“What scared you back there?” His voice is low, and yet to my ears, it’s as if someone shot a cannon. My reaction is automatic, and I shrink back, leaning heavily on the passenger side door while avoiding his gaze. The buildings in my line of sight begin to blur a bit after a minute of silence and the car jerks forward hard; Tero’s pressed down on the accelerator harder than needed. “Tell me. We can help you if you’re in trouble.”
“We?” I ask, still not turning to look over. The last thing I want is for Theodore to know he’s working with someone who is unstable. “Who is this we?”
“Mr. Astor—”
My head jerks toward his, my eyes narrowing. “You will not speak of this to him.”
Those pastel-blue eyes narrow, his head tilting in the same manner he did outside of the building where he found me. “What is the this I will not speak of?”
“Just a disagreement between friends.”
“Just a disagreement?” he parrots, his expression unbelieving. “You seemed scared, not angry, Gabriella.”
“She was angry and said something hurtful.” I shrug my shoulders, going for nonchalance, especially since I want to go home. Today has been eventful enough for me. “I’m probably overreacting to it and we’ll be fine by tonight.”
“If you say so.” His tone says he doesn’t believe me.
“I do.” Turning toward him again, I plaster a small grin on my face. “Now that you have an understanding of the inner workings to the female bonding insanity, how about you take me home? I’m itching to start the planning phase of my exhibit.”
“On your birthday?”
“What better day than the one I get to make the choice in how I spend it?”
“Touché.” Tero laughs; the sound is loud and boisterous and a bit strange. It comes off as a wheeze and I join him, not stopping until tears spring to my eyes and I snort. Then he’s laughing at me, which creates a weird cacophony inside the enclosed space, and I can’t breathe by the time he’s slowing down. “You are something else, Miss Moore. Never change.”
“I promise if—”
“I take you home,” he finishes for me, pulling over to the end of the street and putting the car in park. The phone, which he’d put in one of the cupholders, is now in his hands and his thumb is flying across the screen as he types a message, hits send, and then sends another. For two minutes we sit in silence until the device pings and he shows me the response.
As you wish. Please enjoy your day and the chocolates. ~Astor
A second one comes through before he can close his phone.
No work is allowed either. ~Astor
The latter I give an inner eye roll to and instead smile. “Thank you.”
“None needed, birthday girl.” Pulling off from the curb, he takes a familiar route toward my home after I give him the address, and I close my eyes. There are things that don’t make sense, but I’ll decipher them even if it kills me. Elise’s actions, the dress, and my dreams all have to mean something, and I plan to put an end to this mystery. I can’t go on like this. I can’t continue being scared or doubting everything because of a recurring nightmare. “Now let’s get you home.”
“Once again, thank you for everything.”
“I’ll take a nice painting as payment in the future.”
At that, I bark out a laugh. “Done. My choice on the subject, though.”
“Seems like a fair trade.” Another turn and my body sways with the movement, pulling closer to the door, and I open my eyes. We’re close to my home and after pulling into the driveway, Tero lets the car idle while rushing to get my boxes and then my door. I’m not given the chance to open my own, and he nods toward the door when I stay seated just watching him run around. “Or did you change your mind?”
“No.” Shaking my head, I chuckle. “I’m just not used to seeing people move like that.”
“Move like what?” He follows me up the three steps to my door, curiosity in his tone.
“Precise and controlled.”
“Should I be looser and clown-like?”
“Not one bit.” Turning the key, I let us inside and motion toward the smaller sitting room to the right of the entryway. It’s the formal of the two with my TV room being at the far back near the kitchen. His eyes take in the space, nodding to himself a bit, and I can almost see a question sitting on the tip of his tongue. “Go ahead. Ask.”
“Not a question, per se...”
“Then?”
“Just thought it’d be more contemporary and less flowery, is all.”
“And you’d never know by my appearance that I’m fascinated by true crime documentaries. I live for that craziness and binge watch every single one I come across.”
“Really?”
“Netflix ones are the best. The bloodier the better.”
“I’ll take your word for it.” Tero places my boxes down atop the wooden coffee table. “I’m more partial to animal documentaries, snakes to be precise.”
“Oh! What kind?” Because I’m a sucker for those too. That, and Shark Week.
“Pythons. Constrictors in general, really.”
“They are fascinating creatures.”
His smile widens and those clear eyes light up. “Finally, someone else who gets it.”
