When our paths crossed

Chapter 1 A trip to the Farmhouse

I had been waiting for this trip for what felt like a hundred years.

Naturally, everything that could go wrong decided to go wrong today.

It started with my hair.

I had washed it a day ago, but today it looked like it had made its own life decisions overnight. I woke up late, stared at the disaster on my head, and seriously considered pretending it wasn't happening.

But this trip had been planned for months.

There was no way I was showing up looking like I'd lost a fight with a ceiling fan. Pictures were non-negotiable.

So, despite already running late, I washed my hair.

Big mistake.

The moment I stepped out of the shower, I towel dried my hair and then used the hair drier and as soon as I reached for my curling iron.

Snap.

Broken.

"Seriously?"

As if the universe hadn't done enough already, my phone lit up with messages.

We're on the way!

Almost there!

Where are you?

Fantastic.

Since I lived in the exact opposite direction from everyone else, I had confidently insisted on driving separately.

"Don't worry, I'll meet you there."

Ha.

Who let me be this optimistic?

If we'd left together, maybe-just maybe-I would've made it on time.

An hour and a half later, I finally left my apartment.

After another hour of driving, I realized I had absolutely no idea where I was.

I slowed my car when I spotted a farmhouse that looked exactly like the one in the booking photos.

Finally.

I parked, walked closer...

...and frowned.

Wrong house number.

"Of course."

I pulled out my phone.

No signal.

No internet.

No map.

Perfect.

I turned around-

-and almost screamed.

A man was standing barely a step away from me.

Correction.

Towering over me.

He was enormous. It's not my fault that I'm 5 ft right?? How is it his fault if he is taller than 6 ft ...maybe.

Or maybe he only looked that huge because he was standing ridiculously close.

I instinctively stepped back, swallowing the lump that had suddenly formed in my throat.

He stared at me like I was the strange one here.

"Who are you?"

"Oh... uh... I'm Bella." My voice sounded much smaller than I intended. "I have a farmhouse booked nearby. It looks almost exactly like this one, but... apparently this isn't it." I gave an awkward laugh. "I think I'm lost. My phone doesn't have any signal. Do you happen to know where House Number 212 is?"