Chapter 3
Chapter Three
TEDDY
Ineed to cut down what I’m taking. The two bags are overflowing. What if I wore a bunch of it? Then I wouldn’t have to pack it. It would open up room for other things. Minnie nudges my thigh.
“You can’t come,” I tell her. I wish. “You’ll get to meet her soon.” I give her head a little scratch.
I’m going to miss her and Roland. I hate that I’m not telling him I’m leaving. I don’t want him to worry. I’ve already put a note on my nightstand for him.
As excited as I am for this adventure, I already miss home, and I haven’t left. I’m sure it’s the comfort, but I might be like Grams, a homebody. But I also might not know what’s out there and all the things I could be missing out on. I do have a list of things I would love to do.
“Come,” I tell Minnie, patting my bed. She hops up and stretches out. “You’re in charge around here. Got it?” She yawns, and I take this as confirmation and kiss the top of her head.
I grab my bags and pull a few things out, putting them on so I can shove more things inside.
Is a lightsaber necessary? No, but it makes for a good flashlight.
I also probably don’t need three crowns, but they each go with different outfits.
I put one on my head and smile, thinking about Grams. We’d always wear them when we’d have our own parties in the garden.
I double-check to make sure I have my Kindle and the charger along with my wallet.
I don’t have my credit card, but Mr. Gem is watching it, I think.
Does he have the right to do that? I'm not sure. I need a lawyer to tell me about my own lawyer. Crap is complicated. I’ll worry about it when I get back.
First, I need to get out of here. That way no one can talk me out of it.
I check the time, which I’m terrible with, or at least my concept of it. I always think things will only take a few minutes when in reality it is much, much longer. Tonight, I’m leaving ahead of time.
I give Minnie another kiss on her head before stepping out onto the balcony of my bedroom. I drop my bags over the side. It's only one floor down.
“I can do this,” I tell myself as I climb over the railing and then kneel, trying to grab the edge so I can dangle down before I let go. That’s the plan, however. I manage to get to the dangling, but fear has me not letting go.
It’s three feet, I remind myself. You’ll be fine; just let go, I order myself, but I don’t listen.
Then I spot Roland entering the formal dining room, which is directly below my bedroom.
I have no choice, and my fingers are starting to hurt, so I let go.
I land on my feet but still manage to fall over.
One of my bags breaks the fall. I hope I didn’t land on one of the crowns. Meh, Cartier will fix it for me.
I peek to make sure Roland is gone. He’s not, but his back is to the window, and he’s polishing silver that we never use.
I pop up and grab my bags before taking off.
When I think I’m far enough out of sight, I pull out my lightsaber to guide me to the south side of the estate where my ride should be waiting.
So far so good, and everything is going according to plan.
“You’re not very bright,” I mutter to the lightsaber. I got it four years ago when I’d fallen into my Star Wars era. I have a new obsession every three months. During that time, Grams got it for me. She had it specially made so that it’s pink.
I start to get worried when I don’t make it to the road as quickly as I thought I would. It’s been a while since I’ve been out here. When I see headlights, I let out a sigh of relief and run toward them.
My pickup spot is more of an area. I didn’t want them coming to the door, so I’d given them a general spot.
I rush forward so they don’t pass by, waving my lightsaber.
My foot catches on a rock, and I stumble forward, losing hold of it.
It goes sliding across the road as I fall flat on my face. I hear the vehicle slam on its brakes.
I cringe at the sound of squealing tires and close my eyes, not wanting to see my lightsaber be crushed. I open my eyes when I hear the sound of the door opening. I spot my lightsaber in one piece.
“It lived!” I push up to my knees as a man comes around the SUV.
The headlights only let me see his massive outline.
He looms like we’re in a horror movie. “I’m okay,” I tell him.
“Sorry if I’m late.” I get to my feet. “My flashlight wasn’t as flashlight-ish as I hoped it would be,” I tell him.
I squint, trying to make him out, but I can’t.
“I’m Teddy.” I hold my hand out, not wanting to be rude.
I mean I’ve already almost made the man crash his car.
“I need you to not move,” he tells me. His voice is deep and rough. He should do audiobooks.
“Why?” I whisper.
“I want you to take a step toward me.”
“Why?” I ask again, reaching up to fix my tiara. It somehow managed to stay on. Grams was right; this is why you really need to have them fitted.
“There is a giant-ass cat behind you.”
“Are you serious?!” I hiss, knowing exactly who it is. What is with her lately?
