Quietly wandering along the corridor, Katie paused to survey each painting lining the wall.
She had changed into clothes reserved for the property's live-in staff -- a crisp white, buttoned long-sleeve shirt that was neatly folded at her elbows, and beige pants which were a size too big. Her dark, curling hair was neatly gathered in a high ponytail. The jade in her eyes was sombre and seemed to fluctuate between forest green and olive as her perusal shifted between artworks.
In an adjoining room, Cory and Mark sat facing each other at a black marble kitchen bench. Cory constantly glanced over Mark's shoulder to look at Katie.
"What's she doing?" Mark asked, not taking his eyes from the paper in front.
"Looking around," Cory murmured, reaching for more toast. "Does she seem different to you?"
"Of course," Mark sighed, turning the page. "You should talk to her." Finally he looked up, his blue eyes piercing. "What are you waiting for?"
"It's not the right time."
"It will never be the right time, Cory," Mark said, a little patronisingly.
"Why don't you talk to her, then?" Cory said irritably, tossing the uneaten toast back on the plate.
"I intend to," Mark replied. "But I just figured, you know, given your hang-ups about what happened, your bellowing nightmares, your-"
"Ok, ok. I get it," Cory sourly interrupted. "You're an asshole, sometimes."
"My heart is in the right place," Mark said sweetly, as Cory stood from the counter and made his way down the hall.
Katie paused before a particular painting for a long time. It was a small, yellow cottage, neatly positioned upon a vibrant green hill. There were two baby goats snuggled together on the lawn, the mother a few metres away nosing into a rosebush. A young man and woman embraced on the threshold. Clearly the man had just come home.
"Hey," Cory said softly, startling Katie out of her daze.
"Oh, hi," she breathed, looking up at his height.
Cory was just as she remembered him at the Ranch. Very tall, with broad shoulders, short fair hair and the same sincere, caramel eyes. It was his expression that seemed slightly changed. His features were hardened, tired and far less carefree than she had grown accustomed to. He was still very handsome in tan shorts and a tight, blue t-shirt, which showed his muscular physique had not altered in her absence.
"Can we chat outside?" he asked, looking toward the front entrance.
Katie nodded, and followed him down the corridor. Passing the doorway, she saw Mark seemingly absorbed in the paper he read.
It was a beautiful, sunny day. The property was large and divided into various sections. It was on the verge of opening, with some minor construction required out the back area. One of Cory's farming projects, he had overseen the design but never found time to visit in person. Given it wasn't too far from the Ranch, he had planned to be present at its launch at the end of his holiday with Mark.
But Katie dropped into their lap, Marco was murdered, and they discovered the police were untrustworthy. After Katie's abduction, they closed up the Ranch, Cory postponed the new business launch before it was publicised, and Mark cancelled all upcoming work commitments, stating a personal emergency.
The property was divided into separate blocks. The main section, where they took immediate residence, contained a large kitchen, seven bedrooms, and two living areas. This was intended for management, client visitors, and guests. Then there was a larger unit set up as staff living quarters with an industrial kitchen, and a massive shed for storing machinery and supplies. Beyond the construction, there was a vast span of fields to be worked, on the fringe of untouched forest.
Mark, extremely paranoid after promising Rosa's safety, insisted on the first bedroom next door to her. Katie was on the other side of Rosa, with Cory as her neighbour, and Alex at the end.
Somewhat subdued by their victory, little was accomplished on the first night by way of conversation. They were all tired, hungry, and shaken by their respective experiences. Following a very quiet dinner, Katie insisted on being alone, and Cory spent a small time chatting in Rosa's room with the door open. Alex and Mark immediately retreated for the evening. It was well into the night before the light in Mark's room went out.
Glancing around the immense, peacefully silent property, Cory finally took a deep breath and found his voice.
"About what happened...Katie, I-" he began, but Katie interrupted him.
"I hope you're not going to apologise. That would be completely unnecessary," she said, raising her eyes to meet his. There was no judgement in her gaze, only sincerity. She was so stunningly beautiful, her mouth perfectly shaped and enticingly rosy, Cory wanted to kiss her.
"I was," he said with an awkward half-smile, and Katie smiled back.
"Well, I'm glad we cleared that up," she said kindly, but with a finality that ruled out further discussion on the topic.
"I'm sorry I left you on the track that night," Cory apologised anyway, unable to stop himself. He noticed Katie's expression became masklike, and hurriedly continued "It's just... even if you say it's not my fault, I just... After what happened with G-" he broke off, unable to go further. "I just wish I didn't," he finished clumsily.
Katie stared intently at the ground. "I don't want to talk about what happened. But you should know that where it concerns you, I am only grateful. Ok?"
"Ok..." Cory agreed, reminding himself to breathe. "So we're in hiding, temporarily. What are your plans when this is all over?"
