Evgeni set off at a sprint after the taxi. After a few seconds of full
blown running, he stopped abruptly. "What am I doing?" he panted, "I'll
never catch up to a car on foot." He leaned forward and braced his arms
upon his knees to catch his breath. He stood up and shook his head as he
ran his fingers through it in self-disgust. "She was right there! How could
I miss her!" A vision of the soft, gentle face popped into his mind, with
the auburn hair gently falling around those big brown eyes. Evgeni shook
himself out of the thought and turned back around and headed for the
airport. "Next time," he mumbled under his breath as he gazed after the
cab, "I'll get you next time Kathryn McKibben."
.....Meanwhile....
Kathryn sat in the Italian cab for what seemed like an eternity. She glanced down at her watch. Forty minutes sure seemed like an eternity. Finally, the cab arrived at an enormous hotel. Kathryn exited the taxi and stood in front of the stone building. The petite girl seemed the size of an ant next to the twenty-story building. She marveled at it as she went to pick up her bags. A bell boy, dressed in a deep burgundy outfit picked up her bags. "Thank you," Kathryn said with a smile as he took her bags in after her. The only thing that rivaled the outer beauty of the building was the furnishings inside. Kathryn gawked at the marble pillars extending high above head until they hit the vaulted ceilings. Gorgeous paintings extended across all the walls, and richly tapestries and rugs adorned the black marble floors. She walked across the enormous lobby to the check in desk. "May I help you miss?" implored a tall lanky man behind the counter. "My name is Kathryn McKibben and I am...." The man at the front desk quickly cut of Kathryn. "Ms. McKibben you are in room 82A on the twelfth floor," he replied in a slow sophisticated tone. He took a gold key off a rack behind him and dropped it into the palm of Kathryn's hand. She turned around and headed off to the elevator. The great doors slid open and she entered to find it was just as luxurious as the rest of the hotel. "Floor please," said a young man that was in another deep burgundy colored suit. "Twelfth," she replied. "I am so glad I am not paying for all of this," commented Kathryn to herself. The elevator dial came to rest upon the number twelve and a bell rang as the elevator doors slid open once again. She emerged into a long hallway and proceeded down it, looking at numbers on the doors as she passed. She finally arrived in front of a room with the number eighty-two on the front of it. She pushed her key into the lock, turned it, and entered the room. She emerged into a dimly lit room with all oaken furniture that was adorned with golden hardware. She walked passed the queen sized bed into the bathroom, which contained its own personal spa. She gawked at the full sized vanity and all marble accessories before leaving the room. She entered the personal kitchen and opened the fridge which was fully stocked with everything from caviar to all varieties of ice cream. She shut the door of the refrigerator and came back into the bedroom. A large crystal vase sat atop the dresser; filled with all sorts of tropical flowers, some of which she had never seen before. She walked over to it and marveled at the tropical wonders. She gingerly ran her fingers across the Australian crystal. She pulled her hand sharply back as if in pain. She examined the vase and found a tag board card which was the source of the injury. She slowly opened the small tag to reveal a message....
Meet me at the Venti vineyard at 8:00 PM.
~A secret admirer~
Kathryn puzzled over this mystery for a few minutes, then a broad smile broke out across her face. The kind of shy, schoolgirls smile that appears when a crush has finally been revealed. She let out a squeal of pure glee, but then suddenly became silent. A look of silent reflection appeared upon her face. "Wait a second!" she shouted out loud. "That is in fifteen minutes!" She quickly called down to the front desk to order a cab. She hastily grabbed her three quarters length jacket, slung it over her shoulder, and dashed out the door. Leaving the beautiful and fragile flowers deserted and completely alone in the dark room......
.....Meanwhile....
Kathryn sat in the Italian cab for what seemed like an eternity. She glanced down at her watch. Forty minutes sure seemed like an eternity. Finally, the cab arrived at an enormous hotel. Kathryn exited the taxi and stood in front of the stone building. The petite girl seemed the size of an ant next to the twenty-story building. She marveled at it as she went to pick up her bags. A bell boy, dressed in a deep burgundy outfit picked up her bags. "Thank you," Kathryn said with a smile as he took her bags in after her. The only thing that rivaled the outer beauty of the building was the furnishings inside. Kathryn gawked at the marble pillars extending high above head until they hit the vaulted ceilings. Gorgeous paintings extended across all the walls, and richly tapestries and rugs adorned the black marble floors. She walked across the enormous lobby to the check in desk. "May I help you miss?" implored a tall lanky man behind the counter. "My name is Kathryn McKibben and I am...." The man at the front desk quickly cut of Kathryn. "Ms. McKibben you are in room 82A on the twelfth floor," he replied in a slow sophisticated tone. He took a gold key off a rack behind him and dropped it into the palm of Kathryn's hand. She turned around and headed off to the elevator. The great doors slid open and she entered to find it was just as luxurious as the rest of the hotel. "Floor please," said a young man that was in another deep burgundy colored suit. "Twelfth," she replied. "I am so glad I am not paying for all of this," commented Kathryn to herself. The elevator dial came to rest upon the number twelve and a bell rang as the elevator doors slid open once again. She emerged into a long hallway and proceeded down it, looking at numbers on the doors as she passed. She finally arrived in front of a room with the number eighty-two on the front of it. She pushed her key into the lock, turned it, and entered the room. She emerged into a dimly lit room with all oaken furniture that was adorned with golden hardware. She walked passed the queen sized bed into the bathroom, which contained its own personal spa. She gawked at the full sized vanity and all marble accessories before leaving the room. She entered the personal kitchen and opened the fridge which was fully stocked with everything from caviar to all varieties of ice cream. She shut the door of the refrigerator and came back into the bedroom. A large crystal vase sat atop the dresser; filled with all sorts of tropical flowers, some of which she had never seen before. She walked over to it and marveled at the tropical wonders. She gingerly ran her fingers across the Australian crystal. She pulled her hand sharply back as if in pain. She examined the vase and found a tag board card which was the source of the injury. She slowly opened the small tag to reveal a message....
Meet me at the Venti vineyard at 8:00 PM.
~A secret admirer~
Kathryn puzzled over this mystery for a few minutes, then a broad smile broke out across her face. The kind of shy, schoolgirls smile that appears when a crush has finally been revealed. She let out a squeal of pure glee, but then suddenly became silent. A look of silent reflection appeared upon her face. "Wait a second!" she shouted out loud. "That is in fifteen minutes!" She quickly called down to the front desk to order a cab. She hastily grabbed her three quarters length jacket, slung it over her shoulder, and dashed out the door. Leaving the beautiful and fragile flowers deserted and completely alone in the dark room......