Chapter 10 #2
I didn’t know what to say to that, but it smelled good, so I followed him inside, to his favorite table back in the corner. At least this made sense. He preferred to sit in the back, in the dark. He pulled out my chair, tucking it under me as I scooted in.
When he ordered a Coke, I started laughing. The waitress gave me a look but agreed to bring me an iced coffee before leaving us with our menus.
“If you take me to the grocery store today, I’ll make you hamburgers. Never mind. We don’t have a refrigerator.”
“We can buy one.”
“And how would we get it up the driveway?”
“We’ll pay someone.”
Okay then. I studied him as he read his menu.
He looked like any other person, just a man out running errands.
The beard, although trim, hid most of his lower facial features.
I could see them there though, the similarities to his, uh, larger form.
I liked the way he looked in this form, too, older but like one of those men who get better with age.
He put the menu down, and piercing eyes met my gaze.
Maybe not so normal. The left side of his lip ticked up.
“I’m glad I amuse you,” I said, rolling my eyes.
“You do.”
Great. I ordered the chicken, and he the hamburger.
Over lunch, we kept our conversation light. The one time I tried to ask him about our upcoming trip to Mexico, he shut me down quickly and silently. Apparently, it wasn’t safe to talk about it in public. So, I stuck out my foot, covered in the heavy boot.
“I need shoes.”
He glanced down and back at his food. “Fine. That is why we are here. What else do you need?”
“You have money, right?”
He gave me a look of pure exasperation and took a big bite of his burger.
I looked down at my food. Everything that had happened since I agreed to stay had been unexpected.
The Monster on the Mountain, who had inspired local legends, had a playful side.
We were almost having a good time together, in fact…
Stop that thought.
What?
Whoever you were imagining at the end of that statement, I am not him. I am not and never have been some romantic hero who could live up to anyone else’s expectations.
I stared at him. Had I been about to think… what exactly? I didn’t know anything with certainty anymore. He looked up, meeting my gaze head-on. When someone was in your head, hearing your innermost thoughts, there was no lying.
Well, I wish you’d get out of my head. Stop listening to everything I think. I hated being this vulnerable, and now I wasn’t feeling friendly toward him. At all.
“What are you worried about? That I’ll discover you are unlovable?
” he asked. Then the bastard laughed out loud.
I dropped my fork, ready to walk away. “Sit down, Corvus. You are not more or less lovable than any other person on this planet. Someone did a good job convincing you, but you do not have to believe them.” After all, I like you, and I do not tolerate most people.
Tears blurred my vision. Standing, I excused myself to use the bathroom, careful not to look at him.
Why did he affect me so much? This person I barely knew.
It only took him a few sentences to strip me down to my most vulnerable core.
I never let anyone get to me like this before, not since I was a young girl.
Many years ago. Even that last, gut-wrenching interaction with my uncle had been executed with clear eyes.
Then again, nobody else could read my mind or see down to the depths of my soul.
Nobody drew me to them quite like this either.
Apparently, I would need to get over it.
I took my time getting my hurt feelings under control. Stalling a bit longer, I washed my face. While his mountain fortress did have hot and cold running water, it was still outdated.
A figure stood outside the dark bathroom area, waiting. Darryl. Great, I was in no mood to deal with him.
“A word, Freya, Morgan, whoever you are.”
“Morrigan,” I mumbled, then stepped around him, the open dining room at my back. “Sure, Darryl. How can I help you?”
“I just wanted to let you know you are not the first woman to go up that mountain.” He watched me closely, dark eyes sunken in his face.
“Oh?” I pulled my chest up, exuding confidence I didn’t feel.
“Yeah. Whatever he’s told you, whatever lies he’s spun to convince you to stay with him, the stories I’ve heard would keep you up at night.” He leaned into my space, more of a threat than I liked.
I stepped back, putting space between us. “I’m sure you’re right. It takes a certain type of person to live a solitary life up there all by himself. But my question for you is why do you care?”
“Because, for some reason, I just do. And Freya, those women never came down off the mountain.”
I turned and walked back to the table, surprised to find him behind me.
Camazotz ignored him, giving me only a cursory glance.
In the privacy of the bathroom, I had gotten my unruly thoughts under control, without a clue if such a thing were even possible, but back in his presence, it wasn’t so easy.
“Darryl, do you have a vehicle that could deliver a refrigerator up the mountain?” my Monster asked.
“Sorry, Mr. Benjamin, but your driveway is too steep for most vehicles. If my four-wheel drive can’t make it up there, then a delivery truck certainly couldn’t.” Darryl just stood there, looming over us.
“Maybe I should hire someone else to make our deliveries from now on.” Camazotz glanced up and narrowed his gaze. Darryl took a step back. Yeah, buddy, the best rumors are based on fact.
“Good luck finding someone,” said Darryl. “Freya, remember what I told you.”
I would remember, but I couldn’t afford to think about his words or their implications just yet.