Thankfully. I need to get out of Dodge before I fuck you up, too.
Toby was clearly disappointed, but he let the matter drop. We rode the rest of the way in companionable silence. About fifteen minutes later, he pulled into the driveway of a little bungalow. I could feel him watching me, waiting for my reaction to his rental.
“Your place is adorable,” I said.
He beamed me a smile and slid the car into park. “Thanks. It’s not home, but it’s growing on me.”
“I bet you miss San Francisco.”
He gave me a bewildered look. “Frisco’s not home.”
His expectant gaze pinned me in place, putting me on the spot and making me nervous. Could he possibly be referring to the compound? I didn’t want to know, so I didn’t ask. Instead, I climbed out of the car and started planning my exit strategy. I just had to play it cool until he left for the airport. I’d have four blissful days alone with a kitten, then maybe I’d call for an uber and head to the airport before he got home Sunday. I’d leave him a completely platonic note and maybe between that and my absence, he’d get the hint that we were just friends.
The inside of Toby’s house was nice and clean with vaulted ceilings, fresh paint, and plush carpet. We rolled my luggage inside and set it beside the door while Daisy came out to greet us. She was everything I’d hoped she’d be, letting me pick her up and stretching against my hand. She purred, and I fell instantly in love. Since leaving the compound, I’d never adopted a cat, figuring I’d somehow be stomping on the memory of my irreplaceable childhood pet, but two seconds with the beautiful blue-eyed kitten had me rethinking my position. Maybe I was ready for this kind of companion after all. I tucked her against me and followed Toby as he gave me a tour of the house.
“Guest bedroom,” he said, pausing in front of a door. “Is purple still your favorite color?”
Wondering why he wanted to know, I nodded. It wasn’t, but I didn’t care to go into details. He opened the door to reveal a moderate sized room with a small walk-in closet and purple bedding that would have been perfect teenaged me. Fearing he’d purchased the bedding specifically for me, I forced a smile. “It’s a beautiful room, Toby.”
Grinning like he’d just won the lottery, he pointed to a familiar looking cactus in an ornate flowerpot on the dresser.
“Is that an eastern prickly pear?” I asked, crossing the room. I hadn’t seen one since I’d left home.
His grin only widened. “Yep. I remembered they were your favorite. All the other girls liked roses and such, but you liked cacti. I was hoping it’d bloom for you, but it didn’t cooperate.”
The cactus was my favorite flower because it knew how to protect itself. It was beautiful, but only bloomed for a day, not giving a damn that people expected more. “Thank you. This is all really sweet, but I’m only going to be here a few days. You didn’t need to go through all this trouble.”
“Nonsense. You’re saving my rear here. I had to get bedding anyway, and figured it was time for my first houseplant. You and your brown thumb have less of a chance of killing off a cactus. Come on, I’ll show you the rest of the place before I have to head out.”
Everything he said made sense, putting me a little more at ease.
The guest bathroom was clean and a little on the small side. The kitchen was modern with granite countertops, oak cabinets, and tile flooring. He’d stocked up the fridge and showed me where the pots and pans were. The master bedroom was large, but sparsely decorated. He paused in front of another door and gave me a conspiratorial smile. “This room will probably be your favorite.” He swung open the door to reveal a gorgeous master bathroom with a giant, jetted bathtub, separate shower, and dual sinks.
“Feel free to use anything you want in here. The jets on the tub are great, and, if you’re interested, I keep bubble bath here.” He opened a cabinet, then closed it to open another. “Towels are in this one.” Leading me out of the bathroom, he added, “Make yourself at home. If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to call me.” He glanced at his phone. “Shoot. I gotta get going, or I’ll miss my flight.” He grabbed a suitcase from his bed, and I followed him out into the living room. “Do you have any questions before I leave?”
“Food and kitty litter for little miss thing, here?” I said, holding Daisy higher to remind him why I was staying at his house in the first place.
He smacked himself on the forehead. “Oh yeah. Of course. How could I forget Daisy?” He led me down a hallway to the laundry room and showed me everything I needed. Once again, I followed him into the living room where he paused and looked me over again. “I still can’t believe you’re here, in my house. Thanks again for helping me out, Amelia.”
I returned his smile, happy to be doing some good after all I’d screwed up. “My pleasure.”
Toby gave me a hug goodbye, and then rolled his suitcase out the door. I locked up behind him and watched through the window as he drove off, looking forward to my time alone with Daisy.
19
Hound
MILA DIDN’T EVEN say goodbye. I only knew she was gone because Havoc had seen her leave and came to the office to report the news to Morse. Judging by the storm cloud that rolled over Morse’s expression, she hadn’t told him goodbye either. Havoc left, and Morse angrily typed away at his keyboard. A while later, he stood and marched over to the impromptu desk he’d created for Mila. He yanked a cord out of their shared power supply and shoved the laptop she’d been using onto a shelf to store. Then he gave her chair a hard shove until it rolled away, hitting the wall with a satisfying smack.
I understood exactly how he felt.
All week, the office had felt empty without her, but today it felt downright hollow. So did I. Trying my best to ignore the feeling, I focused on my job. Hours crept by. It felt like a year had passed before the clock finally struck quitting time. There was still a dark storm cloud hovering over Morse, so I bid him a quick goodnight and got the hell out of there.
I should have stopped by the kitchen to see who was cooking and if they needed any help, but I didn’t feel much like being around anyone. Hobbling up the stairs, I ignored my own door and went straight to Mila’s. It was unlocked, so I let myself in.
All of her stuff was gone.
The closet door was open, the bed was made, her key was on top of the dresser, everything was exactly how it had been before she arrived. The only evidence that she’d ever occupied the space came in the form of her soft floral scent still lingering in the air. Breathing it in, I staggered to the bed and sat down.
