“Sorry, Blair, maybe next time!” Santi calls as he jogs down the hallway and up the stairs.
Resentment curdles in my chest as I give Blair one last look.
“What are you even doing up?” I ask her. “Don’t women need their beauty sleep or something?”
Blair shrugs. “Not me.”
“Hm.” I allow my gaze to sweep over her. When our eyes meet, my lips curve upward. “I beg to differ. Maybe spend less time hanging with Santi and more time working on—” I wave a flippant hand at her face, “—that.”
With that I turn and head for the kitchen, smiling at the shock and anger that erupts on Blair’s face.
Chapter 14
Blair
Iwait for about thirty seconds after the back door quietly clicks shut to throw off my blanket and hurry after them. My shoes are by the backdoor and I slip them on easily. Foregoing a sweater, I grit my teeth and brace myself against the cool autumn night as I step out onto the back porch.
Rhett’s right, this is really none of my business but I’m curious.
And quite frankly, he can go fuck himself.
Since I’ve arrived, not once has he said a polite word in my direction. I’ve done nothing to the guy for him to be such an asshole to me. So tonight, I’m going to stick my nose in his business.
Pulling the backdoor closed behind me, I’m careful as I cross the deck to the stairs. I’ve learned which steps creak when weight is added to them and which ones don’t—just as I know which footsteps are whose when everyone is in the house. I knew Rhett was coming down the stairs tonight, I just hadn’t wanted to pay him any attention.
My eyes catch sight of Rhett and Santi, two dark shadows moving toward the tree line on the other side of the backyard. Neither look back as they slink into the woods. It’s as if they’re not worried about getting caught or being seen.
But clearly, they’re up to something since they didn’t take one of the trucks parked beside the cabin. Where are they going on foot?
Curious, I do a double take and blink in surprise. One of the truckshasbeen moved. To where, I’m not sure, but given the direction the two of them are headed—which is downhill—maybe it’s parked at the bottom of the property. It would be quicker to get to the entrance of Gnarly Pines cutting straight through the woods than taking the winding gravel driveway. Is that why they’re headed towards the trees?
I jog after them. The ground softens as the gravel turns to soil the minute I hit the tree line. I stop, having lost sight of them. Where did they go? I scan the darkness hoping for a clue. I get one in the form of a snapping branch a few yards ahead of me. Quickly, I start moving. I catch up with them a few minutes later.
I’m surprised to see that they both have an axe slung over their shoulders. When did they pick those up? Frowning, I try to get closer to overhear the hiss of conversation flowing back and forth between them.
“—not even interesting,” Rhett bemoans.
“How do you know that? She’s been here for almost a week now and you’ve yet to say anything meaningful to her.”
“I just know, okay?” Rhett retorts. “It’s just Blair’s newness you’re all excited about. Once it wears off you’ll see what I’m talking about.”
Oh… They’re talking about me. My footsteps falter. I don’t know if I really need to hear this.
“Or maybe I enjoy being in her presence because she doesn’t go ‘woe is me’allthe time,” Santi claps back. “I get you’restruggling sometimes, but damn. You’re like a vampire and she’s your sunlight. You’re scared to be burned.”
“I’mnotscared.”
Santi snorts his derision. “Could’ve fooled me.”
“I’m not!”
“Well you act really threatened by her.”
“She’s a distraction!”
Santi chuckles, though it sounds off from his typical mirthful laugh. “From what?”
“From… from?—”
