Page 15 of Unraveling Rain
Beat again?
How could she possibly know my heart has been numb since Tiffany?
I chuckle as I shake my head and stand. It must be a coincidence.
“Deal, Granny. You have my word.”
She returns to shuffling her cards, like she already knows the girl is closer than I think.
Chapter 5
Xander
The moment I park in front of the Serene Lookout building, a sense of calm washes over me.
The farmhouse is massive, and the architect did an outstanding job blending it into the landscape. The stone facade gives it a rustic, inviting feel. A wraparound porch stretches across the front, with a swing, several rocking chairs, and flower pots bursting with color.
I head toward one of the chairs, small luggage in hand,and take a seat.
The view leaves me in awe—mountains stretching for miles. The sunrise and sunset from here must be spectacular.
It surprises me how eager I am to catch tomorrow’s sunrise from this very spot, fingers wrapped around a mug of coffee. There must be something in the air already working its magic on my mood.
“You must be Xander,” says a sweet voice behind me, and I jolt.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to spook you,” the voice says quickly.
When I turn around, I see a beautiful redhead woman with a bright smile and sharp green eyes studying me with quiet intent.
I stand and extend my hand. “Yes, hi. I’m Xander González. And you are?”
“Oh my gosh, where are my manners? Mommy brain is real. I’m Ruin Bianchi.”
She seems genuinely happy to see me, her voice full of warmth. But as I take a closer look, I spot dark circles under her eyes. And there’s something familiar about her. She looks just like the redhead from the diner. They must be related.
“Oh. Great to meet you, Ruin,” I say, and we end up standing there in a few awkward beats of silence.
She chuckles and shakes her head. Then she motions for me to come inside. I grab my bags and follow her in.
There’s a small reception desk where a brunette is focused on her computer screen, lazily chewing gum. To the left is a sitting area with bookshelves and what looks like a coffee bar. To the right, glass double doors lead into a gym. From what I can see, it’s packed with machines.
I can’t wait to squeeze in a workout—the drive took a toll on me.
“Xander, this is Vanessa. She’s our amazing receptionist. You can ask her any questions you might have, even food or entertainment suggestions,” Ruin says brightly.
Vanessa’s eyes widen in what can only be described as horror.
The moment Ruin registers what she just said, her face flushes a deep shade of red.
“Oh my. I’m so sorry— I didn’t mean you were the entertainment, Nessa.”
Vanessa turns red, and I can’t help the cackle that bursts out of me.
“Oh no, I’m so sorry, Xander. I promise I’m a professional. It just seems that five p.m. is when my brain decides to shut down,” Ruin says, taking a couple of deep breaths to compose herself.
I follow suit. The last thing I want is to make her feel worse.
“No need to worry, Ruin. I needed that laugh,” I say honestly, and she looks at me with kind eyes.
