Chapter 44
Chapter 44
They sat on the floor in front of Declan’s room, pulling knitting needles out of their case and sliding them beneath his door. They opened the package of stitch markers and pushed them under the door, one by one. They unraveled each skein of yarn, coiled them into flat loops, and slid them in after the needles and stitch markers.
“So what’s this all about?” Lucia asked as they worked the last skein of yarn beneath his door.
“I think he’s trying to make up for being an asshole, and I’m not having it p>
Lucia raised a single eyebrow. “By giving you knitting needles p>
“Hey, I like knitting,” Tessa said defensively.
Lucia shrugged. “When a hot guy buys me gifts, I usually just say “Thanks, handsome. Why don’t you come inside and let me demonstrate my gratitude p>
“It’s not like that. We actively dislike each other p>
Lucia grinned. “Even better p>
Tessa got to her feet, then extended her hand and pulled Lucia up.
“Thanks for the help. I’d still be unraveling those skeins if it were
just me p>
“No problem. This is the most fun I’ve had all week p>
Tessa realized very suddenly that she was having fun too. A lot of
fun. And not just with Lucia. The ongoing battle with Declan made
her smile every time she thought about it. She couldn’t wait for his
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retaliation. “Uh, yeah,” she said unsteadily. “Longtooth can be pretty quiet p>
“Especially when you’re an outsider,” Lucia said.
Which reminded her- “Hey, I’m sure you heard about Caitlin’s episode. Do you have any idea what that was about p>
Lucia shook her head. “No, but all my students clearly know what’s up. They’re all being so shifty and weird about it. I know I can’t pry into a student’s health history, but it’s freaking me out. She’s in my Pre–Algebra class. What if she has an episode and I can’t get help in time, or I do the wrong thing, or…” Lucia broke off with a frustrated sigh.
“I wonder if Eric knows anything p>
“He might. I caught Elena Morris creeping out of his room three weeks ago p>
“What p>
Lucia grinned. “I promised her I wouldn’t gossip. Anyway, she’s a
local. She might have told Eric something about it p>
“Way to keep that promise. Remind me never to p>
Heavy footsteps sounded on the stairs. Lucia and Tessa stared at
each other with wide eyes. In a panic, they shoved away from each
other and sprinted to their own rooms. Tessa eased her door shut
just as the footsteps reached the top landing. They continued down
the hall, passing her door. And then they stopped.
It’s him! She pressed her ear to their shared wall, practically vibrating with anticipation.
She heard the rattle of his key in the lock, the creak of his door
Chapter 44
opening. And then… silence. A long stretch of silence, finally broken by a masculine chuckle. Tessa pressed her hands over her mouth to silence her answering laughter. Declan’s footsteps continued into his room, and the door swung shut.
Heart racing, she spun away from her door and leapt onto her bed like a little kid. The bedsprings squealed as she bounced. She froze, wide–eyed. No sound from Declan’s room. She eased back against her headboard, grinning. “Your turn, Kovak,” she whispered.
The next morning, Tessa showered and dressed. The sun hadn’t yet risen, and the hallway was dark when she opened her door. She stepped out–and was immediately tangled in an enormous net. She shrieked as she stumbled back into her room. It was all over her, clinging like a thousand little tentacles. She flicked the light on and realized she was tangled in beautiful cobalt yarn. Worked into the complicated net were all the knitting needles and stitch markers.
That Declan had managed to weave a giant spider’s web over her
door without waking her was admittedly an accomplishment. Tessa
was a notoriously light sleeper. With a growl, she shut her door and
began the work of carefully extracting herself from the yarn without
damaging it. She spent several minutes carefully separating the
skeins and winding them into tidy loops. She set them on her
dresser along with the needles and the stitch markers. She needed
time to think on her response–she had to top a giant spider’s web.
When she made it down to the dining room, Declan wasn’t there. She scanned a second time, wondering if she’d missed him.
“Looking for someone?” Lucia asked with a grin.
“You know I am p>
She cackled. “I saw the net. Impressive p>
Jess came in behind them. “Hey, Tessa. Hey, Lucia.” She glanced at Tessa. “What’s in your hair?” She plucked it out and handed it over.
Chapter 44
A stitch marker.
Tessa curled her fist around it with a growl. “Where is Declan p>
Arthur Freeman looked over his shoulder from where he was seated at the counter. “Declan flew out to Fairbanks p>
An idea immediately popped into Tessa’s head. “Any idea how long he’ll be gone p>
Arthur shrugged. “He said he’d be back for Linnea and Roland’s party, but I wouldn’t expect to see him before five p>
“Perfect p>
Arthur’s brow furrowed. “Perfect for what p>
“Nothing to worry yourself about, Arthur. Jess, Lucia? Got time for a ride to the airstrip p>
“Yes!” Lucia said, bouncing with excitement.
“For what?” Jess asked, sounding as wary as Arthur.
“Vengeance,” Tessa told her with a feral grin.
She blinked. “Well. Alright p>
Out at the airstrip, they found Declan’s truck parked in front of the hangar. Like everybody else in Longtooth, he left his vehicle unlocked, which was convenient for Tessa’s purposes. Pulling both doors open, they started in the middle of the old bench seat, tying the first skein off to the rearview mirror. They wound it all over the cab, looping it through headrests, door handles, sun visors, the gear shift, the steering wheel, the gas pedals, the glove compartment, the heater vents, the seat belts. They hooked the stitch markers into the carpeting on the floors and used them as anchors for the yarn.
Chapter 44
When one skein ran out, they tied it onto the next and continued working. By the time all four skeins were used, the interior of
Declan’s truck was an impassible labyrinth of crissc Romanong blue
yarn.
When they were done, they piled back into Tessa’s truck, giggling like children. Back at The Spruce, Tessa was so impatient for Declan’s return, she forgot to be nervous about the upcoming crowd of strangers.
♡ (2)
Cedella
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.