Chapter Fourteen

Aria

He disappeared for nearly a week.

I had no idea what he was up to, and I was a little afraid to ask.

But when he returned my phone to me, it wasn’t ringing any more.

And that was… everything.

Derek blocked my number in such a way that when Killian called me, he still got my usual voicemail message. But his threats and curses were re-routed to some place in Pakistan where they were logged and date-stamped and filed away until I needed them. But I’d didn’t have to hear them until I was ready.

He’d downloaded all my voicemails and then deleted them off my phone. He did the same with my text messages. And he did something super fancy with my phone’s signal so if I called someone, it never stayed at the same tower for long. My call would bounce seamlessly from signal to signal, making my location completely untraceable.

“What if I need to call 9-1-1?” I’d asked him.

“Oh, I already set the signal to be stable for emergency calls.”

I could have kissed him.

I almost did.

But if he noticed the way my cheeks flushed, he didn’t say anything. “Thank you,” I whispered. “I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”

“You don’t owe me anything.” He shoved his hands gruffly into his pockets.

“I kind of do though, right?” I poked my tongue into the side of my cheek.

“No?” His blank stare was kind of adorable.

I take that back, it was wholly and completely adorable.

“I owe you a hike?”

He did a double take. “What?”

I looked out the window. I’d been here just over two weeks, but already the weather was changing. “I don’t think the warm weather is going to last much longer.”

He nodded. “Before long this place is going to be buried under snow.”

“Really? Already?”

“They’re calling for it in the forecast next week.”

I cleared my throat. “Ah, Reckless Falls' winters. I haven’t missed those.”

He stalked away for a second, then turned back, suddenly all business. “Have you had the propane tank filled yet?”

“I haven’t needed to. It’s warm.”

“Yes, it’s warm today, but next week the temperature’s dropping.”

I turned back to the piano and ran my fingers over the keys. “I’ve got time,” I said softly.

“What about a plow service, have you lined them up yet?”

“Not yet…”

“And the furnace, have you had it serviced?”

“Jesus, Derek!” I exploded. “What is this?”

“I told you I’d help you, so I’m helping.”

I rolled my eyes heavenward. “You really haven’t been around people very much lately, have you?”

I heard him snort. “Small talk?”

“It requires practice.”

“Isn’t that what I’m getting right now?”

“Is that all I’m good for?” I laughed. “Lessons on how to be human?”

He shrugged that one-shouldered shrug of his. “I help you, you help me. Fair trade?”

“More than fair, so long as you throw in hiking guide services on top of it.” I uncrossed my legs and stood up. I was wearing my favorite pair of boots. They weren’t exactly hiking boots, but they would have to do. If I didn’t do this now, I’d lose my nerve. “Right now.”

He looked me up and down and back up again. “Okay. Let’s go.”