Chapter 2- You Found Me

Shannon threw the phone book down on the floor. Damn that Boone. Of course he wasn't listed. Did he think he was something special, and too good to have his number listed? She frowned as small drops of rain started to fall from the heaven's above. Just great, a perfect ending to a perfect day, she thought sarcastically. Shannon stood up, and then reached in her pocket. She had ten dollars left, and no place to stay. What was she going to do. Shannon grabbed her luggage and continued to walk the streets of Manhattan. Her face was fixed in an ice cold expression, and her eyes were dead set in front of her. Would she be lucky enough to find Boone walking the streets, probably not. Shannon just wanted to throw down her luggage, and scream and holler until someone noticed and offered to help her. But she decided to control her temper tantrum.

The rain started to pick up harder. People started to walk faster. Shannon sighed, It seemed as if she wasn't going to find Boone today. Her eyes drifted around the boutiques, and rested on a nail shop. Well she could get her nails done to pass the time? Why not.

Someone bumped into her, as she made a sudden turn towards the nail shop. "Watch where your going," Shannon said coldly.

"I am…"

Shannon recognized that voice. It was Boone!

"Sh…Shannon?" He wasn't sure what to think. Shannon standing there in front of him soaked from head to toe from the rain. A smile across her face. Boone stepped back, why was she here, and why was she carrying her bags through the city like that.

"Boone, I am so glad I found you…like this,"

Boone nervously nodded, "I um…what are you doing here?"

"It's a long story, where's your car? I hate rain, and I just bought this outfit…"

"Shannon," Boone said reaching for her arm so he could pull her under a store's mini roof over the door. As his fingers touched the dampened sleeve of her sweater, he slowly dropped his hands back to his sides.

Shannon looked back up at him curiously, "What?"

Boone shook his head. He looked down at the sidewalk deep in thought. His jaw was clenched and a million thoughts were racing through his head. Most importantly he was thinking about the check he had given James right before Shannon wed him in Paris.

"Hey idiot…"

Boone stared back up at Shannon with a hint of anger in his pale blue eyes.

Shannon's hazel eyes softened. "I meant Boone, where's your car? Take me to your house…or mansion, wherever the hell you live so I can get changed."

"Is James with you?"

"Who?" Shannon asked obviously trying to ignore his question.

"James, your husband." Boone repeated.

Shannon scowled, she knew Boone was hard headed and he wouldn't take her back until she explained what happened. She opened her mouth, and then closed it. She didn't want to tell him he was right. Boone probably wanted to hear that, well to bad. "He um…James, is still in Georgia."

"He is…so then why?"

"Boone do you want me to get pneumonia and die? It's freezing cold out here and…"

"He left you?" Boone asked.

"Boone, I swear…"

"You don't have to lie to me."

Shannon groaned. If she had another place to stay then she would go there. She didn't need Boone's 21 questions right now. "Look, he's in Georgia, because his mom died. You know I don't like dealing with dead people so I came up here to visit you…and besides he was a mess, it's not in me to comfort people."

"Not even your own husband?"

Shannon stared back at him angrily, "Why do you care so much huh! Why can't you just leave it alone I told you the damn truth so stop asking me all these fucking questions!"

Boone looked away, "Let me see your hand."

Shannon was so shaken, she wanted to cry and scream. Why did Boone always do this, why did he always have to make it look like he was in the right, and she was always wrong. A tear slid down her cheek. The truth was Boone had warned her about James but she didn't listen.

Boone made a mental note to see if the check that he had written for James a couple of months ago had cleared. He stared back at Shannon in concern, he wanted to hug her and chase away all of her worries, but he knew better than that. Shannon liked to build up a wall around herself.

"I don't think it is a good idea for you to stay with me," Boone said crossing his arms.

Shannon's mouth started to quiver as she fought the tears. "So what am I going to do! Stay out on the streets like a bum."

"You have money," Boone said somewhat coldly.

Shannon shook her head back at him angrily, "You're a bitch Boone, and I hate you. I hope you die."

Shannon's words stung. But he knew they were coming. She liked to hurt him, he almost believed she found pleasure in it.

Shannon picked up the handles to her suitcases. "Fine, I'll find a hotel."

Boone leaned against the wall. It's for the best. You can't love her like that anymore…she's made it more than obvious that she doesn't feel the same.

Shannon muttered a thousand obscenities under her breath as she walked away.

Boone felt sorry for her. He wanted to help her but…This was ridiculous. He opened his mouth to call her back and then closed it. All Shannon could do for him, was drive him back to drinking. He looked away from her, and then looked back. Shannon was struggling with her suitcases, it was now raining so hard that he couldn't make her out. He had to go after her, no matter how many times she wished him dead, and hurt him.

