Page 20 of Hideaway Heart

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When we got back to the house after grocery shopping, I realized I’d forgotten the code for the front door. While Xander stood holding four grocery bags in his arms, I tried a few different number combinations I thought it might be, but nothing was right.

I turned to him sheepishly. “I forgot it.”

“So now what?”

“I have to check my email.” I dug through my purse for my phone and discovered it wasn’t in there. “Shoot. You know what? I was so excited to escape you this morning, I guess I ran out without it.”

Xander sighed heavily, setting down the grocery bags and reaching into his back pocket. “Can you log in on my phone?”

“Yes.” I took his phone, logged into my account through the app, and located the forwarded email from Jess. Once the door was open, I handed his phone back to him. “Success!”

He looked at the screen and frowned. “You didn’t log out.”

“Do I need to? Are you going to steal my identity or something?”

That earned me a scathing glare. “Any time you log in on someone else’s device, you should log out. Are you changing your passwords frequently enough?”

“Define ‘enough.’”

“Every three months.”

“Then no.”

Grumbling, he tucked his phone back into his pocket and picked up the bags again.

After we put the groceries away, I found a blender in one of the cupboards and made myself a smoothie. Feeling magnanimous, I even offered one to Xander, who was back in his front porch office, but he declined. I noticed he’d kept his groceries separate from mine—he had his own little section in the fridge and kept the other stuff in plastic bags at one end of the counter.

Ridiculous. Did he think I was going to steal his eggs? His protein bars? Maybe he was worried I’d get my hands on his salami.

That actually made me laugh.

Smoothie in hand, I packed a bag with some sunscreen, a floppy hat, a beach towel, my notebook full of lyrics, a pencil, and a paperback. Then I went out to one of the Adirondack chairs at the side of the house and stretched out the towel.

After spraying myself down with SPF 50, I spent the next several hours happily reading romance in the sunshine. I only looked up when a huge shadow fell across my face.

Xander stood between me and the sky. “Hey.”

“You’re blocking my sun,” I said, sliding my sunglasses to the top of my head.

“I’m going inside to make a sandwich.”

“Okay. Maybe while you’re eating your lunch, I’ll get my run in.”

“No.” He shook his head. “You’re not to take a run alone. I’ll go with you.”

“I can’t evenjogalone? Nobody’s here! I didn’t see a single soul when I ran yesterday.” I gestured toward the woods.

Frowning, he scanned the perimeter. “This area isn’t secure. There’s no gate on the driveway. I have no idea where the fences are. Anyone could be lurking around here.”

“So you’re just going to trot along behind me? Lurking?”

“Yes.”

I lowered my shades over my eyes again. “This vacation sucks.”

“Don’t be so dramatic,” he said. “You won’t even know I’m there.” A hint of a smirk. “Unless you want to race me.”