...

[connor--mcalister-blog]

And So It Begins

Connor wasn't the type to carry around expensive luggage. He didn't even own a suitcase. If he had to plan for a trip it was usually just a camping trip. Inside of his closet was a knapsack that still smelled like campfire. He could only imagine what Morgan might think when she saw the bag. Connor stuffed the bag with clothes from his drawers and toiletry items. The bag's seams were on the verge of splitting by the time he finished raiding is kitchen cabinets. If they were lucky then the trip wasn't going to last more than a couple of days. He couldn't say that with certainty, though, so he tried to be prepared. 

An hour passed since Connor had left the diner and he knew that Morgan was waiting for him. On the way back from his house he checked on his shop but he knew that he wasn't leaving behind much. Connor would never reveal that to Morgon because his shop meant a lot to him but he could leave it unlocked and he knew no one would bother to raid it. Still, he locked it up because that's what you're supposed to do when you leave a business behind. Connor wanted to take his time but he knew that Morgan was already in a hurry and if he made her wait it would set the trip off to a bad start. He didn't want that.

Connor pulled into the parking lot and parked right outside of the diner. After having just been inside, he didn't feel like going back in. He didn't give it much thought before he started honking. Connor pressed down on the horn again, holding it there until he felt like the point had been made, and then let go. He placed his hand on his lap and leaned back in his chair. If she needed help with her bag then he would bother to get out but until then he was just going to sit and wait for her. Connor turned up his music while he still could while he looked out of the window to see if he could spot Morgan in the diner. 

[richmondmorgan]

An offer You Can't Resist

[richmondmorgan]

The smallest hint of a smirk crept its way onto Morgan’s lips as she watched Connor’s reaction to her response, hearing his words and actually finding them rather amusing. However, the smirk was gone quickly and her usual passive mask made its way back over her features as she waited for Connor to agree completely to the deal they were striking. She watched him, as he finished his food, his plate becoming emptier and emptier. For a brief moment she had the random observation that he was a quick eater, but then she pushed the thought away, as it served no real purpose to what they were discussing.

She frowned as Connor mentioned that he was only human before telling her to take a breath and calm down, jokingly fanning the air in front of them. It was obvious that he didn’t truly understand the severity of the situation and the importance of her meeting, and to make it there in time. She hoped though that she could get him to see that once they were on the road, knowing that it would serve no good and probably only waste more time to argue about it here. She’d wait until they were actually on the road and on their way to remind him of the time stretch they had, or what little of it there was in reality, and hope to sway his mind on his abilities. Instead she just rolled her eyes again, though not with the same annoyance as before. In fact, she seemed to almost be getting used to the way he seemed to never take anything serious without having to make some sort of joke.

Waving her hand in front of her face as if to shoo off his gesture, Morgan let out a defeated sigh before speaking, just trying to keep her nerves at bay. “Fine, okay.” She said exasperated. Before looking away from him for a moment, gazing around the small diner and thinking about how ready she was to already leave this place behind. Her attention though was pulled back towards Connor a second later as she heard him speaking, asking her if she wanted to shake on their deal. Blinking, she watched him quietly as he pushed his plate aside and then held out his hand towards her. She hesitated for a split second before finally thinking why the hell not and reaching out her own hand to take his.

Giving it a quick and short shake, Morgan looked at him seriously again before opening her mouth to speak. “So how soon can you be ready?” Her tone doing nothing to hide her own readiness to take off as quickly as possible.

[connor--mcalister-blog]

It was only for a split second, but Connor noticed the smirk that stretched across Morgan's lips. He almost felt as though he was sitting across from an actual human being, rather than a robot, but the expression faded just as quickly as it had appeared. Connor kept his thoughts to himself, believing that she wouldn't appreciate his humor, as he toyed with the idea that she was adapting to the environment. Maybe, he considered, she would even pass as human by the end of their trip. He made a promise to himself that he wouldn't get fooled by her, regardless of how realistic her expressions became. At that thought, he cracked a quick smile but covered it with his napkin. 

He raised an eyebrow as Morgan waved her hands in the air. The word "prissy" came to mind but he didn't dare speak it. She was treating him like some kind of bug but he didn't care enough to be offended by it. "Great." His eyes widened as he felt Morgan's palm press against his. Connor had half expected for her to push his hand away or to not touch it at all. "It's a deal." It was a brief shake, but he gripped her hand firmly to show that he meant his word. After loosening his grip, his hand fell from her grasp and he sat it down on the table top.  All things seemed to be settled and Connor couldn't have been happier. Anything to get her away from town was worth it. 

Connor drummed to a beat in his head as he listened to Morgan's question. "I'll have to take care of my store real quick, locked it up and put a sign out front. Ya' know, business stuff." He laughed, mostly to himself because he knew that everyone would know he left within ten minutes. News traveled fast around there. "I have to pick up a few things from home too but I could meet you back here in about an hour?" He stopped tapping against the table and stood from his seat. "Unless you'd rather meet somewhere else?" Connor cocked his head to the left. He would meet her at a dumpster if Morgan really wanted him to. Slowly, he started to back away from the table, "One hour. Okay?"

[richmondmorgan]

An offer You Can't Resist

[richmondmorgan]

With her fingers still wrapped around the mug of coffee sitting in front of her, Morgan kept a poised stance as she gazed over at the man sitting across from her, waiting to hear what he had to say of the offer. She watched his expression closely, trying to gauge what he was thinking, what was going through his mind at the moment. She could see him mulling her offer over, even noticed the way his jaw moved less as his chewing slowed before coming to a complete stop. There was a small part of her that was nervous that he would turn her down, say that he couldn’t do it or try to swindle her for much more, but Morgan kept a cool expression, not letting it show. She didn’t want him to see how truly desperate she was and how much was riding on his decision, knowing he could so easily take advantage of the situation if so. She still needed to have control in the matter, or at least have it appear as so.

When he did finally begin to speak again, repeating the name of the city, Morgan couldn’t help but sense some kind of hesitation in his voice. That made her nervous but she did well to hide it. However, he was soon cracking jokes again which made the brunette oddly feel some sense of calm on the matter. She even cracked the smallest hint of a smirk, despite herself, thinking about how her fiancé would scoff at Connor for even suggesting such a thing. “Actually, I’m more of a Seahawk’s girl.” She quipped back quickly, the smallest trace of amusement in her tone before she quickly quieted once again to let him continue with what he had to say.

She focused back on the situation at hand and felt whatever calm had surfaced for a second leave her once again when Connor grew more serious. She listened to him, feeling the corners of her mouth tug down into a frown as he mentioned that what she was asking was a heavy task. His words were something she already was well aware of and that made her worry the most. She knew she was asking a lot and it made her anxious to think that Connor might very well back out on her now that he knew what she needed. She was sure he was her last hope, as much as she didn’t want to recognize it, and didn’t know what she would end up doing if he said no now. She told herself she just couldn’t think like that. He would get her there, she had a feeling. She wasn’t sure why, but something inside told her that he would still help her out.

Then the words came that made Morgan’s entire being relax in one deep exhale. As if she had been holding her breath the whole time, Morgan let out a sigh the moment Connor said he would still try and help her out. It was almost gratifying to hear the words, like she had been stuck at sea, all but hopeless, and the seeing land in the distance. She felt a whole new wave of confidence then, perking up to sit even more straight, her frown leaving her just as quick as it came and her composure as cool as ever. She waited to speak, not wanting to ruin anything by opening her mouth and saying anything too soon. She was still a bit weary, even if she felt much more relaxed, and knew she had to think on every word she said. This was just another business transaction and she was nothing but a good saleswoman.

When he asked what would happen if they didn’t make it on time, Morgan felt her frown come forward once again, just slightly as she cocked her head to one side, “That’s not an option.” She said, her voice serious. “I need to make it to this meeting.” She straightened her head again to look at him straight on. “If I miss this meeting then this whole thing would have been one big waste of time. Why even bother then. No. Late is not an option.” She shook her head before moving on, not wanting to linger on that idea for any longer, not wanting it to become a possibility.

