Chapter 3
MILA
Ilook behind me at the door to my room. Billie is on my bed, but I didn’t pick her up in case he would make fun of me.
“Why don’t you go get it?” he suggests. “It’s going to be a long trip, and I want you to be comfortable.”
Before I can say anything, Tobias grabs my bag and gently taps me on the bottom. I glare at him but walk to my room, grabbing Billie before sluggishly walking back in.
“What’s its name?” he asks.
“Billie,” I mumble.
“Hi Billie, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Tobias and we’re going to go on an adventure,” Tobias introduces himself.
My mouth hangs open. Never once has anyone taken the time to talk to my stuffed animal. This isn’t normal.
“Is everything okay, Mila?” Tobias asks. “Did I say something wrong?”
I shake my head. “No, you just caught me off guard.”
He nods.
“I’m ready so let’s go get my car,” I mumble and walk past him.
It doesn’t take us long to go down the elevator and into the parking garage.
“This is my car.” I stop right in front of my SUV style car.
I rarely use it since the office is within walking distance.
“Keys?” Tobias asks, holding his hand out.
I hand them over and walk to the passenger side, still holding Billie close to my chest. Tobias puts the bags in the back of the car before hopping inside.
“Do you need anything else?” he asks as he turns the car on.
He looks at the dash and his eyes go wide.
“I don’t think so,” I whisper. “I don’t need much.”
“When was the last time you drove this?”
I scratch the side of my head. “I don’t know? It’s been a while. Most things are within walking distance so I don’t use it a lot.”
“Little One.” He sighs. “You are almost on empty.”
I shrug. “Like I said before, I don’t use it much. Everything is close by.”
“What about when you go to the grocery store?”
I shake my head.
“You carry everything back to your apartment? How far away is it?” He turns his body toward me.
“I don’t.”
“You don’t?” he repeats. “Explain yourself.”
“I don’t go to the grocery store. I eat out for every meal, and I don’t eat breakfast. It’s too much of a hassle to cook for myself. I only know how to cook three meals and they aren’t my favourite foods either…”
Tobias grabs my hands, and Billie drops into my lap. “Sweets, that’s not healthy for you.”
I look away from him. I know it’s not healthy, but there isn’t much I can do about it. There isn’t any use in buying groceries since it would all go to waste because I can’t cook for myself.
“I’m healthy,” I lie.
I’m anything but healthy. If Aiden had randomly shown up in town, it would not have gone well for me. There are so many things I’m neglecting.
Tobias gives me a pointed look. “I do not want you to lie to me, understand?”
I nod.
“Words, Mila. When you are with me, I want you to reply with words.”
“Yes, I understand.”
It’s going to be so much harder to get away with things around Tobias. He can tell when I’m lying. Not good.
“We’re going to get gas first, then we’ll go to my hotel and I’ll grab my stuff,” he explains as he pulls out of my parking spot. “Let me know if you need to stop or need anything.”
“Okay,” I whisper.
I won’t be doing that. I don’t need to bother him any more than I already am.
“Can I ask a question?” I ask, breaking the silence.
He hums, keeping his focus on the road.
“Were you originally planning on leaving today, or did I mess up your plans?” I ask hesitantly. “Also, you were planning on flying, weren’t you?”
“My flight was meant to leave tomorrow morning,” he replies.
“Then you can go on your flight! I really don’t need you to drive me there. I bet you don’t want to be in the car for over twelve hours with someone you barely know,” I ramble.
“I’m glad Aiden called me to do this. You need someone to look after you,” he says as he pulls into the gas station.
“I do not!”
Tobias raises an eyebrow. “You don’t?”
I timidly nod. “I don’t.”
He hums. “I think you do. You don’t eat breakfast and you eat out for every meal. Do you even eat vegetables? You haven’t done laundry in a while and I have a feeling your sleep schedule isn’t amazing either.”
I fidget with Billie’s hand as he nails everything. Am I that much of an open book? If he could figure that out after knowing me for a couple of hours, then Aiden is going to figure out everything in the first couple of minutes.
“I do sleep,” I mumble and look down at my lap.
“I never said you didn’t sleep, but that your sleep schedule isn’t amazing. Do you get eight hours of sleep like you need to?”
“Sometimes.”
Not very often though. If I manage to get eight hours of sleep, it’d be a miracle.
“That’s going to change from now on. Tonight we are going to make sure you get at least nine hours.”
Shaking my head, I lock eyes with him. “I don’t think my body will allow me to sleep that long.”
“I think you might be surprised. I bet if I allowed it, you could sleep half a day away and still need more,” he says honestly. “Do you want to test it out?”
“No,” I blurt out. “We have to get to the lodge before the snow hits.”
“That we do. Then you can sleep in the car to get the rest you need. I’m going to get gas now. Do you need anything?”
“We just left my apartment, so no,” I reply.
“Don’t get sassy with me,” he pins me with a look. “I’m just asking.”
Sighing, I bite my bottom lip. “Sorry. No, I don’t need anything right now.”
“What do you like to drink?” he asks. “Do you want water? Gatorade?”
My eyes light up. “A soda?”
“Not for right now, but when we stop for dinner, you can have one then. Water or Gatorade?”
My nose scrunches up at the mention of those. “I really want a soda though. Water and Gatorade are nasty.”
“I’ll get one of each and you can sip them,” he says as he gets out of the car.
I stare at his muscular back, annoyance bubbling inside of me. I have to convince him to go on his flight tomorrow so I can eat and drink whatever I want on this trip. No soda? Who does he think he is?
“I’m going to go get some snacks and drinks and I’ll be back. Stay in the car.”
I recline my seat and take a deep breath, closing my eyes.
“Everything is going to be okay,” I whisper to myself. “You can get him to take the flight, then you can drive to Montana. It’s all going to work out.”
Hugging Billie to my chest, my whole body relaxes the longer I sit here. Maybe I can take a little nap while I wait for him. It won’t hurt me.