CHAPTER TWO

The air felt fresh and without impurities. The flowers smelt so good. Summer was on the way and a sweet smelling flower is always a good sign. The weather was warm and it was a good day to lay on the beach and enjoy the sun. Samantha served herself with a fresh cold glass of lemonade as she sat down on her porch in her new home. “So this is what it means to live, '' she thought to herself. 

She had to go check on her mother at the senior citizens home. Her mother loved it there because she had old people around her and got to play checkers and chess. Her mom would be back home this weekend to spend time with her before returning back. 

She missed her mom. Dementia was a tough disease. She watched her mom slip away daily till she couldn't recognize her anymore. She is still her mom and no disease can change that. She didn't have much time for her earlier because she was trying to stay alive but now that life has given her a second chance, she intends to spend a lot of time with her mother. Her phone buzzed and her heart skipped a beat. She checked her phone and saw that it was just the phone bill coming in. She heaved a sigh of relief. She still gets scared anytime her phone rings or buzzes. She might need therapy. It's been a month now. She should be over this fear of Jonathan finding her. 

She had tightened her loose ends at home and made sure no one knew where she was. She changed her phone and her number. She didn't tell anyone where she was going. She picked up her mother and drove far from where Jonathan was and landed in this town. She made up her mind to run after she woke up in the hospital. She was surprised she made it out alive. He tried to kill her because she wanted a divorce. She thought she was gone for good but her neighbor heard the uproar and came to the house to check. She saw her getting strangled by Jonathan and screamed for help. Jonathan fled and she called an ambulance because Samantha had already passed out and her breathing was faint. 

She was rushed to the hospital and spent a week there. Jonathan was reported to the police for domestic violence and attempted murder and the police were looking for him. Samantha kept getting messages from him threatening her because the police were looking for her. She then made up her mind to flee. She looked up at distant towns and found this one, Moonsville. 

A small town far north of Texas. It was perfect. Once she was fine, she got a plane ticket for her and her mom and left New York. If the police find him and he is behind bars, she would come back but for now, this is her home. She had withdrawn all of her savings and was living off them. Life wasn't expensive in Moonsville but she needed to get a job. Nothing grand but just enough to get her by everyday and take care of her mother.The washing machine needed repair. The machine broke down earlier this morning and she needed to fix it.  She had seen a job vacancy at a local library and had applied for the job. She was waiting for a call back and hoped she got the job. No one would ever look for her at a library.

'I need to check out this town further’ she said to herself. She wanted to enjoy her new life. She won't allow Jonathan to control her here. She cannot live in fear because of him all her life. It was already evening and the air was cool. Maybe she could go to a local bar or restaurant and see what this town has in store for her. She moved her things inside the house and got ready for her little drive downtown. 

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     The local bar was situated downtown. This was the only bar in town and almost all the locals visited it to unwind. Samantha packed her car in the driveway and walked in. This was smaller than most bars in New York but anywhere is better than there. Samantha walked up to the bar table and sat on one of the high stools. The bartender walked up to her. “What are you having, missy?” He asked with a southern accent.

“Um, I'll have tequila. Two shots. Can I get a lime with it?

“Sure,” the bartender responded. He poured her drink into two shot glasses and put two slices of lime on a plate beside her. “There you have it. Tequila shots for the beautiful woman”.

Samantha smiled. “Thank you”. She downed one of the drinks and put a slice of lime in her mouth. Whoa!! The drink hit the right places. “This is good,” she said.

“Of course. I guess you are not from around here. I have never seen you around”. He said.

“No, I am not. I just moved to town”. 

“Great. I thought as much. Enjoy your evening”. He said and moved to serve another person.

“Well thanks”. She muttered to herself. She looked across the room and there was a band playing. The locals were drinking and vibing to the songs. On one corner she saw a couple making out and sighed. “I hope it lasts forever”. She said to herself.

“And why wouldn't it?” A voice beside her retorted. She was shocked someone heard her and turned to see a man beside her sitting on the stools. She was so immersed with her surroundings that she didn't notice when he came up. He totally heard what she said. The man was huge with a broad chest and shoulders. His voice was deep and also soothing. He had short jet black hair that was also wavy. He was very good looking.

“Um, what are you talking about?” She asked, playing ignorant. The guy had a bottle of beer with him. He took a sip and gave her a piercing look.

“That couple over there. You were referring to them. I saw you look at them and hoped whatever they had would last” he said.

