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"Are you sure? You must know I won't take advantage of you in your vulnerable state."
"You're wrong," she countered. Whatever she wanted to prove, the deep blush on her cheeks clearly highlighted her lie, amusing me once again.
Her assertiveness was commendable, but in the end, we both knew this resistance wouldn't last. But I stepped back from her, even as Amelia instinctively followed.
"Unpack," I instructed. "I'll see you later. And if you need help with anything, let me know."
Whatever she needed from me, I would give it to her unconditionally. And if it meant that I could show her the consequences defiance would cause… all the better.
As I left the cabin, I couldn't help but hum to myself. Amelia was here, and no matter how deep I was digging myself into trouble, I was going to enjoy every second of it.
5
AMELIA
No sooner had he left the door than I wanted to run after him, pleading with him to stay just a little longer and not leave me alone. Tonight, I had been too tired to even think. During the drive to Wolf Creek, I had focused on the traffic, and now, for the first time since yesterday, I was truly alone with myself.
Initially, I avoided my own thoughts by pacing around. The kitchen was already organized, and one of my cups awaited me on the countertop, right next to the tin containing my favorite tea.
The floor throughout the cabin was only half done, and the fireplace, although in its intended spot, was still wrapped up. The huge windows were installed but not yet fully fixed in place. The small staircase leading up to the loft that served as the bedroom had no railing yet. All these little details proved that Gray hadn't lied. The cabin was still deep in renovations.
Did that bother me? Not in the slightest.
Especially not when I looked at the shelves that had undoubtedly been installed very recently to make room for my books. Gray had already taken the liberty to sort them. He must have been busy all morning since everything he had brought over with Wilder was already put away.
Most of the furniture was still unpacked, let alone set up. In the living room, for instance, there was just a wide, padded bench. The blanket on it must have been Gray's; something told me that everything here hadn't been there a few hours ago.
With arms crossed, I stepped in front of the windows and looked outside. Mountains and forest as far as the eye could see. To the side, I noticed the beginnings of the garden, which made me miss all of my houseplants.
This cabin came with its fair share of work, but I couldn't have been more relieved to be here. A refuge. A place where I could remember who I truly was. Without all the things I had effortlessly left behind in Toronto, and with good reason.
Unpack.
Perfect. The next instruction I could focus on to avoid dealing with the real issue lurking in the back of my mind.
Motivated, I grabbed the first box, took out my stuff, and began distributing it around the corners of the cabin. I familiarized myself with the bathroom and the rain shower, made up the mattress, and arranged my pillows. My clothes remained in their box because the shelf for them wasn't assembled yet. Mentally, I made a note to ask Gray for some tools so I could get started on a few projects—if he didn't keep pushing me to mingle.
Eventually, I returned to the kitchenette and reached for my mug to make some tea. That’s when I noticed the note pinned underneath it.
If you ever need an alternative to all that herbal stuff…
What then? Would he persuade me to try soda? Water? Alcohol? I was tempted to take up the offer right away but found myself standing in front of the large window instead, this time with a cup of my favorite tea in hand.
Despite the warmth of early summer, I savored each sip and realized that this place was quickly growing on me, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.
How I was supposed to survive the next few hours without dealing with my personal dilemma was still a mystery. So I did the only sensible thing—pulled out my phone, and after realizing that the reception up here was terrible, tackled the first official project in the cabin. I set up the router to get online, and after a good two hours, I finally managed to connect.
My first official act was to call Manon. She only insisted on updates every three days, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to talk to her now.
After her reaction to Gray and her unwavering support, I owed her that. At least that's what I told myself to justify not dealing with the elephant in the room.
"So, you're still alive? Somehow, that reassures me more than it should, considering I gave you permission to run off with that hunk. I want details, Amelia. Immediately." Her slight whining amused me. Last night, she hadn't let Gray's presence stop her from making it more than clear how attractive she found him, but in his absence, there was really no stopping her.
Had I almost drooled at our first meeting too? Best not to relive that memory.
"There are no details. We just clicked from the very first second, and he might be the reason I was able to leave without any regrets." I sighed.
Knowing I wasn't the first person on earth to be cheated on gave me a slight sense of confidence, especially since it happened to someone like Gray, who had also been betrayed by his partner.
