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Post by celticbear on Apr 22, 2013 23:01:55 GMT -5
Oh Boy! Keith has it bad for Andy! Glad he had a great time at home!
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Post by onyxfyrefly on Apr 23, 2013 14:23:37 GMT -5
Keith waved goodbye to his family and headed inside the bustling airport. He hadn’t slept much, most of the night was spent in the music room with a guitar balanced on his knee as he tried to decipher his current position. The flight was long, it wasn’t too crowded, and it didn’t take long for him to drift off.
L.A. looked the same as it had a week ago and even though Keith was sad to leave home he was also happy to be back. After dropping off his luggage he headed towards the office wondering if Andy would still be there considering the late hour. Despite the time there was light shining from beneath her office door and she beckoned him in at his knock.
The moment that Keith entered the office he knew something was wrong. Her blazer was draped over the back of a chair, her hair was no longer in its neat bun but instead spilled over her shoulders, and the blinds were drawn hiding the view that she loved.
Andy was leaning over a mound of paperwork, her dinner of takeout completely ignored as she poured over the document.
Keith sat down across from her and watched as her eyes flicked across the page. She finished reading, made a noncommittal noise, and added her signature before raising her eyes to his.
“How was Ireland?”
Her voice was rough, as if she’d been screaming, and it took Keith a moment to respond. “It was great. Thanks again for making that happen.”
She waved off the praise and sat back in her chair while discarding her glasses and scrubbing at her eyes. Pulling up Keith’s schedule on her computer she paused for a drink of now lukewarm tea before giving him the breakdown.
Keith only half paid attention and knew he’d be in trouble for it later but he didn’t care. Andy looked and sounded terrible. It appeared as if she hadn’t slept in days and she seemed to be struggling to catch her breath. She had to pause several times and when she did it sounded as if she had been running a marathon not simply discussing his schedule.
“Now on Thursday you have a lunch meeting with David and…” Andy couldn’t finish as she was overcome by a coughing fit. She bent double as the coughs wracked her body, involuntary tears escaping her eyes as she gasped for breath.
“Andy? Are you alright?” Even as he said the words Keith was moving to crouch at her side. He could see how each cough tore through her body and placed a comforting hand on her back in an attempt to soothe her.
It took a moment for Keith to realize how hot the skin under his hand was. Even through the material of her shirt he could feel the heat radiating from her body.
Finally the coughing fit passed and Andy gripped the arms of her chair as she fought to get her breathing under control. Keith retrieved a bottle of water and she drank what she could, a pained grimace crossing her face as the cold liquid touched her ravaged throat.
Crouching in front of her Keith tried to meet her eyes. “How long have you been like this?”
“Just a day or two. It’s nothing, it’ll pass and I’ll be fine.”
“You are not fine. You’re sick and need to go to the doctor.” Keith placed a hand on her forehead and nearly snatched his hand back, afraid he’d be burned. “Actually with a fever like that you should probably go to the hospital.”
Andy shook her head. “I’m fine. Let’s finish this work.”
“No.” Keith gently tilted her chin up to meet his eyes. “You have two options: let me drive you home so you can get some rest or let me take you to the hospital. Your choice.”
The two stared at each other for ages, they were both stubborn but it was only a matter of time before one of them cracked. Finally Andy let out a sigh and dropped her gaze to the floor. “Fine, give me a ride home.”
Twenty minutes later they were pulling up to a modest apartment building and Andy was thanking Keith for his help. “Oh no, you’re not getting rid of me that easily. Knowing you you’ll go upstairs and start working. I want to make sure that you get some rest.”
Giving him a glare that wasn’t nearly as effective as it should have been, Andy allowed Keith to follow her up to her apartment. The space wasn’t huge, a simple one bedroom, but it suited her.
“I’m going to take a shower,” she mumbled before disappearing down the hall.
Keith flipped on a few lights and wandered around the space. The apartment was painfully neat but he guessed that she didn’t spend a lot of time there. A couple of knickknacks adorned the shelves along with a few books however the decorations were sparse. What really surprised Keith was the lack of pictures. Even in the cramped confines of his boat there were pictures everywhere but not one photograph was present in Andy’s small home.
