I tossed the phone in my bag and quietly rushed upstairs, careful not to wake anyone. John’s room was empty, but I didn’t have time to wonder where he was. My luck, he was out working on some crazy farm machinery, like he was forbidden to do.
In record time, I showered and packed enough for three days and hoped that if I needed to stay longer, I could find a laundromat.
A cold gust of wind shot down my jacket as I pushed my suitcase out the door and onto the porch. Holy sweet hell, it was freezing! I checked the time and saw I was cutting it close, but I had to say goodbye. The spotlight helped me locate Tripper staring up at the loft in the barn. I made my way over and thought about the last time I was there with John a week ago. Both of us had pretended we hadn’t asked the other to move in with each other. Truth be told, there was nothing keeping me in Washington. My brother was going to move closer to here, anyway. I just wasn’t ready to admit anything to myself yet. John seemed too good to be true sometimes, and if we were allowed to date and we were meant to be together, we could revisit that conversation later. I had been burned too many times with men. I wasn’t bitter or jaded, I was just realistic and cautious.
“John,” I called into the frigid morning air. I swore my breath came out and froze in place. “Black!” I tried the name the guys used.
A dark figure appeared above me, and Tripper’s tail started to wag.
“Sloane?”
“Can you come down real quick?”
He reached out for something and rappelled down the rope like a friggin’ fireman on a pole. But the pole was, like, twenty feet high, and he was still supposed to be in recovery.
Once his feet hit the ground, he turned on that sexy smile that always made my stomach coil into a warm knot.
“You’re up early.” He went to take a step toward me, but his eyes caught my suitcase in the middle of the driveway. “What’s going on?”
“I found something.” I checked my watch again and cursed the taxi for being late.
“Did you get clearance to leave?”
“I don’t need clearance to leave.” I lifted an eyebrow. “I’m not at Shadows.”
“Sloane, the last time you left, you got yourself into trouble.”
“Wow.” I held up a hand. “First, I’m a guest at Shadows—”
“Hey,” he took my hand and pulled me closer, “don’t get snappy about the fact that I care what happens to you. I didn’t mean it like that.” He wrapped his big arms around my waist, and I rested my hands on his chest. “I just meant did you let Frank know you were leaving?”
“Of course, I did. Who do you think booked my ticket?”
“Okay.” He paused, but I could tell he wanted to say something else.
“What?”
“Why are you pissy?”
“Because you’re supposed to be resting, and instead, you’re out here doing God knows what and rappelling down twenty-foot ropes. What if you fell or couldn’t hold on?”
He tossed his head back and laughed. “I’ve dropped down from a lot higher and in a lot of worse situations.” He kissed my lips quickly. “I’ll be okay.”
“You think?” I lifted my eyebrow at him again then let my smile turn into an evil one as a plan was hatched.
“What does that look mean?”
I shrugged as the lights from the taxi lit us up.
“I’ll call once I’ve landed. I’ll be in Missouri, Indiana, and possibly Iowa.”
“When will you be back?”
“When I get what I’m looking for, I guess.”
“Miss?” The taxi driver stood by the vehicle after he put my belongings inside.
“Coming.” I turned back to John and gave him a long kiss. He held me tight like he couldn’t let go. I didn’t want to go, but I knew I had to.
“Be careful,” he breathed into my ear then took a step backward.
“I will.” I rushed to the taxi and was about to step inside when he called out.
“Babe?” He waited for me to look back. “What did that look mean?”
My evil smile returned and raced across my face as I laughed darkly into the cold air.
“Call you soon.” I blew him a kiss before I shut the door and disappeared into the taxi.
I raced to make my flight and checked in just as my gate was about to close. I hurried to my seat and