Frog Tale by JT Schultz

runs through their head.”
    “The word ‘sale’ in shiny bright colors?”
    Her father smirked but then shook his head. “Can you try and be nice?”
    “ Do the evil blonde minions from hell have to make it so hard?”
    Chuckling he titled his head to the side. “Please don’t be sad about, Luc.”
    A sob rushed from her lips and fresh tracks of watery grief made their way down her cheeks. “I loved him, even though he was only a frog. He was special, Dad.”
    “Indeed he was. Maybe he just escaped and is alive and well?” He tried to sound positive but the sorrow in his tone wasn’t hard to miss.
    Her gaze fell again on the gold and diamonds blinking up from the box in her hand. “How strange is this?”
    Her father sighed. “I would say more expensive than strange.”
    Chloe shot him a glance and had to agree then looked back at the tiara pendent.
    Either my frog is dead and I have a secret admirer or I rescued a prince. Maybe I’m crazy.
    She shook her head and despite the fact, there were no such things as real life fairy tales, knowing in her heart, somewhere, Luc lived was easier than thinking him dead and losing her soul.
    Whom am I kidding? I’ve not only lost my soul, but my heart to a frog.
     

Chapter 6
    Present Day…
     
    “ Hello?”
    Silence.
    “Hello?”
    “ Is Albert there, please?” The sexy baritone sent a shiver down Chloe’s spine and her heart started to race.
    No, no crazy thoughts. I am past this. I don’t want to have an episode, not after all these years.
    Her heart pinched, she closed her eyes and shook off her less than lucid thoughts. “Just a moment please.” She swallowed the lump in her throat, and with a shaking hand pushed the hold button as heavy footsteps came in the room.
    “Chloe, are you okay?”
    She hadn’t realized she stared at the base of the phone and still clutched the receiver. “Fine, Daddy.” She forced a smile, knowing she was far from― fine . Her mind swirled with memories that she had no right to have and swore she was too old for this to happen.
    Her father drew closer and took the pho ne from her. “Are you sure? You look like you’re about to cry.” He lifted the receiver from her hand. The residue of sweat from her hand marked the black of the phone piece. Her palms sweated, her stomach churned and, maybe after all these years, she was having another panic attack.
    “I have a headache. I’m going to lie down.” How she choked out the words was a miracle, the lump in her throat was enormous and swallowing was hard. Maybe Georgina and Stella were right, maybe she had lost her mind.
    She walked around her father toward the office door as her father picked up the line. “Albert Starling.”
    Closing her eyes for a brief moment at the threshold, she struggled to breathe.
    “I’m doing great, how are you?” Her father’s voice greeted cheerfully into the phone.
    She stepped into the hallway, trying desperately not to think, feel and most of all remember. She wasn’t that little girl anymore and had to get her act together.
    Her father paused then chuckled. “Yeah, that was her.”
    Turning, she looked at her dad who was busy pulling a file from underneath others on his desk and sighed. “I know, but you know how I feel about that.”
    Her hand reached for the knob of the office door. The brass cool against the heat radiating from her hand and she savored the feeling a moment.
    “ You never listen, maybe you should take my advice.” Her father chuckled again and she shut the door behind her.
    She hurried down the hall to her room and tuned out every memory flashing through her mind. Throwing herself on her bed, she started to cry. “I’m crazy. I know I’m crazy, I still mourn him.” Heavy sobs left her and her chest tightened. The voice at the other end of the phone just moments ago had reminded her down to the faint accent of the one person she had spent the last thirteen years trying to forget.
    Life isn’t fair. I learned