Wandering into the kitchen Keith started opening cabinets at random and smiling in victory when he found a box of tea. He put on the kettle and leaned against the counter, trying to get a feel for the young woman but the apartment gave him very few clues. At first glance it seemed as rigid and structured as Andrea but he knew there was another side to her, he’d caught a glimpse of it a time or two when she slipped and let her guard down.
Andy shuffled into the living room as the kettle began to whistle. “You’re still here?”
Keith handed her the steaming mug and nodded. “I wanted to make sure that you were alright.”
“I told you I was fine.” To punctuate her sentence she sneezed which earned her a sharp look from Keith.
“Just drink it.”
Scowling the young woman sipped at the hot substance while trying to ignore the fact that Keith was sitting on her couch just inches away from her. She wanted to be angry, she wanted to ask him what he thought he was doing by forcing himself into the apartment and using her kitchen like he owned the place. She wanted a lot of things but she was so tired that she could barely hold onto the now empty mug let alone yell at Keith.
Keith caught it before it could slip from her fingers and wrapped a steady arm around her shoulders as he levered her up from the couch. Andrea wanted to protest but she couldn’t find the strength and allowed herself to be guided into her bedroom.
After laying down she vaguely felt the blankets being drawn over her and a solid weight making the edge of the mattress sink. She tried to thank Keith but her mouth couldn’t form the words. As she drifted off she could have sworn that she felt her hair being brushed back from her face but in her exhaustion it was likely that she could have dreamt the entire encounter.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2013 16:02:42 GMT -5
aww doctor Keith so cute ^^ cant wait for the update
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Post by celticbear on Apr 23, 2013 18:17:26 GMT -5
Love how Keith took charge! I hope Andy gets better soon! Keith can nurse me through the Flu anytime!
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Post by onyxfyrefly on Apr 24, 2013 8:30:36 GMT -5
At exactly five a.m. Andy’s alarm clock let out a screech and the young woman struggled to silence it. Allowing herself to lay in bed in silence for a moment she wondered what she was going to do. Her body ached as if she’d been hit by a truck, her throat was so sore that she could barely swallow, and she was pretty sure that her head was going to crack open.
She reached for her cell phone and swore under her breath when she realized it wasn’t in its usual position next to the bed. She must have left it in the living room the night before.
Slowly she climbed out of bed, catching herself on the dresser when her legs refused to hold her weight. After steadying herself to managed to make it to the door and clung to the doorframe until the room stopped spinning.
It felt like an eternity before she made it to the living room, holding onto the wall for support. Glancing towards the kitchen she was pleased to see that Keith had cleaned up after himself and she still wondered what had possessed him to fuss over her like that last night.
A few more staggering steps brought her to the couch and she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her cell phone and laptop on the coffee table. Before she could reach for them a soft sound caught her attention. Glancing down Andy jumped and nearly lost her footing. Stretched out on her couch, sound asleep, was Keith.
She tried to call out to him but all she could manage was a hoarse whisper. Instead she shook his shoulder roughly and watched as the blue eyes snapped open. His eyes met hers and even though Andy knew she must look terrible she really didn’t care.
“What are you doing here?” she rasped.
Sitting up Keith shrugged and gave her a sheepish grin. “I wanted to make sure that you were alright.”
“I’m fine.” As the words left her mouth she swayed dangerously and Keith was at her side in an instant, wrapping a supportive arm around her shoulders. Against her will Andy leaned into the embrace, Keith was so warm and she was absolutely freezing.
“You are not. Now come on, let’s get you back to bed.”
“No,” Andy protested while shaking her head. She immediately regretted the action as the room spun around her. “I have too much to do today. You have meetings and interviews…”
Keith ignored her protests as he steered her towards her bedroom once more. “ You do know I am capable of getting myself to these appointments.”
“Then why do you fight me every step of the way?”
Tucking the covers around the shivering body Keith grinned. “Because you’re cute when you’re angry.”
