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    A Simple Cloudburst
    A Simple Cloudburst
    A Simple Cloudburst
    Ebook114 pages1 hour

    A Simple Cloudburst

    By Guy Winters

    ()

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    About this ebook

    G. WINTERS is a writer, playwright, artist, teacher, and designer who spends his days teaching in Virginia. He spends his evenings with his family, and his weekends writing, a rediscovered passion.

    Other fiction work by G. Winters available on Smashwords.com:
    Stray Cats
    Sleeping on the Terrace
    (both above are now in print)
    Dark Places
    Partners in Love

    I really appreciate you reading my book! Here are my social media links:

    Find me on Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/GuyWinters
    Visit my Website: http://www. http://dreamweaver594.weebly.com/

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherGuy Winters
    Release dateSep 11, 2017
    ISBN9781370150144
    A Simple Cloudburst
    Author

    Guy Winters

    GUY WINTERS is a writer, playwright, artist, who spends his days working in Virginia and his evenings writing. Other novels by GUY WINTERS: Stray Cats Sleeping on the Terrace Dark Places A PERSONAL NOTE FROM GUY WINTERS: Most of my work explores the often misunderstood world of the inter-sexed person. If you are unfamiliar with the term "intersex" Google it, you'll find it very complex and complicated. The Wikipedia entry is very thorough although my work should never be considered clinical. I've moved on from the intersex question to explore the often misunderstood issues that surround the gender blended individual. "Ruffles and Lace", "Her Best Friend Forever", and "A Simple Cloudburst" are titles that explore this issue, there will be more. I try to make my characters believable and the world they inhabit relatable (well I suppose a world that contains vampires is a bit of a stretch but that story was just a lot of fun to write). If you have the chance, please review my work. Your feedback is invaluable to me as an author, it spurs me to create deeper and richer characters in complex situations. Your words inspire me and I appreciate it very much. Thank you...gw

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      Book preview

      A Simple Cloudburst - Guy Winters

      A Simple Cloudburst

      By G. Winters

      © 2017

      Published in 2017 by Buckhorn Publishing

      Norfolk, Virginia

      Copyright © 2017 G. Winters - All rights reserved. 



      All the places and characters in this book have no existence outside of the imagination of the author and have no relationship whatsoever to anyone or any place bearing the same name or names. All incidents are fiction and the resemblance to any person, place, or thing is purely coincidental.

      The first electronic partial edition of this story was released in 2016 as A Simple Cloudburst and published in part at Literotica.com

      =ONE=

      Ethan Williams stood in the men’s restroom at the Fine Arts Center. He stared into the mirror and sighed. It was just a silent auction - thank God. He didn’t have to stand up or answer questions about the design he submitted or anything. Why get so worked up? Relax.

      He combed his hair after washing his face, still no signs of grey, not bad for nearly 40, his father was totally white by the time he was forty-five. The restroom door opened and another man walked in. It reminded him that he really should be out there…mingling, something he disliked; it always led to inane questions from people who didn’t understand that a rendering was just a simple sketch of what might be - not what it was.

      As an architect, he hated being in front of large groups talking about his designs; still it was all part of the job. Clients were the worst, all those endless questions, nit-picking tiny details, the list was endless. Just look at the damn drawings is what he wanted to yell to the dimwits, but he didn’t, ‘not good for client/architect relations,’ his boss would say and…they were paying the bills.

      He sighed. At least tonight was a silent auction, no presentations, thank you very much. By nine tonight it’ll all be over and then he could go home, his obligation to the company CEO completed. This event, a charity auction for a local children’s hospital, was something the firm had supported for years, dating back to the old patriarch. And this year it was his turn to fall on the proverbial sword. He was expected to stand by in case a potential bidder had a question. He smirked; hiding in the restroom was against the rules. Resigned, he walked out the door and back into the reception area.

      The gallery space was cluttered with paintings and sculpture, all donated by local firms hoping to curry favor with Dayton’s elite. The clock on the wall read just after eight pm; the auction would be over in a little under an hour. He didn’t even want to see if anyone bid on his design of a residential home, he loved the work and hated to part with it, but it was the only thing he could offer that wasn’t a commercial structure and still meet the expectations of his boss. He sighed, oh well.

