should be proud of that one....I can totally see it as a silhouette desire.....

 carrie

 Didn't end up being a funny story afterall:

Sally Westwood wasn’t going to let her hatred of all things personal dwarf her current feelings of contentment with her job. She would not let her bitter feelings towards her new boss lose her the best job she had ever had. The man was trouble with a capital T and Sally had to fight a grimace of distaste as she thought about the upcoming months she would be spending with the jet setting boy wonder. But she would remember the job. This was the best opportunity she had been offered in years. She would take on the role of personal assistant to the Vice President and she would do her job well.

Besides he probably wouldn’t even remember the kiss they had shared all those years ago. He couldn’t have known then the terrible repercussions it would have on her life, her career.

Shaking herself out of her reverie, Sally looked up from her computer screen and watched the new vice president of Atlas Airlines – Nate Langdon - walk through the outer door. She had to admit Nate had an unmistakable presence. His six foot four frame filled out the Armani suit he wore as if he was born to the jet setting life. The company lunch room had been all astir for the last three days with discussions between the female members of the company – married and single. Every one of the women present, aged 23 to 63, had spent that day’s entire lunch hour debating whether the company’s newest member was single or not. According to the company rumour mill the mysterious Nate Langdon was a man who dated women that were as likely to grace the cover of Personable Persons magazine as the National Enquiry. But it didn’t appear that he remained attached to any one female for long.

But Sally knew that appearances could be deceiving. Hadn’t she been leading a double life for years now? How many of her colleagues could say they truly knew Sally Westwood? Sally had listened to all of the conjecturing and kept her peace. She was pretty sure that she could shed a little light on the mysterious Nate Langdon, but it wasn’t her place. Besides she would have had to give up too much information about herself, about the woman she used to be. She had known Nate Langdon long before he had attained his current level of success. Long enough to know he wasn’t likely to be any woman’s prince charming and especially not hers.

When Nate Langdon had walked in Sally Westwood could almost hear the women present release a collective sigh. However, he walked over to her desk with purpose and leaned a hand against the sleek monitor sitting on its corner. The pink petals of a Lady Slipper screensaver flashed on to cover the column of figures that she had been working on only moments before. The presence of the fragile, rare flower had provided Sally with a constant reminder to enjoy the exceptional moments of beauty that life offered. That one misplaced step could crush out the life and beauty – could shatter the natural balance of things.

Sally looked up with some trepidation wondering if Nate would recognize the new her. They hadn’t known each other long when the accident had occurred. Besides, she had changed her name and her appearance had altered somewhat after the surgery that had saved her life.

Nate on the other hand hadn’t changed much physically. His blonde haired, blue eyed good looks might have been too perfect if not for the small scar running along the underside of his left jaw. Sally knew that the physical scar was small compared to the mental scars that marked her. The events that had resulted in the scar were indelibly etched on her brain. She still woke up screaming in the dark – alone, and afraid – when her brain took her back to those early days after the accident. It appeared that some memories never died. However, time and counseling had shown her that if you were lucky they got layered over with other, better memories. Memories that let you move on with your life.

“Ms. Johnson? I understand that you have been assigned as my personal assistant. Before I make the offer official perhaps we could discuss your background and my expectations. If you are not too busy I would like to meet with you in my office in 15.”

Sally gave a small nod of her head. So he didn’t remember – he hadn’t recognized her. Sally released the breath she hadn’t even been conscious of holding. “As you wish, Mr. Langdon. I’ll have your calls transferred until we are finished.”

At the sound of her voice Nate’s head lifted sharply from the distracted glance he had given the remaining people in the room and his head swiveled to allow him a closer look at the face of the woman sitting before him. “Jenny? What the…?”

Thinking quickly Sally jumped to her feet deliberately knocking the cup of cold coffee that sat in front of her onto the books that were spread about her desktop. “Oh, damn. I’m sorry Mr. Langdon if you’ll excuse me I really need to clean this up before it saturates the paperwork.” Edging towards the general direction of the ladies room Sally turned to walk away. That had been close. For a moment it had appeared that Nate would make a connection between the professional PA sitting before him and the lost and lonely woman he had made the mistake of befriending one long and lonely night six years earlier. And that she couldn’t allow at any price. That woman had been left to wither and die on the streets. From her ashes Sally had risen and moved forward. From her ashes had sprung this new life and confidence. 