“We can go with what you want, I’ll compensate you for every mile if that’s what it takes, as long as we make it there on time.” She agreed. When he moved the price offered up by her to three hundred, Morgan knew that it would be best to just give him that instead of arguing with him over it. If that’s all it took to get her where she needed then she would do it. After all, three hundred would hardly break her. So, before he even had time to take a full breath after speaking, Morgan was giving her answer. “Fine. Deal.”

[connor--mcalister-blog]

Connor wasn't sure if she was trying to be discrete about it or not, so he pretended not to notice, but he could feel her gaze as she watched him. Had it been someone else he might have told them to take a picture, as it would last longer, but he decided to keep quiet while she studied him. Connor wondered how much he'd have to endure of this. He wasn't really bothered by it, he supposed, though he found himself rather curious about what was going on in that head of hers. Especially when it came to him. Sure, she hadn't exactly kept many of her feelings to herself, but that didn't mean she was telling him everything. He hoped it was something good like: he smelled nice, or he was handsome, and not that thought he was a serial killer. It was easy to ignore Morgan once he got back to eating. His food was dwindling, his plate looking bigger with each bite, as he expressed how he felt about their trip. 

He laughed shortly, almost surprised by her rapid remark. With a sideways grin and a quick wink, he replied, "Well, that's a joke in of itself." Connor thought he could get used to this Morgan. In fact, he preferred it. He didn't want to become too attached, though, as her words were almost immediately replaced by near silence. Connor could sit and chat about football all day long, and he had on previous occasions, but he knew that she had traveling on her mind so he decided to save the conversation for another time. There would be plenty of empty roads ahead of them and he figured he could bring it up then.

"I'm only human." Connor reminded, his eyebrow raised as he tried to wrap his mind around her obsession with being prompt. Once she explained her reasons he did feel inclined to get her there faster but he was still very aware of his inability to control the weather. After all, there was a reason why airports were closed. "Alright, alright. Take a breath, a deep one..." He held his palms out and fanned the air between them as if he was trying to physically bring her nerves down, "I'll get you there. Okay? Just don't have a heart attack on me."

Connor finished the last bit of his sandwich, wiping his mouth with a napkin once he was done eating, and nodded his head happily at the deal they had just struck. "Alright. Want to shake on it? We don't have to spit." He placed the napkin down on the plate in front of him and then scooted it to the edge of the table before holding his hand out for Morgan to take into her own. 

[richmondmorgan]

An offer You Can't Resist

[richmondmorgan]

Morgan watched Connor as he ate, his back to her again while she waited for a reply. She wondered if he was being serious and was truly considering giving her a ride or if he was simply taking a piss. Honestly she couldn’t be sure. Yesterday he had helped in finding a place for her to stay the night, but all the while he had not made it easy on her and had done quite a good job to grate on her nerves and tease her at every moment possible. Was this another rouse to get a rise out of her? Or was he really offering? Maybe he just was doing it so that he would no longer have to see her around. Morgan couldn’t fault him for that last thought at least. Hell, she was right there with him if that were the case.

When he turned to look at her again, Morgan shifted back, closer to the table, putting a bit more space between then so that they weren’t so awkwardly close to one another. As he spoke, Morgan’s expression held the skepticism that had been there since he first offered her a ride. When he mentioned that business had been slow, Morgan couldn’t help recall the day before when she was in his shop, how empty and dead it had been. Even before she had entered the place it was quite obvious that Connor’s place of work wasn’t the hottest spot around as she had found him lounging about in the front. For a brief second she wondered if that was a usual thing for him and the business woman in her was piqued an interest but that was quickly pushed away and back to the conversation at hand as Connor suddenly turned away from her.

For a split Morgan felt a small rush of panic flutter within her as she watched him rise from his seat. She had the startling thought for a moment that he was going to up and leave, just take off and leave her to go back to her frustrating thoughts of coming up with her own plan, all whilst he laughed to himself at her expense. However, he was surprised Morgan even more when he stepped over to her table and placed his plate down on it, before sliding into the booth to settle direction across from her. She stared at him for a moment, caught off guard by his new seating arrangement. She had the natural urge to ask him where he got the nerve to sit with her without even asking for permission but she bit her tongue and held herself back, knowing it would serve her no good to cause anymore strife between them. Not when he was possibly her only ticket out of this town.

Conner didn’t seem to find any of this odd though as he simply went back to picking at his food, asking her about the details of her trip, where she needed to go and such. She opened her mouth to speak, but then stopped when he confirmed again that he would indeed take her, as long as he knew where they were heading. Morgan blinked, almost baffled by the turn of events, of how quickly she went from being denied and dismissed by nearly the whole town to suddenly being told by the one person she didn’t expect help from that he would give her a ride. She almost couldn’t help but remain suspicious of the man. Either way though she spoke, knowing that he would either have to allow him to take her or possibly spend longer in this town than she wanted to.

“Well,” She began slowly. “I need to get to Baltimore and preferably within the next few days.” She felt herself recovering from the surprise and was quickly starting to go back to her normal self. She began to speak a little faster and a little surer of herself, her tone sounding more and more business transition with each passing word.  “If we get going as soon as possible and make as little stops as possible we could probably get there in enough time that I won’t miss the big meeting I need to get to. I am willing to pay for gas along the way and I can give you money for your troubles once we’ve arrived at the destination. On time, of course. Say… $200?” She looked at expectedly, waiting to for him to accept her proposition.

[connor--mcalister-blog]

Connor looked up at Morgan, his chewing slowing to a stop, "Baltimore?" Getting her there in a few days would be a challenge, especially with the number of storms that had been coming through, but he didn't think it was impossible. Connor finished chewing and then swallowed, "Geesh. Don't tell me you're a Ravens fan." Remembering that his previous jokes had done nothing to lighten the mood, he continued with a more serious attitude. A deep sigh left his body, "Look, Morgan, I'm not going to bullshit you. It's kind of a heavy request." Connor leaned back against the booth and placed his hands behind his head, his arms bent and sprawled across the seat, "But I'm willing to give it a try." That is, if her price was good enough. He was still waiting to hear an offer from her. Connor wished that it wasn't such a deal breaker but his business, like many others nearby, had fallen on hard times.

He brought his hands down to the table as Morgan began to talk prices. "And what happens if we don't get there on time?" Connor asked, genuinely curious. He hardly left her any time to answer before coming up with his own idea. "How about you compensate me for every mile we travel. If we only travel five miles, then you won't be out much." He thought more about his own deal that he was trying to get Morgan to agree on. Two hundred dollars upon arrival didn't seem enough, especially when he took his hardware store into consideration. Without him, it would be closed until he got back. "Make it three-hundred." From the looks of her, Connor figured she could afford a helluva lot more than just three hundred dollars but he wasn't looking to rob the woman. He already knew that she was in a vulnerable position and that he had the upper hand but he didn't want to completely take advantage of her. 

[richmondmorgan]

An offer You Can't Resist

[richmondmorgan]

Sitting at the booth, Morgan felt momentarily put out and disappointed, though not completely undetermined. She was going to get out of this town no matter what she would have to end up doing, but she knew she had to take a moment and try to come up with another course of action, as the approach she had been using thus far seemed hopeless. She was still struck by how it seemed not a single person would help her out, each giving their own reason as to why they could not help her, as much as they wanted to they claimed. She just could not fathom how there was not one single being in this town who would not leave it for more than a day just to help a person out. She then wondered if any of them had ever even been outside the city. As she glanced around at the greying and wrinkled patrons that filled the diner, Morgan quickly came to the conclusion that no, most probably had not been. The thought made her frown more, wondering how anyone could feel content to stay in a place like this and never want to leave.

