“Yeah. I always leave a small lamp on in the kitchen, and Gray hasn’t turned a light off in his life. It gets so dark that you’ll break your neck trying to get a drink in the middle of the night. Ask me how I know.”
I smile. “Okay. Just wanted to make sure I wasn’t walking into a robbery or something.”
“Out there?” She laughs. “I hate to say never, but that’s never going to happen. The only way to the cabin requires you to pass Hartley’s house, and he doesn’t miss much.”
Except for when he’s not there … like tonight.
My instincts grow louder, warning me to reassess the potential for danger.Run. Flee. Save yourself, Audrey!Butinstead of listening to my gut, I take a breath and shove the logic out of my brain. It’s counterintuitive, and it feels irresponsible, but you have to crack some eggs to make an omelet. And I’m here to whip up something delicious.
“Well, I should probably let you go,” I say, my voice betraying me with a wobble. “I need to figure out how to get my stuff out of the car and into the cabin while it’s sleeting.”
“Just go in. Grab something of mine out of the closet to wear tonight, and I left a bunch of skincare products in our bathroom. The closet in the hallway has extra toothbrushes and toothpaste. Use that and get your stuff in the morning when it’s hopefully warmer and drier.”
That makes this feel slightly more manageable and a lot more like going inside is a done deal.
I sigh, and Astrid doesn’t miss it.
“Enjoy yourself, Auddie,” she says softly. “If it’s peace and quiet you’re after, you won’t find another place better than Blackbird Ranch.” She pauses. “Well, at least you’ll find it at our cabin. If you stop at Hartley’s or at any of the barns, I can’t promise that it’ll be peaceful or quiet.”
I grin softly. “Thanks again for letting me borrow your home. And thank Gray for me, too. I appreciate this very much.”
“Of course. What’s mine is yours.”
“You’re the best. I’ll text you when I’m inside and all settled.”
“Perfect. Have fun!”
“I will. Love you, Astrid.”
“Love you, Auddie. Bye.”
The call ends, and I shut off the Jeep. Without the headlights, I’m surrounded by a deep, suffocating darkness. It’s as if the world ends on the other side of the glass.
Aside from ice chips pelting the roof and the glow from the kitchen, there’s … nothing. No light, no sound, and no movement. Not a solitary sign of life. There is, however, justenough space for a dose of fear to creep up my spine, threatening to erase my excitement about being here.
I grab my phone and type out a quick text to Gianna. If anyone can distract me and override the incoming wave of anxiety, it’s her.
Me: Made it!
Her response comes immediately.
Gianna: I know you drive like a grandma, but that seriously took forever. I have no fingernails left.
Me: The weather got worse the farther I got from Nashville.
Gianna: You owe me a manicure. But you’re inside, and the doors are locked now?
Me: I’m sitting in my locked car, about to go inside the cabin and lock that door swiftly behind me.
Gianna: Okay. Text me later. You have my taser, right?
I giggle.
Me: Yes. It’s in my purse.
Gianna: Get it in your hand. Have I not taught you anything? How are you going to use it if you’re not wielding it?
Me: Excellent point.
