Page 43 of PS: I Hate You
During the trip through the canyon, I’d pushed this to the back of my mind. But now, with the proof from Adam, I can’t ignore it anymore.
But what does this mean?
It makes no sense.
Maybe…maybe it was for the same reason I wanted the combination. In case something happened to him.
But if Dom disappeared and I had to open the safe without his guidance, I never would have guessedmybirthday as the combo. I would have tried Dom’s. Then the twins’. Rosaline’s, because he might have set it before their divorce. His parents’.
Josh’s would’ve made sense.
Mine…doesn’t.
A tap on my window makes me jump, and I glance through the glass to see the confusing, infuriating man frown at me.
“What?” I shout, not ready to open my door, and not wanting to turn my car on in order to roll down the window.
Dom steps back, crosses his arms over his chest, and tilts his head toward the house. He should look like a dork, wearing the Dismals Canyon baseball hat he bought to match mine and fulfill Josh’s letter request. But he still looks hot, fuck him very much.
Come inside, his body says.
The silent command brings out my petty bitch. I shoo him with my hand, then turn back to my phone and bring up my Redford email. I can’t keep spiraling over the safe-combination mystery when he’s staring at me. Might as well catch up on some work until he leaves me be.
A moment later, my car gives a slight rock. I glance up to spy the side of his torso out of the corner of my eye. Dom leans his broad body against the passenger door of my car.
Waiting for me.
Muttering a string of curses, I shut my phone off, unbuckle my seat belt, and fling the door open.
“What are you doing?” I snap.
“It’s dark.”
“Your observation skills astound me. Truly. I thought it was a sunny afternoon.”
Dom watches me with an unreadable face. “You should come inside.”
“Inside is literally thirty feet from my car.” I snatch my pack—lighter now that Josh is gone—and the plastic bag of souvenirs for Jeremy and Tula from the passenger seat before climbing out and slamming the door shut. “What part of this trek did you think I’d struggle with, even in the dark?”
Dom doesn’t answer, only pushes himself off my car and strides toward the door.
He’s the one in danger. He’ll be lucky if I don’t sneak into his room in the middle of the night and smother him.
Once we’re inside the cabin, Dom doesn’t try to dictate any more of my actions. Maybe he does have some sense of preservation.
If I were even slightly tired, I’d lock myself in my bedroom and try to sleep. But it’s like the glow of the worms was pure electricity, and now I’m supercharged. If I shut myself in my room, I’ll just pace and overanalyze the birthday combination mystery. I need to reconnect with my comfort zone.
Luckily, a cozy cabin is the perfect place to do that. Ducking into my bedroom, I shut the door to gain brief privacy while I change out of my hiking clothes and into well-worn flannel pants and the massive hoodie Josh sent me from Florida a few years ago because he thought the crocodile and alligator high-fiving on the front of it was funny. The hoodie is so baggy, and the material so thick, and my boobs so small, that I don’t see the point of a bra. After rifling through my bag, I find my noise-canceling headphones. I slip them on before leaving my room.
Easier to ignore Dom this way.
With my latest audiobook playing, I let my mind sink into the soothing story of a princess in a fantasy kingdom taking bloody revenge on her enemies while trying not to fall for the ruthless vampire warlord who rules the neighboring kingdom as I wander around the living area, searching for what I know in my bonesmustexist in this cabin. I discover my treasure in the cabinet under the TV.
A puzzle.
Most rentals tend to have one. And I love seeking them out.
Despite my largely hermitic lifestyle, I have gone on a few trips over the years. Josh could usually convince me to meet him somewhere, most often by sending me descriptions of a cool coffee shopor weird attraction. But my brother knew I could only handle so much high-energy fun, so at some point during an excursion he would go off on his own to explore while I would stay back, recharge my introvert batteries, and work on the random puzzle at the rental.