Hey hey hey everybody, Umbreonix here. I just want to take a moment here to say that yes, this is a spin off of Beyond the Road's End but it's written in such a way that you absolutely do not have to read that story to follow this one. That being said, there will be some repetition in this first chapter that you may have read before if you read my other story.

So what does this title mean you may ask?

Nothing. I would like to thank the random romance title generator. Also, apparently rivers are super romantic since my other option included 'Avoiding the River" and "Source of the River". For a very brief moment this story was called "Workplace Harassment... By the River" but I thought better of it.

Thanks for reading!

"Really, I think you'll find the offer our company has to make is quite competitive."

I leaned back in my chair, tracing languid circles across the grains of my kitchen table. I let him sit there for a moment, from the corner of my eye I could see him fidget uncomfortably, as if in this room he was once again a fourteen year old at his first job interview for McDonald's and not the savvy and experienced business man representing a billion dollar corporate entity.

Finally, deciding to put him out of his misery, I looked up and properly inspected him. A boring man, with a boring haircut in a boring (but expensive) suit. "Yes well, I'll keep that in mind. Thank you for coming."

He looked to me in disbelief "You don't want to hear more?" He managed to ask.

"Not really…" I said wearily, turning my head to watch the ragged checkered curtains above the kitchen sink shift in the wind of the open window. This was the third guy this week and these talks were getting tedious. How did they even find out I was alive in the first place?

He fiddled with the clasp of his briefcase, "Please, just a bit more of your time, I have a few spreadsheets you might want to see!"

I gave him an incredulous look. "Believe me, those are the last things I want to see."

"I assure you the figures are quite generous."

I leaned back my head and let out a disgruntled groan and he paused. "Listen," I said, "No offence to you but you've been here what? Ten minutes, and I'm already so bored I want to throw myself out the nearest window, which, unfortunately, is only a meter from the ground. I keep telling you all, I'll come when I'm ready."

"Please," he said, "I do insist you hear the full pitch. I've travelled so far, all the way to this mound of dirt in the ocean."

"It's called an island." I told him dryly.

He stood up in frustration. Then, like a professional, he gulped it all down and smiled in fake amusement, "Well, I'd say you are everything I'd been warned you'd be."

"Probably." I agreed, and he looked annoyed. He had wanted me on his rope, for me to have taken the bait. He obviously was underestimating who he was dealing with.

He wiped at his face and I took the opportunity to get up and root through my refrigerator. "You look tired Mr-"

"De Mars." He said, "I'd have expected one of the most brilliant minds of her generation to remember a name she'd heard ten minutes earlier."

I laughed, "I only remember things that interest me." Then laughing time was over and I narrowed my eyes and smirked at him. "But speaking of expectations, I'd have expected whoever would be sent over from your corporation to not have also been of my generation."

"I don't suppose you could enlighten me on what you mean." He asked.

"You're what? A year out of school? Did they really send a newbie out to impress me?" I looked him over again, slicked hair, expensive wristwatch, brand name cologne- All looking awkwardly out of place in this barren, 1 room house from the early 1900s. Realization hit me and I laughed. "Wait, did they think maybe you'd seduce me or something?"

He shrugged, "Well, who knows why the big guys do anything. I don't necessarily approve but it's not that uncommon in business. You brainy lab types don't usually have the immunity to the opposite gender that you seem to have."

I shrugged, "Tough luck on your part, I feel for you. I really do."

"Then again, you hardly seem female despite your looks." He said dryly.

I gripped at my chest dramatically, "Careful, words hurt. I'm still a lady you know."

"Well maybe you should act it."

A cold feeling flew down my veins; not quite anger, not quite hurt- just unspecified indignation. A scowl threatened to tug at the corners of my lips and my hands paused on one of the items I'd been digging for.

'Put on your princess smile Chelly.'

The familiar and haunting voice seemed to ring and echo through the walls of my skull and I subtly shook my head, dissipating the vibrations. Shut up.