How could he do this to her! How could he turn her away. That damn Boone. Her high heeled shoes came in contact with the top of a gutter. She let out a scream as she fell forward. Her knee hit the sidewalk causing a sharp pain to jut throughout her body, as she hit the hard pavement, she rolled over. Oh migod, Oh migod. "No!" Shannon screamed as she fell face first into a puddle of brown murky water.

Some New Yorkers stopped to stare at her in awe.

She placed her hands against the sidewalk. They slipped and fell into the water as well. This day could not get any worse! Why was she being punished. What did she do wrong except try and be the best person she could be. Shannon hoisted herself up, she knew she looked like swamp thing but at this point she didn't care. She stared back at her audience with a murderous glare. "What are you fools looking at!"

Boone quickly stepped beside her, and led her away from the mob. "What are you doing?"

"What do you mean, what am I doing?" Shannon snapped.

Boone placed his hands on Shannon's shoulders, "This is New York City, if you yell at random people like that they will attack you."

"So…I can take care of myself,"

"Obviously you can't." Boone added.

Shannon looked down, "I can't go into a hotel like this. I look like Orphan Annie, you have to at least let me shower at your place."

Boone reluctantly nodded. "Okay, but then after that…"

"I got it I'll get the hell out of your life."

"Well I guess…"

"You guess what?" Shannon asked quickly sensing opportunity.

"I guess you can stay at my place for the night…"

Shannon fought the urge to hug him. Although he looked cute with his hair drenched, and those red cheeks of his. She was going to hold out. The last thing she wanted to do was make him think that she liked him in that way. She was pretty sure she was over him.

"Can I get a thanks?" Boone asked.

"Can you make me dinner when we get there, I haven't eaten in a while and I am starved."

"I'm sure you can cook something." Boone said starting to walk.

Shannon scowled, "Me cook…all I know how to make is Mac and Cheese, and half of the time I end up burning it."

"Um…well then you're on your own because I am going to dinner with Isabella." Boone said.

Shannon looked up at a billboard that Boone was staring up at. She recognized that girl, it was Isabella. Shannon rolled her eyes. So she was on billboards too now. There was nothing special about her…nothing at all. "Boone, why didn't you grab my suitcases?"

"What, am I your slave too?"

"Boone! They were Louis Vutton!"

"So, how does it make a difference, Shannon…"

Shannon pulled off her heels, and then gave it to Boone. "This has to be the worst day of my life…one heel is broken, the other is intact, and my luggage could be gone."

"What are you doing?"

"Going to get my stuff…that's if it's still there."

"Stay here Shannon…I'll go and get it." Boone sighed.

"Run…don't walk…I don't trust half of those people I saw crowding my luggage like vultures."

"Shannon…"

"What?" She growled.

"If you're going to make it in New York then your going to have to stop…"

"Your wasting time idiot! Go and get my stuff!"

Boone clenched his jaw, "If James did leave you…you should no why. You don't appreciate anything, you can be such a bitch sometimes."

"And so can you, stop whining, and go and get my stuff."

"No," Boone said stepping back to her.

Boone was about the same height as Shannon, so she stared back at him daringly. Eye to Eye, Face to Face. She could go all day, but Boone looked away.

"I said go and get my stuff,"

"And I said No Shannon, you would think that since I am doing a favor for you, you would cut the whole princess act."

"My shoes are messed up, the sidewalk is dirty and probably filled with broken glass. Be a gentleman…why am I even trying."

"Fine I'll go," He groaned.

Shannon smiled to herself as he walked away. He turned to look at her angrily over his shoulder and then shook his head. Everything was going to be okay now, if Boone thought she was going to stay at a hotel…then he was wrong. He was dead wrong, until she could get back on her feet, she was going to be shacking with him and he was going to be taking care of her.

Boone returned a couple of seconds later, "Queen Shannon…"

Shannon narrowed her eyes at him, "Don't be smart."

"Your stuff is gone…someone took your it."

"What!" Shannon screamed.

"Welcome to New York City, don't leave anything laying around or it won't be there will you get back."

"But all my clothes, jewelry, and perfume was in there! What am I going to wear, what am I going to do…Boone!"

Boone stared back at her as if she were crazy, "We'll figure it out…after dinner,"

Shannon sulked, "Your taking me to dinner?"

"No, I'm taking my girlfriend to dinner, you can fix your burnt macaroni at home," He started to walk.

Shannon looked longingly towards the direction her stolen luggage, and then turned around. Boone was just going to have to buy her some new clothes. "Wait Boone!" She yelled running after him.