Andy scowled and coughed until her chest ached. “Can you please bring me my phone?”
“You shouldn’t be working, you need to rest.”
The young woman shook her head. “I need to call in so they can get someone to cover for me today.”
After retrieving the phone Keith stood outside of the door while Andy made the appropriate calls. Once she was finished he came to sit at her side. The young woman looked as though she was on the verge of tears and Keith was shocked to see this side of her.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’ve never called out sick before. Five years with this company and I’ve never had to miss a day.”
“It’s okay, you’re only human. It’s not your fault that you’re sick. They’ll understand. Plus, you can’t do your job if you’re this ill.” Andy didn’t answer, she simply rolled away from him and buried herself under a mound of blankets.
Keith watched her for a moment before heading back into the living room. He glanced at the clock and at his schedule. It was a little past five thirty and his first appointment wasn’t until nine. Hoping that she wouldn’t be too angry if he borrowed her car, Keith grabbed her keys and hurried out of the apartment.
------------------------------------------------------
When Andy woke she felt like she had been run over by a freight train. Rolling onto her back she strained her ears and could tell that she was alone in the apartment. Reaching for her phone she paused when she saw her bedside table. There were packs of cold and flu medicine, a large bag of cough drops, a huge bottle of water, and a vase filled with miniature roses. Tucked among the stems was a card with the words ‘Get Well Soon’ scrawled in Keith’s messy handwriting.
Against her will she smiled and started reading the directions on the medication, determined to fight off this bug before it got any worse.
Andy slept off and on all day. The medication knocked her out but it finally allowed her body to get the rest that it desperately needed. She managed to make it into the kitchen at one point and was shocked to see an array of soup cans lining the counter. Apparently Keith wanted to make sure that she was eating.
Part of her wanted to be annoyed at the way that he was fussing over her but another part of her was touched that he cared about her. She was nobody, just the one that worked behind the scenes to make sure that everything ran smoothly. She didn’t deserve any of this but apparently Keith thought otherwise. The gesture was touching and she would have to thank him later.
That evening Keith let himself into Andy’s apartment and glanced around. It looked like she’d been up at some point but at the moment there was no trace of her. “Andy?”
“In the shower,” she called and Keith was pleased to hear that her voice sounded stronger and less like a bullfrog.
He had picked up Chinese food on the way over and hoped that she had an appetite. He heard the shower turn off and called out to her once more. “I brought dinner.”
“Okay, I’ll be there in a minute.”
Keith thought about setting the dining table but decided to spread everything out on the coffee table in front of the couch instead. He glanced up when Andy walked in and smiled. She looked like herself once more. Her wet hair was pulled into a braid and instead of her usual suit she had on pajama pants and a sweatshirt but she was smiling and he could tell that she felt better.
“I thought I was the one that was supposed to be taking care of you, Harkin?”
Keith shrugged and settled next to her on the couch. “Switching places once and a while never hurt anyone. How are you feeling?”
“Much better.” Andy sipped her soup and made herself comfortable. “So tell me how everything went today.”
Between bites Keith relayed his day and with each word felt himself relaxing more and more around her. Something had changed and he felt like he could be more open.
After clearing the plates away Keith started to gather his things but Andy stopped him. “You can stay for a bit if you’d like.” Keith raised an eyebrow and Andy blushed when she realized what she’d said. “I didn’t have a chance to finish going over your schedule yesterday and I’m going to be too busy tomorrow playing catch up.”
Keith nodded and glanced at the television. “Sure. Mind if I put a movie on for background noise?”
“Go ahead…I’ll be right back.”
Andy’s movie selection wasn’t huge but he chose an old action movie that was one of his favorites and popped it in the DVD player. A few minutes later Andy joined him on the couch and he turned to smile at her.
She shyly handed him one of the tiny roses from her bouquet and Keith’s smile widened at the gesture. Ever since his first gig it had become a tradition for them. After every gig he would give her a single flower as a way of saying thank you.
“Thank you, Keith, for everything that you did today. I really appreciate it.”
