The Accountant

Chapter 14

Carter dropped Selena off at Hunter's house. Apparently, everyone in this town have heard about Selena and her 'living arrangement', as Carter put it. Nearly everyone knew she's Hunter's accountant and that she lived in his house while she is looking for a house to rent. It was kinda embarrassing, but Carter assured her it was okay. He even volunteered to help her find her own apartment.

For the next few weeks, Carter either called her on the phone or asked her out to dinners. Selena happily obliged, although she never considered these dinners as dates, just a night out with a good friend. She liked Carter's company, and he has been such a gentleman towards her. During the weekends, they scoured the town looking for houses for rent or available apartments. So far they have been unsuccessful. The houses and apartments they went to have been either full or had already reservations for new tenants.

Sometimes, Lizzy would visit her and they would go to movies together during times when Dave is busy at the farm. Lizzy confided how she wanted to have a baby soon. Dave and Lizzy had wanted to have a baby ever since their wedding day. Both she and Dave are healthy, so Lizzy didn't understand why it took them too long to have a baby. Selena assured Lizzy that she would conceive at the right time. They just have to wait.

During these times, she barely saw Hunter. He is always busy at the farm or with meetings with buyers and suppliers. Selena visited the horses at the farm during weekends when Edwin is not busy. Selena would ask him to driver her to the farm. She and Shadow have grown closer than ever. Dave would allow her to stand by the corral. He even allows her to walk Shadow sometimes. Midnight has grown a little bigger, too. His coat became even darker and more beautiful. Selena never saw Hunter at the farm during those few times that she visited there. He is always with the cowboys making sure the cows are protected and safe. Whenever Selena is at the farm, she would always recall the night she and Hunter spent the night there. And of course, she would recall the kiss they shared. At twenty-three years old, that was Selena's first kiss. Sometimes, Selena thinks she missed him, but she would always convince herself otherwise.

Selena had a feeling Hunter is avoiding her, though, but she couldn't be sure. After all, why would he do that? But she couldn't shake the feeling that he didn't want to see her. After that night they spent at the farmhouse, Hunter had always gone out. She really couldn't understand him. She didn't want to think about her boss, because the more she did, the more convinced she is that she indeed missed him, so she kept to her work during the day and go out most nights with Carter or have dinner at Lizzy's. During those those nights when she's not out, Selena would curl up in bed, reading a book until she fall asleep.

The one person she disliked seeing, though, is Hans Devlin - the man she saw for the first time at the fair while she fell in line for a pretzel. He dropped by at the office one day, obviously drunk, and asked her out. Mrs. Boon was furious. Thank God Edwin was around that time. He politely but firmly ushered the drunk men out. She refused Hans' invitation, and although he never came to the office again, he has been calling her on the phone more than once after that. Thanks to caller ID, she never answered the phone when she knew it was Hans who called. Even Mrs. Boon disliked him, warning her not to trust the man. Even without Mrs. Boon's warning, she wouldn't go out with him. There's something creepy and scary about him and his companion, who never talks but stared at her like she's a lab rat. From that day onwards, Edwin had always stayed at the office when he doesn't have any errand to run. He acted as the office's security guard. Edwin is not very talkative, but he has kind eyes and always willing to help out around the office. He is big and muscular, that's probably why Hans and his friend never came back.

One day, Mrs. Boon excitedly peeked at her office door. "Selena, do you know what day is today?" She had a huge grin on her face.

"Um, Wednesday?" Selena said tentatively. She has no idea what got Mrs. Boon so excited about.