Chapter 4

POV: Rhys Anderson

The estate was beautiful and was surrounded by trees and flowers, letting a gentle breeze into people’s homes. There was never a doubt about Nathan’s taste in houses, although his dress sense could always be questioned.

“What do you think, man?” He asked, standing in front of one of the luxurious mansions in the estate, which was going to be my home for the next few months...maybe weeks, depending on how fast I was in getting done with my mission.

I removed the dark sunglasses covering my eyes, nodding my head, impressed with his choice.

“It’s worth the millions of dollars you spent on it,” I said, then put back on my sunglasses.

He chuckled. “I knew you’d have my head if I didn’t spend your money wisely,” Nathan said.

“You know me well,” I said.

“We’ve been friends for as long as I can remember. Why wouldn’t I know you?” He asked in a rhetorical manner, with a smile plastered on his face.

“You’re very right. I hope everywhere has been tidied up,” I said, looking around the house.

“Yeah. I made sure it was cleaned thoroughly,” He said to me.

“Good, because I intend on moving in today. My suitcases are already in the trunk of my car and I can’t wait to rest, hopefully, sleep peacefully on the bed in my bedroom. Before I get my hopes up, there’s a bed in my bedroom, right?” I asked.

He rolled his eyes. “No, you’re meant to sleep on the tiles. Of course, there’s a bed in your bedroom,” Nathan said.

“Perfect. All that’s left is a good and warm bath. I’ll just have my bath and sleep. Please, have mac and cheese prepared by the time I wake up. I know that’s what you cook best,” I said to him.

“Sure,” He said, as the smile gradually dried up from his face.

“I’ll be inside,” I told him, and began to stroll causally into the mansion.

“Rhys,” He called, his voice laced with annoyance that he seemed to be desperately trying to hide.

I turned back around, putting my hands in my pockets. “Yeah?”

“Who are you leaving your suitcases for?” He asked, arching his brows with suspicion directed towards me.

I shrugged my shoulders. “You, obviously,” I replied, with a nonchalant expression.

“Hello? You said you were coming to Texas. I left what I was doing at San Francisco, met with several house realtors just to get somewhere comfortable that matched your taste, and prepared virtually everything for your coming. What do I get in return? No thank you, no nothing. All you do is order me around forgetting that I am not your servant,” He said, slightly taking me aback.

“I never said you were my servant,” I objected, surprised at his outburst.

“Then, why do you ask me to do practically everything for you?” He questioned, sighing in exasperation.

“That’s easy. I do that because you’re the only person I can trust,” I told him.

He seemed to have cooled off a little bit, and I smiled inwardly. “Still, you should be a little more appreciative when I do stuff for you,” He said.

I nodded my head, agreeing with him. “I will try. Now, can you stop being upset with me?” I inquired, extending my arms for a hug.

He walked right into my embrace and I snuggled him closely. “I’m not upset,” He said.

“Good. You wouldn’t mind bringing in my suitcases, right?” I questioned, and he immediately withdrew from my embrace.

On his forehead were lines of clearly visible anger, and I tried so hard to not laugh out loud, lest he got any more upset than he already was.

“I knew you were going to ask me to do stuff for you again,” He said, adjusting his glasses.

“And I know you’re just going to do it anyway since you want me to put in a word for you as regards to that receptionist you came across in the hotel I just checked out of,” I told him, with a wink from my left eye.

This act only infuriated him the more, and he seemed more upset. “Why did you have to bring her into this discussion?” He asked.

I shrugged. “I don’t know, but I thought that reminding you that you could only smash that lady with my help, was quite necessary at a time like this. Thanks in advance for bringing in my luggage. I’ll see you inside,” I told him, with a smirk playing around my lips.

“Rhys!” He exclaimed, throwing tantrums like a little child.

“Nathan!” I retorted, using the same tone of voice he had used. With a cheeky smile, I then turned around and began to walk away.

“I hope you remember that you blackmailed a friend someday, and be filled with regrets,” He called after me, in a loud voice.

“You’re the bestest friend ever,” I retorted, opening the door.