“Don’t mention it. You move the world for me and you deserve to have someone do something for you every now and then.” Andy shook her head and Keith forced her to meet his gaze.
“Why? I’m nobody. I get paid to make sure you’re happy, end of story.”
“That’s not true.” There was something in Keith’s eyes that made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. She could feel the energy build between them and resisted the urge to shift around in discomfort.
Tearing her eyes away Andy gently touched the rose in Keith’s hand. “Where did you find these?”
“At some little shop around the corner from the pharmacy.”
“They’re beautiful.” Andy stared at the flower for a long time then took a slow breath. “I’ve never gotten flowers before.”
“What?”
A blush crept onto her pale cheeks. “No one’s ever brought me flowers before.”
“Well that’ll have to change.” Andy ignored the comment and grabbed her computer, pretending she couldn’t feel Keith’s eyes on her.
Keith tried to focus on the movie while Andrea pulled up his schedule but his thoughts kept wandering. He was amazed that Andy had never missed a day of work in her life, for the past five years she’d worked every day without a break, and no one had ever brought her flowers. She must have had dozens, maybe hundreds of clients over the years and no one had ever bothered to send her something out of gratitude? The very thought made his head spin.
Shaking her head at her foolish confession Andy turned her attention to her laptop. She scrolled through the messages and warily clicked on a review of Keith’s last gig. As she read she could feel a smile spreading across her face. “Keith, you have to see this!”
“What is it?”
“A review of your last show.” Andy held the computer between them but Keith could barely see the screen. He moved closer and wrapped an arm around her shoulders as he leaned in. Andy stiffened at the touch but Keith wasn’t paying any attention he was completely focused on the article.
By the time he finished he was beaming. The article contained a glowing review praising him and stating the he was going to be the next big thing. “That’s…wow.”
“You earned it.”
Reading the article again Keith couldn’t believe that this was really happening. Everything was falling into place and what he had worked so hard for was going to come to light very soon. “Thank you, Andy.” Keith squeezed her shoulders tightly and pressed a kiss to her temple.
The young woman waved away the compliment and pretended that the innocent kiss didn’t make goosebumps break out across her arms. “You did the hard work, all I did was make sure you showed up on time.”
Keith wanted to tell her that she was wrong, that she did so much more than that but he couldn’t find the right words. Giving up Keith held her lightly as she went over the schedule, his stomach doing a small flip when she let her head rest on his shoulder. Pulling her closer he vowed to show her how much she meant to him more often.
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Post by fallingn2ct on Apr 24, 2013 8:39:00 GMT -5
awwwwwwwwww <3 <3 <3
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2013 11:11:44 GMT -5
aww amazing update ^_^ more *gives kitty eyes*
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Post by celticbear on Apr 24, 2013 12:58:09 GMT -5
This was a great update! Love how Keith took care of Andy! The roses where a nice touch! Still can't believe in the end Keith looses Andy to Colm!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2013 13:13:08 GMT -5
This was a great update! Love how Keith took care of Andy! The roses where a nice touch! Still can't believe in the end Keith looses Andy to Colm! wait what? is that spoiler alert or something....
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Post by onyxfyrefly on Apr 24, 2013 13:17:22 GMT -5
This was a great update! Love how Keith took care of Andy! The roses where a nice touch! Still can't believe in the end Keith looses Andy to Colm! wait what? is that spoiler alert or something.... Read the very first chapter again and it'll make sense.
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Post by onyxfyrefly on Apr 24, 2013 14:43:53 GMT -5
Andy stood at the stage door and glared at Keith as he wandered through the parking lot with his cell phone glued to his ear. He glanced at her and indicated that he’d there in a moment and she stamped her foot in frustration. He had to be on stage in fifteen…no ten minutes and he didn’t seem to care at all.
Finally the call ended and she hurried him towards the stage. “May I ask what was so important?”
“You’ll see.”
Keith bent to kiss her cheek and Andy brushed his hair of out his eyes. “Knock ‘em dead.”
