Page 23 of Falling Hard for the Billionaire Cowboy

As I'm arranging my clothes in the wardrobe of one of the bedrooms, I'm suddenly reminded of the expression on Austin's face earlier as I drove away from him. “What did he expect? It was so obvious” I giggle before I can stop myself.

I catch myself pausing, a frown settling between my brows as I realize I'm laughing because of him. "This is only the beginning," I grumble, folding another blouse with perhaps more force than necessary.

By the time I've done the whole cottage, it's already evening, and I'm starving. My stomach growls loudly, reminding me that I haven't eaten since breakfast. I move to the kitchen, relieved to see that there are pots and kettles available. But as I open the fridge, I realize I've forgotten the most important thing - groceries.

"Oh, come on!" I groan, smacking my forehead. "How could I be so stupid?"

The thought of driving back to town seems like telling me to crawl on my knees on gravel while carrying a rock on my back – that is how tired I am at the moment. Plus, my shoulder blades are strung tight, making me feel the pressure even more. It would take hours to go back and forth, and it just seems impossible.

“A little cup of water should do the trick,” I mumble, but it did not.

Who am I kidding?

Sighing, I run a hand through my hair. "Guess it's a hunger strike for me tonight," I mutter, deciding to take a shower instead. The thought of going to bed hungry isn't appealing, but considering all the sleep I've missed lately, I'll probably sleep through the hunger pangs.

I turn on the light in the bathroom, grateful for the warm glow. As I'm washing my face with soap suds threatening to drip into my eyes, the light suddenly goes out.

I mean, I know my eyes are closed. But you can just immediately feel, or should I say see it when the lights are off.

"You've got to be kidding me," I splutter, trying to rinse my face in the dark.

I'm not afraid of the dark, not really, but there's just something about being in a pitch-black bathroom that creeps me out. It’s like something is waiting to jump out.

I quickly rush out, blinking rapidly as my eyes sting from the soap. I try the switch outside the bathroom, but it's no use - the bulb seems to be completely dead.

"Great. Just great," I grumble, grabbing my phone to use as a makeshift flashlight.

As I finish my shower using my phone flashlight, I realize it's not just the bathroom light that's gone out. My bedroom is dark too, though I can still see light coming from the kitchen and front porch. One of the circuits must have tripped.

"I bet if he saw me now, he'd be delighted," I scoff, thinking of Austin's smug face. I can almost hear his voice: "Need some help with that, princess?"

Frustrated, I quickly dress in the dark, wrap myself in a large blanket, and prop a pillow behind my back. I'm sitting up in bed, and the only light in the room is the glow of my phone screen when a thought resurfaces.

"I should call Mom and Dad," I murmur, pulling up their contact.

I try to video call them, but it's not connecting. They must be out of coverage. With a sigh, I switch to email instead, quickly typing out a message:

"Hey, Mom and Dad,

Made it to the cottage safely. Everything's fine here, just a bit dusty. Had to do some cleaning, but it's cozy now. Hope you're having a great time on your trip! Love you both.

Don’t worry if you can't reach me - cell service is a bit spotty out here too."

I hesitate for a moment before hitting send, wondering if I should mention the fight with Austin or the electrical issues. In the end, I decide against it. They don't need to know about the drama, and I don't want them to worry.

As I set my phone aside, I consider sleeping in the living room where there's still light. But the thought of the cold that might creep in during the night makes me shiver. No, better to stay in bed, even if it is dark.

I begin tossing and turning, my mind racing with thoughts of moving in, the cottage, and what tomorrow might bring. Despite my hunger and the unfamiliar surroundings, I find myself drifting off to sleep.

Just before I slip into unconsciousness, a final thought flits through my mind: "I wonder what he’s doing right now..."

As I drift off, a frown settles between my brows. It seems to remain that way until I wake up.

***

It’s early, but at this moment, all I can feel is pure euphoria after what feels like hours of pure uninterrupted sleep. And now, with my hands stretched right above my head, ironing out the kinks, I couldn’t feel any better.

But almost immediately, I’m greeted by two unwelcome sensations. First, there is a sharp pain in my neck, courtesy of the odd angle I'd slept at. Second, it's still pitch dark inside the room. It seems my phone must have died in the middle of the night since I didn't charge it at all yesterday.

---