The next day, Regina wondered if she should cancel her date with Arthur. The kiss with Owen had been weighing heavily on her mind, and wondered if it affected Owen the same way. She was distracted and worried her date with Arthur would not be enjoyable. But at the last minute, she decided that backing out would make her look bad. Arthur worked for Owen, and she didn’t want it to be awkward between them when they saw each other again. Arthur took Regina to Cherry Blossom Park, knowing she was fond of flowers. Once a year, the flowers bloomed and during that time they covered the entire park in pink petals, falling like snow on a winter’s day. Regina wore a dusty pink sundress with small, white flowers, making her look like she was part of the display, like a fairy or a wood nymph dancing among the trees. “This place is so pretty. I love sitting among the benches out here and just watching the petals falling. Come Art, I know the perfect place.” She pulled his arm and led him to he

A,I finally did it. I asked her out. I asked Regina out. I didn’t think she’d say yes, but she did. It was the coolest day of my entire life. I almost screamed for joy when she said yes. Can you believe that there is not a single day that I don’t see her, and it fills my day just to be in her presence? I want us to be together soon, so I can stand beside her, hold her hand, kiss her soft, red lips, and touch her face, but I can hear you telling me to be patient. And I will. I can feel that she’s warming up to me already, giving me those lovely smiles and secret looks. Okay, okay, before you throw a fit, I will tell you about our date. It was perfect. I didn’t think it would happen, but it did, and it was magical. You should have been there. We had so much fun. I can’t tell you enough how smart she is. She knew about every topic I threw at her. It was like we were really in sync with each other. Once again, I will say you are right. She was awesome, and nobody else can replace her. I

Bella barked in her high, shrill voice. She used several tones for different reasons, and Regina tried to discover what they meant. But when Regina came to curb her bad habit of rushing toward the door and antagonizing the guest, Bella sat quietly and listened attentively to Myles.One “shush,” and a command to sit was all it took for Bella to follow Myles like a trained puppy.“What? You tell her one time, and she followed you right away?”“You have a very bubbly, nervous energy Regina, so she picked up on that. Plus, she knows you are a sucker for her cuteness, so she manipulates you every chance she has.”After getting a treat from Regina for being an obedient dog, Bella bounds off somewhere and disappears. “Oh, there she goes. Let me find her and get out of your way. Welcome home, Mr. Bennet.” Regina curtsies, making Myles break out a smile.“She and that dog are almost the same. Goofy and adorable at the same time.” Owen stared at Myles. He’s never heard his brother describe some

Regina sped away, realizing Owen’s shoes were still in Arthur’s possession. The only thing she came for so she could keep her job, and now who knows what would happen?The next day, she was not surprised when Arthur came by to drop off the package, but seeing him got her defenses up.“Why are you here, Arthur?” Regina rudely asked as she let Bella out of her car, not caring that the dog growled at him ferociously.“I’m sorry about last night. Here, I brought the shoes because I knew they were important to you.” Bella snapped at the package as Arthur came closer.“You can keep them. I’ll talk to Mr. Bennet and ask for more time. They’re just shoes. I can get them anywhere.”“Regina, please,” Arthur held her hand to stop her, letting go quickly when the dog reached for his arm. “I got ahead of myself and was overcome with my feelings. I apologize for not stopping when you asked.”“I don’t know, Arthur. I need to think about it.”The clouds were getting darker, and it was threatening to r

The next few days had been quiet. Most of the Bennet boys were out of town and busy with their jobs, so Regina had some reprieve from their antics, but Bella stared out the windows a lot, looking for them.The house became quiet, and it was easy to see why Mrs. Bennet’s health declined when her best friend passed away. Without her husband or children to keep her company, her memory just wilted away.With the family back home and the health care workers arriving daily, the house and Mrs. Bennet felt alive again.“Good night Mrs. Bennet. I will come back on Monday.”“Enjoy your weekend, Mandy. Say hello to your brothers.”It was Friday, and Regina was going out to dinner with Raffy and his wife that night, so she needed to hurry.She was looking forward to dining with them since it had been a while since she saw the couple, and they were going to Regina’s favorite steak restaurant.“I have been dreaming about the steak here all night, and I cannot wait to have dessert. Since you’re buyin