"For what?" he asked.
"For everything." I made a vague gesture with my hand. "The stuff with Chester, the ride back. And that whole scene with my aunt and uncle." I gave a shaky laugh. "Honestly, I'm surprised you're still here."
He frowned. "Like I'd just take off? And let them rob you?"
I shrugged. "I dunno. I mean, who needs the drama, right?"
He gave me a long, penetrating look, and then turned to scan our surroundings. As I watched, he took in the darkened yard; the massive house; and the long, stately driveway that contained only one car, his.
Around us, the estate was utterly silent, except for the rhythmic sounds of waves lapping somewhere below the bluff.
As the seconds ticked away, I tried to see the place through his eyes.
Of course, he wouldn't see it as a giant pile of debt and decay. He'd see it the way everyone else saw it – as a waterfront estate with ornate architecture, a stately boardroom, and multiple balconies overlooking Lake Michigan in all its ocean-like glory.
Plus, there was the size of the house itself. It was big, thousands of square feet, with two stories, a wine cellar, and enough bedrooms and bathrooms for a family of ten, maybe twenty if people doubled up.
But there weren't twenty people. There was just me, all by myself.
As if reading my thoughts, he asked, "Where's everyone else?"
I hesitated. "What do you mean?"
"Earlier today, there were what, twenty, thirty people here?"
I gave it some thought. Yeah, I guess there were, counting all the applicants, along with Derek and the others who'd been helping with the interviews.
And then, there was Joel. I recalled the two interns who'd been slobbering at the sight of him. I couldn’t help but wonder if they'd caught up with him after leaving the boardroom. I had no clue, and didn't want to speculate.
So instead, I said, "Yeah, well, this time of year it gets kind of crazy."
He gave me a penetrating look. "Crazy how?"
I briefly explained that my dad's foundation was headquartered right here in the estate. And that yes, for a few days a year, the place was pretty crazy during business hours, with tours, applicant interviews, and whatnot. But the rest of the time, the estate was just home sweet home.
When I finished, Joel gave the house another long look. His eyebrows furrowed. "You don't live here alone?"
I did, in fact. But it seemed foolish to admit it. So all I said was, "Well, there's my aunt Gina."
Even saying it, my heart ached. Aunt Ginausedto live here, back when I'd been underage and required a guardian. Now, she was living five hours south, thanks to an amazing job offer she'd gotten with the help of Derek's dad.
In spite of her objections, I'd pushed her to take it. It really was a great opportunity, even if I did miss her like crazy.
So here I was, on my own, in a house that was way too big for only me. Some days, it didn't feel like a home at all. It felt like a museum, filled with too many artifacts, and not enough people – especially the two people I missed most.
But crying wouldn’t bring back my parents. I knew this from firsthand experience.
Looking to change the subject, I pointed to the horse, which was still cradled in Joel's muscular arms. "You're probably tired of holding that, huh?"
Funny, he didn'tlooktired. Unlike my uncle, who'd been staggering under its weight, Joel looked like he could lug the horse around all day and not break a sweat.
I glanced up. "Not that youlooklike you're struggling or anything." I cleared my throat. "But seriously, who wants to carry around a horse all day, right? I mean, aren't horses supposed to be carryingus? You know, giddy-up and all that?"
I froze.Giddy-up?
Cripes, I sounded like a complete moron. Hoping he hadn't noticed, I clamped my lips shut and tried to look like Ihadn'tjust been rambling like a missing mental patient.
In front of me, Joel made no reply, and I fought the urge to squirm under his penetrating gaze. Something in his expression told me that he knew exactly what I was doing – avoiding the gist of his question.
