Chapter 36. THE CABIN
(Noah)
“What’s going on in that head of yours, princess?”
Sienna had been very quiet for the past two days. She thought no one had noticed, but every time she slipped into the hospital bathroom, I could hear her sobs from the other side of the door. It was really frustrating to see her hurting like this and not be able to do anything about it.
“I was thinking about this song. He’s right, you know…Lewis Capaldi. I kinda wish I’d said something different on the day they headed to Cabo.”
I hadn’t realized that “Before You Go” by Lewis Capaldi was playing on the radio. Zayn moved between the car seats until he was able to reach for the radio and change stations.
“Sorry. I wasn’t paying attention. Do you want me to turn the radio off?” I asked.
Sienna sat in the passenger’s seat, and her gaze was fixed upon the dense rows of trees lining the winding road ahead. We were heading to my parents’ cabin in the Santa Cruz mountains, where we would spend the rest of the week until our classes resumed. Ander’s dad thought it was a great idea to get her out of the house and get some fresh air.
Zayn and Ander were sitting in the back of the car with Maggie in the middle. She fell asleep the instant she stepped into the rented car at the airport. Her caveman-like snores filled the car for most of the trip, so I put the radio on because they were driving me crazy. How could someone who looked like a Barbie snore like a freight train?
Maggie and William were now excluded as suspects. The FBI discovered that one of the bartenders working behind the bar wasn’t part of the company Claudia had hired. According to Agent Miller, he’d used a fake ID to gain access to the premises, making him the prime suspect. However, the challenge was that everyone wore masks, and the video quality was poor, complicating the investigation.
“No, it’s fine. I wasn’t listening to the radio until that song came up.”
“What would you have said?” I asked.
“You know, I’ve been thinking about that for months now, and every time I end up at the same point—I was a total jerk. They didn’t deserve all that hate I dished out, but I guess my judgment was pretty messed up thanks to all that built-up resentment.” She turned to me, tears welling up in her eyes. “I would’ve told them that I loved them.”
As we approached our destination, the car’s tires crunched over the gravel road, the rhythmic hum of the engine echoing through the serene forest. The towering trees created a lush green canopy overhead, casting shadows on the narrow path ahead.
Twenty minutes later, after exiting the highway, we finally arrived at the secluded cabin. It was my mom’s favorite place when she wanted to get away from the chaotic life in Washington. It stood nestled among the trees, its wooden facade blending with the natural surroundings.
As I switched off the engine, the soft rustling of leaves in the breeze welcomed us. The fragrance of pine needles permeated the air.
“How frequently do you come to this place? It’s beautiful,” Sienna said as she exited the car and scanned the entire property.
“Unfortunately, not as often as I’d like. My mom adores this place, but her busy schedule doesn’t allow us to visit as much as I’d want to. Anyway, let’s have the guys handle the luggage while I give you a tour,” I offered, reaching out my hand, and Sienna took it without a moment’s hesitation. I pulled the keys out of my front pocket and opened the main door.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
I disconnected the alarm and placed my keys, wallet, and mobile phone on the kitchen counter.
Sienna’s eyes widened the moment she stepped in and slowly pivoted to take in the spacious open entrance.
“Oh, wow. It’s huge!”
“That’s what she said.”
Sienna snickered and gently slapped my arm, but I was glad I could bring a smile to her face despite everything she’d gone through.
“This is the living room and the open-plan kitchen. We don’t keep any food in the house in case any animals break in, but later, I’ll go with Ander or Zayn to the closest town to get some groceries and drinks.”
Sienna walked around the room, taking in all the small details, from the plush sofas to the stone fireplace. A grand wooden table separated the living room from the kitchen, and nature-inspired artwork adorned the walls. The warm, earthy tones of the kitchen’s wooden cabinetry and the gleaming granite countertops added a touch of modernity while maintaining the cabin’s rustic character.