Thanks Mavis! Have a safe and fun-filled holiday - hope you will be still able to post regularly!

Thanks Carrie! It was weird. I started out with a comedy in mind and then Sally's character kept talking in my head until I re-wrote it to the current tone. I had to totally re-jig a fair bit of the piece in order to get it finished because the more I wrote the more the lines kept coming out with a bit of a sinister undertone. I'm thinking I might try to finish it so I get to see what happened to cause the accident but worried about where her story might take me!

Yeah, I do Carrie! Like I said earlier Sally's story started out as an attempt at a humerous romance story and I floundered big time with the wording because everything kept coming out more intense. I finally gave up, re-worded my lame early attempts at humour and got the submitted story. Go figure!

Jodie, just realized your challenge read:

Post challenges on Thursday, 7/9 and Friday, 7/10.

Should I re-post my entry on either of those dates and times or are we allowed to post early? Sorry was a keener and just realized may have been TOO early.

Dee - LOL. She died right? And Teddy spent the rest of his career trying to live the "accident" down? Probably not the story line I would want for Harlequin et al. Not sure where Sally is going to take me with this but I think I want to finish it and hear her story.

Thanks Jodie! That sounds like a good idea. Will wait patiently to read the other challenge entries - this has been a great motivational and discipline tool for me!!

Wow nice use of the challenge words and great story!

I had to chuckle about the heroine's first name. Prudence is our Poo-chins name. Named after the Beatle's song to go with my daughter's cats Eleanor and Jude! And our dog gets called Pru even by my 6' 200+ pound hubby!

that was a fun read...great use of the key words as well!

 carrie

Hey Mavis glad you are having a great time and that you got a chance to post - safe journey!!!

“Hey mister,” the little dwarf-sized waif called out to him as she ran down the beach in his direction, holding his battered slippers, “are these yours?”

He looked down at the burnished copper colored curly-haired girl and said, “I don’t know. Maybe you should slip one slipper on my foot and see if it fits.” He held out his foot. He asked her, “What do you think,” after she slipped it on.

“It fits! Does that mean you will be my handsome prince and come home with me?” She looked up at him with a wide-eyed innocence he left behind years ago.

“Didn’t your mommy teach you not to talk with strangers?” The need to protect this sweet child roared through him. Where was her mother?

Her grin disappeared behind an ancient look of loss, a look too old for this young girl’s face.  “My mommy went away and Aunt Kara is sad. She’s sleeping.”

The tall tawny-haired man squatted next to her and held out his right hand, “My name’s Joe, can you tell me your name?”

The little girl placed her hand in his and told him, “I’m Rosa.”

“Well Rosa, shake my hand and we will be friends. I will be your sworn protector. Let’s go find your Aunt. Okay?”

“Are you prince charming? ‘Cause if you’re a charming prince you can live in our castle forever and put a smile back on Aunt Kara’s face.”

Joe had to work to suppress the guffaw that threatened to escape. He coughed.

“Are you okay mister?”

“Remember? My name is Joe.” He leaned down to look in Rosa’s eyes.

“I know. But Aunt Kara teld me that I have to be po-lite and use mister or ms with old people.” She beamed as she spoke.

Ouch, Joe thought. “That’s okay, I am giving you permission to use my first name. Or you could call me Mister Joe. Now please show me were you live.”

Rosa tugged on his hand and pulled him up the beach towards a section of private beach in front of the biggest beach house in the area. When she wandered up the path to the gated entry to the property Joe wondered what he was getting himself into.

Rosa let go of his hand as her feet hit the steps up to the lower deck. “Aunty Kara,” she shouted as she ran. “Aunty Kara, I found a handsome prince for you.”

Joe could hear feet pounding down stairs inside the house. “Rosa, Rosa…where are you?”

“Outside! I found a prince for you!”

Kara ran for the door, swinging it wide and snatched the five-year-old Rosa up into her arms. “What am I going to do with you, sweetie?” Her whole body shook as she attempted to calm the fears that threatened to overtake her. Adrenalin poured through her system when she awoke and could not find Rosa anywhere in the house this morning.

“Rosa, honey, you can’t just get up and take off outside. It isn’t safe.”

Rosa squirmed in Kara’s arms. “But Aunt Kara, how would I have found Joe if I didn’t go for a walk?”

The innocence of young children, Kara thought.

