Page 7 of Find Me
“Don’t take this question the wrong way, but do you live here alone?” he asked.
I tensed up. It wasn’t wise to advertise that you lived alone to a stranger. Logan would kick my butt if he knew. I forced myself to relax. I’d seen what a monster’s eyes looked like. Colt’s eyes didn’t have a speck of evil in them and my gut told me he was a nice guy.
“Yes.” I could tell he had more questions. They were dancing behind his aquamarine eyes.
“I should get back,” he said, scooping up the containers off the counter. “Thank you for these.”
Relief washed over me, and I followed him back to the front door. When he stepped out onto my porch, he turned back to look at me. “If you ever need anything you can come next door and get me.”
I smiled at the kind offer. “Thank you, Colt. That’s very sweet of you.”
He nodded and took a step back. “I’ll see you around.”
I gave him a little wave and went to shut the door.
“Wait!” he said, and I paused. He balanced the containers in one hand and reached into his back pocket. “We should exchange numbers,” he said as he pulled out his cell phone.
I hesitated.
“You know…for Monday,” he quickly added.
“Okay,” I said and gave him my number.
After Colt left, Monday didn’t seem so nerve wracking.
4
My first nightalone was awful. Every time I heard the slightest noise I’d panic. So sleep never happened. The moment the sun was starting to peek over the mountains surrounding the city, I threw on my workout clothes and went for a run. I needed to burn myself out to the point of not caring. Which entailed me running to the point of throwing up. At least I was home when it happened. I just wasn’t inside. I tried to make it. I was almost to the steps leading up to my porch when my stomach heaved and up came everything I’d eaten the night before.
For a moment I thought I was going to pass out. I needed to breathe like my life depended on it, which it did.Duh. But who could breathe while throwing up at the same time? I heaved twice before I could rein myself in and focus on the delicious air flowing into my lungs. “Crap,” I growled, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.
“Are you alright, Shiloh?” I heard someone say.
With extremely labored breaths and hands on my hips, I turned. Keelan and who I assumed was another one of Colt’s brothers were standing in their driveway watching me. Like the twins and Keelan, the fourth brother had pale blond hair. It was buzzed short, military style, and he had golden brown eyes that matched Keelan’s. You could tell this guy was the oldest of the four Stone brothers and the bulkiest. The dude had some serious muscles.
They were both dressed in athletic wear with gym bags hanging on their shoulders. Maybe they were heading to work out. Their bodies definitely showed that they went to the gym religiously.
At the moment, I was so worn out I didn’t have it in me to feel embarrassed that my neighbors had gotten a front row seat to me barfing my brains out. Not to mention, I was probably red as a tomato and completely soaked with sweat. “Yeah, sorry you had to see that,” I breathed. “I pushed myself too hard this morning.”
“How long did you run for?” asked the brother whose name I didn’t know.
I pulled my phone out to look at the time. “A little over four hours.”
Keelan whistled. “Are you training for a marathon?”
I shook my head. “I just like to run.”
The older brother frowned a little as he studied me.
“Well, make sure you drink water and take it easy,” Keelan said and waved. They both climbed into the old classic car I’d seen them working on the day after I moved in.
Before heading in, I grabbed the hose from the side of the house to clean up my vomit. Exhaustion set in once I got inside and I didn’t make it past my couch. My legs felt like spaghetti and putting one foot in front of the other required way more work than I had the energy for. Instead of dragging myself to the bathroom to take a shower that I desperately needed, I plopped down on the couch and let myself drift off to sleep.
* * *
“Shi, have you seen my rose gold cuff?” Shayla asked as she dug through her jewelry box on her dresser.
I leaned against her bedroom door frame with a scowl. I couldn’t believe she was going to another party. She’d already lost her driving privileges from the last party she’d gotten caught at last weekend. “Mom and Dad are going to kill you if you come home drunk again,” I warned.
