Under A Painted Sky (Spirit Warrior Series) (10 page)

That didn’t explain the
door being open.

What was going on here?
I knew someone had been here because I heard my name. How would anybody know my
name, since I’d just moved here?

The coffee pot made the
sputtering sound of the last bit of water going through to alert me that it was
done, and I poured a cup and added my creamer. I was so glad Logan had gotten
so many bottles of it.
Here’s to you, Logan,
I was thinking as I took a
gulp. The sweetness and warmth of the spiced coffee enveloped my senses and the
aroma was spicy, sweet, and also very comforting.

I just realized my
music was off. I went over to the wall and turned it on and it came on right
away. That was also very weird too.

I looked out the patio
door and the sun was coming up. I grabbed my laptop and took it outside to the
patio to enjoy my coffee while thinking about what had taken place. I just
remembered Logan was not coming today because he had business. I sat there
drinking my coffee and going over all the strange happenings since I’d last
seen him. I felt as if I were in a time warp. I couldn’t believe someone would
want to hurt me, because I hadn’t done anything to anybody. There wasn’t
anything missing from the house, so it wasn’t a robbery. I knew the police
didn’t believe me, but they were wrong.

I got a second cup of
coffee and went back outside. I sat there going over the night’s events and I
was so confused and weirded out. I still thought someone had gotten inside the
house. There was no forced entry, so how could that have been? I was so
unnerved.

CHAPTER
THIRTEEN

I thought I should call
my aunt, but I knew she would call Logan and find out he wasn’t coming over today
or maybe he would’ve dropped everything and came running. He had business to
take care of and I didn’t want him thinking I couldn’t handle one day alone. My
aunt would probably not believe it like the police didn’t believe it. That
settled it in my mind. I couldn’t call her.

I wanted to talk with
someone. I decided to talk with my mother. I couldn’t let her know what
happened or she would freak out.

I decided to Skype her.
I straightened my hair and made the connection.

My mom appeared from
her kitchen.

I chatted with her like
nothing had happened. She loved seeing the outside of this place in the
background. Dad joined her at the computer and talked with me. I told them
about all of the fun I had been having and ended the love fest with blowing a
kiss. It felt good to see my folks and I guess it made me feel safe after what
I had been through this morning.

I wished Logan had been
here. I couldn’t call him because he said he was busy today and he had already
been at my beck and call for days now. I decided that I needed to get out. I
had shopping to do anyway and I needed out of the house for a while to get my
head screwed back on straight. I went inside and found the house papers in the
drawer. I looked at the clock and it was 8:15 a.m., so I was going to call the
men and get them out here. I called the electrician first and he said he could
come over at 8:45 a.m. I called the alarm system group and they told me they
could be here at 9 a.m.

That would be perfect.
I had just enough time to get ready. I went upstairs and decided I was not
getting into the shower. I was still too spooked. I washed up in the sink so I
could be alert. It took me no time since I was unnerved. I grabbed some jean
shorts and matching top, earrings, rings and sandals.

I made my bed and
tidied up since people were coming and took off downstairs after gathering my
things. I tidied up the rest of the house and while I was washing the coffee
pot, the doorbell rang.

I let the electrician
in and explained the problem. He checked out all the avenues where trouble
could take place.

The doorbell rang again
and I let in the alarm man. I explained my problem and saw the electrician
raise his ears to listen. The alarm guy started checking out the system and the
electrician told me that he could find no problem whatsoever.

He demonstrated turning
the fireplace off and on and then asked me to sign his work order and he left.

The alarm man called
his office to see if there was an alarm breech. He said there was no breech. He
demonstrated setting the alarm to me and had me do the same as if I didn’t know
how. He told me that he didn’t think I would have any more issues. He left and
I knew they both just thought I was inept.

I was so ready to get
out of the house. I grabbed my phone, purse and a bottle of water. I locked up
and set the alarm. I got in my car, set the GPS for Walgreens, and headed off.
I pulled out of the drive and then the gate. I went to Walgreens and picked up
soap, shampoo, conditioner and chewing gum.

The next stop was Old
Town, so I reset my GPS. I arrived in Old Town by the time two songs had played
on the radio and had to park a little further from the square. I parked in a
parking lot that had a payment box. It was so weird. It had small slots with
the parking space number on each slot. You had to fold up dollar bills into
what seemed like a toothpick and put them in a flat slot for your parking space
number. I was so glad I had dollars. I was terrible about not carrying money at
all. I just usually carried my debit card. Note to self, I needed to start
carrying more cash money.

I thought it was time
to start my retail therapy to take my mind off of everything. I had seen
several things I wanted to purchase when Logan and I were here the other day. I
walked down the sidewalk where all the different Native Americans were selling
jewelry and I couldn’t believe the prices. I remembered what Logan had said
about talking to them about their art before purchasing. The advice served me
well. They truly seemed thrilled that I actually wanted to know about their
art. They were so nice and so talented.

I bought a blue lapis
lazuli and silver lace necklace, earrings and ring set at $79 for real stones.
I couldn’t believe it. I continued on down the sidewalk and I saw a petroglyph
hand necklace and earrings made by the Hopi tribe.

It reminded me of the
hand I touched at the Petroglyphs where Logan took me. I had to get them as
mementos. As I was paying for the jewelry, I said, “This reminds me of the hand
etching I touched at the Petroglyphs.”

They all turned and
looked at me. And one lady said, “You should never touch the etchings on the
rocks; they are very sacred.”

Another woman looked
almost spooked and said, “No, never touch, never touch.”

I replied, “Okay, I am
sorry.”