While stuck in her thoughts between planning another way to get a ride and still trying to figure out how anyone could spend their entire lives happy in such a small bubble when she could hardly last a day without wanting to bang her head against the table in boredom, a waitress came round and poured Morgan a cup of coffee. Part of her was tempted to stop the woman, not really that hungry or thirsty after having gotten a complimentary breakfast back at the B&B she had spent the night in, but she decided against it after a second thought, knowing the caffeine would do well to help her get her mind straight and get her ideas in order. She gave the woman a small wisp of a smile as she passed by to refill another tables’ mugs, before wrapping her manicured fingers around handle of the mug, bringing the coffee up to her lips and taking a small sip as she spoke softly to herself, still trying to figure out what to do. It was then that Morgan heard a familiar voice that sent a wave of disdain to run through her veins, her concentration momentarily broken by the feeling of sudden annoyance. Of course the man from the day before would be here. It seemed she couldn’t even step two feet in this town without having to run into him.

Placing her mug down as she heard his words, Morgan rolled her eyes before turning in her booth slightly so that she could look over her shoulder at the man who leaned over the back rest, doing the same from his side of the booth beside hers. Feeling far from content in that moment, Morgan’s expression remained placid to the joking matter of which Connor took her concerns. She blinked at him for a few moments, obviously unamused by him before finally speaking a moment after he finished. “That’s really funny,” She said in a flat tone as she turned back to her coffee and took another sip, placing the mug back down. “Though I’m sure spending too much time in this place would drive anyone mad.” She muttered under her breath before hearing him go on about how he was joking and how the town did not see many passer-throughs, which did not surprise the brunette one bit. Had she had had it her way, she would have never stopped there in the first place but circumstances seemed to make it otherwise.

She was only half listening to Connor as he spoke, trying to act as if she did not care of what he had to say and trying her best to ignore him so that she could continue with her plans on getting out. However, as she heard him mention that he could probably get her out, Morgan could not help but perk up a bit, honing In on his words, all else seeming to become background noise. She had been about to take another drink from her mug but stopped short of touching her lips. She sat there for a few seconds, contemplating whether she should humor him or not but after a moment, she found herself turning to look at him once more, his back turned to her.

It was her turn now to lean over the back rest, looking at the man with a raised brow in question as she spoke. “You would do that?” She questioned, her voice full of skepticism, both from wondering if and why he would help her with how things had gone yesterday as well as whether she truly wanted his help, considering how things had gone yesterday. Did she really want to put up with him again just to get a ride out? After a few seconds though, her eyes gazing around again at the old couples who all sat around going about their boring lives, she found that she was nearly at the desperation. She looked back towards him then, waiting to see what it was that he had to say.

[connor--mcalister-blog]

His eyes widened. Morgan had picked up on the fact that he hadn't been serious. Connor was quite surprised. So she was capable of understanding humor. It was a note he intended to keep in the back of his mind for as long as he knew her. Connor hoped that it wouldn't be for long. Her attitude was a rain cloud above the town and he had never been fond of storms. "You're not the first to remind me." Although there were plenty of people in town who thought he was genuinely funny, Morgan reminded him of the girls he had gone to school with. The difference, however, was that they had been first graders who still thought he had cooties back then. Years had passed since then and Morgan had been the first woman of his generation to treat him like he was still diseased. 

Having just taken a bite of his sandwich, Connor wiped mustard off of his lips as he turned to face Morgan's booth again. He found her disbelief to be strange. Here she was upset that no one would help her, so he assumed that she was used to having help, and yet she didn't trust that he was offering his help without malice. Connor bit down on his bottom lip and chuckled silently to himself. He must have made a great impression the day before. "Yeah, sure, why not? Business has been kinda slow." A sad fact that he blamed on bigger businesses popping up recently. Connor twisted back around and grabbed his plate before standing up. If they were going to talk then he thought it would be better to be facing her. Setting his plate down first, Connor took a seat across from Morgan.

Connor continued to pick at his sandwich as he talked about giving her a ride out of town. "How far do you need to go?" His car had some miles on it but it was in perfectly good driving condition. He would need compensation but he was hesitant to bring it up. Morgan may not have had much in her pocket now, but he knew that she wasn't poor. No one dressed, or even acted, like her without having some kind of wealth. Connor swallowed hard and put his sandwich down. It was her decision but he knew that he was the only way out of there unless she wanted to wait for the weather to clear up. "I'll take you where you need to go. I just need to know the details before I make a commitment." Connor gave a tight shrug, "I want to help you get out of here just as badly as you want to leave."

[richmondmorgan]

An offer You Can't Resist

After a full night’s rest and getting herself together, Morgan had thought long and hard into the early morning hours. After going over what funds and then asking the owner of the B&B where the nearest car rental shop was and finding there wasn’t a single one nearby,  Morgan was less than pleased to realize her resources to getting where she needed to be were starting to become very slim. There was a bus line it seemed but it hardly took her as far as she needed to go and just the thought of sitting cramped next to a group of people she did not know for hours sounded like a nightmare to her— so naturally that was out of the question. The airline, after calling them two more times, still seemed to be of no use or help. That was checked off of her list. All that seemed to be really left was to chance her money and time taking a cab into the next town over to see if there were any better modes of transport there, or to see if she could possibly get someone in town to take her where she needed to be. She figured if she offered them money, someone would have to say yes to her. After all, by the looks of so many of the buildings here, Morgan was sure some of them had to be pressed for the cash. She knew she could give them some now and then offer to pay them more once they got her to her destination and she had her fiancé’s wallet in reach.

Deciding to stay long enough for breakfast which was complimentary, Morgan ate quickly before gathering her things and thanking the owner for her hospitality. At least she seemed to understand the concept of manners and kindness unlike the guy she had previously had to deal with the day before. When she asked her where most people gathered around at this time, she was pointed to the local diner which didn’t seem too far away. Without waiting around to find a ride or anything, Morgan walked over to the diner, carrying her bags behind her and determined to find someone to help her out.

When she finally arrived to the diner some time later, Morgan wasted no time in beginning to ask around for a ride, wanting to not spend any more time in this little podunk town. She figured the older gentlemen would be the easiest to ask, them being the ones who usually were nice enough to offer their assistance to pretty, young woman, still knowing their courtesies. Luckily the diner seemed to be filled with mostly older patrons. However, after asking a few men and finding they all either had businesses to run or didn’t drive, Morgan was starting to wonder if anyone in this town ever got outside of the damn place and began to start looking elsewhere. She began to ask younger people, knowing that they had to know the neighboring cities, to get away for a while, but that too seemed fruitless and soon Morgan was growing frustrated with her lack of progress. Deciding to sit for a bit, feeling herself growing too agitate, Morgan dropped herself into an empty booth with a huff. “Is there seriously not a single person here that ever gets out of this damn town for one day?” She grumbled to herself, as she began to massage circles into her temples, trying to relieve the headache that began to form there.

[connor--mcalister-blog]

Connor had settled into his favorite booth just before noon. He ate at the local diner nearly every day and it had been years since he had to pay full price to do so. It was just one of the perks of being a resident his entire life. It wasn't long before a BLT Sandwiched was placed down in front of him. He thanked the waitress and wrapped his hands around the giant feast. His lunch had barely touched his lips when he heard the familiar sound of the diner's front door squeaking open. Connor had offered to fix it numerous times but the owners always declined. They said it gave the place character. Connor didn't have to look back to know who it was, just as irritating as the squeak was, he found himself cringing at the sound of Morgan's voice. Her luggage not far behind her. Connor quickly took a bite of his sandwich and placed it down in front of him. Although he had just started eating, he decided to take a break to keep an eye on her. He wanted to know why she was there.

He tucked himself away in the corner and kept his head down low, occasionally glancing up to see who she was talking to. Connor shook his head once he realized why she was there. He knew everyone in the diner and he knew that she wouldn't get a ride easily from anyone there. It didn't matter how well put together she was or how many pearly whites she flashed, these guys weren't the type to leave town. As Morgan approached each individual, Connor found himself mouthing the responses. He knew what everyone's excuse would be. Connor had to give her credit, she didn't give up as quickly ad he thought she would. He hid himself further when she approached an empty booth, opting to sit in the one in front of his with a huff. Connor considered helping her out but the unfinished sandwich in front of him was far more appealing, besides she hadn't seemed that grateful the day before. It wasn't until she started to talk to herself that he decided to make his presence known.

