He heard the whimper.
He’d been so consumed with putting Blake straight that he’d not heard Astrid approach, or even sensed her.
But he heard that whimper, and it was like a kick in the gut.
Chapter Six
Aconvenience.
Last night had meant nothing to him.
Astrid felt like such a fool.Waking up in her bed, alone with her thoughts, thinking last night was different, when it was anything but.She should have known better.Dreams didn’t come true for her.
After making her way back to the house, she hoped Lord and Blake didn’t hear her.The breakfast was already prepared, and she had to start preparing dinner, but staying here in his house just didn’t sit right with her.
She had to get away.She had to do something.And the only thing she could think of was to go back to her parents.
Astrid put a quick call through to the diner and arranged for a meal to be delivered.She didn’t pack a bag, as one wasn’t needed.
With breakfast already spread out and ready for them, Astrid didn’t look back as she grabbed a jacket, quickly made her way outside, and headed straight for the main driveway.She didn’t want anyone to stop her, and thankfully, no one did, and she was able to make her escape.
All the way to her parents’ house, she tried not to think about last night.With every step she took that put a greater distance between her and Lord, her stomach seemed to twist and knot.She was not going to turn back, and she ignored the fight within her.
Lord had used her.She had been willing, and that made her fool—waking up and thinking things were going to be different.
Arriving in town, she saw people were still in the process of removing Halloween decorations.No one stopped to talk to her, and she went straight to her parents’ house, only to find they were not there.She found the key, made her way inside, and went to the phone to call her father, who answered on the second ring.
“Hello?”he asked, sounding confused.
“Dad, it’s me.Where are you and Mom?”
“Oh, honey, we forgot to tell you.We’ve gone away for a few months on a cruise.You know your mother always wanted to travel the world, and now we have our chance.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?Don’t you need me to sit the house for you?”
“Don’t be silly.That was all taken care of.We talked to Lord, because you were busy, and he promised to keep an eye on the house for us for the next couple of months.Didn’t he tell you?”
