Chapter 90
Aaron couldn't understand why anyone would fight over staying in this shabby temple. What was the appeal?
"Edward, how can you sleep in a place like this?" He asked.
"I'm staying. You go back," Edward replied flatly.
Aaron fell silent.
'Great. Use me and lose me, why don't you?'
The young boy, Gage Green, led Edward back to his room, leaving Aaron standing alone in the courtyard.
'Whatever. Don't I know Edward by now?'
He always said the opposite of what he felt.
Might as well do a good deed.
After a moment's hesitation, he walked to Adeline's door and knocked.
Adeline opened it. "Need something?"
"We didn't hike up this mountain because we were bored out of our minds," Aaron said. "We came because someone disappeared from the village in the middle of the night without a word, and Edward was worried enough to insist on searching."
Adeline froze. "He was worried about me?"
The question sounded strange, even to her ears.
"I've said what I needed to say," Aaron replied coolly.
"Believe it or not, that's up to you. You should know Edward's personality better than I do. He's never good with words. Even when he genuinely cares, he can't express it properly. Not that I'm saying this to make you swoon and pledge yourself to him or anything."
His opinion on the matter hadn't changed.
"I just don't want you fighting with him right now and wasting his good intentions."
Adeline was quiet for a moment. "I understand. Thank you."
Aaron glanced at his watch. "It wasn't just Edward and me looking for you tonight. Other villagers are still out searching. I'm heading back down to let them know we found you."
Adeline couldn't understand how things had developed this way. Hadn't she been driven away? Now the villagers were out searching for her?
"Do you want me to go down the mountain with you?" She offered.
"No, you'd better stay put," he said.
Aaron turned to leave, his gaze unconsciously drifting toward Edward's door.
'So someone won't worry.'
Back in her room, Adeline found she couldn't enjoy the peaceful silence like before.
She hated owing people favors.
Especially Edward.
Just then, Gage appeared carrying two bowls of simple pasta. Each bowl had only a few strands with two pitiful basil leaves floating on top.
Adeline hurried over to help.
"Are these for Edward and me?" She asked.
Gage nodded. "Father Martin says retreat guests must eat simple food. I made pasta."
"You made these yourself?"
"Yes! I'm a good cook."
'Such a young kid already cooking,' Adeline thought as they carried the pasta to Edward's room. "Where is Father Martin?" She asked casually.
Gage lowered his head. "In his quarters. He doesn't like meeting visitors."
By then, they'd reached Edward's door.
Adeline gestured for Gage to knock.
The door opened quickly. Edward stood there, giving them both an icy stare.
"What?"
That cold expression could keep most people at a distance.
Adeline held out the pasta. "Gage made this for you."
"Not necessary. I'm not hungry."
"He already made it. Just try a bite."
It was Gage's thoughtful gesture, after all. Plus, Adeline had her own agenda in bringing it over.
A small way to repay Edward's concern.
Edward saw right through her. "Feeling guilty?"
Adeline said nothing.
He was as annoying as ever.
"Are you going to eat this or not? If not, I'm taking it back," Adeline said, eyeing the sad few strands in the bowl. "I could finish both portions myself."
"Two bowls? Dream on."
Edward grabbed his bowl and snatched Adeline's too before turning back into his room.
Adeline watched helplessly as the steaming pasta disappeared. Normally, she would have charged in and demanded her bowl back.
But...
"Edward was worried enough to insist on searching for you."
Aaron's words kept echoing in her mind. Adeline sighed softly.
Whatever. Edward always ate a lot anyway.
She turned and left.
Gage had been watching the entire exchange, not quite understanding the complicated emotional dance between the adults. He peeked his head through the doorway, confused.
He saw Edward standing there with a dark expression.
"Were you waiting for the pretty lady to eat pasta with you?" Gage asked.
"No," Edward denied stiffly, then closed the door.
As he turned away, he muttered under his breath, "So stupid."
Both bowls of pasta ended up in Edward's stomach. Only after finishing did he have time to survey his surroundings.
The accommodations were truly awful.
There was a gaping hole in the ceiling, the windows were broken, and cold air whistled through continuously.
If it rained, this would become a room with an ocean view.
Even worse than the village houses.
---
Adeline sat on her bed, hugging her knees, gazing at the moonlight through the window.
In the stillness of the night, unwanted thoughts always crept in.
Knowing they were wrong didn't stop them from coming.
Suddenly, someone knocked on her door.
Then Edward's voice, "Pack your things. Come with me."
"Where to?"
"Back down the mountain."
Adeline refused. "If you want to go down, go ahead. I want to stay here tonight."
This place was completely removed from the noise of the world.
Extraordinarily quiet.
Adeline realized she quite liked this environment.
"This building isn't habitable," Edward knocked again. "It's going to rain tonight. The roof leaks."
Adeline examined the ceiling. It did indeed leak.
But the leak was in the center, away from the bed.
"It's fine. The leak isn't that bad where I am."
Edward's voice grew colder, "Open the door."
Adeline sighed and slowly went to open it.
The moment the door opened, Edward barged in and grabbed her backpack.
Adeline clutched the other strap.
"I told you I'm not leaving."
"What's so great about staying in this place?"
"I just don't want to go back. I came here to get away, so naturally I want to stay somewhere I like. If you want to leave, you can go by yourself."
Adeline glanced at the sky through the doorway.
"If you're going, I suggest you leave soon. It's going to rain any minute."
"You're sure you won't come back?"
"I'm sure."
Edward suddenly released the bag. Adeline had been gripping it so tightly that she stumbled backward several steps.
"Suit yourself." Edward turned and left.
When he returned to his room, he found Aaron waiting inside.
"Want to head down the mountain with me?" Aaron offered.
Edward shook his head. "I'm staying for now."
Aaron looked exasperated. "You're hopeless, you know that?"
"I don't have a terminal illness."
Why did he keep saying I was hopeless?
Aaron pushed his glasses up and analyzed the situation rationally. "Look at you. The minute you heard Adeline was missing, you rushed up the mountain without a thought for your own safety. Now that we've found her, you could come back down with me, but you refuse. Tell me, why are you planning to stay? Is it the scenic beauty of this old monastery that's captivated you?"
The building was old, decrepit, and falling apart.
Leaking roof, drafty windows—basically, holes everywhere you looked.
It had absolutely nothing to do with scenic beauty.
Edward gave him a cool glance. "You're unusually talkative today."
"I'm not being talkative. You're the one acting weird." Aaron shrugged.
"If you're leaving, then go." Edward did not attempt to hide his irritation.
Aaron looked wounded.
"One minute we're buddies hiking together, the next minute I'm in your way?"
Edward physically pushed him out the door.
One of them needed to go back to inform the villagers, so they wouldn't keep searching the mountain.
"It's going to rain. Be careful on your way down," Edward cautioned.
Aaron turned serious. "Don't worry. I can get down quickly on my own. But you—are you sure you want to stay here?"
"You talk too much."
Aaron sighed with concern. "I'm just worried you might stray down the wrong path."
'A man and woman alone in this old retreat—not in the same room, sure, but still. A long night ahead, kindling and fire at the ready.'
'Plus, you two have history.'
'Anything could happen.'