He hit a nerve, and I could have chewed him out for it but instead, I shut the fridge, turned, and complied with the voice's command with a large (albeit subtly sadistic given the circumstances) grin. "Why don't you have a strawberry?" I offered.

I held it out to him and he eyed it warily, then me.

"It's not poisoned," I said, as if that was why he was shooting me that look. I really could be cruel sometimes. "Your company's willing to drop millions on it, don't you at least want a taste test? Or are you ironically one of those organic-only types?" I dangled it in front of him tauntingly.

He took the strawberry and turned it in his hands. "So this is what the fuss is about." He finally said. "I can definitely see the appeal, it's practically the size of my fist."

"It's also got many improved health benefits, it-"

"I've read the files." He cut me off and I grinned.

"Well, aren't we getting bold? Given up on currying my favour?" I asked leaning back on the kitchen counter.

He took a bite, "Not bad, not bad at all."

I nodded, "but just so you know, I wouldn't bother trying to steal any seeds from it. I've got its genome so patented I could sue your company to the ground if it starts appearing in farm fields other than mine."

He just shook his head, "So, there's no way I'm getting you on the next boat to the city to talk to the higher ups?"

I threw my head up and laughed. The kind of eccentric laugh only geniuses and billionaires are tolerated to make without someone picking up the phone and calling the nearest insane asylum. "Absolutely not."

He picked up his briefcase and I walked him to the door.

"You know…" He said. "I just don't understand at all."

"Hmm?"

"What are you doing here wasting your time on this island? If you came back with me my company would bending over backwards to hire you with a starting six figure salary. Not to mention the ridiculous amount we'd pay you for your seeds. Forgetting about just living on this island, you could have the ability to buy it and hardly make a dent in your fortune in a matter of days!" He said.

I crossed my arms with a grin, "Well you see, at least for now- it's interesting here. If there's one thing in the world I hate, it's boredom. I'll satiate my amusement here for a while and come sell my seeds when I feel like it."

He sighed, "Chelsea Goodwin: Bioengineering genius turned everyday farmer- for fun. It doesn't strike you as at all irresponsible?"

"Naw, carrying a ferry of passengers into a storm is irresponsible. Working with what you have when you end up stranded on a deserted island from other people's stupidity is ingenuity at its best." I shrugged. "Though, I guess I don't really care either way. I do what I want when I want and not a minute sooner. It's a luxury of being me."

He shook the half-eaten strawberry at me, "This could change the world for the better. This could win you a noble prize! Every second you're not putting your brain to something like this is a crime against humanity."

This time I really did scowl, "I think you've gotten too comfortable here Mr. De Mars, The next boat is leaving in… thirty minutes? You'll make it if you run."

I watched him leave with slight annoyance. Honestly, they just kept coming. Of course, I had every intention of getting off this island soon but I wasn't going to tell him that. Playing survivor was fun for a bit but I didn't plan to put down roots, I've kept my suitcases half packed.

Still, just a little over a season ago, who would have thought this was where I'd be? I had just graduated university and was on my way to present my college project- a super strawberry to Harvester's inc. when something ridiculous happened. While my boat was still in the middle of nowhere a storm hit us and the whole ship capsized. So I was stranded on a deserted island. Yeah, that's right, that's how my story started. Hella interesting wasn't it? Well, not really. More like hella' cliché. Maybe that's why we're starting this recount from here instead.

Anyway, I was washed ashore onto an abandoned island along with another family who was morbidly undisturbed by the events that lead us there. They immediately started talk of the possibility of revitalizing the island, what a miracle opportunity!

If the italics didn't give it away that was sarcasm. I mean, it's not like there weren't forty-three unaccounted for souls from that possibly tragic boat accident. I notice tiny details like that.

I had no intention of settling down and becoming a farmer like the old man wanted me to, especially not on some creepy abandoned island. I did have every intention though of becoming ridiculously rich selling my patent super- seeds. I still do to be honest- there's a lot that can be done with money and I don't care what you have to say about that "money doesn't buy happiness" garbage. Well, it didn't matter at the time though because those seeds were in danger.