Katie blew out a thoughtful breath and scuffed her heel in the ground. "I have no idea," she murmured, looking to where the sunny horizon cast streams of light between the trees. "I wanted to be a pilot...but now..."
"You could stay with us," Cory blurted, silently cursing his inability to be smoother, like Mark.
"I thought you guys shacked up at the Ranch only now and then?" Katie smirked, but her eyes were warm with humour.
Quickly recovering, Cory slightly shook his head. "I mean, with one of us."
"Sounds complicated."
"It doesn't have to be."
Katie opened her mouth uncertainly, but Cory cut in before she could air her doubts.
"Mark and I both have strong feelings for you," he said brusquely, hoping Mark wouldn't break his neck for bringing him into it. "There's no point pretending it's not apparent to everyone."
Looking a little uncomfortable, Katie glanced away.
"Do you..." Cory cleared his throat. "How do you feel about us? I mean, me?"
Cory felt like he was in high school; painfully embarrassed, desperate, and frustrated. He wanted to beat his head against something.
"I don't know how to say this..." Katie murmured, looking up as Cory turned away from her.
"It's fine," he said, unable to keep the bitterness from his voice. "You like Mark. I'll stay out of your way."
"No," she frowned, reaching for his arm to stop him leaving. "I care about you both."
Cory turned back, confused. "Both of us? Umm. But-"
"Look, I don't know," she said shortly, sounding annoyed with herself. "It was clear in the beginning that you guys were interested. I thought it was lust but..." she cringed as recent events surfaced in her mind.
"You have both gone to a lot of personal risk to save me, repeatedly. I think I've lost count of the number of times I've been dragged out of something horrible by one of you. Even Alex magically showed up at an opportune time...maybe heroism runs in the family," she said with a thin smile.
"Alex may be my cousin, but I'm not related to Mark," Cory smiled, remembering the first time she'd questioned their relation because they were both exceptionally tall men.
"You're very close," Katie said. "Anyway...what I'm trying to say is...I've thought about this already. I know you're different, but you make me feel the same. Like, safe. Maybe it's shaped by my experiences. Or I'm damaged, I don't know." She shrugged. "It sounds selfish, but it's the truth. I know how these things turn out. So, I think we should go our separate ways when this is over."
In the short space of time she spoke, Cory experienced a bundle of emotions. Curiosity, bewilderment, elation, all ending with a stab of painful disappointment with her conclusion. Unsure how to respond, his mind whirled with positive and confused thoughts. Katie forgave him. She wanted him, but she wanted Mark, too. And she wanted to leave.
Mark and Cory had shared women sexually, but neither were the relationship types. Then they fell for the same girl. In a bizarre way, Katie's admission made him happy and not least of all, relieved. But he didn't want to pursue the subject. It was too early, and he feared he might say something stupid and make it awkward.
Ever since Alex raised the question in his blood-spattered apartment, Cory struggled with the prospect of losing Katie to Mark. But if Katie didn't choose Mark, Cory doubted Mark could bear to stick around. Then, of course, there was every chance Katie wouldn't want anything to do with either of them. Somehow, her mixed feelings gave Cory hope that he might not have to break his best friends heart, or suffer a painful loss himself. Thinking about painful losses brought his thoughts back to their one casualty.
"Why did you tell Marco everything, and not us?" Cory asked, turning to face her.
Katie hesitated, looking both bemused and relieved that he didn't comment on the feelings she disclosed. "His- he has experience with women in my situation," she slowly answered, choosing her words carefully. "He understood what I was going through."
Before Cory could respond, she continued.
"I didn't want to involve you and Mark in my problems," she said bluntly, wringing her hands. "I should have known it would be inevitable. I should never have stayed."
"I'm glad you did," Cory said quietly. It was selfish, given a number of people had suffered for it, but it was true.
"It was a terrible mistake," Katie said miserably. "I told Marco at the time. But he shared things with me that-" she paused, becoming emotional. "I won't give the details. It's personal and could place him, and his family, in danger."
Cory felt as though he'd been slammed in the stomach with a tonne of bricks, as he realised Katie didn't know Marco was dead.
Katie curiously watched his expression change to utmost dread.
"What's wrong? Cory, what is it?" she asked, stepping forward and gripping his arms. "Tell me."
Aghast, Cory stared down into her lovely, concerned face. He didn't want to be the one to tell her. But he didn't know how to lie.
"Katie," he said hoarsely, and cleared his throat to retrieve his voice. "Katie, sit down."
"Just don't tell me Marco's been murdered," she joked dryly, settling on a large log that formed part of the unfinished enclosure.
Trying to stay calm, Cory gazed down at her with speechless horror.
Peering through the window at them, Mark saw the look on Cory's face. "What on Earth are you doing, Cory?" he frowned, wishing he could lip read.
Cory's silence spoke volumes to Katie, and the cynical humour in her eyes faded to anxiety, then devastating realisation dawned across her face.