"If you're looking for a ride then I'd suggest you stop talking to yourself. Or else the only ride you're going to get out of this place will be straight to the looney bin." Connor twisted his body until he was peaking around the back of her booth, "You wouldn't be the first newcomer to be driven out of here that way." He hoped that she knew he was joking but humor had been lost on her before. "I'm kidding, honestly, you're the first new face that has come into this town in awhile. I don't even think this place is on most maps. But you know what? I bet I could still get you out of here." Connor had driven out of town before, hell he had even been out of state. That was a lot more than could be said for peopl who wre twice his age. Most people didn't see a reason to leave town, and honestly he didn't mind staying either, but he was a bit more curious than most he knew. Connor returned his attention  to the sandwich he had barely touched and took a bite before looking back at Morgan again. 

[richmondmorgan]

Dust and Dior

[richmondmorgan]

 Morgan had ignored Connor’s comment about her luggage. The truth was there was some truth to his statement which to her only made the sarcasm behind his words all the more annoying. Still, she chose not to say anything on the matter. Besides, she truly doubted that a man like him owned anything as expensive as her bad and wouldn’t understand the significance in it, nor did she feel like explaining. So she let the subject go, getting into the car and trying her best not to think about how well her things were holding up in the back of his beat up vehicle. It was rather easy to get her mind off of it too when he was blaring his.music so loudly, making it hard for Morgan to even hear herself think.

She looked over at him, as she asked him to turn it down, waiting for him to respect her wishes, brows furrowed as she gazed over at him. She found herself frowning even more as he pretended not to hear her over the music, rolling her eyes at him as he exaggerated his gestures the play the whole thing out more. She was about to ask him again, finding herself growing frustrated, but stopped as he reached out and finally lowered the volume on the radio, letting the music soften so it was coming out the speakers much quieter, Morgan’s mind seemingly clearing up in an instance, finally able to gather her thoughts uninterrupted. She placed a hand to her ear, rubbing right below it to sooth the small throbbing that had began to form there. She had been looking towards the radio still until she heard him speak about how the music should be played. She glanced back over at him, a less than amused expression on her face. “Well I don’t know how you could listen to that garbage at all.” She muttered before he went on, asking if it was quiet enough for her now. She gave him a fake enthused smile, her lips tight as she forced them to turn up. “Yes, much better. Now I can hear my own thoughts. Thanks.” She said, though her words were less than sincere.

She glanced back out the window, as they turned the corner ans seemed to arrive to the Bed & Breakfast as he pointed it out to her. She followed the direction he had nodded towards, her eyes taking the whole place in as her gaze landed on the small home. It was not what she had been quite expecting of the place, but then again, she wasn’t too disappointed. It was no four star hotel but it was a lot better looking than she had feared. Or at least that’s how it appeared from the exterior. Morgan for once agreed with Conner, though the place was visibly small, maybe a little too much for her taste, it really wasn’t so bad. At his comment though about the pillow, Morgan turned back to look over at him, rolling her eyes yet again as she let out an annoyed sigh, not appreciating his teasing words. She followed his lead and undid her safety belt, pulling it from around her body as she responded. “Didn’t know you were a bell hop as well as a taxi and business owner.” She pushed back before continuing. “Its fine though, if it made it this far in your car I’m sure it can handle the short distance.” Though she wasn’t actually sure hoe well of a condition her bag was actually in from the drive.

She opened the car door and stepped out, looking back.over at the home as she heard Connor’s offer. “Umm, sure. I guess.” She figured she might as well, since he seemed to know the owner of the place pretty well and maybe could talk for her, make things less awkward. Or he could say something to the lady to make Morgan’ stay there worse but she was hoping he wasn’t immature. She decided to wait for his lead, before she went into the house, standing by the car, waiting for him to grab her luggage and head towards the door.

[connor--mcalister-blog]

Connor cleared his throat and raised a brow as Morgan criticized his music. He wasn't sure if she was going out of her way to insult the people in his town but it seemed like every word that left her lips hit home. "Well, folks around here listen to this kind of stuff. We grew up listening to it. I remember being a kid and sitting in the back of my dad's truck on the fourth of July while bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top played on the radio." There was a pause as he let the words sink in and then he shrugged as if to show that he wasn't bothered by her insults, "What's one man's trash is another man's treasure." He shook his head as Morgan thanked him for finally turning down the music. "Somebody's gotta like the things you come up with. it might as well be yourself." Connor sneered, she hadn't exactly been a blast to be around so he couldn't help but shudder at the thought of what her mind might be like unfiltered. 

The placement of Morgan's hand was curious to Connor. He wondered if she was suffering from a headache. It wouldn't have been a surprise to him, as you can only make so many scorned faces before it catches up to you. Connor would have offered her an advil but he didn't have any on hand and he was sure that she would accuse him of trying to drug her anyway. There was also the possibility that she wasn't in as much pain as her posture suggested. His grandma was always one for complaining of ailments only for there to be nothing wrong. He didn't like thinking negatively about someone he had just met but she hadn't made a very good first impression. Sighing, he turned to look at her. "What's the matter? Got a headache?" He paused as he thought about what he could say to her that wasn't threatening, "You know, if you just relaxed a little you probably wouldn't be so stressed. Just breathe." 

He knew what a bellhop was, and he knew that they were real, but he had only ever seen them on TV. Their portrayal an exaggeration of what they really were. "I'm a Jack of all trades." He quipped with a grin. Connor was one of the more friendly people in town, especially among those his age, but she could have ended up anywhere and someone would have helped her. He didn't feel as though he was going out of his way but considering her attitude, perhaps he was. No one could have really blamed Connor if he had left her to fend for herself. He looked a bit perplexed as he stared back at Morgan. She refused the pillow but he wasn't convinced that she hadn't considered it. Had she not realized it was a joke? Connor's expression eased as he pushed the thought out of his head, now was not the time to be considering her mental state. She was likely just a stuck up princess and not actually incapable of humor.

"I won't ask for tips, though. So you don't have to worry about that." He knew that she was short on money, although he wasn't sure by how much. What was short to her may have been a fortune to him. Connor pulled out her luggage and slammed the trunk shut. Without missing a beat, he started to walk up the brick trail that lead to the front door. "I can't expect the ladies inside to help with your bags and you seem to have some kind of problem walking around here." He teased, noting her less than graceful walk towards his hardware store. Connor carried her luggage carefully because he couldn't stand another minute of her yapping. Once he reached the doorway he turned back to see if Morgan had followed him before ringing the door bell. A few moments later they were being welcomed in by an elderly woman. Connor didn't hesitate to drag himself and Morgan's luggage into the entrance of the small house.

Connor leaned down to accept the inevitable kiss upon his cheek from the owner and then slyly wiped it away once she wasn't looking. Her attention was on Morgan and she was giving her a look over. "Pattie, this is Morgan." He let his gaze drift from the two women as took in the surroundings. It didn't look much different from the last time he had visited, a few pieces of furniture had been moved but nothing out of the ordinary. The walls were still dark wood leading up halfway and then plastered with floral wallpaper. The wood on the floor matched the wood on the walls. The lobby couches were still a mint green that hadn't been popular since before he was even born. He offered to reupholster them often but Pattie always declined. Behind them was a welcome desk but Pattie was rarely found there. Sometimes her daughter sat behind it but Pattie preferred greeting people at the door. Most people didn't mind.

