Chapter Eleven
As if nothing had happened, Tanya knocked on Freya’s door the next morning, much to her surprise.Looking back, she’d felt her behavior was so abhorrent that none of her newfound friends would want anything to do with her.At the very least she was thinking they may give her the side eye or something.
But no.Tanya was already at her door, jumping from one foot to another, clearly impatient to start the day.
“Come on, baby girl.We’re losing daylight.”
Considering the sun was just rising on the horizon, she seriously doubted that.Mentally shrugging, Freya decided to take one giant leap of faith by going to her second day at work.
She did spend half her night tossing and turning in bed, reviewing the day’s events.She’d be okay if she kept her distance from the twins who, with their larger-than-life attitude, seem to engulf everyone in their aura.
She tried not to think that just two nights ago she’d had the best sleep in years when at her neighbor’s, and now, alone in her house, she’d had another lousy night.
“Hey, baby girl.You okay?”
That seemed to be Tanya’s greeting every morning, and Freya frowned.Had Evelyn said something to her granddaughter?Probably not, but still...
“You have bags under your eyes so deep I could fill a swimming pool,” she said, conversationally.
“That’s not very friendly...”she muttered and almost jumped out of her skin when Declan’s voice said cheerfully, “That’s our Tanya ...always so considerate.”
“Bite me, cous.”
“I have enough health issues.”
And the noisy cousins were back.As they headed out to the car, Declan opened the door for her, but she pretended not to notice and went to the back seat.Only when she sat did she think that there was one twin missing.Turning her head, there he was, smiling mockingly to her.
“Good morning, Sunshine.”
She muttered something and seemed to shrink in her seat.Without missing a beat, he leaned over her, his muscular arm extended in front of her neck, until he reached the seatbelt and fastened it deftly.When she felt his huge, muscular arm brush against hers, she felt the panic intensify, her breathing becoming erratic.Fortunately, he didn’t seem to notice and, after making sure her seatbelt was properly fastened, he fastened his own.
“Safety first.”
The trip wasn’t long, but for Freya it seemed to last hours.The cousins were always chirping, but she had the distinct feeling that Ciaran was seeing her reflection on the window through half-lidded eyes.She almost jumped out of her skin when Declan asked, “Do you want to go?”
Only then did she realize that she’d tuned them out and had no idea what they were talking about.
“Go where?”
“That’s how interesting I am to you...”sighed Ciaran dramatically.“I said we’re going camping this weekend, do you want to come?”
“No!”
Her shrieked response made him pause, and even Tanya looked surprised.
“Why, baby girl?”
The thing was, she had wanted to go camping, but in another life.Before the devil destroyed her life and left her scarred forever.Everything had changed since then.She had changed.
