Where is Amber Ann?
Dan walked into his house, his mind a buzz. He moved in a fog, his body numb even as his heart seemed to sink in his chest.
Jessica came downstairs. The servants quickly scurried out of her way, as if they were afraid of some severe punishment. Her smile was wide, a powder blue camisole hanging from her fingers and a deep purple dress draped over his shoulder.
She held the long purple dress up to herself, the spaghetti straps looped over her fingers. She looked down at the shimmering fabric, and her voice sounded full of awe and disbelief.
"I can't believe Amber Ann has a Drassoon." She laughed condescendingly. "She was never going to go anywhere to wear this."
Both Jessica and Dan shook their heads at the same time—but for vastly different reasons.
That's when he began texting Amber Ann. His eyes continually flicking up to Jessica, as he wondered why she was so fascinated with clothes.
Texts:
9:30 am
"Amber? Call me."
9:33 am
"????"
9:40 am
"Where are you sleeping tonight?"
10:00 am
"I am going to Cristina's later."
"We need to talk"
After thirty minutes of half-listening to Jessica, Dan stood up, shaking his head absentmindedly. Jessica watched him and rose when she realized that he was going upstairs.
She frowned when he went into his editing studio.
"Dan. I thought we already talked about this. Why don't you look for a social media manager and start initiating the new business model we talked about for your real estate business?" She walked to him and placed her hand on his lower back.
"Jessica. This is my job. It is what I like to do. If you have a problem with it…" Dan lost his voice at the thought of how ridiculous it all was. "This is what I am going to do."
Jessica frowned. Before she could speak, he entered the soundproof room and locked the door.
Amber woke up at her new house on Blue Serene Lake. It was the house she personally helped design for her husband. All four outer walls were walls of windows from the ground to roof—giving her unique and beautiful 360-degree views. She walked up to the window at the far side of her bedroom and looked at the beautiful clear, blue-green water.
She found herself wondering why she had not moved here sooner—she and Dan would've been happy here.
She frowned at the unbidden thought. She closed her eyes and forced herself to think on other things.
She smiled as she thought about her siblings helping her move—by ordering high-end furniture to be delivered same day. Only the custom pieces had not come. All of her siblings were acting like she had suddenly become destitute and unable to afford anything.
Her family truly felt that money solved all problems.
Her text notification went off—again—and she pretended not to hear it. She looked at the lake, her eyes sweeping over the vast property and landing on the old general store on the opposite side of the river.
She nodded to herself. Her plan was sound. She had more than enough of her own money to initiate and maintain the project—she would create an artisanal getaway just outside Carson City that rivaled major resorts elsewhere.
She sat down and began calling carpenters, builders, and architects she knew. The truth was, she had always helped Dan with his house-flipping business. The Lance name still carried weight, and her research skills were still impeccable.
Amber became excited with the prospect; her keen senses detected success and fortune on the horizon.
Her text notification went off again, and she rolled her eyes but did not look at her phone. There was a knock on the door just as the bell rang. Amber's heart jumped into her throat—had Dan found her?
She was not ready yet.
The bell rang again, and she closed her eyes, took a cleansing breath, and went downstairs.
She opened the door and froze in surprise. A tall man with dark caramel skin stood smiling kindly at her, his hand extended.
"Good morning! My name is Brandon."
She stood frozen, her eyes lost in those green-gray eyes. Her hand reluctantly rose to make a weak handshake. Brandon was unperturbed by her behavior and forged ahead.
"I am here about the house for sale and the possible shop for rent within the new development. I create all things dairy—though I specialize in yogurt. I would love to live and work here." He turned, took a deep breath, and continued—now speaking to the lake. "It is absolutely beautiful here and so close to Carson City. It is exactly what I have been looking for. And don't worry, my cows and bees won't be a nuisance…"
Amber Ann found herself smiling. He carried on without any breath, and his enthusiasm was refreshing to her. He finally turned back to her—his wide smile dropping as soon as he realized how much he had been running on.
"I apologize. I tend to run on a bit when I get excited."
"It's okay, Mr…?"
"Oh, I am sorry. Crisps. Brandon Crisps."
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Crisps. I am Amber Lance-Tr… Lance. Amber Lance." She cleared her throat. "Let me grab my keys. The other finished house is actually on the other side of the lake." She paused. "If you're up for a walk, we can go past the commercial properties and you can see if any fit your needs."
Brandon brightened.
"I am sure there will be something I love. Please, let's walk, if it is okay with you, that is."
Excitement filled Amber Ann. Blue Serene Lake was going to be a great success.