Chapter 8
“How was your day?” I heard Ian ask as I stood on the shoreline and let the water soak my feet.
“It was fine. How was your day?”
He walked over and stood next to me. I looked down and saw that he didn’t have on any socks or shoes. In fact, he was dressed in khaki shorts and a cotton shirt. I looked him up and down.
“Is there something wrong with me?” he asked.
“No. I’m just not used to seeing you dressed so casually.”
Ian laughed as he pushed my hair behind my ear. “What did you do today?”
His fingers brushed against my ear, which resulted in shivers riveting throughout my body. I was going to have to tell him sooner or later about what I did and what I was doing.
“I went back to the motel Stephen and I were at so I could retrieve something I left behind.”
Ian cocked his head and glared at me. “How did you get there and what did you leave behind?”
“Adalynn was kind enough to take me, and I left an envelope of money taped to the back of the headboard.”
“And it was still there?” he asked, in shock.
“Yeah. Like I told Adalynn, do you really think places like that pull out the bed to clean?”
“Well, I don’t know which motel you were at, so I really couldn’t answer that.”
“Let’s just say it’s like Motel Hell and Adalynn was repulsed.” I smiled softly.
“That was smart to hide your money. Why didn’t you mention it sooner? I would’ve taken you to get it.”
“I was too busy trying to heal, I guess.”
“I’m truly sorry for my father and the things he said. I think maybe the three of us should have dinner together so he can get to know you better.”
“He doesn’t need to get to know me, Ian. You stood there and didn’t say a word to him. You let him treat me like a piece of shit, so you’re just as bad as he is. But like I said earlier, I’m used to it and didn’t expect anything else.”
“Rory, please.”
“No! There’s no ‘please.’ What’s done is done. The sad thing is I thought we were friends,” I said as I started to walk away.
“We are friends,” he said as he lightly grabbed my arm and stopped me.
I turned around and looked at him. “Really? Because the last time I checked, friends stick up for each other. And by the way, I’m moving out,” I said as I turned and walked away.
“What do you mean you’re moving out? Where the hell are you moving to?” he yelled.
I ignored him as I walked to the house and up to my room. It wasn’t too long before he came storming into the bedroom. “Where are you moving to?” he demanded.
“I’m moving to an apartment by Java Hut.”
“You can’t afford any apartments over in that area,” he yelled.
He was angry that I was leaving and I couldn’t understand why. Was he lonely? Or did he like having someone here he could control? “Calm down, Ian. I won’t tell you anything unless you calm down.”
He stared at me for a moment and then ran his hands through his hair. He walked over to the bed and sat down. He buried his face in his hands and, for a moment, my heart started to ache. I walked over, sat down next to him, and put my hand on his leg.
“It’s a small apartment upstairs from a bakery next to Java Hut. Jordyn, the girl that hired me, her father owns it and is letting me stay there for $100 a month. I just need to clean it up a bit.”
Ian sighed and looked at me. "Okay. When are you leaving?” he asked.
“I don’t know yet. I guess whenever I can get the place cleaned up. Is that okay?”
He brought his hand to my face and ran the back of it across my cheek. “You are more than welcome to stay here for as long as you want,” he said.
I closed my eyes at his touch as I took his hand and pressed it firmly against my lips. “Thank you. Thank you for everything.”
“You’re welcome,” he whispered. “Say you’ll have dinner with me. I’ll grill us some steaks and we can open a bottle of wine, sit on the patio, and have a nice dinner.”
“You can cook?” I smiled.
“Yes. Can you?”
“Yeah. I can cook.”
“Good. Then you can help me.” He smiled as he got up from the bed and held out his hand. “Let’s go kick Charles out of the kitchen.”
I put my hand in his and we walked down to the kitchen. “I’m giving you the rest of the night off, Charles. Rory and I will be cooking dinner.”
“Are you sure, sir?” Charles asked in amazement.
“Yes, I’m sure. Enjoy your night.”
Ian walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out a couple of steaks. I followed behind him and took out everything I needed to make a salad. I washed the lettuce while Ian started the grill. He went downstairs and came back up with a bottle of cabernet.
“See this bottle here?”
“Yes.” I smiled.
“This is a vintage cabernet that I had flown in from France. So, I really hope you like it because it was very expensive.”
“And if I don’t like it?”
“Well, just humor me and pretend you do.” He winked.
I couldn’t help but laugh softly as I cut up the tomatoes. It was amazing to me how sweet Ian was being especially after I told him I was moving out. It also made me wonder how many women he did this with. As I was in thought, I felt a sharp pain in my finger.
“SHIT!” I yelled as I held my finger.
Ian came running inside. “What happened? Are you all right?”
“I just cut my finger. I’m okay.”
“You don’t look okay. Let me see,” he said as he took my hand. “Rory, in order for me to look at it, you need to let go.”
I was scared. I didn’t want to let go. “Ian, seriously, it’s no big deal.”
“You’re scared; I can tell. It’ll be okay. Just let me see if you need stitches. Please, Rory.”
His pleading eyes forced me to let go and show him my finger. He looked at it and smiled. “I think you’re going to survive, since it’s barely bleeding.”
He walked over to the drawer and pulled out a Band-Aid. As he removed it from the wrapper, he asked me to hold up my finger. I did. He softly kissed it and put the Band-Aid securely around it.
“There, all better.”
“I’m sorry. I overreacted,” I said as I looked down.