“Kara?” A man’s deep voice penetrated the emotional fog Kara was in. A deep voice that evoked memories of nights wrapped up in a blanket on the beach and more than one stolen kiss. Kara swiftly raised her head and looked in the direction the voice came from.

“Joe?” Her face paled as her legs turned to rubber. Six years dropped away as if no time had passed.

Joe sprang up the steps and caught Rosa as she slipped out of Kara’s nerveless arms. One of his arms wrapped around the squirming child, his other arm wrapped around Kara and anchored her to his side.

“What is going on?” Joe worked to keep his voice calm as he asked through gritted teeth.

“Oh, Joe, not now, not in front of Rosa.” Kara managed to squeeze out of her clenched teeth. She took several deep breaths and asked forcing a cheery sound, “Why don’t we all go in and have some breakfast?”

“Rosa, you can have your breakfast in the playroom with one special doll. Okay?”

“Can we watch Cinderella?”

“Sure. But just this once, okay?” Kara hated the use of movies as a babysitter, but she knew it was time to talk to Joe.

Kara led Joe into the kitchen, poured a cup of coffee and placed it in front of Joe on the table.

“Talk to me Kara.”

The grimness of his tone unnerved Kara. She stared down at the tablecloth and spun the spoon around and around. Joe reached over and covered her hand. A streak of lightening zapped up her arm, down through her solar plexus into her lower abdomen.

“I was seventeen-years-old and pregnant when you left for college. I could not risk ruining your future, or mine. My sister was childless and desperate for a baby to save her marriage.” She started speaking in a pinched, barely audible voice.

Joe leaned towards her. “Did you sister formerly adopt Rosa?”

“No, how could she? We never contacted you. An adoption could not happen without you signing away your rights.”

Joe reached out and placed a finger under Kara’s chin raising her face up.

“I have missed five years of my daughter’s life.” He looked so sad as he spoke. Kara shivered. “I’m angry with you for denying me the pleasure of being her father, but I can’t say that I would have handle it any better. We were both so young. But I will no longer be denied a part of her life.”

“I don’t intend to keep you away from her.” Kara’s large pain-filled violet eyes pierced his soul. He gasped as he remembered how much he loved the young girl of his heart.

“I may not be your prince and you may not be my princess, but is there a future for us?”

Not a prince charming in the bunch. Lacey surveyed the motley assortment of bikers who’d just taken over three of her tables. They ranged in age from too young to much too old. One guy must be sixty if he was a day. They did have one thing in common, besides being scruffy.
They were LOUD. Their laughter drowned out the KISS song blaring from the jukebox in the corner. At least they had that going for them. Lacey hated that song. One of these days, she was going to find a way to break it. Accidentally, of course.
No, she wouldn’t.
She needed the job.
Ugh.
Grabbing a dozen menus, Lacey strode to the tables and handed them out, ignoring their good-natured teasing. She mentally nicknamed them to keep their orders straight.
“WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DRINK?”
The song ground to its end a second before Lacey shouted. The guys laughed. Blood rushed to her face.
Skull Tattoo winked at her. “Well, darlin’, how about we start with some COFFEE?”
More laughter.
“Or, hey, we could throw some money at the jukebox and crank the sound up so we have to yell some more.” Cowboy Hat waggled his sandy eyebrows.
Pull yourself together. It’s a job. It’s a paycheck. If you lose this— Don’t go there. You can’t lose this job. You just can’t.
“You want high octane or unleaded?”
Eleven of them, including Baby Face and Beatles’ Generation wanted regular coffee.
The twelfth, the one she’d dubbed Almost Handsome, flashed a great set of teeth at her, along with a twinkle in his hazel eyes. “Better make mine decaf. I’m driving.”
The guys burst into laughter again. Lacey smiled in spite of herself.
“Be right back.”

*

“What do you think, Rafe?”
“I’m hoping the decaf’s as good as the regular.”
Josh shoved him in the shoulder. “You know what I mean.”
Rafe glanced around the room.  “Well, aside from the orchard of dwarf orange trees on the edge of town, I think it’s perfect.”
“It’s settled then? We go to the city council?”
Rafe nodded. “Now if we can only convince them.”
Josh grinned. “Are you kidding? They’ll jump at the chance.”

