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“I did enjoy your suffering,” I tell my brother. “It’s much better when it’s happening to one of you and not me.”
“Watching you two suffer is making me realize I need to become a monk. This journey of the boxes seems like hell,” Zach says. I bet he’s looking at the last unopened box sitting on Gramps’s desk right now. Good. He should be afraid of opening the box. His journey should be just as hellish as mine and Blaze’s.
“Maybe you should open yours now and we can go through this together,” I suggest.
“Nope, that’s not the rules,” Blaze quickly says. “I went through it alone, and now you have to go through it alone. Zach will have his turn.”
“Since when have you been a rule follower?”
“I’m growing up. You and Zach have told me a thousand times I needed to do that, so you can’t mock me for it now,” Blaze explains.
“You’re in Seaville for a reason, Callan, and you won’t have answers until you finish whatever this is. You better stick it out,” Zach says.
“You hate the whole box thing so I’m shocked to hear you say this.”
“I might hate it, but like Blaze said, it’s all working out. Maybe we just have to take a leap of faith,” Zach says.
“I’m not sure I like this new Zen you,” I tell my brother.
“I don’t think I like it either,” Zach says.
“I think we should come down and join you. I want to meet this woman who has you all aflutter,” Blaze says. I panic at the thought of them coming here. I don’t want them to witness my humiliation in person. I’d rather stab myself in the foot.
“No, you guys have things to do in Seattle. Stay where you are. I can handle this,” I quickly insist.
“Nope, we’re coming. It might take a couple of days, so you better hang in there. It’s been raining a lot here. It will be nice to get some sunshine,” Blaze says. “I’m sure Cori can use a break from wedding planning too. It will be good for all of us.”
I try to talk them out of it, but now that the idea’s in their heads, it’s too late. They’re going to come just to watch me be miserable. We love each other, there’s no question about it, but we don’t mind twisting the knife a bit when one of us is suffering a little.
I disconnect the phone then move over to my computer and sit. Work always soothes me. It doesn’t matter what the problem is, I always fix it. That’s what’s essential about my job. There’s a certainty about it, and there’s always a solution.
People, on the other hand, are unpredictable. I can’t say how Sasha’s going to react to something. The woman is a total enigma. She’s unlike anyone I’ve met. I shouldn’t feel a damn thing for her, yet I can’t get her off my mind.
After two hours on my computer, I’m still frustrated. I shut down my computer and make myself a drink. What in the world am I going to do? Do I wait until tomorrow? That’s not my style. I don’t sit around and wait. I need to push harder, break down this woman’s defenses. How will I do it?
An idea finally comes to me, and I smile for the first time in hours. I’ve only known Sasha for a few days, but I already know what makes her happy. I make a phone call, then grab my jacket.
I can’t ignore this pull between us. She won’t be able to for much longer. The allure of what can be is far too strong. I’m not writing wedding vows or anything foolish like that, but I’ve already pictured us naked in bed together, and we’re absolutely fantastic. It’s going to happen.
There’s never been a challenge I haven’t been able to master, and this won’t be any different. I have to come at it from a new direction. I leave my room and make my way to the restaurant to pick up my order. This night is going to end a lot better than the afternoon did.
Chapter Ten
Callan
At six in the evening I exit the restaurant with a full bag of food and a full night ahead of me. Sasha’s been gone for four hours, and I miss her, which is utterly ridiculous. I don’t miss people. But here I am with my bribe firmly in hand as I make my way to her place. I had to beg the restaurant owner for her address.
The woman knows Sasha’s working for me, and I told a little white lie that she already gave her address to me, but I lost it, and I’m surprising her with dinner since we got soaked today while she was showing me the golf course.
For once the gossip in this town’s working for me because everyone in town already knows we played golf all day, and they also know she came up to my room. The woman gave me a sly grin as she handed over the food and the address.
“I heard she wasn’t up in your room too long. You either ticked her off... or highly disappointed her,” the woman said with a wink and a chuckle. I actually felt my cheeks heat and exited that place faster than a cougar on the trail of a deer. This is just one more reason I shouldn’t be building a resort here. There’s zero privacy. I hate people knowing my business. The best thing about a city is no one cares what in the hell their neighbor’s doing. They could have naked orgies every night of the week and, as long as they keep it indoors, no one gives a damn.
I won’t admit life in the city sometimes gets a little lonely. That emotion is for the weak, and no one will ever describe me as a weak man. I know myself so I don’t understand what’s wrong with me now. It doesn’t matter, because I’m making a beeline straight for Sasha’s house. She doesn’t live far from the center of town. It’s close so the food will stay hot.
When I step up her walkway I’m horrified to see her front door open, only a flimsy screen door keeping people out of her home. What in the world is she thinking? This town might seem safe to her, but there are bad elements everywhere and she’s a single woman... not for long if I have my say in that. But for now, she’s single, she’s tiny, and she’d make a great victim.
I’m a good guy and I can see how easy it is to break into her home. I’m not pleased at her lack of situational awareness. An open door is simply asking for trouble. I immediately decide I need to teach this woman a valuable lesson about safety. I move to the front door and look inside.
