Her eyes move past me, taking in the cabin’s rich wood walls and the warm glow of the fire in the hearth. “This place is incredible. It looks like something from a magazine.”
“The owner has been very generous in letting me stay here while I recover.” The half-truth comes easily.
Luka emerges from the hallway, and I watch Jenny's reaction. Her eyes widen slightly, and a faint blush creeps up her neck. He’s wearing a black sweater with the sleeves rolled to his forearms, looking every bit the successful businessman rather than the dangerous man I know him to be.
“Jenny,” he greets, his voice warm in a way I rarely hear. “I remember you from the café.”
Vega steps forward to sniff her pant leg, his ears alert. The moment he recognizes her scent, his tail gives a few slow, familiar wags before he returns to his post.
Jenny straightens, her cheeks flushing. “I remember you, too. You were always in the corner with your dog. I didn’t realize you and Sage were… friends.”
His mouth lifts slightly. “You helped keep the place running when Sage needed it. I appreciated that more than you probably knew.”
Jenny lets out a shy laugh. “I just tried not to burn the pastries. Sage handled everything else.”
“Even so,” he replies, stepping aside and motioning toward the living area, “you made the drive up the mountain. Thank you for that. Please, come in.”
Jenny steps inside, clutching the package. She glances around with obvious curiosity, taking in the expensive furniture and the floor-to-ceiling windows that frame the mountain view. “I brought the package.”
She extends it toward me, and I take it carefully. The paper is rough under my fingertips, the twine tied in a simple knot. Nothing about it screams danger or threat. It looks exactly like what Jenny thinks it is, a package from a well-meaning customer.
“Thank you for bringing it all the way up here,” I tell her, setting it on the coffee table.
“Are you kidding? I was worried sick about you.” She glances between Luka and me, her smile turning slightly teasing. “You didn’t tell me you were seeing anyone. He’s gorgeous by the way,” she whispers.
Jenny winks at me, and heat climbs up my cheeks as I notice Luka’s amused expression from the corner of my eye. “We’ve been keeping things quiet. With everything that happened...”
“No, I totally understand.” Jenny waves a hand. “Privacy is important. I just wish you had called sooner so I wouldn’t have been imagining the worst.”
“I know. I’m sorry.” The guilt is genuine, even if the circumstances are fabricated. “I should have reached out.”
A maid steps into the foyer carrying a tray with a ceramic teapot and two small cups. She gives Luka a polite nod before turning to me. “Would you like this in the living room?”
“Yes, thank you,” I answer, grateful for the interruption.
Jenny’s eyebrows lift. “You have staff now?”
I shake my head quickly. “No. They’re Luka’s staff. I’m just a guest here.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Luka glance over at me, brief but pointed. Not a correction or a disagreement, just a look that hints he doesn’t see me as a guest at all.
Jenny doesn’t notice any of it and just grins. “Well… that’s still pretty fancy for being a guest.”
The maid heads toward the living room, and I follow with Jenny beside me. The couch is soft enough to swallow me whole, and the fire crackling in the hearth takes some of the edge off my nerves. Jenny settles in and crosses her legs, her eyes darting around with interest she doesn’t even try to hide.
Luka enters the room a moment later, slipping on his coat. He steps closer, brushing a kiss against my cheek.
“I have a meeting I need to get to,” he murmurs. “Enjoy your time together.”
“We will,” I reply quietly.
He turns to Jenny. “It was good to see you again.”
“You too,” she answers, still a little starstruck.
He gives Vega a small gesture, and the dog relaxes by the fireplace before Luka heads out. The front door closes behindhim, and the room feels instantly different, lighter in some ways, heavier in others.
Jenny leans closer the second he’s gone. “Okay. Spill.”
