The smell of bacon lured me out of my deep sleep. Despite the chilly room, I was warm and cozy under the covers. I stretched my legs out of habit and cringed when pain shot through my ankle in response.
The harsh sunlight felt like tiny pinpricks drilling into my head, and my body ached all over. Opening my eyes, I groaned as I realized I was waking up yet again in the cabin. Remembering scenes from the night before, I turned onto my stomach, burrowing into the covers and burying my head under the pillow. I can’t go out there, I thought. I can’t face them.
I briefly contemplated another escape attempt before hunger finally got the best of me, and I swung my feet to the floor. Standing up took significant effort; my ankle wobbled and protested against the slightest pressure. As sore as my ankle had been yesterday, today it felt a thousand times worse.
Stumbling through the forest in the dark was a great idea. And what did it even get me? I was back where I started, in more pain, and no closer to finding my dad. At least Knox promised me answers today. Remembering the feel of Knox’s arms surrounding me, my skin tingled involuntarily. Hopefully I could avoid that reaction when I saw him in person.
Still wearing Ethan’s boxers and Chase’s sweatshirt, I ran my fingers through my hair and smoothed my mismatched clothing. I straightened my shoulders, summoning the courage to face whoever was on the other side of the door. Ethan? Chase? Knox? All three? Just thinking about them made my heart beat a little faster.
I crept toward the bedroom door and slowly turned the knob, wanting to stay invisible as long as possible. The smell of bacon intensified and my stomach growled in response. Peeking out, I could see legs hanging over the arm of the couch. One guy, check. From the kitchen came sounds of cooking, the faint sizzle of something hitting a hot pan, the light sound of metal clanking against a dish. Two guys, check. I drew a deep breath and forced myself to step out from the safety of the bedroom.
I took a few steps before my ankle gave out, and I stumbled forward awkwardly. Great, so much for staying invisible. Arms flailing, I attempted to catch my balance while Chase popped up from his seat on the couch and held out a hand, offering to steady me. His smile was warm, and for a moment I felt even more unstable. I clasped my hand on his forearm, grateful for the support, and smiled in return.
Chase led me to the table and pulled out a chair, patiently waiting as I sat down. Glancing around, I wasn’t surprised to see Ethan busy at the stove. He wore a navy and pale orange patterned button-down shirt that was rolled up at the sleeves. The top two buttons were undone, providing a glimpse of his powerful chest muscles beneath. With his shirt tucked into his jeans, his brown leather belt accentuated his tapered waistline in contrast to his broad shoulders. His patterned socks made me smile; today’s choice was houndstooth. I wonder if his boxers match.
“Good morning, sleepy head.” His voice was cheerful and I sensed a note of mocking.
“Smells good,” I said, ignoring his tone. He quickly plated the breakfast and set a dish in front of me before joining us at the table. I relaxed a little, feeling less awkward about last night. I took a few bites and reminded myself to eat slowly, savoring the flavors as I felt the edge of my hunger start to fade.
Knox suddenly appeared at the sliding glass door to the deck, and I gripped the sides of the chair to steady myself. Chase turned toward me, a concerned look crossing his face.
As Knox slid the door open, Ethan smirked. “Don’t worry, Knox doesn’t bite.”
My mouth felt dry, and I doubted my ability to speak even if I wanted to. In the light of day, Knox was still intimidating. I hadn’t been imagining things last night; he really was as solid as a brick wall. He was just a hair shorter than Ethan—who I had gauged was close to six and a half feet tall—but he was much broader, with wide shoulders.
Knox’s dark blond hair grazed his cheeks and fell over part of his face. A dark V-neck shirt clung to his chest, covered by a worn, brown leather jacket. Relaxed jeans and motorcycle boots completed the look. If Chase looked like the blond All-American, Knox was the blond bad boy through and through.
Surrounded by Ethan, Chase, and Knox, I was tongue-tied. Pretending to be absorbed in my breakfast, I observed them one by one. They were each remarkable in their own way, but together, the three were almost more than I could take.
I was interrupted from my thoughts by Ethan. “Haley. Earth to Haley. Feeling okay?”
I nodded, lazily swatting away his hand that was reaching out toward my forehead as if to check my temperature. The corner of his lip twitched upward, and his eyes flickered with amusement as he resumed eating. After a few bites, he looked at me. “Speaking of. How is your ankle feeling today?”
I pushed my food around a little before speaking in a quiet voice, still focused on the plate in front of me. “It feels fine, I guess.”
He scoffed. “I’m sure it does after walking on it all night. Do you mind if I take a quick look at it?”