Pattie addressed Morgan, not realizing that Connor had begun to tune them out. "You look tired. I should have Connor bring your bags to your room as soon as possible so you can get some rest." The older woman motioned for Morgan to come to her desk and take a seat in a peach colored chair in front of it. Pattie, not being very tall woman, stood next to the chair and pulled out a visitor sheet. "Connor has informed me of your financial situation. I'm not sure if he's discussed it with you, but, I'll let you stay the night for twenty." She grabbed a pen for Morgan to take, "I just need your name printed here," Pattie pointed to a strip of ink on the paper, "and your signature here. As well as a cash payment upfront." Pattie turned her attention to Connor, "Could you be a doll and take Morgan's bags to her room? Put her in room three. It's the quietest." With a softened grumble, Connor listened to Pattie and left the lobby.

[richmondmorgan]

Dust and Dior

[richmondmorgan]

Morgan had been still nosily peering into his car, checking out the interior to see what kind of situation she was dealing with. Frankly, she didn’t want to sit passenger in a vehicle that was falling apart, even if the thought of walking to wherever it was this place sat was less than pleasant sounding. She was distracted by the car bouncing slightly and the sound of what she could only figure was her luggage being dropped into the trunk of the car roughly. She turned her head quickly over in his direction to shoot him look. “I said be careful.” She said, as she tried to catch a glance at her bag, concern etched on her features, hoping that nothing inside nor the exterior itself was damaged. “That luggage probably is worth more than this car.” She said, giving a dissatisfied glance in his direction before turning back towards the door and continuing to wait for him.

Once he was done and announced that everything was “all set”, Morgan took a step further from the car as it shook again when he closed to the hatch, realizing that she was probably right in assuming the vehicle was barely holding up. She looked from the vehicle up to Connor, where she noticed him beginning to move towards the driver’s side door. She didn’t say anything, just watched and waited for him to get the hint. Eventually he did and moved around side the car to step up beside her. Folding her arms at her chest, as if to signal that she was more than done with this entire ordeal, Morgan moved aside as Connor squeeze by her to take hold of the car door handle, saying excuse me, and pull it open for her. She stepped back, out of the way, until there was enough room for her to step inside the vehicle. She pushed past him and settled into the passenger seat, making sure not to be in the way of the door once he closed it again behind her. As she sat and waited for him to get into the car, after pulling on her safety belt, Morgan looked around at the seats beside her and then the dash, not wanting to place her hands anywhere that they might get dirty. In the end she decided just to fold them in her lap and keep from touching anything she didn’t have to.

When he finally stepped into the car and put the keys into the ignition, Morgan let her focus leave the man and turned to look out the window, towards the town that was less than thrilling but a far better distraction than the man. As the pulled out of the parking space and began to make their way towards the bed & breakfast, Morgan turned towards Conner as music began to fill the car loudly, twang-y rock spilling through the speakers and giving her an instant headache. She frowned as she looked over at the man beside her, “Could you turn that down please? It’s rather loud” She asked, her tone sounding rather annoyed. She didn’t want to have to sit through loud, jostling music like this the entire ride, no matter how long it was. Morgan wasn’t really a rock fan, never getting the appeal of the music genre. She liked music, though she never got much time to just listen and relax with it. She did get to play some good hip-hop and elector cds, a secret collection she had in her car, on the way to work, but other than that, she usually preferred quiet. She turned away from him, before he could even give her an answer, returning to gaze out the window, looking ahead of them to see if she could spot the place she’d be staying at for the night.

[connor--mcalister-blog]

Connor chuckled dryly as Morgan's words reached his ears, "Well, that might be true, but, your luggage isn't gettin' anywhere without my car." He didn't care how much the luggage had cost. It seemed unnecessary to even bring it up. It was, in his opinion, an attractive thing to do. Where he came from people didn't talk about money or how much things cost. "Besides, if it's so damn expensive it better be durable as hell." The words left his mouth in a mumble, as he was thinking out loud rather than trying to get Morgan's attention. Connor was not going to purposely wreck her belongings but he thought that if a pretty penny had been paid for it then it better be able to withstand a bit of a rough landing into the back of a car. Otherwise, it was just money going to a label. 

They weren't on the road long before Connor was asked to turn the music down. Rather than listening to the request, he cranked up the volume. Shouting, "I'm sorry, what? I can't hear you!" He pointed to the ear closest to her and shook his head. A moment later he was smirking and turning the music down, "That's the way this music is supposed to be heard. We're not in an elevator." Normally, he wouldn't have been listening to music if he couldn't play it full blast but he didn't want to endure the ride without it. Silence would have been deafening but having to have a conversation with Morgan without music in the background would have caused him to leap to his death, right out of the window. Turning his head in Morgan's direction, "So, quiet enough?"

As Connor turned down the street where the Bed & Breakfast was, he began to slow down his vehicle. "Not so bad, right?" He asked as he nodded his head in the direction of the B&B. It wasn't a spectacular sight but he had his eyes on a small cottage-like house nestled between decently groomed trees. All in all, the property was well kept, if not a bit small. Connor parked his car in front of the yard and started to undo his seat belt. "Should I go ahead and run in and get a pillow? Rest your luggage on to so that it gets to your room safely. I know my car is a fine piece of metal but I don't want to trade it in for damages to your baggage." Connor finally pulled his seat belt off and started to get out of the car, "But really, I'll walk you in." He hoped her attitude would stay behind.

[richmondmorgan]

Dust and Dior

[richmondmorgan]

Morgan ignored the man’s comment, as he mumbled to himself, though obviously loud enough so that she had been able to catch the words as they left his mouth. She didn’t care if she was frustrating or annoying the man, in fact if anything she wanted him to feel a little of what she felt. It might have been a little selfish, and even a bit childish, of her but she wasn’t in the mood to be dealing with his joking attitude and found that she rather deal with him as so now than have him continue with his little quips and the like. The faster he got her to the place, the faster she would be out of his hair and then neither one would have to see the other ever again. The thought alone sounded so pleasant that Morgan nearly smiled then and there. However, she refrained as Connor moved past her and told her to follow him as he made his way through the hardware store back out.

Morgan had done as she was told and followed just a few steps behind him, rolling her back behind her as she moved along. She passed through the door without even so much as a simple thank you as he held the door open for him, looking out towards the old town again as she wondered for a moment exactly where the Bed & Breakfast was situated within it. Hopefully somewhere far from wherever he usually stayed. 

She let him take her luggage, though she watched him apprehensively at how he handled the expensive baggage. At least he lifted it up and carried it rather than let the wheels continue to damage under the condition of the road. She had been gritting her teeth the entire time she had had to pull it along the sidewalk, and was glad that at least it wouldn’t have to suffer anymore wear and tear. Or at least, that was what she had hoped for until she watched Connor take the luggage to where his vehicle was and took it to the trunk to put it inside. She inspected the car, noticing how worn down it appeared, though she should have figured he wouldn’t be driving anything too nice, and couldn’t help but worry that the ride there would no doubt be bumpy due to the terrible road work and the condition of the car. She could just imagine her luggage being tossed around back there, getting banged up, but then she knew she probably really had no other choice and didn’t want to test this man’s patients too much more.

So, hesitantly, she nodded her head, a small frown on her lips as she looked at the expensive bag that her fiance had gotten her. ”Sure, that’s fine. Just be careful with it.” She said with a sigh. She walked over to the passenger side door as he put her things in the vehicle, peering into the window to the interior of the car as she waited for him to come and open the door for her so that they could get on their way.

[connor--mcalister-blog]

Connor could barely hear Morgan over the sound of her luggage hitting the floor of his trunk. He had hoisted it up with one arm and the landing had been a little sloppy. By the time her words reached his ears he could only smile because he had done the opposite of what she had requested. Unintentionally, of course, but considering how the day had been going he wouldn't have been surprised if she thought he had done it on purpose. Connor shoved the luggage deeper into the trunk before slamming the hatch shut. "All set." Connor called out, the car shook from the hatches impact but he was convinced the vehicle still had years to go before it completely fell apart. 

As he made his way to the driver's side of his car he noticed that Morgan still wasn't inside. Surely she was smart enough to figure out how to open a car door. It then dawned on him that she was likely waiting for him to open it for her. With a roll of the eyes and a huff he came around the front of the car and squeezed his arm between her and the door, "Excuse me." Connor lifted the handle and opened the door for her. He distanced himself from the door and Morgan to allow her enough room to get in and once she was inside, he would make the effort to close the door for her. "Watch your legs." Connor could do the gentleman thing but it had not been easy in her company.

