Chapter 424: Unnatural, Part 1

Whitney and I arrived in malibu bright and early Friday morning. A mechanical failure with a plane had delayed our connecting flight, so our layover ended up lasting six hours longer than it should have. Sleeping in an airport was the worst.

"Miss Chloe," Declan said when he saw me. "So good to see you again, though I'm truly sorry it's under these circumstances."

"Thank you, Declan," I said, giving him a hug - something I had never done before.

He stood stiffly for a moment, then hugged me back, his hold loose, almost unsure. "Let me take your bags." He took my suitcase and Whitney's and put them in the trunk. Then he opened the door for us.

I climbed in, and Whitney was right behind me. She was dressed in clothes more fitting for New York - jeans, a heavy sweater, black boots, and sunglasses. And she'd insisted on buying a straw hat at the airport, which now sat atop her head. She looked ridiculous.