Sam walked into the crowded club behind Tabby. She let out a small content sigh of relief as the warmth of the place seeped into her. Her thin black dress didn’t give her much protection against the coolness of the late spring night of New York City. Sam wanted to wear something more practical, but Tabby insisted she wore this. Tonight they were going to go all out, according to Tabby.

Sam stretched as she woke the next morning. She felt more rested and relaxed than she had in a long time despite a raging headache assaulting her. Sam slowly opened one eye but closed it quickly as the rays of sunlight were like knives stabbing into her brain. She groaned quietly burying her head in her pillow when a hand that wasn’t hers brushed her thigh.

The day passed quickly and it appeared her plan was working to perfection. She hadn’t had to speak to or see David Andrews again. She glanced at her wristwatch and saw it was time for lunch. “Thank God the first part is over,” Sam mumbled as she got up from her chair and grabbed her purse. She made a mad dash for the door to only run into a large wall of muscle halfway there. She started to lose her balance and someone held on to her waist preventing her from falling.

“Your hottie?” David asked and she turned to face him. Her cheeks were bright pink, turning red. She gave him a nervous smile that made his heart skip a beat. “She said it, not me. That’s Wallflower,” she told him with a soft musical voice that made his heart race even faster. Wallflower, he repeated in silently wondering about the nicknames before he noticed that she was nearly at the bar. With a slight sense of panic, he rushed over to where she was. He didn’t want to let her get too far away from him and allow the chance for some other man to step in and take her away.

David arrived in Illinois but had a hell of a time trying to find the little town of Green River, not even his cab driver knew where it was. Nearly three hours after he had landed he finally found the tiny town and his even smaller hotel. After he had called his parents to let them know he was in Green River, David collapsed on the small hard bed, exhausted. The evening was setting in and even though he had barely eaten the whole day the only thing he wanted to do was try to get some sleep.