He headed back to his side of the car and jumped into the driver's seat. Inserting his key into the ignition, he turned on the car and let it warm up a bit before pulling out of his parking spot. The faint sound of Lynyrd Skynyrd could be heard from the radio and he couldn't help but reach for the volume control to turn it up. Connor's focus was on the road, even though he knew his town like the back of his hand, but he was curious to know what kind of music Morgan listened to. Was she secretly a classic rock fan or did she sit in bathtubs with a glass of wine while Bach played on the stereo? His eyes darted from the street to Morgan in an attempt to read her expression.

[richmondmorgan]

Dust and Dior

[richmondmorgan]

Morgan let her eyes wander away from Connor, as the both waited for someone to respond on the other end of the line. She went back to curiously gazing around his shop, noting that even though it seemed to need a bit of a face lift, it wasn’t that bad. Not how she had expected it to be, like the ones you see in the movies where there were cobwebs hanging from the ceiling and dust caking the shelves. She realized she had had a ridiculous notion about the place. Of course it wasn’t going to actually be like that, no place was. She was pulled from her musings when she heard a soft voice pick up the line, her eyes instantly landing back on Connor as he began to speak.

She quirked a brow at him, as he began to speak in a much more hushed tone, but didn’t think much of it. If he didn’t want her to listen in to his conversation, even if it was concerning her, then fine. Though then she had a second thought, and wondered if he was saying something to the woman on the other end so that she would end up being charged more. He did seem like the type that would do something or say something to make her life just that much more miserable. So she decided to listen in after all, watching him the entire time, brows furrowed together as he kept looking at her and describing her to the person on the other end. She rolled her eyes as he guessed her age, using the word definitely. Part of her wanted to argue against him, even though he wasn’t wrong. Still, there was something about the man that just frayed Morgan’s nerves and she couldn’t help that he was purposefully trying to annoy her. Even when not talking to her directly.

When he did speak to her directly, asking about her last name, Morgan gave him a small sigh before answering. “Richmond.” She said, the boredom in her voice apparent. She just wanted to get this over with and finished, not liking all these questions being asked and just wanting to get  some peace and quiet to think about how the hell she was going to get to where her fiance was and worrying about making it in time for their big meeting. 

As Connor went on with the phone conversation, covering his mouth so that Morgan couldn’t hear or guess the rest of what he was saying, she couldn’t help but roll her eyes at him again, giving him an incredulous look at how childish he could be. She tried to ignore it though, and focus on already coming up with a solution to her stationary problem. It wasn’t until Connor hung up the phone and began talking to her again, mentioning that she was in luck and giving her the price for the stay. She frowned a bit as he gave her the figures, as she tried to calculate in her mind the difference of what she’d be left to work with after that. It wasn’t much, twenty dollars, not usually for her at least, but she knew she had a limited amount. Still, she figured she’d only need enough for the room and some food before everything would be sorted out and she’d have her credit card again and back on another flight, out of that town, so she dropped the thought. 

She scowled at him, at the way he called her lady instead of addressing her by her name which he obviously knew but decided not to say anything on the subject, instead just shrugging her shoulders a bit as she turned more towards the door. “it’ll have to do.” She said in indifference. She grimaced as he began to snort, laughing at his own comment, only growing more impatient and annoyed with the man. Part of her wanted to be stubborn and turn down his offer, to get away from him much quicker but the other part of her had to admit that she would probably get there quicker with his guidance and the last thing she needed was to get lost in this town trying to find the place. She began to walk towards the door, as if to leave, getting about a few feet away from it before turning back to him. “Well?” She said, her tone full of inpatients. “Are you gonna show me the way or not?”

[connor--mcalister-blog]

Connor held back a snicker upon learning her last name. It sounded just as snooty as she had presented herself. At least it was fitting, he supposed. Connor really didn't want to think about her life much, just how to get her out of his, but it must have been something else. He hadn't bought a new pair of jeans since he was in his twenties and he doubted that she had worn her outfit more than once. Connor didn't know if he was even judging her at this point or just thinking out the obvious. Either way, he left his feelings to himself and just nodded to let her know that he heard her name and was sharing it with Pattie.

The woman seemed nosier than he had anticipated. Yes, they were discussing her and he figured he would be a bit curious too if he was in her position but considering how much of a headache the woman was already, every little thing she did was irking him. Every so often she would look back at him and Connor had contemplated going into the backroom and closing the door. It was too late though, the call was nearing its end and he felt it was no longer necessary. He did wonder what she thought about his shop but he would refrain from mentioning anything because he was afraid of the answer. She had already picked apart the town he grew up in, he wasn't sure he could handle harsh (and obviously false) criticism of the shop his family had built years ago.

He bit down on his knuckle as Morgan expressed her lack of enthusiasm. Connor stood behind as she made her way forward. His foot slipped forward and he was about to catch up with her when she made a stop. Turning around, she asked for him to show her out. "Are you serious?" He purposely mumbled his words but they were loud enough to be heard. It took every muscle in his body to refrain him from calling her a princess as he rushed passed her. "Follow me." Connor weaved through his hardware store and brought them to the entrance. He opened the door and held it open long enough for Morgan to make her exit. After locking up, he cut in front of her and took her luggage.

His car was parked around the corner. The pavement was too jagged for him to roll her luggage so he lifted it up and carried it to the trunk of his car. "Alright, can it go in here?" Connor looked back at her, he didn't know if she was attached to the luggage or what but it wasn't going to fit anywhere else in the car. He had lifted the hatch by now and was holding it up, the hinges broken from years of use, as he waited for an answer, his eye still on Morgan. 

[richmondmorgan]

Dust and Dior

[richmondmorgan]

Morgan began to wonder what it was, that she had done, to deserve all this. As if her morning hadn’t been bad enough, now she had to run into the one person who was least helpful in getting her out of their as quickly as possible. Couldn’t he see she was in a hurry and frustrated? Couldn’t he see that she wasn’t really in the mood for all his chatter and japes. Had she had the mind to and wasn’t desperate to find a place, she would have just walked away from him and continue to search for someone else to help the moment he began to mess with her. She didn’t have that luxury though, she knew.

She watched him with a small frown pulled across her lips, brow quirked up in suspicion as he spoke, talking about how he wasn’t going to give her any more shit. As he mentioned her not being the most pleasant person around, Morgan couldn’t help but roll her eyes at him. Well what could he expect, she was in a hurry and was tired and he thought it would be fun to mess with her and then expect her to find him amusing or something? She scoffed at the thought and at his words, shaking her head slightly but not saying anything, deciding to keep her comments to herself. She didn’t want to continue on with this man, knowing she’d probably only make things worse and waste even more of her time. 

"Fine." Was all she said, in a mutter, as he pulled the door open to the building and held it out for her. She stepped inside, taking cautious steps, keeping an eye on the man, not trusting him fully, as she made her way further inside. Once they were both in, and he made his way over to where the phone was, Morgan couldn’t help but gaze around, her curiosity getting the better of her. The lighting in the place was too dim and yet even still, she could the place needed some work as well. She kept arms crossed and hands to herself, not wanting to touch anything. 

Her attention was brought back to Connor when he spoke, and she gazed over at the man as he pulled the phone from the wall and dialed a number. She watched as he pulled the phone as far as it can go and as he held it out to her, and she heard the ringing of the receiver, Morgan took a step closer to him but held her hand up and nodded to show that she could hear. She watched and waited as he pulled the phone back to his ear and waited for the person on the other end to pick up. Morgan looked the man up and down for a moment before her thoughts went to the person on the other end of the phone and the Bed & Breakfast that Connor spoke of. She wondered how nice the place actually was. She wondered if there would be wifi, though she doubted it, by the look of the town. Well, as long as there was a comfortable bed and it was clean, Morgan knew she really couldn’t complain. Her gaze moved back to Connor’s face, as she continued to wait. 