Over the past few weeks their relationship had taken a new turn. It was nothing obvious and they kept things professional when in public but when they had a moment to themselves things were different. Keith would often hold her hand during long cab rides through the impenetrable Los Angeles traffic, sometimes he would rub her tight shoulders at the end of a long day, or once in a while he’d just give her a look that made her stomach twist into confusing knots.
Nothing was official, if you asked Andy she wouldn’t say they were a couple but they weren’t just friends either. They had reached a turning point but she wasn’t sure where she wanted the relationship to go.
She liked Keith, he was a great guy and always managed to make her laugh. He also made her contemplate murder but she guessed that it was all part of his charm. She had been a personal assistant since she graduated college but he was the first client that she actually connected with. He seemed interested in her life which was a change and she wasn’t sure how to deal with that.
Part of her wanted things to go further, though it was frowned upon there was nothing prohibiting her from dating one of her clients and she had come to care for the surfer that made her want to rip out her hair on a daily basis. But at the same time they only had another month together before he headed out on tour with Celtic Thunder. She’d still be assisting him but she would stay in L.A. with her other clients while he toured.
Shaking her head she watched the show from the wings, flashing him a smile from time to time when he glanced back at her.
“Not staying to party with the others?” Andy asked as she stowed his guitar in the trunk of her car.
“Not tonight. I thought maybe we could just watch a movie together or something.”
Andy shrugged and started the engine. “Sounds good to me.”
The two chatted as they made their way to her apartment. After opening the door Andy frowned when she saw a light coming from the kitchen. Turning the corner her mouth hung open in shock. The dining room table was set for two with a cake in the center next to a large bouquet of flowers and a bottle of wine. Tied to the back of one chair was a balloon and in the dim candlelight she could just make out the words ‘Happy Birthday.’
“How did you…?” she asked, unable to finish.
“I asked around. Why didn’t you tell me it was your birthday?”
“No one’s ever cared before. My dad…I mean…after my mom…” Swallowing hard she took a moment to compose herself. “I haven’t had a birthday party since I was five.” She stepped closer to the table and let her hands rest lightly on the back of the chair. “But how did you do all this?”
“Remember that phone call before the gig? I called in a few favors.”
Blinking back tears Andy turned and hugged Keith tightly. “Thank you so much. No one has ever done anything like this for me.”
“You’re welcome.” Keith pulled back and tipped her chin up, using his thumbs to wipe away the few tears that had escaped. She had traded in her glasses for contacts that night and he watched as a multitude of emotions race through her clear eyes.
Holding her gaze he drew her closer, his hands framing her face. “Happy birthday,” he whispered before letting his lips brush gently against hers.
Andy smiled into the tender kiss and when they broke apart she let her forehead rest against his. “Who knew that you were such a romantic, Harkin?”
Keith laughed and kissed her again. “I have my moments.”
Sneaking a glance at the table Andy grinned. “What kind of cake is that?”
“Yellow with chocolate icing.”
“So you do listen to me!” They both laughed and Keith pulled out her chair for her. “Now if I could only get you to pay more attention to the memos I send and less about my favorite kind of cake I’d be set.”
“Baby steps.” Keith filled their glasses and raised his. “I’d like to propose a toast. To Andrea Connors…the most hardworking, infuriating, beautiful woman I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet.” They touched glasses and Keith took Andy’s free hand in his. “Happy birthday, love.”
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2013 15:41:02 GMT -5
aww amazing update i want Keith to throw a party for me *giggle*
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Post by celticbear on Apr 24, 2013 18:11:27 GMT -5
What a romantic update! The kiss was perfect! Onyx I always knew in time you could write a great Keith Story!
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Post by HburgEagle44 on Apr 24, 2013 23:58:14 GMT -5
You know, Onyx, sometimes I love you and sometimes I really love you. This is one of those times. But sometimes you infuriate me (bit like Andy). This is also one of those times.
Beautiful update. Update again soon, because I love this story.
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Post by onyxfyrefly on Apr 25, 2013 7:50:09 GMT -5
“I’ve read that three times and I still can’t make sense of it.”