      As he walked out of the restroom area he noticed a woman standing in front of his painting; she’d been there earlier. He didn’t know who she was, but he admired her dress. It was a beautiful satin off-the-shoulder gown in dark green adorned with a gorgeous multi-strand pearl necklace.

      She looked to be in her middle thirties and very stylish. He paused, then shrugged and wandered off to stand at the front windows again. It had been raining off and on all day; he hoped it would let up before he had to go out again.

      As he stood watching the rain drip off the awning in front of the gallery,

      a shadow of a couple appeared reflected in the glass beside him. He turned. It was the woman he seen earlier staring at his design. Hi, are you Ethan Williams?

      He nodded unsure of what to do next. She was quite beautiful, even up close. Her honey blonde hair cascaded in a gentle wave beyond her shoulders and framed a lovely pair of grey-green eyes set beneath arched eyebrows, all of which was enhanced by a dainty nose.

      I’m Emily Daniels, she said as she extended her hand and he shook it. It was soft and feminine and an aroma of lilacs drifted by as they stood talking. I was just admiring your work. She reached back and brought another man forward. She linked her arm in his; obviously they were a couple. This is my friend Ryan Seals.

      Ethan reached forward and shook his extended hand. It’s nice to meet you.

      Likewise. My girlfriend was fascinated with your drawing, he said nodding to the woman on his arm. Is it an original?

      Dumb question number four. He tried to mask a sigh as he nodded blandly. Of course it is, especially in an auction like this. Girlfriend? They were oddly matched.

      Ryan was ruggedly handsome, in a suburban, outdoorsy kind of way. He looked more like the kind of guy who’d prefer to sit in a sports bar knocking back shots than be anywhere near a place like the Dayton Fine Arts Center.

      His eyes tended to wander to every girl in the room, he wasn’t even covert about it. Yet the woman on his arm was ten times prettier than any of the others. Emily Daniels…hmm. She, on the other hand, seemed to be in her element at this event. She looked a little distracted by her date’s dumb question; she offered Ethan a sympathetic nod. Could you tell me a little more about it?

      He smiled, glancing from a distracted Ryan to Emily. What would you like to know?

      Well, it’s not a commercial piece, although I believe Knutson Associates, the company logo that was in the title, mostly does that kind of work.

      That’s true it’s not, I designed it as a private residence. It might work, however, as a professional’s office for a dental group or a group of lawyers if they wanted to blend into a suburban setting, they’re probably the only ones who could afford it.

      She nodded and smiled while her date seemed distracted by a woman standing by the refreshments table.

      Anyway, he continued. Most of the commercial work I design is a little on the boring side, all glass and steel; fancy lobbies, with every floor the same. A potted plant here, and a water feature there, he gestured from side to side, sheepishly. I guess I wanted to do something different, even if it was a speculative design."

      So, it’s never been built?

      He shook his head and pointed to his forehead. Only up here.

      It’s quite beautiful. Do you plan on building it someday?

      I hope to, I have to save up for it though, the design is rather expensive.

      She nodded then turned to the front of the room, the auctioneer stood by the podium with a gavel. It looks like they are getting ready to announce the winners, she said softly.

      He liked her voice; it had a gentle quality to it. She moved to the front of the room with her date in tow as a tall grey-haired man stood at the podium and brought down his gavel.

      Ladies and gentlemen, the auction is now closed. A mousy little man stepped up to the podium and handed the grey-haired man a slip of paper. He cleared his throat. I’ve just been informed that the auction for the Children’s Hospital of Dayton has garnered a handsome $143,247 dollars in support through this event. Please join me in applauding all of the generous donors who’ve helped with this worthy cause.

      Everyone in the room applauded generously. Ethan set his drink down on a nearby table and turned to leave, with fifteen minutes to spare, he thought. The event was over and now the ‘glad-handing’ and ‘back-slapping’ would begin. It would turn into a political fundraiser if he stayed much longer and the taste would never leave his mouth. He turned and started towards the coatroom.

      Ms. Daniels called from behind him. Are you leaving so soon?

      He paused and turned to her.

      I was hoping you would stay for a while Mr. Williams, these charity events get so tedious after the auction is completed.

      "I’m

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