Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 62262 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 311(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62262 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 311(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
Meanwhile, we were told to stay put because it still wasn’t safe for us in San Francisco. It wouldn’t be until SPAM solved the case. Aside from missing Moira and my family, staying where we were really wasn’t a hardship. Sam was wonderful company, and I loved having so much uninterrupted time to get to know him.
We did everything together. Our mornings started with yoga, and then we spent time cooking, exercising, training in self-defense, and having sex—a lot. We also talked for hours on end, about anything and everything that came to mind.
Afternoons were devoted to what Sam liked to call the “educational portion” of our day. This was when we took turns teaching each other something new. It could be anything, from how to play poker, to juggling, to the lyrics of a favorite song.
At one point in our teens, Moira’s mother had signed her up for ballroom dancing classes, and she’d dragged me along for moral support. I’d never used those skills, but I hadn’t forgotten them, either. So, on day four, I stopped being self-conscious about the way I danced, took on the role of instructor, and showed Sam how to do the waltz.
There was a record player and a collection of vintage vinyl at the cabin, so I put on some music and let him lead. I was awkward as ever, but he made it fun, especially when we stopped trying to do the “right” steps.
A bark of laughter tumbled from me when he picked me up and spun us in a circle. We’d moved the living room furniture back and rolled up the area rugs, so there was plenty of room to maneuver. Around and around we went, while I laughed delightedly and held on tight.
Just before the record ended, he dipped me in a sweeping arc, and when we straightened up, he planted a kiss on me. A moment later, both of us jumped when a voice said, “Sam?”
My heart pounded as fear shot down my spine. My first thought was that our pursuers had found us, but there was something familiar about the big, muscular brunet in the pink polo shirt, who was standing in the doorway. I couldn’t quite place him though, until Sam exclaimed, “Reg!”
His ex was with a tall blond, and both men looked confused. As they came into the living room, Reg asked, “What are you doing here?”
Sam put me down as he explained, “We needed somewhere to hide out for a while, and this was the safest place I could think of. I’m sorry I didn’t ask you first.”
Reg’s confusion turned into curiosity. “Are you in some sort of trouble?”
“It’s a long story.” Sam turned to me and said, “Andy Chen, meet Reg Cavanaugh.”
After we shook hands, he introduced us to his boyfriend Turner. Then Reg said, “Why don’t you tell us what’s going on over a bottle of wine? We came here to celebrate Turner’s birthday, and we brought along a case of very nice pinot noir.”
“Sounds great,” Sam said. “Give us a minute to put the living room back together, and then we’ll join you in the kitchen.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Reg’s smile seemed genuine. Turner, on the other hand, looked guarded and uncomfortable, but who could blame him?
As soon as we were alone, Sam turned to me with anguish in his eyes. “I’m so sorry, Andy.”
“Why are you apologizing?”
“Because I totally let my guard down. What if that had been the men who were chasing us? It’s not just that I failed to hear them pull up. I didn’t even hear the door open.”
“Don’t beat yourself up. I didn’t hear them, either.” After we put the couch in place, I reached for the area rug and whispered, “How mad is Reg right now? He’s acting like he’s fine with discovering us here, but he’s not, is he?”
“Oh, he’s definitely pissed, but he’s good at hiding his emotions. On top of that, I’ll bet he sees this as an opportunity to play the hero in front of his boyfriend, so he’s probably going to offer to help us. He might even ask us to stay, but we need to get out of here and let them have their privacy.”
“Agreed. I don’t know where we’ll go, though.”
“Me neither, but we’ll figure something out. The good news is, our trail is probably cold after spending several days here. Obviously, we still have to be careful, but I don’t expect Rosselin’s men to immediately pick up our scent.”
Once we’d put the living room back in order, we joined Reg and Turner in the kitchen. The two men were having a hushed conversation, but they immediately stopped talking when we appeared in the doorway.
We all took a seat around the kitchen island, and I tossed back my glass of wine while Sam explained what we’d been going through. He concluded by telling his ex, “The reason I didn’t call you and ask to use the cabin is because we needed to keep our location a secret. I don’t know how deeply these people might dig into my past, but if anyone contacts you, you never saw us.”