You see, seeds are very predictable things. I'm not going to go deep into the science of it all but many follow very important requirements for germination. Strawberries require about two weeks of freezing temperatures, then warmth and moisture. My genetically engineered strawberries? They only need a day of cold.

The sea waters in the early spring were freezing. The shore the next morning where I woke up was warm from the beating sun and needless to say I was thoroughly wet. As were the seeds in my pocket.

They needed to be planted immediately or I risked ruining them and the early chance at extreme wealth.

So when Taro offered me that farm for whatever reason instead of to his grandson or granddaughter I jumped on it, conveniently telling them only what I thought they should know. They did not need to know, for example, that I was planning to split after the spring yielded my next generation of strawberries. If they knew that they'd undoubtedly give the farm to someone else and I wasn't going to grow my seeds on someone else's land. Whoever they were could screw me over legally in so many ways if they knew what my 'berries were worth.

In fact, I was quite satisfied letting them assume I was just some college dropout with a bag of seeds planning on starting a new life as they had been in Forget-Me-Not Valley, the stop the boat was going to take before the big city.

"Who was that?" A voice asked.

"A lovely gentleman caller." I said, turning to Julia.

The blonde tilted her head in confusion, ponytail bobbing back and forth. "I didn't really think you were that kinda' guy's type."

I raised an eyebrow.

"OMG-" Yes, she is the type of girl to seriously use internet acronyms in real life. "I didn't mean anything by it of course! You are very pretty Chelsea but you know…"

I did, but I didn't acknowledge it.

"I happen to be a very in-demand woman." I said with a shrug- not a lie at all.

"Wow." She said impressed, "He was even wearing a suit, he must be serious."

I shook my head, "You can't call someone a suitor if they're not wearing a suit."

"Actually?" She asked in surprise. Bless her poor little heart.

"No." I grinned, sticking out my tongue.

"Oh." She said quietly, and my rare guilt receptors were tingled. "Yeah, of course. I knew that… you just said it so confidently."

"I was just teasing you." I smiled. "You know I think you're actually really smart right?" It wasn't a lie either. I'm actually a pretty truthful person after all. Lying when you don't have to is just stupid. Julia at her base is the typical cheerleader archetype - but also so much more. Though I doubted she could see that, if she could I wonder if her shorts would be so short. It wasn't hard to see that her neckline was about as plunging as her self esteem.

"Thanks." She said timidly, not taking the compliment at all.

We walked down the island path, through the small town.

"You ready for the party?" She asked. "You weren't there yet so I thought I'd check on you"

"You bet." I said immediately, "I've been itching for an excuse to get drunk."

Julia rolled her eyes. "Do you suppose your gentleman caller will be attending?"

"I don't suppose so." I laughed, "Considering I all but kicked him to the curb. Not that there are curbs on this island. If he knows what's good for him he'll be boarding a boat right now."

Julia stopped, "You know, you could have gave him a chance."

"I don't think so."

"Really!" She insisted, "It's just so lonely to think of you all alone up on that farm."

"I somehow doubt he would have moved onto my farm." I said.

"I guess that's true." She said. "I'd be really sad if he took you away. You know, I think you're becoming my best friend. It's great there are so many wonderful people on this island."

"Yeah." Was all I said. She had no idea I was going to leave a couple of days after this party, having decided it would be my last hoorah.

I knew I couldn't dawdle. Despite what I said to the guy there were legal loopholes around my strawberries. It's why I watched him so closely until he took his last bite and tossed the stem. My fortune wasn't safe until I cashed out. If I was to be honest, I wasn't safe until I cashed out. It doesn't mean I didn't feel some guilt right about now. You'd have to be a monster to not feel the 'best friend' speech she just gave.

I had done some good though. The island was slowly returning to its former glory and soon became a rather happening place, and the fisherman's party was living proof. Standing outside the beach I smirked at her, "It's showtime Babydoll."

She giggled, "Babydoll?"

I shrugged with a smile, "It's just something someone used to say."

o0o0o0o0o

As everyone drank and laughed around the bonfire I continued to feel somewhat guilty about my soon departure. It would definitely all work out though, this one guy Mark moved to the island and begged me to take him on as a sort of protégée. He was dreaming of someday running his own farm, little did he know that "one day" was a lot sooner than he thought.