*

Lacey grabbed the two coffee carafes and collided with Angie.
“Whoa! Slow down there.”
“Sorry, Ange. I—”
“Save it.” Angie glanced around the corner at the biker gang. “Looks like you lucked out.”
“Yeah? Which way you mean? Hog-riding hombres aren’t my idea of a good time. I mean, just look at them!”
Angie sneaked another look. “I don’t know. One of them looks a little like Rafe Hunter, or would without the beard and head rag.”
“You're always thinking you see movie stars. Remember last week you asked that accountant for his autograph?”
“Well, I still say he looked like Johnny Depp. And it could have been.”
“Yeah, out here in the middle of Tarantula Flats, Arizona.”
Angie shrugged. “It could happen.”
“And I could be Cinderella. Can you grab a couple of regulars and help me pour? I’ll split the tips with you.”
Angie glanced at her own tables, empty except for two people with their faces stuck in newspapers.
“Sure. But you’ll owe me.”

*

“And this diner has great atmosphere.  I mean, can’t you just see it in the scene where Clay takes on the Rattlesnakes?” Skull Tattoo waved his arms around to illustrate, almost whacking Beatles Generation in the face.
“Hey, watch it, Gonzo.”
Almost Handsome grinned. “You think you could be a little more enthusiastic?”
“Here comes the coffee!” Baby Face gave Lacey the first genuine smile she’d seen all day as he held out the thick white mug. Lacey filled it, wishing she could ignore the cheers.
Angie’s jaw dropped.  “It IS you! You—you’re Rafe Hunter!” She dropped the carafes, sending hot coffee everywhere, but especially all over Lacey.
Lacey gasped at the scalding pain.
“Oh, gee, I’m sorry, Lacey, but you said it wasn’t him.”
Almost Handsome grabbed the paper napkin dispenser and hauled out a wad. A second later he slid out of the booth and patted down Lacey’s uniform and legs. “Did it burn you? Are you all right? Joe, get me some of that ice water.”
I am having the worst nightmare of my life. I have coffee burns, and a movie star is—oh my.
More than her legs were burning. Her face blazed. This couldn’t get worse. Then the biker called Joe threw a glass of ice water at her. It hit her forehead, ruining her hair, then streamed over her uniform, chilling her as it counteracted the coffee.
“Joe, dude, I can’t take you anywhere.” Almost Handsome’s mouth twitched in a hopeful grin. “Can you forgive him? We wouldn’t have brought him, but he crunches the numbers.”
Angie, sweeping up glass and coffee from the floor, looked up at that. Her expression wilted. “Another accountant? Aw, man, not again.”
Almost Handsome laughed.
A little knot burst into flame in Lacey’s midsection. She’d heard that laugh hundreds of times, in The Lost Battalion, in Unquiet Grave, in a dozen other films. He really was Rafe Hunter.
Her secret crush.   
“Say something.”
Lacey opened her mouth but nothing came out.
“We’re here scouting locations.” Beatles’ Generation smiled. “We like your town. We’re thinking about setting a picture here.”
Rafe didn’t take his eyes off Lacey. “Usually the writer doesn’t get any say, but when he owns the production company…”
Beatles’ Generation was George diGrazia? Good grief, were they all famous?
George grinned. “We’ll be looking for some waivers.”
“Wafers?” Angie dumped the last of the glass into the rolling trash container.
“Waivers. Non-union extras. We figured the townspeople might like to see themselves on film.” 

The warm expression in Rafe’s eyes made Lacey forget she was sopping wet. “You’d be perfect for the role of Cindy. It’s just a walk-on, but…” 
She’d been wrong. There was a prince charming in the bunch.   
Lacey smiled. “Where’s a glass slipper when I need one?”

I can't believe all the good stuff that was posted last night! I'm certainly glad I'm not the one judging entries!

Crystal, by any chance are you on PEI?

I loved the variety of the entries this time!  This was a fun challenge.

Of course, I don't think I wrote anything at all on my JuNoWriMo yesterday...

I hope you're getting lots of photos! (Even though the camera is never quite able to do gorgeous scenery justice...!) Enjoy, soak up that atmosphere, and we'll look forward to reading about it in one of your novels someday (hopefully soon)!

But Hope, lol, yours had me laughing outloud! LOL, just had to tell you.

Dee

Jodie I hope your Mom is feeling better - pneumonia is so not fun!!

way to go everyone! great stories! sorry I didn't get to join in this time, buried up to my eyeballs here! loved each and every story tho.....woohoo!

 carrie