The New Castle

It seemed as though no time had gone by at all when I was settled into the new castle, the hone I would share with several of my friends upon a different island than where I had lived before.

Upon first glance, it was no paradise, but I could see the possibilities. Thankfully, so could my sister, Jessie.

She brushed the cobwebs away from her face and grinned as she looked upward toward the grand staircase. "Just needs some work and tender loving care," she said. I smiled, envisioning us both making it as classically beautiful yet innovative as it was meant to be.

Then the doorbell rang and we looked at each other with curious expressions. Who would be calling at such a time? Few people knew that anyone had moved in, let alone come to visit.

I opened the door to find the most handsome man I had ever seen. He was tall, at least six foot two, had midnight black hair and sparkling blue eyes. Jessie came up to the threshold and nudged me. He was asking a question, but I was too caught up in staring at him to comprehend, let alone respond.

"Where would you like me to put the boxes?" He grinned slyly.

I laughed, flustered. "Choose a spot," I looked around the grand foyer. "There should be plenty of room," I blushed.

I could tell that Jessie was trying hard to suppress a giggle, but I pretended not to notice as I watched the man move the boxes in and place them around the dusty entryway. Once he was done, he turned back to me, still grinning.

"Nice place. It has good bones. I'll be curious to see what it looks like when it's finished. I live right up the road," he turned and gestured out the door into the shining sunlit afternoon. "Will you give me a tour?"

I nodded. "Yes, of course."