28. gray
28
GRAY
R eturning to civilization felt wrong. I would have gladly added a few more days to those twenty-four hours we had spent cut off from modernity in the wilderness. Free from obligations, work, and all the external pressures that daily pushed our thoughts in directions we didn't really want to go.
As soon as I dropped Amelia off at my house, I headed to the main house, passing by the guesthouses. The persistent rain last night had left the flowers and bushes a bit disheveled, but since the sun was already doing its best to remind us we were in the summer months, it wouldn't be long before the plants perked up again.
I pushed open the door to the assembly house, which housed the reception, kitchen, and the room where food was served, and was greeted by Soraya's friendly face. Apparently, at some point during the last day, she had decided her hair needed a little update as the tips of her curly brown hair now sported a striking magenta.
"Looks good," I told her before I leaned over the table and reached for the stack of mail. "What have I missed since yesterday?"
"Just the usual. A few guests have left, and others have arrived. We've gained a new mascot if you believe the little boy from cabin three…"
"Cookie?" I asked although it was pretty obvious.
Soraya nodded. "Declan is doing well. He found his own tasks yesterday and this morning too. He's making progress with the renovations and has suggested that we start building at least one more new building, given all the reservations we're getting months in advance."
That had long been on my agenda, but without the proper manpower, it was challenging. And since I didn't want to just hire a construction company that would finish a cabin in a few weeks, I had to be careful with resources and future plans.
"If he continues to contribute in this way and we manage to get one or two more workers excited about living in Wolf Creek…" I left the sentence unfinished. "Anything else I should know about?"
"I don't think so," she replied thoughtfully. "Everything's planned for this week. I'll manage even if you're gone for a few hours, boss."
I was well aware of that; otherwise, I wouldn't regularly leave the bed-and-breakfast in her care. Soraya had been with the day-to-day operations for years. If I trusted anyone to keep things running in my absence just as I would, it was definitely her. Even Wilder, who came by occasionally to help out, didn't possess the same knowledge or routine that she did.
Just as I was about to turn away, Soraya stopped me. "Oh, wait. I almost forgot."
"What?"
A silent alarm started ringing in my head, even though she hadn't continued speaking.
"Yesterday afternoon, a young man was here. He insisted he knew that Amelia Sinclair was here and that he needed to speak with her immediately."
My worst nightmare was unfolding before my eyes in record time. "Did he mention his name?"
"No… but his reaction made me feed him a lie. He acted so strangely that I told him there was no Amelia here, and if he didn't leave, I'd call the police."
She went on to briefly describe him, which confirmed my initial suspicion.
"And then he left?" I asked, urgency not just evident in my voice but felt throughout my body.
"Yes. He was angry because he was quite sure she was here, but he left. After Declan also told him he better scram."
I raised an eyebrow. "Did he threaten you, Raya?"
She rolled her eyes and leaned across the table toward me. "I can handle it, Gray. Honestly. I'm not saying it's par for the course here, but it wouldn't be the first time I've been harassed."
However, it was not my intention to expose my staff to such treatment by anyone. They deserved respect, and if someone was not willing to act like a civilized human, they had no business being on my property. Not at all.
"If he shows up again, call me right away, okay? And please check the surveillance footage. It'd be best to save it in case we need evidence for the police." Even though Sergeant Williams would probably be reluctant to come to our aid.
"Is this man dangerous, Gray?" This time, concern was written all over Soraya's face.
I slowly shrugged. Labeling Amelia's ex-boyfriend as dangerous would probably be an exaggeration. But the fact remained that I didn't want him at Wildwood Hideaway—or anywhere near Amelia.
When an ex shows up out of the blue after weeks of silence, it never means anything good. And in Amelia's case, it was also against her wish to quietly disappear from his life without any fuss. She didn't leave him any messages or clues for a reason, which made it all the more suspicious that he had found her now.
"He's not, don't worry. But I do have a slight aversion to him, and that could spell trouble for him if he dares to venture here again." Actually, I could safely remove should because I was absolutely certain he would try again.
My ex-wife, after her blunder, had also tried several times to win me back—or rather, to persuade, force, or guilt me into staying. None of that mattered, but it didn’t mean that Amelia's ex-boyfriend wouldn't give up just because he had been turned away once.
I would have preferred to keep it from her that he was looking for her, yet neither would it have been fair, nor did it align with my principles. She deserved to know… because I still wasn't ready to make that decision for her.