Samantha took her second shot because she was feeling nervous already. “I wasn't bitter or anything. It is just wishful thinking. I just thought aloud. You weren't supposed to hear that. Nobody was actually”. She said taking her second lime.

He chuckled. “Do you have anything against happy couples?”

“How do you know they are happy? She said without thinking of the consequences of what this conversation might lead to. 

“They look happy. Besides this is a small town. We know every happy and miserable couple. I guess you are new here. If not, you would have known that they have been together for 10 years and intend to stay together forever”.

Samantha let out a sigh of regret. She should have just kept her mouth shut. Now everyone in town knows she is new. She had been in town for a month now but never stepped out unless to buy groceries or drop off her mom at the old people’s homes. She signaled to the bartender for a beer. 

“Well, all I know is that people can pretend so people can perceive them in a positive light. You definitely don't know what happens behind closed doors” she said, drinking from her beer.

The guy chuckled. Why does he keep doing that? “I like your ideology. Are you speaking from textbook knowledge or experiences? Because I can perceive a lot of experiences coming from those words.

“It doesn't matter if I have experienced it or not. They are just facts. This town has probably sheltered you all from a lot of facts”.

“Well, it's a quiet town. There isn't much trouble here. Why did you move here? You look like a city girl”.

Samantha looked at him thinking of what to say to this stranger. “That's nosy,” she replied.

He let out a laugh. It's the coolest laugh she ever heard. “What's so funny?” she asked.

“You called me nosy. Well you came to my town and I think I am allowed to know why you moved here”.

She sighed. “It's none of your business. It's not a crime”. She noticed her bottle was empty. She was already feeling the effects of the alcohol in her system.

“I think you have had enough drinks for one night”. 

She looked at him. “Why do you care? Most guys would want me drunk so they can take advantage of me”.

He giggled. “Well, I am not “most guys”. I am Daniel. Guys who take advantage of girls whether in their drunk state or not are dipshits”.

“Samantha, but you can call me Sam”. Why did she tell him her name? She was drawn to him for whatever reason. Maybe it was the alcohol. She wasn't even tipsy yet. 

“Nice to meet you, Sam”. He held out his hand and she brought out her hand and he raised it up to his mouth and kissed it. Samantha felt shocks of electricity go through her body. She looked at his arms, hairy and broad enough to hold her. She wasn't one to be attracted to strangers, not even after what she went through with Jonathan but she was fascinated by him. 

“So, how long have you lived in this town?” Samantha asked.

“All my life. My family grew up here. I also grew up here and took over the family business”. 

“So what do you do?”

“ I maintain the peace of this town”. 

Samantha chuckled. “So you are like a sheriff?”

“No. We have that already. I am just a guy who does more than the sheriff in maintaining peace.” He said with a grin on his face.

“Your arrogance is on another level”. 

“People tell me that all the time”. They both laughed and it was refreshing. She couldn't remember the last time she had a laugh with someone. 

“So how long have you been here, Sam? He asked. 

“A month. But it feels like I just came yesterday because I have never really checked out this town”.

“I could show you around if you want. I have a lot of free time”. He offered. He leaned towards her and stared right into her eyes. “You could use a new friend”. 

“ I guess that wouldn't hurt. But why do you have so much free time? Shouldn't you be running the family business or something?”

He leaned back. “My family runs the town winery. We have vineyards and produce wine for the townspeople and the neighboring towns. It's been the business for many generations”.

Before Sam could respond, a drunk fellow walking towards them to probably order a drink tripped and fell on Sam and spilled the ketchup he was holding on her white sweater. Sam gasped and Daniel pushed the guy off her. “You need to get a hold of yourself,” he said to the guy, sounding very upset. The drunk guy staggered off and offered a drunken apology. 

‘Are you okay?” Daniel asked, really concerned.

“Yes.I am fine. I was just shocked”. Sam said trying to clean off the ketchup with paper towels but it kept smearing. “Damn. I guess this is totally ruined”.

“It needs to be washed off,” he said. 

“My washing machine is faulty. I guess the shirt has had its use. I'll just dispose of it” Sam replied getting up.

“I have a machine at home. You could, um, clean it up, errr there and i-i-i could drive you back home” he stuttered. Sam hesitated for a bit and asked, “What about my car? I drove here” 

‘I could send someone to drive it back home for you. It is totally safe here if you choose to leave it here. Um, I am just offering. If you, er, are not comfortable, it's no problem” he said all in one breath.

Samatha sighed. She was never one to follow a stranger anywhere but he felt safe to be with. “Alright. Where is your house?”