“There’s no word like that,” He called back.

“English can kiss my ass for all I care,” I retorted, then slammed the door, but not before I heard him grunt out loud in frustration.

When I stepped into the house, I didn’t even make it to the bedroom before collapsing on the sofa, tired and exhausted from not doing pretty much anything.

“Shoes,” Nathan said, coming in a few seconds later, as he kicked my feet off the sofa.

“You’re my friend, not my mum,” I said, putting my legs back on the sofa.

He attacked me with a pair of scissors, and I immediately removed my legs from the sofa. “You’re such a killjoy,” I commented.

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” He said to me, wheeling the suitcases away.

“Do you go about carrying a pair of scissors around now?” I inquired in a loud voice.

“Only when I know a child in a man’s body is coming around,” He retorted.

Heaving a sigh, I smiled broadly.

Nathan was my best friend. We had met at church when our mothers both dumped us at the children section. While I was always talking and asking irrelevant questions, he was rather reserved and calm. I liked to pinch him on the arm and disturb him a lot, but he wouldn’t say anything...not to me or even report me to the Sunday school teacher or his mother.

We were just two years old back then, but as time progressed, we became good friends. I couldn’t wait to speak to him about a whole lot of things on Sunday since I was an only child and had no one to talk to at home, and he was a good listener. He would listen attentively and he soon became a talkative like myself, but not as bad as myself.

Nathan was the best friend anyone could ask for, and even after all these years, despite our separate lives and distance, we still found ways to connect to each other. He was the only true friend I had ever known, and he was the only person that ever got me.

“What are you thinking of?” I heard him ask, jolting me from my thoughts.

“You,” I replied, with a chuckle.

“Stop lying for no reason,” He said, with a sneer.

“I am not lying,” I said, in all honesty, but of course, Nathan did not believe me.

“You’re thinking about the lipstick girl from yesterday, not so?” He asked, looking directly into my eyes.

“Are you insane? Why would I think of someone like that?” I retorted, giving him a glare that made him dart his eyes away from mine.

He shrugged his shoulders. “What’s wrong with thinking about her? You refused to wash the shirt she stained with her lipstick and you were smiling in your thoughts. So far, that’s the only woman you’ve mentioned since you and I reunited and I bet she caught your attention with the way you described her to me yesterday,” Nathan said.

I coughed out loud, acting like I was about to puke because of the disgusting words he had just spilled. “Jeez, Nathan! Why would you think that I would spare someone that I hated on our first meeting, even the slightest amount of thought?” I asked him.

“Maybe because you had the same smile on your face like the one you had on when you were telling me about her,” He said.

I sat up on the sofa immediately, staring at him with distaste. “This just became so gross. If I spend any more time with you, I sure as hell will vomit my lungs out,” I stated, then stood up immediately and began to walk in the direction of the passage.

“Where are you off to?” Nathan demanded.

“I want to have my bath and sleep in the bedroom, of course. If I stay here and listen to any more of your nonsense, it will take a toll on my health,” I said to him.

He chuckled softly, then as I made to go in, we heard a knock on the door.

“Are you expecting anyone?” I asked.

“No. Are you expecting someone?” Nathan asked.

“I don’t even know my way around the estate yet, nor do I know anyone in Texas, and you believe I could be expecting someone?” I retorted.

“No need to be so rude about it,” He said, then gestured for me to open the door.

I made signs that I wasn’t interested as I was already on my way inside, then he pointed at himself to show me that he couldn’t be the one to open it since he was clad in only his underwear.

I rolled my eyes in frustration, and he pleaded with a whisper.

Angrily, I stormed off to the door, and without bothering to check the peephole first to see who was standing at the door, I opened the door just to know who it was, so that the person could be done with his business and leave immediately.

My precious sleep was waiting and I needed it badly, but sleep vanished from my eyes the very moment I saw who was standing by my door in just shorts and a pink tank top.

My dark blue eyes met with her doe-like hazel eyes, and upon recognising each other, our mouths flew agape; more in shock than in surprise.