Chapter 2 #2
Lost in thought as I finished loading and started the dishwasher, I heard a knock on the front door.
There was a small screen on the kitchen wall, and I pressed the video of the front porch, enlarging it to full-screen.
Seeing Rhys standing there with a bag of something and a holder with two large cups of coffee, I walked to the front door.
Running my hands down the front of my shirt and jeans, I exhaled and opened the door.
He offered me a smile and said, “Good morning. I hope you like pastries.”
He lifted the bag, and I smiled back at him as I stepped to the side. He walked into the house, and I closed and locked the door before replying, “I love pastries, but you didn’t have to bring anything.”
He moved through the living room and into the dining room before glancing over his shoulder at me.
I tried to hide the ridiculous butterflies that took flight in my stomach as I looked into his soulful brown eyes.
The little curl of black hair that fell onto his forehead was begging for me to brush it aside, but I refrained.
“It’s rude to visit someone empty-handed,” he explained as he placed the coffees and bag onto the counter. He looked around and saw the box sitting on the floor filled with paper I’d used to pack everything, then he turned back to me. “How’s the unpacking coming along?”
I sighed and shook my head as I leaned against the kitchen doorway. “It’s a slow process, but I’ll finish before I retire. Maybe,” I added with a shrug, causing him to chuckle.
“Why don’t we eat while the croissants are still warm, and afterwards, I can help, if you need it.”
After pulling the boxes of sweet breakfast treats out of the bag, he handed them to me before grabbing the two coffees. I moved to the dining room table, and he took the seat across from me as we sat down.
Rhys slid a coffee in front of me. “I wasn’t sure how you like it, but I took a guess and had them add cream and sugar.”
I took a sip and swallowed the warm, sweet, milky goodness and found myself closing my eyes in delight.
The coffee was bold and rich, with just the right amount of sugar and milk to make it perfect.
When I opened my eyes, I found Rhys staring at me with an expression I couldn’t pinpoint.
I was far from clueless about men, but he was hard to decipher.
Clearing my throat, I said, “It’s perfect. Thank you.”
He wordlessly opened the box and pushed it closer to me.
Inside was a wide assortment of appealing -smelling goodies, all looking delicious.
Glancing up at him, I waited before reaching in and grabbing something flakey and drizzled with chocolate.
I took a napkin from the holder on the table and placed it under my chin before taking a bite.
“Mmm.” I nearly moaned as the buttery taste burst on my tongue. “Sorry.”
“Never apologize for enjoying something so much,” Rhys said with a deep timbre in his voice as he took another treat from the box.
I watched him take a bite before he wiped his mouth and took a swallow of coffee.
His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop staring at him.
His black long-sleeve shirt was pulling across his chest as we sat in silence, and the longer it went on, the more I started to think about all the things that transpired over the last few months.
I finished the last bite of my breakfast and brushed the crumbs off my hand before I decided to address the unknown. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”
I crossed my arms over my chest and waited for an explanation. He seemed uncertain, but then I noticed him straighten his spine before linking his fingers together and resting them on the table. There are a lot of things I don’t know, but from his posture and hesitation, I felt he had information.
“How have you been?” he asked, almost sidestepping the question. “Have you had any problems since you’ve moved?”
I uncrossed my arms and linked my hands together, mimicking his actions.
“Rhys, while I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, I’m going to need you to get to what brought you here.
Being evasive only makes me think you’re hiding something, and if I’ve learned anything over the last few months, it’s that secrets have a way of coming back around.
So, please, just tell me what’s going on. ”
He leaned back in his chair and unlinked his fingers before he shook his head with a smile. “It’s uncanny, you know that, right?”
“What is?” I asked as I took a swallow of coffee.
“How much you’re like your brothers and sister.”
My mouth dropped open as I mindlessly placed the coffee cup onto the table and pushed up and out of my chair.
How he knew I had siblings—and what I was supposed to do with that information—was the furthest thing from my mind.
Almost on instinct, I grabbed the handgun I kept tucked behind some books on the bookshelf against the side wall of the dining room.
The whole house was armed, and it was the only thing I could think to do.
As I raised the gun and pointed it at Rhys, I felt like my life was spinning toward the edge of a cliff and I was powerless to stop it.