Day 1
Rhylan did not make a sound during the car journey from the airport. Apparently, he had decided to give me even more space after we landed, and occupied his time with checking my phone and scanning the apps. I did not know or care how he got hold of it, but it was keeping him occupied, with his mouth shut. I especially loved the second part.
The only time we spoke during the landing was to devise a plan, which apparently he had already taken care of and I only had to be instructed as to how to act and what lies to tell my family.
I had to present Rhylan Gordon as a big investor I met during my travels, whom I invited to talk through my business plans and strategy, but he had always been so busy. Until he found himself suddenly in need of a vacation, which I was more than glad to provide for him. In my own home. With my family.
Even though I tried to tell him repeatedly that it would not go well with my parents and the plan was not believable, he was obstinate to such a level that I gave up trying to convince him. I knew for a fact that my dad would not believe anything that came out of his mouth, especially that I invited someone to spend time with us without consulting with him first. Also, that someone was a sexy dark haired gorgeous man.
It would definitely not go well with my dad.
I sighed, knowing that after a long flight, I had to expect an even longer evening. The only good part of all this was that, soon it would be nightfall and I could go to sleep and wake up to only forty-three days of Rhylan’s company. I had already counted and recounted, even set one of those countdown timers on my phone and set several daily alerts to issue notifications at specific times throughout the day. I had to focus on the bigger goal here, and if seeing Ansgar again would cost me forty-four miserable days, it meant nothing compared to the happiness I would finally feel after holding him again.
“There’s that hope shining in you,” Rhylan decided to analyse my feelings. Or better said, the colour of them. Right.
“Can you just shut up for the rest of the journey, please?” I sighed noisily, tired of Rhylan’s perpetual desire to hear his own voice.
“You are distracted and probably have lots of ideas going through your head, but even I know that we have arrived.”
As soon as he said it, I realised the car just pulled into the patio and started circling the fountain, bringing us only a few feet from the entrance door, which had already opened and some of the staff prepared to welcome me and carry my bags back to my room.
“Are you sure I can’t convince you to stay at a hotel? I’ll get you the best one in the city,” I pleaded one last time, even though all my requests for Rhylan to find a different home ended up in rejections. He had an unshakable determination to live in our house, and no matter what I proposed, he did not give up.
“And miss all the fun? I want a room next to yours,” the faerie said with a smile and opened the car door to exit on his side.
I took a deep breath but before I could expel it back, the door opened and Rhylan was the one to offer me his hand and help me out of the car. A true gentleman, I huffed, understanding that he had already adopted his new role.
I wondered if he could actually pull this off. After all, he convinced me that he was a guard back in Evigt, so playing a classy gentleman in front of my parents shouldn’t be as difficult.
“No, thank you,” I replied and helped myself out of the car.
Albert, one of the older members of staff came by my side to welcome me as soon as he spotted me.
“Welcome back, miss Anwen. Dinner is half an hour away should you wish to freshen up after your travels. And welcome, mister…” he stopped, awaiting the necessary introduction.
I remained silent and forced Rhylan to introduce himself. The deal did not consist of me playing his puppet with every single person we met.
“Thank you, Albert,” I said, ignoring Rhylan and making my way inside. Unfortunately, the man was too kind and Albert’s voice stopped me in my tracks.
“Will Mister Gordon require accommodation?”
I should have said no, I should have ignored the question, but after all the dismissals my pleas had received, I knew negating his visit would only waste more time.
“Yes, please find him a room on the second floor, it can be the one between mine and Erik’s if it’s not occupied.”
I knew it wouldn’t be, no one had set foot on the second floor apart from me and Marissa, the woman who used to babysit us, who was the only one allowed to wander through my wardrobe and bathroom. Since Erik passed, the room between ours, the one we had used as neutral territory during our childhood fights, remained unoccupied, since Erik’s room turned into a mausoleum of his memories.
“O…of course,“ Albert couldn’t contain his surprise and immediately rushed back inside, almost knocking me over to make the arrangements.
If Rhylan was surprised, he did not show it and only made a hand gesture to signal me to enter first. I knew dad had to be in some sort of meeting in his study and mom either entertained or relaxed in her room with a glass of wine, so there was no use hunting them around the house when I would see them in thirty minutes.
I started climbing the stairs and pushed Rhylan to do the same until we reached the second floor. He could get the tour tomorrow after I slept and lost at least some part of the urging desire to kill him for forcing me into this.
“Your room,” I pointed to the door. “Erik’s is down the hall, mine is that way,” I signalled with lazy hand gestures. “You are not allowed in either,” I demanded sharply, to which he nodded.
Leaving him to his own company, I turned and opened the door to my own room. As soon as I did, I heard music and knew Cressida had to accompany the sound.
“Bestie!” I heard her snicker.