“Move toward me.”
“We’ll leave in a second. I’m so sorry for all of the trouble. I’ll handle the cat. Grab my lightsaber, will you?” I tell him before spinning around. “Minnie! What did I—” I’m cut off when an arm wraps around my waist and yanks me back.
Minnie surges forward with a loud growl, baring her teeth.
Holy crap, she looks so badass. When the man pulls out a gun, I almost die.
I shove at him, but he’s like a giant unmovable boulder.
“Don’t shoot! That’s my baby!” I tell him.
“Minnie, no! Bad girl.” She freezes with one of her front paws still raised, ready to launch forward.
I hold one hand out toward Minnie and the other on the giant man's bicep. It’s bigger than my thigh. I give it a small squeeze. His attention jerks down to my hand. Minnie takes a step back.
“Sorry.” I have to fight the urge to do it again. “Is that gun real?”
“You think I’m carrying around a fake gun?”
“My lightsaber isn’t real.” I swear I can make out a slight twitch of his lips.
“You got me. It’s fake.”
I puff out a breath. “Scare tactics. I get it.” I nod firmly in understanding. It’s to spook people. “Let me deal with her,” I tell him, forcing myself to drop my hand from his bicep but not before one last small squeeze.
“This is your cat?” he asks as I step toward her. “A lynx?” I can't have that going around town or these woods. Mum's the word.
“Shh, she doesn’t know she’s one. Minnie is a normal tiny house cat.
Aren't you?” I ruffle her ears, making her purr.
“Now back to the house or no more ear rubbing,” I order her, pointing back the way we’d come.
She lets out another loud huff but turns and takes off back toward the house.
“Sorry about that. We can be a bit codependent.”
He stares down at me.
"You should put that away." I go to poke the gun, but he pulls it back before I can. "All right, I won't touch." I put my hands up. "But then you can't touch my lightsaber." I walk over and pick it up off the ground. "Who am I kidding? You can if you want."
"I'm good." He steps over toward my bags lying on the ground. A stack of cash had fallen out. I grabbed it from the safe. In case of emergency money. Plus, Mr. Gem can't track cash.
"Did you rob the place?" he asks.
I snort a laugh. "I can't rob my own safe."
"And you came from up there." He nods back toward the house. You can't see it from here.
"Yep. That's my place. I'm Teddy. You're the driver, right?"
"I drive." He shoves the money back into my bag. "Get in," he grunts, nodding toward the SUV. I turn off my lightsaber and head for the car.
"Thank you," I tell him as he carries both my bags over, putting them in the back seat for me. I pat myself down in search of my phone.
“Looking for this?” He holds it out. With the door open, the dome light reveals his face to me for the first time. I suck in a deep breath.
“Holy crap, you’re attractive,” I blurt out, making his brows rise. Probably shouldn’t have said that, but it's a little too late now.
Can you really blame me? The man has to be a handful of inches taller than six feet, making him well over a foot taller than me.
I don’t think I have seen a person with such broad shoulders and muscular chest. My fingers itch to touch his jaw that's shadowed with a short beard that grew in from the day. This man is, well, all man. His eyes, however, steal the show. They’re a dark brown with gold flickering around the edge.
“I wasn’t hitting on you or anything. I mean, I wouldn’t even know the first thing about hitting on a man.
And obviously you’re all man.” I can’t control how my eyes roam up and down him.
“With your size, I don’t think you need a fake gun.
You could wrestle a bear.” His brows manage to rise higher. “I should probably get in.”
“I’d appreciate that.”
I slip in, and he closes the door for me. He goes around the back of the SUV, pausing for a long moment. I almost ask if everything is okay, but he rounds it and gets into the driver’s seat. “Your phone.” I take it from his hand.
“Oh, right.” I lick my lips, getting an even better look at him now.
His hair is short and buzzed down, and I can see a scar along his skull.
“What happened to your head?” Holy hell.
“Sorry, I’m not great with people, and I talk a lot.
I mean, just ask Minnie.” I laugh. “She can never get a word in edgewise.”
He cocks his head toward me, and the side of his mouth twitches.
"You can smile. I won't tell anyone,” I tease.
"Let's get out of here, and then we'll see about me smiling for you."
"Okie dokie, artichokie.” I give him an air gun. "Just as effective."
A small bark of laughter comes from him, and he shakes his head before taking off. I did it! I made it out. I'm in the homestretch now.