Chương 8: chapter 8:Fiona’s POV
There's a massive wolf standing at the tree line. My mouth drops open as I stare at it in wonder. It's magnificent. I probably should be scared, but I know it's more nervous of me. I take slow steps backward and my heart rate settles a bit before watching as the wolf turns and bolts off into the trees. My hands still tremble a little as I manage to unlock and open the door to step inside the house, never turning my back until I am safely indoors.
I peer out through the window, but I can't see the wolf anymore. It ran off at such a speed that it's probably long gone by now. I've never seen such a beautiful creature up close before. The intensity of its stare set my heart racing, and yet somehow, I wasn't afraid of it. The wolf seemed to be as stunned as I was by our encounter. I wonder if a jet-black wolf is rare? What about its size? Was it unusually large, or had I just not appreciated how big they could be before? Not wanting to disturb it any further, I decide my run can wait for another day. Instead, I snatch up my car keys and wallet from the kitchen counter and head for the front of the house. I have a never-ending list of DIY projects to be done and I might as well take advantage of my unexpected long weekend. I bought the house two months ago, draining my savings and the proceeds of a redundancy package from my investment banking job. It was tricky to keep its purchase a secret from James, my ex- boyfriend, but it would all be worth it in the long run. As a lawyer himself, he would have expected me to come to him for help with something like this, but he was the last person I wanted to know about it. This house was my escape plan. When James had announced our engagement, without having asked me to marry him, the blind panic that had gripped me was enough to tell me exactly how I felt about our relationship. I had always talked about wanting a simpler life and getting out of the rat race, but James laughed at me, and never took me seriously when I brought it up. The flashy cars and fancy restaurants he adored did not impress me, and he couldn't fathom why I always tried to escape the city and get out into nature. At the start of our relationship, he had been so charming. Too charming and smooth now that I look back. However, after the engagement when I refused to wear the ring that he'd given me, the mask slipped, and I needed to get away fast. This house represents my new life and a fresh start; bought through a complicated company structure to make it as hard as possible to trace back to me.
"Fiona!"
A familiar voice breaks my thoughts and I look up to see Ethan strolling towards me down the aisle of the local hardware store with a big smile on his face.
"Oh, hey there. How are you doing, Ethan?" I reply casually, throwing some paint samples into the trolley.
"Great, but what are you doing here? I thought you'd be resting up at home." He investigates my cart, taking in the tape, brushes, tins of paint, tiles, and grout, and raises an eyebrow.
"I'm fine. Nothing a good night's sleep couldn't fix. Just doing some bits around the house. I only just moved in, and I'm trying to do as much of it myself as I can." He nods but doesn't look confident in my abilities. It's hard not to take it personally. I know I don't look like I'd be handy, but it's amazing what you can teach yourself when you have no money. Thank you, YouTube.
"I presume it's your place if you're doing all this work?" he enquires, trailing along beside me as I move down the aisle again.
"Yep. I'm going to turn it into a bed-and-breakfast and rent out a few rooms to get some extra income. But I need to get it a bit more presentable before I can do that." I gesture to the loaded trolley. He steps in front of me, blocking the way, and frowns down at me, crossing his arms over his muscular chest.
"So, you're going to have complete strangers coming and going, staying overnight in your home?" he asks slowly.
When I nod, he lets out a long breath and shakes his head as if it's the worst news he's ever heard. It's a tad dramatic.
"That's the general premise of a B&B. I won't make much money if I don't let people stay overnight." I am baffled by his reaction to my plans. He's making it sound like it's the most bizarre idea he's ever heard.
"It's not safe, though," he states flatly, and I swear his pale blue eyes darken slightly. I roll my eyes at him. Great, another guy who thinks he knows what I should be doing. My brother isn't in the country to give me shit, so the gods have sent someone else to do it.
"Oh yes, because you regularly hear stories of bed-and- breakfast owners in sleepy towns up and down the country being killed in their sleep by guests," I say sarcastically, and his frown deepens. "Anyway, it's safer than a single young woman living out in the woods all by herself. Not that it's any of your business." I push the trolley around Ethan, who still looks very disturbed, and start loading up my items at the cash register. He eventually follows, helping me to pack and load all my purchases into the boot of my little car. It's only as I drive off that I realise he didn't buy anything or go back inside after I left. Was he just in there looking for me?
Tình trạng nguồn điện hàng tuần
-- Xếp hạng
Quyền lực 
-- Đá
Quyền lực