“I don’t think so.” I wasn’t sure what I needed. But meds sounded great right now. And did he say I was going back to his house with him?
I was too stunned to argue when he told me what would happen, wondering instead if I had a concussion.
When he came back, I was still stuck on the fact that I was on my way to his house. I automatically took the paper bag he handed me and sat it on my lap.
We drove through Humptulips, but he didn’t turn into any residential streets. I frowned when we left the town behind, wondering where we were going.
After a few minutes he turned onto a dirt road. A faded old wooden sign said end farm, the rest of the letters too faint to read.
The road turned out to be a long driveway that led up to a beautiful old farmhouse. The paint was peeling and a few of the windows were dusted over, but it didn’t hide the amazing architecture. It was surrounded by big trees and a new barn sat off to the side. I hated where I grew up, but I always loved living on a farm.
I only realized how much since I’d moved out. My mother’s house, a palatial home that was designed to resemble a farmhouse, was twice as big as the one we were stopped in front of, but it always felt empty; after Gran and Pop passed away last year, there were a lot of empty bedrooms. And it was never a home, only a museum where I was never allowed to touch anything.
Mason’s house looked like a home, despite being a bachelor pad. Guess I underestimated Mason on all fronts.
He opened my car door and unbuckled my seat belt.
“I can get it myself,” I said, on edge and in pain.
He put his hands up and backed out of the car. “All right, princess, I’ll meet you inside.”
He walked toward the house and a giant black dog jumped down from the wraparound veranda to greet him, wagging his tail and licking his hands. “About time you showed up. I think I need to trade you in for a newer model. Some kind of guard dog you are, Loki.”
I could tell he genuinely liked his dog and continued to talk to him until they disappeared inside.
There wasn’t anything else to do but follow him into the house. I walked past a row of dead potted plants that were sitting on the steps, and hoped I wouldn’t join them in their fate. After all, we were out in the middle of nowhere, and nobody would come to my rescue if Mason decided I was too much trouble and went Norman Bates on me after he realized what a pain in the ass I could be.
The house was half renovated inside. The hallway was freshly painted, and the wooden floorboards looked like they had been polished recently. A room to my right was still in pieces, the chandelier sat on the old floorboards and the chimney was covered in ash and soot.
The next room didn’t look much better, and I kept walking past the staircase and to the back of the house. My breath stopped when I saw the view. There was a lake, surrounded by lavender fields. You couldn’t see them from the front of the house because it was on a hill, and the fields were on the downward slope.
Large french doors allowed for an uninterrupted view. I took in my surroundings and my steps faltered. I was standing in a huge living room that took up the whole back part of the house. To my left was a kitchen that looked brand new, and to my right was a living room with a couch and a TV and no other furniture. A granite island separated the kitchen from the living room.
“I bought it for the view, but the house has a lot of potential,” Mason said. He was filling two cups with boiling water from the kettle, his dog sitting at his feet. “I made you tea. Don’t get used to it.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” I said and walked closer. “Your house is beautiful.”
“Thanks. It’s a work in progress. I have a guest bedroom upstairs that’s nearly finished. You can stay there. I’ll show you later.”
“Okay. But I still don’t know why I’m staying with you.”
He looked at the ceiling. “Can’t you just accept when someone is trying to help you and say thank you?”
There he went again, making me feel like the spoiled brat he thought I was. I folded in on myself in defeat. “Thank you,” I whispered and walked into the kitchen.
He put the steaming mug on the counter in front of me. “I have to go and feed the animals. Make yourself at home. Or not. Just don’t break anything.”
Loki wandered over and sat down by my feet, looking up at me. He was so big, I didn’t have to bend down to stroke his head. “Hey beautiful. I hope you’re not as grumpy as your dad.”
He groaned and laid down, curled up in a huge ball, his nose tucked under his fluffy tail and his eyes closed. I sipped my tea, trying to come up with a plan. I had to find a way to get out of this house. Maybe Maisie could come and pick me up.
I pulled my phone out of my bag and hit my speed dial to call her. She picked up on the third ring, panting down the line like she had just run a marathon. Which was impossible because she hated exercise. “Estrella, what’s up?” she whispered, barely getting the words out.
“Where are you and why are you breathing heavy and whispering?” I asked, forgetting all about the reason why I called her in the first place.
“I was hiding from Oliver and locked myself out of the house. I was on the roof so