[connor--mcalister-blog]

An elderly woman's voice filled the speaker and Connor brought the phone closer to his ear. Morgan had only showed a mild interest in the phone so he didn't feel obliged to let her listen into his conversation. "Hi, Pattie. It's Connor." He hushed himself for a moment, a smile emerging across his face as he listened, "Good, good. How are you? I've actually got a guest here with me right now. Do you have any spare rooms?" The answer was obvious but his curiosity was said with sincerity. "Great, well, she's about..." Connor looked towards Morgan and tried to guess her age, "Definitely in her thirties. I think she's come alone, not sure where from though, and she has luggage." Another pause, "Hey, Morgan, what did you say your last name was?" He couldn't recall if she had told him it or not. Connor needed it to reserve a room for her. 

Connor mumbled the rest of his phone call, covering his mouth so Morgan couldn't read his lips, and hung up. "You're in luck. There's a room available. I got you a good deal, don't worry. Twenty bucks a night sound good? Normally it'll cost you about forty." It didn't cost him a single cent but then again his grandma used to play Bridge with Pattie. He hadn't needed a room in years but he knew one was always waiting for him. Connor could have worked out a cheaper deal for Morgan but he didn't like her attitude and he doubted that Pattie would either. The only reason why he had bargained the room down so much was because he thought, and hoped, that it would get rid of her faster. 

"So, lady, what do you say?" Connor figured she didn't have much of a choice but if she wanted to risk it and head to a hotel then he would volunteer to drive her. He would loathe every minute of their journey but it would be worth it if he didn't have to put up with her anymore. "I could even take ya' if you're worried about getting your pretty little heels dirty." His gaze fell down to her shoes, "Well, little might not be the best way to describe them." He snorted and snickered at his own thoughts, "But I digress." Being nice to her had been short lived but Connor could point out that he still hadn't tricked her again. 

[richmondmorgan]

Dust and Dior

[richmondmorgan]

Morgan was not amused in the least bit by this man’s little antics and jokes. She was frustrated enough as it was, was feeling hot and tired and just wanted to rest herself down on a nice bed while she figured out a plan to get to her destination. The last thing she needed was for some stranger who thought he was hilarious dicking her around and taking up all her time just for his own little amusement. She never understood the whole hanging around all day doing nothing but joking about, didn’t see anything productive in that, not when she had plenty of things to be done every day. If this guy wanted to spend his time messing about and laying out in the sun then that was his business but she figured the least he could to was be serious for two minutes tops just to help her out and point her in the direction of someplace that was real.

Arms folded, she watched the man, her expression a mix of annoyance and frustration, as he went on about the town. In all reality, Morgan could care less about this damn little town she was stuck in. She did not want to stop here, only had to do it out of obligation, and didn’t see herself coming back. It was not the type of place she usually ever found herself, especially when there seemed to be twenty buildings tops that made up the place, most of which seemed could use a serious makeover and updating. She couldn’t even imagine having to spend more time than she needed to there. No, all Morgan wanted was to get herself a few hours of rest to cool down and think and then get out of the town as quickly as possible, never to have to return and deal with it, or the residents that resided here, again.

Morgan let the man talk, letting him go on and on, even if she didn’t really care at all about the place or the residents that resided within it. It wasn’t until he held his hand out to her and introduced himself. She noticed that his name matched the building sign that was right behind him. She was a bit surprised to find that he was a business owner, or at least came from a family that ran a business. When she first saw him, Morgan took him for a slacker or even jobless, the way he was just laying around but it seemed maybe that wasn’t the case. One thing was for sure, he was definitely not the sort of business owner Morgan was used to working with. Thankfully. 

She took his hand, though barely offering up the edges of her fingers, not knowing where his hands have been and not wanting to dirty her own. She gave it a small shake before quickly pulling her hand back again, folding her arms once more. “Yeah, nice to meet you..” She said, her words not nearly as sincere sounding as she could have made them. She watched him carefully as he continued, going on about not having a hotel but there being a bed & breakfast. She tried to gauge the truth to his words, trying to figure out if he was messing with her again, though it didn’t really seem that way. As he mentioned stepping inside the building to call the lady who ran the place up, Morgan decided to just follow along, though she still kept her guard up about taking him serious. “You’re not trying to fool me again are you?” She asked, brows furrowed, though she took a step forward, to show him that she would follow him inside.

[connor--mcalister-blog]

Connor let out a low grumble as his talk of the town seemed to fall flat. Where exactly had this woman grown up? He didn't think she had any manners. Any response that could have shown the slightest of interest in the town she had found herself in would have been enough for him. Gratitude would have gone miles. Instead, he was met with silence. Connor did his best to shrug it off, if he could get her a room quickly then he wouldn't have to fuss with her anymore. Delving into why she was so damn hostile would not make the situation pass by with ease. Besides, the hint wasn't exactly subtle. He got it, she didn't want to talk about his town and despite what she may have thought about him, he was smart enough to know when to shut his mouth. If he felt like it.

"No, I'm not...." He wiped at his cheek, dragging his face down out of frustration. Connor had pushed her buttons, and he'd do it again if given the chance but maybe with a bit more hesitance next time. It was turning into more of a problem than something he could get a kick out of. He had never met a woman so wound up before. "Look. I'm not gonna give you anymore shit." He laughed through his nose, "I don't know if you're aware of this, but you've not been the most pleasant person to be around so far. You're just going to have to trust me, alright? Because I want you out of here as fast as you do."

He pulled the door open and held it for Morgan. Once they were inside he made his way to the telephone in the back of the store. "It's just back here." The store's lighting was dimmed but he didn't think to apologize because he was used to it. Connor grabbed the phone from the wall and dialed for the Bed & Breakfast. Dragging the wire from the backroom, he stretched it as far as he could and stood where Morgan could see him. "It's ringing." He held the phone out for her to hear the ring before placing it back onto his ear. 

[richmondmorgan]

Dust and Dior

[richmondmorgan]

Rather relieved that the man was there, Morgan hoped that he’d be able to help her and she wouldn’t keep having to circle around the whole damn town, until she found someone who could, or a hotel on her own. Just the short distance from where the cab had left her to where she stood now, seemed like a tedious task. She was even considering finding out who the governing citizens of the town were to complain to them about their poorly paved streets and sidewalks. How anyone could move on such worn cement was completely beyond her. She pushed the thought aside though with a huff of her breath, settling herself and trying not to focus on the frustration that had been building inside her, just relieved to finally find someone who could possibly be of help to her. 

She set her suitcase down, letting it go as she pushed the hair that had fallen out of place during her rather difficult trek away from her face to get a better look at the man. He seemed friendly enough as he gave her a small greeting, which only made Morgan feel a little more optimistic. However, that feeling quickly vanished as a small frown settled on her lips with the revelation that there wasn’t a Comfort Inn around the area, of course she was willing to settle for something else, as long as they provided proper wifi and a good dinner service. She was about to ask about another hotel when her words were interrupted with his suggestion. She cocked her head to the side as she gazed at him, trying to recall if she had ever head of the place. It definitely wasn’t commercial that was for sure, maybe something local. It wasn’t an ideal thought but she figured it would have to do. In her own musings over the place, Morgan didn’t even notice how the man was practically giggling like a girl to himself. Not until her focus went back to him as he spoke again.

"How good a deal?" She asked curiously. Usually she didn’t care about petty things like saving a buck, if it meant good service then she was definitely willing to shell out the big bucks. Of course that was out of the question on the limited budget she had with her, at least until she could figure things out. She raised a brow at the man as she continued to look at him. Something seemed off about him, about how is eyes seemed to shine with amusement, something he wasn’t saying. She began to become suspsicious and after thinking about it a moment, it finally dawened upon her. She had heard the names Bates and Norman before and knew there was a reason why it sounded familiar but she couldn’t figure out why. She realized that the man was referring to the movie Psycho and while Morgan wasn’t the type of person who watched a lot of film and television, never having the time to just sit around like that, she did know that film. It was one she had watched as a child with her father but had been too frightened by it to want to watch it again. 

