Everyone’s eyes fall on us, and I look down at my lap. Shit. I completely forgot that we are in the coffee shop.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, keeping my head down.
“It’s okay,” he murmurs. “Can you look at me?”
I don’t. I’ve embarrassed both of us.
“Mila, look at me,” he commands, and I find myself lifting my head slightly.
Tobias is now squatting down in front of me. I search his face, trying to see if he is angry at me, but I don’t detect anything.
“I’m not angry at you, and I’m not embarrassed that you yelled. You are okay,” he says calmly. “Everything is pretty overwhelming right now, huh?”
Tears prick the back of my eyes, and I quickly blink them back. I do not need to cry in front of him and everyone else in the shop. What will they think of him? He has done nothing wrong to me.
“Mila, I want you to listen to Tobias right now. He’s going to drive you home so you can pack. Then you’ll head to his hotel room so he can grab his things. He is going to keep you safe the whole time,” Aiden explains. “But I need you to listen to him so that nothing bad happens. Can you do that for me?”
I nod.
“Words,” Tobias says.
“Yes, I can.” But I don’t want to. I don’t want to go with Tobias to the lodge. It would be better for me to just stay here and not bother Aiden.
“I don’t want you to think like that,” Aiden says out of the blue. “I know you, Mila. You are coming here, and that is the end of the discussion. I don’t need what happened to occur again.”
Tobias tilts his head at the last sentence. I can see the questions forming in his eyes.
“I need you to come here so I can make sure you are okay and taking care of yourself before you go back to work,” he explains.
I flinch at the mention of work. If only he knew that I wasn’t going back to any job. I’ll just have to make sure to find one before I leave the lodge.
“If you need anything, you call me or you tell Tobias. He’s a good person and will help you with anything you need,” Aiden says. “I’ve got to go now.”
“Ai—” He hangs up before I can say anything.
“Do you want to finish your drink before we go?” Tobias asks.
I look over at my drink. The thought of finishing it off makes me queasy.
“No,” I whisper.
“Then let’s go to your apartment to grab your things,” he says. “Where did you park your car?”
“I didn’t.”
The corner of his eyes crinkle. “You didn’t? Then how did you get here?”
“I walked,” I say as if it’s obvious.
“Do you live far away?”
Shaking my head, I stand up and walk to the door. “Just around the block.”
My body feels like it weighs one hundred tons with each step I take. Why do I feel so heavy?
“Are you okay? You don’t look too good.”
“Thanks,” I mutter, rolling my eyes. I know I don’t look good.
