I should be used to it from Ellis, but it gives me a quick jolt.

“Señor Wagner,” she greets, but her dark eyes are unreadable.

“Yes, Maritza.” I nod. “Something wrong?”

“There is a storm coming tonight,” she tells me calmly.

I frown. “I checked the weather before we came. There weren’t supposed to be any storms this week.”

She nods. “Sí, but storms in this region can change suddenly. It is not expected to be dangerous, but there will be heavy rain and strong winds throughout the night. Maybe through tomorrow as well.”

I glance toward the open terrace doors. The sky is still clear, the breeze warm and gentle. There’s no sign of an impending storm, but I don’t spend much time here, so it’s possible that the weather is less predictable here than athome.

“I see,” I say. “Do we need to prepare to leave?”

“That won’t be necessary,” Maritza assures me. “We will prepare the house, secure the patio furniture, and make sure everything is in order. It would be best if everyone stays inside once the storm begins.”

I nod, already running through a mental checklist. “Understood. Let me know if you need anything. I’m heading up for a bit. Don’t let Robbie back out if he comes down before me.”

She gives me a small nod. “Of course, Señor.” Then she steps aside, letting me pass.

As I continue up the stairs, my mind shifts between two concerns—Annie and the storm.

I don’t like unpredictability.

And tonight, I suddenly have two things I can’t control.

I take the stairs two at a time, my footsteps light against the polished wood.

When I reach Annie’s door, I pause for a second, listening.

Silence.

I knock, firm but not impatient.

A few seconds pass before I hear movement inside. Then,her voice, soft, calling out, “Come in.”

I step inside, shutting the door behind me. Annie is sitting on the edge of the bed, her hands resting lightly on her lap. She looks… tired.

Not in the way she does after a long day of running around with Robbie, when she’s laughing and stretching her sore muscles. This is different. She looks drained, like something’s weighing on her.

Her blonde hair is damp, the ends curling slightly against her bare shoulders. She’s wearing a soft and loose sun dress, different from the one she wore to town earlier. Comfortable. Relaxed. But there’s nothing relaxed about the way she looks at me.

I take a step closer, watching her reaction carefully. “You’ve been up here a while.”

She exhales through her nose, a small smile pulling at her lips, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “Yeah, I guess I lost track of time.”

I cross my arms, tilting my head slightly. “You missed pre-dinner hors d’oeuvres. Maritza has been cooking all afternoon.”

Her fingers pick at the hem of her shorts. “I wasn’t really hungry.”

I don’t buy that. If there’s anything the gala a few weeks ago taught me, it’s that Annie loves hors d’oeuvres. And she definitely wouldn’t willingly miss Maritza’s cooking, even after only having it a couple of times.

I sit down beside her, close enough that our knees almost touch. “What’s going on?”

She shakes her head. “Nothing, I just—” She stops, exhales, and tries again. “I just needed some time to myself.”

I study her face, searching for the truth in her expression. “You sure about that?”