Well, I could think about that later. Attempting to turn off my mind, I leaned my head back to blissfully take in the moment.

The fire heated our chilled skin in the early summer night, it's light pushing out the fallen darkness, imbuing us all in a warm orange glow, a matrix of shadows dancing from the features of our faces in time with the curling tendrils of the flames.

I couldn't help but feel how this moment embodied youth in a way the tv shows just couldn't seem to mimic.

Lanna the former pop star sang an awful drunken tune and Denny quickly stabilized her. I smirked, he definitely had the hots for her, I'm calling it now. I love watching people when they're drunk, they forget to put their guards up or stay subtle and it lets you gather all sorts of information. He took the bottle from her hand, "Ok let's settle down here, you've had what? A bazillion drinks?" Three point two to be exact, as well as four crackers and about two hundred mL of water. I was keeping tabs on everybody.

I snorted, trying to match the demeanour of everyone else though I don't really get drunk easily. Six years of engineer parties will do that to you. "A bazillion? Sound math bro."

Denny shrugged, "Hey I took highschool calc. I failed it but I took it nonetheless, that stuff's hard but I know my numbers."

"Hard?" I laughed. "No kidding. We had this one math class back in college. It was super tough, the class average was a thirty going into the final exam. People got so stressed out, one of my friends was throwing up all night the night before." I of course wasn't too worried, I had a 95 in the course.

"So how'd you handle it?" Asked Denny.

"With a water bottle full of vodka!" I laughed, "I was wobbling out of the exam room at the end."

Natalie laughed loudly, "You got spunk Chelsea!" She whacked her brother good-naturedly who had been sitting next to her nervously declining any drinks. "This guy was a total goody-two-shoes. I doubt he went to a single college party while he was there!"

Elliot reached to pick up his glasses that fell down and he glared at his sister. "I also passed college with honours." He reminded her. "You know Chelsea, you probably should have taken school more seriously, you were paying a lot of money to be there and many would have killed for that opportunity."

I shrugged, "I'm here now just the same aren't I?"

I never got show-offs. It's so much more fun holding everything in for yourself and enjoying the private joke. Let people laugh at you while you laugh at them. I have been informed now and then though that that sort of mentality is kinda twisted… but, whatever.

The party eventually came to an end and I stood up from my log, "Well I bid thee all a good night." I grinned and bowed magnificently before walking off like a young female Jack Sparrow.

Julia laughed, "Chelsea, you're wasted! Don't get lost on the way home!"

"I won't!" I called and looked back quizzically, "Home? What made you think I was going home? I was thinking about doing a late night drunken mining trip."

"Oh you!" Julia laughed as Elliot helped her up and offered to walk her home.

Mark was trying to quell a raving Natalie and Denny extended his hand to Lanna.

I just shook my head and continued off, that sort of chivalry never made sense to me. Maybe at school or in the city where bad people could theoretically be lurching but on this island there were no immediate threats that put the girls in any sort of disadvantage to the guys. They could easily get home on their own.

Of course no one was worried about me. No one ever was. It's funny how easily everyone forgets I'm also a girl.

Not that I cared. Well, maybe a little.

I squinted my eyes to make out the shadowy image up ahead recognizing it to be Vaughn, Julia's cousin, my animal dealer, and a total grump who refused to come to our little shin-dig.

He was a complete snore personality-wise which was a shame since he was kind of cute in the most exotic way: White hair, purple eyes. Call me DNA helicase because I want to unzip those genes. Both in the biochemical way and the double entendre way if you know what I mean and you know what I mean. Now if the company wanted to seduce me, they should have sent something like that fine hunk over.

Said violet eyes glared up at me from under his stenson as my approach scared away whatever wild animal he had been bent over.

"Vaughny- Bonney!" I cheered gleefully, stumbling a little (alright, I don't get mind-drunk but my kinetics suffer a little). "If you didn't have anything to do you should have come to the party."