“There is a small bathroom over there,” I said, pointing my finger to the end of the hallway. “And this is my mother’s office.” I swung the door open and welcomed Sienna inside. What I liked the most about this room were the massive bookshelves that stretched up to the ceiling. Reading had become a passion of mine, especially since I borrowed one of my mom’s books last year— Den of Vipers . It was a bit surprising to think my mother enjoyed that genre, but those books were surprisingly enlightening and educational.
“What’s in there?” she said, signaling with her head to the massive armory cabinet.
“My father likes to hunt. That cabinet is where he keeps his rifles and a couple of revolvers.”
“Do you hunt too?” she curiously asked.
“I’ve only gone a couple of times with him. My mom is pro-guns, but I don’t like them. It used to be locked when I was a child, but since she installed a new high-level security system, she has kept it open, and the office closed. If someone breaks in, we would immediately know.”
I shut the office door as we made our way toward the staircase. There were four bedrooms, all located on the second floor.
“There’s only four bedrooms…” Sienna observed.
“You can sleep with me if you want. Or not…” The corner of my mouth twitched with amusement as Sienna rolled her eyes. “But let’s not worry about that now. We can assign rooms after dinner.” I didn’t push further on the sleeping arrangement because I wasn’t sure where we stood. Ander had told us while she was in the ICU that they’d slept together the morning after our wild night, which was the reason he and Sienna hadn’t talked in days. Apparently, he went mental when he found us sleeping naked in Zayn’s bed, but their argument turned out to be just a warm-up act before they eventually ended up tearing their clothes off. I thought it would piss me off to imagine them together, but I knew they had history, and them being together seemed like the obvious finale to the incredible mess we had created. It was all kind of fucked up, and now I wondered if Zayn and I had only been a distraction.
The idea of losing her was like a painful jab in my chest. I couldn’t get her out of my mind, continuously craving her, feeling an intense urge to keep her safe and make her smile. I couldn’t help but be drawn to her whenever she was around, much like how the moon orbited around the Earth or like a moth to the light. I had tried for a long time to play it all as mere entertainment, a fun ride, the thrill of the hunt, and all that. The reality was that Sienna Moore had become my whole world, and now I had to contemplate a different possibility: that she and Ander might ultimately find their way to each other, leaving Zayn and me as nothing more than a story she’d share with her friends during a game of bridge at the golf club.
When we reached the bottom of the stairs, all our luggage had been brought in.
“Thank you for bringing my bag inside, guys.” Sienna thanked them.
“No worries, babe,” Zayn responded. “Do you like the house?”
“Yes, it’s beautiful. I guess you’ve been here before, right?” Sienna accepted a glass of water that Maggie had poured for her.
“Yes, we’ve been a couple of times since we met last year. It’s a short trip from Stanford.” Ander placed his backpack on the couch and took out an iPhone charger. “Noah, what do you want us to do about the food? Do you want us to go into town before I take my jacket off?”
“Actually, yes. That’d be awesome.”
“Do you want me to come with you?” Maggie asked.
“No, it’s fine. Just send me a text with anything you want, and we’ll buy it.”
While Zayn and Ander left to buy us food, I showed Maggie the house and asked her to pick a room.
“All of them are very similar, except for the bigger primary bedroom, which has a walk-in closet, but all of them have their own bathroom, so you won’t have to share the space with us.”
“Where are you going to sleep, Sienna?” Maggie asked her friend.
“I haven’t thought about it.” Sienna nervously nibbled on her lower lip while casting a shy glance in my direction.
“I’m happy to share my room with Zayn or Ander, so you have your own,” I suggested.
“You can stay with me.” Maggie knew that choosing a room could make Sienna feel like she was choosing one of us, but after what happened on New Year’s Eve, I only wanted Sienna to be safe and happy. I would sleep on the couch downstairs if she asked me.
“I think that’s a good idea, Maggie.”
I tried not to look disappointed because a small part of me was looking forward to waking up next to Sienna’s beautiful face every morning.
I still had a week to convince her, though.