“No,” I replied, avoiding looking him in the eyes. I felt the most guilty facing Ethan after running away; probably because he had taken care of me and spent so much time with me yesterday. He very gently lifted my leg and rested my foot on his thigh. Inspecting my ankle, he lightly pushed at the swelling before placing my foot back on the ground.
“I think you’ll live,” he said with a slight smile.
Ethan looked me directly in the eye, his rich brown eyes holding my attention until he finished giving his orders. “Stay off that ankle today, Haley. I mean it. Rest it, ice it, and take the medicine I gave you yesterday. Don’t put any weight on it; Chase and Knox will help you get around when you need to. We will have to get you some crutches later.”
Before I could respond, Ethan pushed his chair back from the table and headed toward the sink to rinse his dish. I didn’t realize he was leaving until he walked to the door, pausing only to grab a brown leather satchel. “I’ll see you later. Play nice.” He winked at me before closing the door behind him.
I gulped, realizing I was alone with Knox and Chase. Although I didn’t know Ethan well, I felt like I knew him better than the other two. We finished our breakfast and Chase asked if I would like to shower. I attempted to get up from the table but felt myself falling back into the chair when my ankle refused to cooperate.
Chase shot me a kind, understanding smile and rose from his chair. “Here, allow me.” He pulled out my chair and then held out his hand, palm up. I grasped his forearm, enjoying the warmth of his skin under the golden blond hair and the lean muscles that flexed in response to my touch. Once I was standing, he turned so we walked side-by-side and shifted his weight to bear more of my own.
I felt my cheeks redden at the intimacy and looked toward the floor, letting my hair cover my face. Closing the bathroom door behind him, I found that someone had laid out clean clothes for me on the counter. Thinking back to day I met Chase at the library and what he was wearing, I wondered if the olive-colored raglan shirt belonged to him. With Ethan’s affinity for patterns, I would have been surprised if the shirt and solid gray sweat pants were his.
I also noted the addition of conditioner and a comb. Hmm, was that a hint that my hair was a mess? I showered quickly, then ran the comb through my hair and put on the clothes. After walking around in Ethan’s boxers all day yesterday, I was happy for the sweats even though I had to roll up the waist and hem to keep from tripping on them. I unlocked the door, tentatively wondering what to expect for the day.
As soon as the door was open, Chase was there to meet me. I felt his eyes glance over me and then linger briefly before he quickly looked away. I blushed, wondering if I looked even more ridiculous than I realized. He stepped beside me and attempted to guide me as he had before, allowing me some space and letting me lean on his forearm.
Although my shower had been brief, standing for so long had taken its toll. I started to lose my balance, and Chase reached a broad arm around me, supporting and warming me. He drew my arm up around his shoulder, gently holding on to my waist as he helped me hop across the room. Being so close to him was intoxicating.
A couple of days ago, I would have gone into shock at the contact. But, I could already feel myself getting comfortable with these guys. Well, Chase and Ethan, at least. Chase cleared his throat. “How about the couch so you can put your foot up?” I nodded at his suggestion then quickly regretted it when I saw Knox already sitting on the chair nearby.
After I was settled on the couch, Chase grabbed an ice pack from the freezer. Wrapping it in a towel, he placed it carefully over my ankle. My stomach fluttered and I smiled inwardly, reveling in how sweet and good-looking he was. I hated feeling dependent on anyone, but if it had to be someone, Chase was definitely an attractive option.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Knox thread his fingers through his hair, pulling it away from his face. Too curious about him to resist, I turned my head to take a closer look. At least a day’s worth of scruff covered his face; it was a slightly darker color than his hair and created the illusion of a shadow. The V-neck T-shirt left little to the imagination, revealing powerful chest muscles beneath its thin fabric. The hint of a tattoo snaked down his formidable bicep. I couldn’t make out the design and wished I could see the rest of it. I wonder if he has any other tattoos?
My cheeks started to heat at the thought of inspecting Knox’s bare skin for more tattoos. Instead, I forced myself to focus on the dark leather bracelet that rested on one wrist. He sat in a relaxed posture, one ankle rested on the opposite knee, focused on his phone.
Suddenly he looked up, catching me before I could look away. Embarrassed, I quickly looked down, acting absorbed in my hands. Chase finally came to join us in the living room. Before he sat down, Chase asked, “Need anything, Haley?”
I shook my head and smiled. “I’m good, thanks.” Under my breath I added, “Unless you guys want to give me some answers.”
Knox glowered at me. “Answers, huh?” I opened my mouth, surprised he heard my comment. I pressed my lips together tightly, unsure what to do. I felt like a boxer dancing around the ring, waiting for my opponent to throw the first punch.