"No." He said. "And never call me that."

I shrugged, that was as much as I was expecting from him to be honest. "What a shame." I said as if truly upset and then headed on back down the walkway that eventually lead to my farm humming a nonsensical tune.

It took me half a second to sense that he had gotten up and was following me. I quickly turned around and bat my baby blues. "Can I help you with anything Mr. Cowboy?" I asked in a southern belle accent.

He pulled his hat down a little, "Well I have to make sure you get back alright." He said.

"Why?" I asked enjoying his rare display of discomfort. I watched his internal battle, it wasn't shown on his blank face like most people but I could tell what was going on nonetheless.

Honestly, he hated people and if he could live in a world with just animals, he would. He certainly more so than most hated my sort of over-friendly personality. Yet there was that nagging feeling that, being the unfortunate soul to see me last, he'd be the one in trouble if I didn't get home safe. Mirabelle, his aunt, would totally blame him and it would be an annoying inconvenience for him in any way. Then again I was probably fine and then he would have had to have spent a couple of his precious minutes on me.

Ultimately though his decision was made, "I'll walk you home." He said. Perhaps it was some inbred sense of chivalry, maybe the realization that I was one of his few customers on the island. Either way I accepted it with some humour.

"My, such a gentleman." I said bringing back the accent and clinging to his arm dramatically. The look on his face told me he was already regretting it all.

So as we walked along, me stumbling here and there, he sighed, "What were you even doing on your own?"

"What were you doin' on yer own? I was at a party full of people." I informed him.

"You know that's not what I meant." He said sternly as we entered the farm.

"Well what did you mean?" I asked innocently reaching for his prized hat, he batted my hand away.

"You were in no condition to head home on your own." He said with stern… concern maybe? Did I perhaps read him wrong? I never read people wrong.

"I'm fine." I waved it off, "Pierre went home on his own and if there were some crazy murderer on the island I think they'd go for him first. Though I guess he always has his stalker looking out for him."

"Pierre's not a girl." Vaughn said. "They shouldn't have let you go off on your own."

I looked at him blankly for a moment caught entirely off guard. "A- uh." This was new, in many ways. I usually never stutter or find myself at a loss for words, and feeling myself slip I quickly responded with a casual 'what-can-you-do?' shrug. "No one sees me as one though."

"but you are." He said.

I could feel the spit at the back of my throat nearly choke me as my surely cob-web filled heart began to beat- Bringing back to life the rusty mechanism in charge of my body's oxytocin production and the resulting unfamiliar and dizzying feeling invaded my senses. "o-oh."

Cursing my second fumble in the same couple seconds I bit the inside of my lip. My ears felt hot and I let go of him in confusion of this new emotion. I didn't like this, yet I also kind of did. It was like the feeling you get when you start up a very high hill in a roller coaster.

Though this wasn't me, I was smart enough to know that this was my young female hormones acting up so I balled all these feeling up and squashed them. Goddess I couldn't wait until I was fifty and over this nonsense.

Well, actually, why fight it? Why not not just move with the river? Fate puts you on a farm? Farm. Fate hands you a cowboy with a bedroom body seemingly straight out of an erotic novel? Make the most of it, Goddess girl- why are you complaining? Regaining control and hoping to reverse the situation, I quickly gathered the jumbled pieces of myself back up and gave him a sultry yet Cheshire grin. "I've decided," I said suddenly.

"What?" He asked. I reached up slowly on the very tips of my toes and gave him a slow but short-lived kiss on the lips. Yup, this was a good decision. Before he could even think to move, I was back down and grinning at his entirely taken-aback expression.

"I'm gonna make you fall for me." I said, sweetly smiling at my new toy.

He just shook his head in bewilderment, fighting desperately to quell his reddening face. "Wow you're drunk." He said. Repeating this in the back of his head no doubt to stop himself from getting too mad at me. It's not like I was in my right mind right? I almost laughed at that thought. He'd realize soon enough how serious I was.

So I waved him off and headed in for the night. I guess staying on the island a little while longer couldn't hurt….