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He seemed confused and then realization dawned on him. “You’re a vegetarian, aren’t you?”
I offered him a tight smile. “I’m not very hungry anyway. And it’s not that I can’t stand the sight of meat or anything but that’s a lot, do you eat all of this?” I did a double take of him and then rolled my eyes. Of course he did. Look at the size of him? “Or is this just a week’s worth of food for you?”
“Should last me the month. I have fresh—”
“Thank you but there’s no need,” I quickly spluttered. I couldn’t be any more of an inconvenience and besides, there was no way I’d be able to eat right now anyway. My stomach was in knots the moment the cold dread washed over me at the reminder there was still so much to be dealt with tomorrow.
He didn’t seem to like my answer but slowly closed his overflowing fridge of fresh supplies. “Well, if you want anything it’s there.”
“Thank you.” I peered down at my cell again, that knot in my stomach wrangling tighter. Something just felt off. “Also do you have Wi-Fi or something up here? My cell doesn’t have any reception and I’d like to message my friend my whereabouts.”
His eyebrows knitted in confusion. “I have reception up here, show me your cell?”
Reluctance traveled through me. Was this where he stole my phone and—
As if reading my thoughts, he rolled his eyes. Actually rolled his eyes. “I’m not throwing you to the wolves, Cassidy.”
“There’s wolves?” I squeaked.
His penetrating stare assessed me dryly. “Not sighted since the late nineteen hundreds.” His hand was still outstretched. Slowly, I pulled out my cell realizing the ridiculousness of it, with its pink cover and fluffy keychain that hung over those thick calloused hands. He could certainly crush it with one squeeze.
He assessed it for a moment, flicking through a few settings. I peered over his shoulder curiously, making sure he wasn’t going through any of my private pictures. Not that he seemed like the type. But he was a guy after all.
“You’re not out of reception, snowflake.” Snowflake? “Your service has been suspended.”
“Suspended?” That dragged my attention away from the “snowflake” comment.
“Yea did you forget to pay a few bills or something?”
I laughed. Oh, he was serious. “No, I’ve paid everything.”
“Hmm that’s usually the main reason why they’ll suspend it. Unless someone else has access to your account and suspended it,” he said as he handed me back the cell.
A cold sweat rolled over me again. No. Surely, they wouldn’t. My parents and I might’ve had our differences right now, but surely, they wouldn’t cut off my cell as well?
With my credit card and cell, were they basically holding my necessities for ransom, so I came scurrying back?
“Does someone else have access to your cell?” he asked.
I perked up, plastering on a fake smile. “Not that I know of. It’s too late, I’ll deal with this tomorrow,” I beamed. His gaze narrowed on me as I fluttered to my suitcase. “That shower sounds pretty good now.”
I didn’t even know where to begin processing this new information. What if they’d cut off everything? I was literally stranded. I flicked open the suitcase, my face paling. Shit I’d grabbed the wrong suitcase. I was in such a fluster that I’d grabbed the one with all my makeup, hair accessories, panties, and bras. I wanted to burst out into tears. How had I managed to screw up so badly? And this suitcase now seemed to be the final catastrophic catalyst to send me over.
“What’s wrong?” Eric’s voice boomed over my shoulder. I snapped the suitcase shut before he could peer in, embarrassed. I also wasn’t going to strut out in only a thong and bra to sleep in.
I cleared my throat. Why was I being so embarrassed around this man? Did I feel judged? Self-conscious? I didn’t care any other time, and besides, most people liked me. I was determined that this big brute would be no different. “I grabbed the wrong suitcase and don’t have my pj’s.” There I said it.
“What else could be in that suitcase?” he asked suspiciously as he backed away and began to sift through his own wardrobe.
“Do you really want the answer?” I asked skeptically, considering he came across as a man of few words, he seemed awfully chatty since we’d walked in. Or was he maybe nervous as well?
“Here,” he instructed. Just in time, I’d caught the long, oversized flannel shirt he’d tossed. “You can wear this.”
Red heated my cheeks, and I couldn’t look directly at him. Wasn’t this just getting weirder? I didn’t even know this man. But I couldn’t sleep in skintight jeans either. “Thank you.”
Without delay, I scurried into the bathroom, again surprised by its sophisticated arrangement. How on earth did he build something so beautiful here in the middle of the mountains?
I stared at myself in the mirror as I stripped, the gravity of my dire situation weighing on me. Tomorrow I’d be able to leave. And then what? I had a quarter tank of gas which would barely get me over the Canadian border. I had no cash. And no cell apparently. I took a shaky breath, doing everything I could manage to supress the tears that wanted to overflow.
