Chapter Thirteen
Wren
Myskinwassticky with sweat when I woke. I turned over in bed with a groan, squinting against the bright sun streaming in through the window. The air was hot and humid, a far cry from the normal chill of the overactive air conditioner. A warm breeze wafted over me, fluttering the white linen curtain around the windowsill.
I blinked away the sleep, frowning as I sat up in bed. The window was wide open. The sounds of birdsong and the low hum of insects drifted right in. I untangled my limbs from the sheets, staring at the open window. I swatted away a buzzing fly as my heart skittered beneath my ribs, though I didn’t know why.
I didn’t remember opening that window. It was the middle of summer in the South. The days were beautiful but hot, and I wasn’t used to the heat. I didn’t open it. I pressed my lips together, slipping off the bed and padding to the window, snapping it shut and flipping the lock.
Maybe Atlas had been in here earlier yesterday and left it open. I was in such a hurry the night before to get in bed and away from Atlas that I’d been too distracted to notice whether the window had been opened.
The tightness in my chest eased as I ran through every logical explanation. Not everything out of place was a threat, I reminded myself. I didn’t have to be afraid.
My gaze traveled over the small space of the guest house, looking for any little thing that seemed out of place. Nothing was. In fact, it almost looked cleaner than it had the other day.
I let out a small, nervous laugh as I remembered Atlas telling me something about having a cleaning service coming to freshen up the space while I was working. It had been unused for so long, he’d wanted it to have a good cleaning to get the dust out. I’d offered to clean it myself, but he assured me it was fine.
I entered the bathroom, the citrus smell of cleaning products hitting my nose and easing what tension lingered in my muscles. The house had definitely been cleaned. Whoever had come out here must have accidentally left the window open. I shook my head at my own ridiculousness and turned on the shower.
Everything was fine.
A half hour later, I was showered and changed. Ellie wasn’t going to pick me up for our girls’ day for another hour and I was about ready to go get something to eat. A soft knock on the door stopped me.
I stiffened, my body trained to tense at anything out of the ordinary. It was too early for Ellie to be here. Which meant it was either Ty or Atlas. My stomach twisted with both fear and anticipation as I cautiously approached the door, unlocking the dead bolt.
Atlas stood outside, holding a tray filled with food. He shifted on his feet, seeming nervous. My eyes shot from his meek, half smile to the food that smelled so delicious my mouth watered.
Atlas followed my gaze. “I didn’t know what you liked.” He gave a small shrug. “So, I made a little bit of everything.”
My eyes widened. “This is all for me?”
Everything you could possibly want for breakfast was placed on that tray: pancakes with butter and syrup, eggs cooked every way, an omelet, bacon, sausage, biscuits and gravy. I swallowed. It all looked so good.
Atlas licked his lips. “Yeah, I wanted to apologize to you.”
I bit the inside of my cheek, lips pursing. “Apologize? For what?”
His grip tightened around the tray. “For lots of things. For last night…” He glanced away briefly, the tops of his cheeks flushed. “And for punching my brother in front of you. I haven’t been a very good host.”
I stared at him. He was apologizing to me? I glanced down at the food again. He made me breakfast? My jaw locked as a sudden wave of emotion crashed over me.
I wasn’t sure I’d ever had someone make me breakfast. The feeling sent something warm and pleasant through my blood. I stepped back, nodding toward the small table with two chairs nearby.
He hesitated before stepping over the threshold and setting the tray down. He turned back toward the door when I shook my head.
“You should stay,” I said softly. “I don’t think I can eat all that food by myself.” I smiled.
His eyes bounced between me and the open door. “Are you sure?”
I nodded, keeping the smile on my face. I tried not to think of what happened last night, of the almost kiss we had. I didn’t want to think of Atlas that way. I couldn’t think of him that way. He didn’t know me. I hardly knew myself anymore, and I wasn’t ready to be involved with someone.
But that didn’t mean we couldn’t be friends.
I pulled out one of the spindly chairs and sat down. “Please, stay and eat with me. Everything looks absolutely amazing.”
Atlas watched me as he quietly took the opposite seat. He gestured toward the food. “Lady’s choice.”
I bit against a grin and reached for the plate of pancakes. He took the omelet.