FEISTY AND FROSTY

Elena Hart's old blue car reached the gravel driveway, and from the salty breeze came the gentle smell of lavender.

Seabreeze Cove had all the charm from the pictures, leaving her with the feeling it was slid inside a storybook by accident.

She felt the town was softly sending a message, as the wind made her hair messy and tugged up at her cardigan when she left the car.

Driving had given her arms a lot of pain.

Some boxes were tossed into the back of her car, including notebooks, mugs from cafés, and reminders of what she wanted to escape.

The memory of the city, the scandal, and how her feelings were wounded by him all faded once she was right in front of the cottage.

She whispered, "Home," even though 'home' was not familiar to her yet.

A scuffling sound brought her out of her dream.

As she looked back, she spotted that one of her boxes had got flipped over, and its contents were scattered both on the gravel and on the neighbor's well-kept lawn.

"Oh no," she said quickly, picking up all her belongings.

As she went to pick up the remaining things, a threatening figure appeared overhead.

A man's polished leather shoes tried to touch the very edge of her notebook.

She gazed into a pair of dark eyes that looked as though they'd been hit by a storm.

"You're on the land I own," replied the man firmly.

Elena blinked.

It looked like the man, who was tall and strongly built, was altogether too handsome to be scowling so severely.

His hood was pulled down over a dark hoodie and he was wearing sweatpants that definitely cost more than her car.

Oh sorry, she said reaching for her notebook.

"As I was going through the room, one of my boxes slipped."

I tried to explain.

He stopped me with, "You're walking dirt across the line on my property," as he pointed to the edge of his yard.

When she heard the harsh words in his voice, Elena became stunned.

"I didn't realize that I was trespassing."

He caught her attention and looked at her for a moment too much, so he mumbled softly and turned around.

"One way to welcoming a neighbor," she muttered slowly while picking up all her items.

While she brought her box back over the imaginary line that broke their yards, she couldn't help from gazing at him once more.

He strolled along the steps of a contemporary home that looked altogether foreign in the bay town of Seabreeze Cove.

No place to sit, but only a cold welcome from the steel and glass.

Cold, uninviting.

Just as is the case with its owner.

Elena took her time while unpacking inside her cottage.

Her favorite mug was placed by the window, the journals got a spot on the bookshelf, and her little writing desk was put by the fireplace.

The calm after all the sirens and chaos in the newsroom stood out as unreal after many years.

She regularly looked at the house across the sidewalk.

The man who lived next door to her was nowhere around.

In the evening, Seabreeze Cove was quiet and all its lights had turned off.

Her husband was inside, so she made tea and then sat on the porch looking up at the stars twinkling in the sky.

She had just taken a drink when she noticed the sound of footsteps coming from gravel.

Liam.

She observed him in the distance when he came back from a seeming jog.

As he came by, they looked at each other.

The scowl faded on his face for a brief moment.

Not that much.

She said goodnight through her shyness.

He stopped, nodded a single time, then went on.

No smile.

No warmth.

But still, there are ways for the rest to interact with them.

She leaned back and looked at her cup as she smiled.

This will be an interesting challenge.

Morning came again with a bright sky and strong, salty air.

I could hear gulls high above and felt the ocean's smell in the air.

She moved outdoors and stretched while sipping her warm cup of coffee.

She checked her neighbor's yard without thinking, and there was no sign of danger.

There is no sign that he's there. Even the curtains were unmoved.

She walked through the back of the house to a white gate that separated her land and his land.

Just as she tried to pull a weed from the garden, a deep voice suddenly surprised her.

You're getting tempted to go into the wrong direction once more.

She took a look upward.

He acted tough by crossing his arms and giving a hard look.

His features were reflected and sharpened by the sun's rays.

His eyes and clothes were telling me he had not slept well.

It could be that he had a serious look all the time.

"All it is, is just a weed," she responded while trying to smile politely.

Though it is a weed, I do not think it should be your business since it's not on your land.

Okay?

She tried not to comment with a sarcastic response.

"Duly noted."

First, he started to leave, but suddenly stopped.

It's obvious that you aren't from around here.

"No," was her answer.

Yesterday was my first day here.

"I thought as much."

Her facial expression showing curiosity, she raised her eyebrow.

You seem to be indicating that you are not a fan of outsiders.

Liam's lips curved into a smile, but withdrew swiftly after that.

That's my way to highlight that you might not be prepared for what is to come.

While she was looking at him, he went into the shadows behind his house.

Elena was still there for a while, her heart beating loudly.

What impact did that event have?

What was lurking behind the stormy eyes of this strange man?

Somehow, she just knew that she would find out what it was.

At that moment, she wasn't completely sure if she should be happy or feel nervous.