Andy yelped and nearly dropped her tablet. “Don’t do that! You nearly gave me a heart attack.” Keith chuckled and pressed a kiss to her neck while wrapping his arms around her waist. “How long have you been standing there anyway?”
“Long enough. Are you ready to go?”
Andy turned in his embrace to frown up at him. “Where are we going?”
“It’s my last night before I fly to Ireland for tour rehearsals, I thought we could go out on the town.”
“I don’t know…”
“Oh come on. I happen to know that your other client is on vacation and after I leave you’ll be doing nothing but boring paperwork.”
“Have you been going through my day planner again?”
Keith grinned and pulled her towards the door. “Nope, I’ve been eavesdropping on your calls. Much more effective. Now let’s go.”
An hour later the two were pushing their way through a crowded bar. Andy had insisted on going home and getting changed before heading out even though Keith thought she looked fine. He did have to admit that the tight jeans, form fitting top, and heels were well worth the detour.
After ordering a drink Andy slid onto a barstool while Keith leaned against the bar, letting one hand rest on her knee. She clinked her glass against his and smiled. Keith matched her smile and moved closer, his arm wrapping around her shoulders. He wouldn’t see her for nearly four months and didn’t want to waste a single second of his time with her.
Andy leaned into Keith’s embrace as she scanned the bar. It was a local place that she knew Keith frequented but she never had a reason to go out before. Her entire life had revolved around her career. It had been a solitary path to walk but she had gladly made the journey alone. Then she was assigned a blonde surfer from Ireland who had turned her entire world upside down.
The vibration of her phone snapped her out of her musings but before Andy could read the message Keith snatched the device out of her hand and shoved it in his pocket.
“Hey!”
“You’re not working tonight.”
“I’m always working, now give me my phone back.”
Keith shook his head. “Nope…you can work tomorrow. Tonight you’re on a date with a handsome Irishman.”
“I am?” Andy stretched to see over the crowd. “Where? I don’t see anyone.”
Keith growled and tightened his arm possessively around her. “You’re impossible, did you know that?”
“Welcome to my world, honey.” Andy kissed his frown then tossed back the rest of her drink. “Come on, if I can’t work then you have to entertain me. Let’s go play pool.”
Andy watched as Keith sent the eight ball rolling smoothly into the side pocket and had to stifle a laugh. “Two out of two, Harkin. Looks like you’re buying the next round.”
“But that’s not fair, you only won that game by default!”
Leaning against the edge of the table she shrugged. “A win is a win. Now go on.”
Keith pouted and stomped off to the bar. While he was gone Andy watched a local band set up and wondered if they were any good. Keith had said something about them earlier but the amount of alcohol sloshing around in her head made it difficult to remember.
Turning, she rolled her eyes when she saw Keith edging through the crowd carrying two pint glasses along with two shot glasses. “I’m going to hate you in the morning.”
Tossing back the shot Keith grinned. “I’ll be on a plane in the morning, you can hate me all you want.”
Andy scowled and downed the shot. “Just for that I’m making you dance with me.”
“You can dance?”
“You should know by now that I can do everything.” Without waiting for a reply she slipped through the crowd towards the makeshift dance floor.
Andrea hadn’t been lying, she was an excellent dancer. The music brought out a side of the young woman that Keith had never seen before. For the first time since they met she dropped the walls that she surrounded herself with and let go as she moved to the music.
Her happiness was infectious and Keith couldn’t resist its pull as he spun her around the floor for what seemed like hours. Meeting her eyes that were practically glowing green Keith tried to freeze the moment in his mind. This is exactly how he wanted to remember their last night together. No tearful goodbyes, no awkward silences…just Andy’s smile as she danced.
The band eventually slowed things down with a ballad and Andy grinned as Keith pulled her closer. She let her cheek rest against his shoulder and closed her eyes. A tiny voice tried to remind her how much work she had to do but she firmly shoved that voice to the back of her mind. For the first time in as long as she could remember she was having fun. There were no deadlines, no reports, no meetings; tonight there was only the young man who held her tightly as they swayed to the music.
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