PROLOGUE: GUY
Ezra had called out of the blue and wanted Guy to uproot his entire life and spend the next four to five months in complete solitude.
Just like that.
At first, Guy wanted to rip into his cousin’s ass for the audacity of calling only when he wanted something. Especially since the last time had something to do with needing a repair done to the cabin. But there was something about the offer that had piqued Guy’s interest.
As much as he might have hated to admit it, he got a little excited with the whole idea. But that didn’t mean he was going to show it. Ezra didn’t stay in touch like he had promised, and the first time he reached out in what seemed like forever, it was for Guy to do something for him. Guy didn’t mind, but he couldn’t just jump up and leave.
There was a lot more that went into leaving an entire life behind for several months than Ezra might have understood, and Guy needed to be smart about the steps he took.
Guy needed a change in his life, and he had needed that change for quite some time. Almost desperately. He needed something different. And though he didn’t have a clue as to what that different thing was until Ezra called.
Now Guy hoped keeping an eye on things at his cousin’s cabin would be a good start to figuring that out. It would be good to see how the place held up, especially since he hadn’t been out there since it was built.
“What do you have keeping you there?” Ezra asked as though Guy needed convincing moving in for several months was a great idea.
But Guy knew full and well how amazing the opportunity was. And they had been on the phone together for about ten minutes when Guy’s imagination got carried away with all the positives in escaping his normal day-to-day. But Ezra’s question had pulled him back to the present and he shrugged to himself.
Nothing. A big fat nothing.
Things with Cassidy had been steadily declining. She probably would throw him a going away party and that would be the end of it. Not to say she and him were dating in an exclusive sense. Guy wanted things to be more between them, but she didn’t. In fact, she only went on a couple of dates with Guy and that was strictly as a favor to her best friend, Gemma.
“I don’t really have much,” he said. “I have some vacation time saved up, a sizable savings to cover things while I’m gone, and no other responsibilities.”
“So…” Ezra dragged out the word. “Sounds to me like the only thing I’m missing is a yes.”
“I’m thinking about it,” Guy said.
“What’s there to think about?” Ezra asked.
Guy ran his hand over his face then scratched his head. “When?”
“One week,” he said.
“That’s not a lot of time to prepare,” Guy said, voice flat. “You sure enjoy putting things off until the last minute.”
“Sorry about that, but just to make sure…. You’re going to do it then?” Ezra asked.
Guy sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. He struggled to keep his excitement in check. He even acted out the non-committal notions he figured would help him with convincing Ezra of his fake lack of enthusiasm. “Yeah. Sure. Why not?”
“Thanks, man!” Ezra said, nearly shouting over the phone line.
Ezra quickly, and excitedly, ended the call, leaving Guy to wonder what he just got himself into. Though he was excited, he almost felt like he had bitten off more than he could chew. He already committed to the time away. He couldn’t back out now.
All he had to do next was work through the list of things that needed to be squared away before he could leave.
Number one: his job. Not that he was doing much work during the winter months, to begin with. He wasn’t lying about the vacation time. And he was overdue for a long getaway. And, lucky for him, he had enough cash stashed away to cover all his expenses for the next year or so. A lot more than just the few months he had mentioned to his cousin. Though a few months away would make a sizable dent in his savings, for sure, getting away to clear his head and maybe decide on what to do with the rest of his life was worth it.
At least, Guy hoped.
Number two: Cassidy. Though she hadn’t been keen on returning his phone calls much less answering them. They weren’t close or anything. He wouldn’t even go as far as calling her his girlfriend. They were dating as a favor to Gemma and Weylan. That’s all.
Cassidy didn’t seem thrilled about the idea of dating any man much less him. Guy couldn’t really blame her. She had just gone through a crappy breakup before giving in to Gemma’s wish. Cassidy and her ex were apparently extremely serious about each other, according to Guy’s understanding, and she was left completely turned off from men.
Still, they were forming a friendship—or so he thought—and he couldn’t leave without giving her the heads up. Regardless of if he owed her an explanation or not.
Number three: Letting Weylan and Gemma know. As the godfather to Hastiin, they were relying on him to be present for Christmas. The least he could do is drop off some gifts before heading out. He could also spend time with his godson before leaving for damn near half a year.