After the realization, Morgan gathered that the man was taking a piss out of her, and already frustrated with how the day had been going, was in no mood for little games like this. Her expression twisted into one of annoyance, as her brows furrowed together and eyes rolling. “Oh, ha ha… I get. Psycho.. very funny.” she said dryly. “Look buddy, I’ve had a very long, very bad day so if you could be a chap and actually tell me something useful, someplace real perhaps, then I can get out of your hair and you can go back to doing…. whatever the hell you do int his kind of town.” She said, her words dripping with irritation as she waved her hand around.

[connor--mcalister-blog]

He almost, just almost, felt guilty for pulling her leg when it became apparent that she had taken him seriously. "Um..." Connor rubbed his chin, stubble scratching his fingertips as they glided across. A hoarse chuckle lingered in his throat as he stared back at her. His lips parted but before he could say anything there seemed to be a flicker of light in her eyes, with a sarcastic laugh following the expression. He lifted his hand away from his chin and pretended to wipe sweat off his forehead, "Whew, thought I was gonna have to recommend a video store to you too." His gaze fell on a video rental store across the street, another business that hadn't been doing well recently, he thought it could use a customer but something told him that she wasn't looking to stay long. 

"Just trying to lighten the mood, m'am." He shot her a glare as he finished speaking, he wasn't fond of her attitude towards his town. "Look, it's a real nice town. But the weather hasn't been too great." It had once been a livelier town, though he doubted anything like wherever she came from. Truthfully, the moment she was out of his hair he was just going to go back to the spot she had found him in but he didn't think she needed to know that. "Maybe you should come back sometime, visit when the sun isn't just shining in my eyes." When he felt as though he had said everything he needed to on the matter, or at least enough to get his point across because truthfully he could go on for hours about her bad manners but she was obviously aggravated enough.

With a sigh he stepped forward and offered his hand to shake, "I'm Connor McAlister, it's nice to meet you." He waited a moment, his last name was plastered on a sign behind him and though it had seen better days, it was still one to be recognized in the town. "We don't have a hotel around here, but we do have a bed and breakfast. It's ran by one of the nicest ladies that you'll ever meet." Connor brushed by her as he headed for the door of his hardware store, "If you come inside, then I'll call her up. I wasn't kidding about the deal." She would need to change her attitude though. Connor thought she was lucky that he didn't send her to the closest hotel, just a couple of towns over, because he was honestly convinced that Norman Bates did in fact run it. 

[richmondmorgan]

Dust and Dior

As the taxi cab came to a full stop and the driver in the front seat turned back to announce to Morgan that they had reached her destination, the brunette was almost ready to believe that the man was pulling her leg, as she gazed out the window towards the few small, old looking buildings that sat on a dust street, nearly void of human life. She looked back at the man, her brows furrowed and expression painted with skepticism. “Wait this is the place?” She asked, her voice dripping with the uncertainty she felt. When her plane was forced to make an unscheduled stop due to a bad storm, Morgan had thought that she would just be spending a few hours at the small airport in a layover until the skies where clear again. However, When her purse went mysteriously missing, including her identification and boarding passes, along with all her credit cards, she found herself stuck even long out in the middle of nowhere. Too far into the country from her home to be able to get someone to come to her and having no money to purchase another ticket, Morgan had frustratedly resigned to catching a cab into the nearest town and getting a room to sleep in for the night, too tired and exhausted from the long trip and the waiting around, to figure a plan out.

She was expecting to be able to get a decent room and get a good nights rest, until come morning when she could figure out a plan to get herself out of this rut and back on schedule to get to where her meeting was to take place in the next few days. However, when she said the nearest town, she had not expected to be taken out to what looked like hillbilly city. Hell, she couldn’t even call it that much as all there seemed to be from what she could see where a few buildings, nothing commercial to start with, and some roads that lead down rural lands for as far as her eyes could see. She wasn’t even sure if there was a hotel anywhere near by. She almost wanted to tell the man to keep driving, until they ended up somewhere more civilized, or even to take her back to the airport, but as her eyes flickered over to the meter on his dashboard, her lips fell into a small frown and knew that it would be much too spendy to do that.

When he confirmed her feared thoughts, Morgan reluctantly exited the vehicle, pulling out the one carry on suitcase that she had brought on her journey. As she was left on the sidewalk, watching the yellow car drive away from the curb, Morgan could feel herself feeling even more frustrated with the events that had led up to here, looking around at the town she was now stuck in before letting out a sigh. She realized she just couldn’t stand there on the corner of the street all day pouting and that she had to find a place to rent for the night.

With her luggage rolling behind her, Morgan clumsily walked down the street, the concreted cracked and beaten, in serious need of repair and causing her $300 Manolo heels to get caught in the little crevices every now and then. She cursed, when she nearly tripped several times and when her bag’s wheel fell into once of the little wholes in the pavement and turning over. It felt like it took nearly a half hour just to get down to one end of the street. She wasn’t even sure quite where she was going, but as she passed buildings, most looking old and ratted, she continued to move past, looking for a decent place to stop in and ask for some help and directions. She noticed a small diner on the end of the street and figured that maybe someone there could help. However, as she got closer to the place, she reached a building where she found a man sitting out front, seemingly doing nothing. As she drew nearer to him, she shifted her luggage handle from one hand to the other, before waving her free had towards him to draw his attention.

"Excuse me sir? Hello, sir.. could you please help me out? I’m looking for directions to where I could find the nearest hotel?" She said, standing straight and acting ever the business woman she was, treating this whole interaction as a serious issue; which to her it was. She stepped closer to him, stopping a few feet away, not wanting to get to close to this random stranger who in her opinion looked a little disheveled. She tried not to think about though, just remaining where she stood, "If you could point me to the nearest Comfort Inn or anything nicer would be lovely, thanks." She added, looking at him expectantly.

[connor--mcalister-blog]

There was a crinkle in Conner's brow line as he stared at a figure in the distance. It seemed to be moving, albeit very choppily, and he was convinced that it was heading his way. He couldn't help but chuckle when he realized it was some broad dragging around a suitcase. Connor had found himself quite comfy in the position he was in, back pressed up against the wall of his store and legs kicked out, the only thing that would have made it better was if the damn sun wasn't trying to blind him. It seemed to be poking through the harsh clouds above just to irritate the hell out of him. So, even though it crossed his mind that she probably needed his help, he decided that he was going to let her come to him. It had been a slow work day, as it had been for months, and this was about the most entertaining thing he had witnessed in awhile.

Connor covered his mouth and turned away, almost unable to contain himself as the stranger started waving him down. He was half tempted to walk away but he did seem to be genuinely distressed and he couldn't leave a potential customer behind. Conner looked back, his arm waving to acknowledge her presence, and straightened up his posture. Upon getting a closer look of the lady he noticed the reason why she had been struggling to get across the road. Her entire getup was fancier than he was used to, she definitely wasn't from around his town, but her shoes especially were unlike anything he had ever seen. How was she even able to walk on those stilts? He was almost impressed. Most of the women he had known only had a closet full of converse or boots. Heels were completely foreign to him, and the road behind proved it. 

Clearing his throat, "Howdy." He shook his head, "Nope, sorry, there's no Comfort Inn," That much was true, he had never even heard of the place, "But there's a Bates just down the road. My good friend Norman runs it, I could call him up and get you a good deal." He gnawed on his thumbnail, a grin hidden behind his hand as he awaited her response. It was obvious that she was having some problems and there was a part of him that knew that he should have been a little more courteous to her but he just couldn't help it. She had come up to him, clothes and attitude like a business executive, she was basically asking for trouble. Especially around this town. Besides, she was in clear need of loosening up and he had to figure out what kind of person he was dealing with. It was like looking at a lady in a billboard. "So, how about it?"

[skyler-bane-deactivated20151005]