I thought to myself
that had been the wrong thing to have said. I walked on and saw a store that
had clothing and went inside. It was a feast for the eyes. I loved this stuff.
All the bright colors, desert colors and colors of the sky were awesome.

I had to get an outfit.
I decided on a lapis blue colored longer sundress so I could wear it with my
new lapis jewelry. It was V-necked just the way I liked, gathered at the
breasts and small white buttons between breast
area
. I
couldn’t wait to wear it. I noticed sundresses were what everyone was wearing
here or shorts and then you mostly saw jeans at night. It was so hot during the
day. One thing I did
notice,
was even when it was very
hot there was no humidity, so it didn’t boil you like in Florida.

After I made my
purchase, I headed back toward the square. I saw the Native Americans playing
their haunting flute music. It was so beautiful. I stopped and sat down on a
bench to listen for a while. I heard the water flowing over the rocks on a
nearby fountain. It was so calming. I could’ve sat there for a very long time.
All of your worries and cares just washed away and you became gently flooded
with peacefulness. It was hard to believe the fear I felt a little while ago a
few miles down the road in this land of enchantment.

It was a little past
lunch and I decided I must eat. I went into a place and grabbed a taco salad
with no peppers. I loved anything with hamburger, lettuce, tomato, onion and
cheese. I guess that is why I love New Mexico food. I finished my salad around
two-thirty and decided it was time to return home.

When I got home I
checked my mail. I didn’t think the forwarding address mail would have made it
here yet but checked anyway. There was nothing in the box. I decided maybe I
should place a copy of the change of address in the box just to be sure. I went
inside and reset the alarm. I got a change of address form from my laptop bag
and went back and placed it in the box so the mail person would know that I’d
just moved here. I made my way back inside and decided to go for a swim.

I grabbed my suit from
upstairs. I was still having an eery feeling about last night. I got in my suit
and grabbed a towel and went to the pool. I turned on the music so I could hear
it through the outside speakers. I took my phone with me and a bottle of water.
I plopped down on the reclining lounge chair and situated my things. I got up
and took a dive into the pool and made a few laps. I went and stood under the
waterfall like I had with Logan.

I started remembering
the look of his chest, his face and his eyes. Then, I thought about the kiss
that I didn’t want to stop and my heart started to race at the very thought of
it. How could I want him so much in such a short amount of time? I had no
answer, but I definitely did want him. I recalled how his touch almost made me
lose my breath.

Oh, Logan, I wish you
had been here this morning.
I thought of telling my Aunt Carol
again and remembered why I didn’t tell her in the first place. I knew she
would’ve wanted to call Logan and I knew he had something to take care of so, I
didn’t want her to call him. I was a big girl. I could handle this. I suddenly
thought about nightfall coming and I dreaded that I would be alone. I must stop
thinking of it. I took a few more laps around the pool, then got out and went
to the lounger to bask in the sun.

“Just a Kiss” by Lady
Antebellum was playing on the stereo.
Get out of my head, Logan,
I said
to myself. Just as I was thinking that, the phone rang. “Hello?” I answered.

“Hi, Isabella, this is
Logan. I wanted to see if you’re available tonight for dinner? I will be
finished by then and I wanted to see you.”

“Sure.”

“I will pick you up at
six-thirty, then.”

“I can’t wait,” I said.
I hung up the phone and squealed out loud, “Yes, yes, yes, sweet!” I did not
want to be alone. I looked at the time on my phone and it was five-thirty
already. I’d better get ready. Oh yeah, I could wear the New Mexico outfit I’d
gotten today. I was excited. This was perfect. I went inside, locked the patio
door, and went upstairs with my new outfit in the bag.

I needed to take a
shower but I was still a little cautious. I got in it and left the door open so
I could hear and took the fastest shower I had ever taken in my life. I hurried
and dried off and dried my hair and got dressed. I applied makeup and put on
perfume called Unconditional Love by Philosophy. It was sweet, sexy and not too
floral. That’s me. I put on my new splurge of beautiful lapis lazuli jewelry. I
put on some tan, two-inch heel sandals. I was ready. I tidied up and went
downstairs to wait on Logan.

Huh, that’s funny—I
could have sworn I cleared that cup off of the kitchen counter. I guess I
really got spooked this morning and I was just out of sorts. I was usually such
a neat freak.

I heard Logan pull up
so I turned off the music, grabbed my things and headed out the door after
setting the alarm. He had already opened the side door on his truck.

He smiled and said,
“You look amazing. I like your shopping trip.”

“Thank you, Logan. You
look very handsome yourself,” I replied. He had on tan fitted khakis with a tan
and dark blue shirt.

Unbelievable, we
matched nicely. We took off down the road and through the gates.

“Where are we going?” I
asked.

“Do you like seafood?”
he asked.

“Sure, who doesn’t?”

“We’ve had every other
kind of food, so I thought seafood might be in order,” Logan said while “Some
Nights” by Fun played on the radio. My spirits were lifted even more. You must
smile when you hear this song. I was swaying back and forth under my seat belt
to the music. Logan said, “I like this; do it, girl.”

“This song just makes
you need to move,” I told him.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

We pull into Pappadeaux
Seafood Kitchen. Logan came around his truck and helped me out. As I stepped
down onto the pavement, he grabbed me in a hug and said, “I missed you so much.
I know this was only one day apart, but I couldn’t stop thinking of you all
day.”

“You don’t know the
half of it,” I said.

“What?” he asked.

I said, “I missed you
terribly also.”

We were shown to a
table and browsed the menu. We got drinks and Logan ordered coconut shrimp for
an appetizer after asking me. We ordered our meal. I chose lobster and shrimp salad
with avocado, mango, cashews and citrus dressing. Logan got Maine lobster. When
our appetizer arrived, it was divine.