One Black Rose Read Online Free PDF

must have surprised him because he just threw his head back and laughed. “I am a Roth,” he said. “My name is Holt Roth.”
    Feeling disoriented, I managed to get over the fence. When I was safely on the other side, standing one street away from Carley’s house, I turned back to look at him. He was standing there, his hands in the pockets of his khakis, still watching me.
    “Sorry to startle you,” he said. “I didn’t want to scare you.”
    “Oh, no, I’m great,” I said. “I’m sorry again. For trespassing,” I added, even though I knew it sounded ridiculous. I had trespassed. He could probably have me arrested. I was lucky not to be shot. I was lucky he hadn’t loosed the dog on me. He should be furious that I might have ruined his garden. Hell, if he hadn’t come along who knows how long I could have wandered around lost.
    “Don’t worry about it,” he said in a light voice, but he still did not move away. “I told you we’d see each other again.”
    “At least you have my name for the records if you want to have me arrested for trespassing,” I said. I think I was in shock.
    A ghost of a smile passed over his face.
    “I don’t think you have to worry about that. Have a good night, Autumn.” And with that he turned around and disappeared among the flowers.

Chapter Four
     
    After I’d met Holt Roth, there was no way I was going back to UP UP and Away through the Roths’ garden, so I took the long way around through the streets. It was fully dark by then, and when I passed the front of the Roths’ house there were no lights on anywhere. My emotions were all over the place. I knew Carley had talked about the Roths, but why didn’t she tell me that Holt was one? Was it her idea of a joke? That would be just like Carley. Feeling more irritated than ever, I headed back to UP UP and Away.
    When I got back to the café, I showed Mrs. Fritters my passport and we finished the paperwork. She asked if I could come by tomorrow for a quick training session, and I promised that I would. Meanwhile, across the room, Carley and Nick were deep in conversation. When I joined them I could barely hear what they were saying over the band that had started playing. I had no chance to ask Carley about Holt. Despite my long day of travel, the three of us stayed and chatted until well after midnight. Then, to my great relief, Nick gave us a ride home and I didn’t have to worry about cutting back through the garden and again running into the unsettling Holt. I also chose not to tell Carley that I’d met him and probably come close to being arrested.
    Before I went to bed Carley said something about the three of us going to the beach the next day, but I was so tired I barely heard her.
     
    The next morning dawned bright and sunny, which was why I was in bed with a pillow stuck firmly over my head. After everything that had happened the night before, I had a hard time getting out of bed and getting to UP UP and Away for my introduction with Mrs. Fritters.
    When I finally did manage to drag myself to the shower, the cold water at the start of a hot day helped to wake me up. After I’d gone downstairs and found no sign of Carley (since the door to her room was closed, I figured she was probably still sleeping), I again set out for UP UP and Away.
    My talk with Mrs. Fritters about the job went by quickly. I’m pretty sure she would have hired me even if I had said that when I used to work as a cashier I’d been accused of robbing the place or skimming off the top. She needed the help, and since I’m friends with Carley she was predisposed to like me. I’m sure that if I’d told my mother about it, she would have given me a lecture about how even when finding a job as a cashier it’s all about who you know, which would have annoyed me.
    When I got home, Carley was throwing towels, magazines, and sunscreen into a beach bag. She was in a bright pink bathing suit with a white see-through cover up. I went upstairs