Page 78 of Saved from Deception

I’m quick to respond. “You never have to do anything that makes you uncomfortable. If you don’t want to go out, that’s okay. Never be afraid to tell me.”

“I know. But I was talking to Beth the other day—you know she’s been checking in on me—and she mentioned how she was terrified to go back to the store she was abducted from, even years later. But when she had support, she could remember it’s just a place, and the person who took her is gone.”

“Charlie.” I’m so fucking proud of her.

“So, it’ll be scary the first time we go to the Hop-less Horseman,” she admits softly. “But I can do it, because you’ll be there, and your friends—”

“They’re your friends, too. You know that, right?”

“Yeah.” She smiles, her face lighting up all over. The swelling is gone from her cheek, the faint yellowish bruise barely noticeable. Though she still has her cast for another three weeks, most of her bruises have faded. “I know.”

She couldn’t not know how they feel about her. All of my friends love Charlie. And they’ve all gone out of their way to show their support for her.

Maya and Elle stopped by with movies and tubs of ice cream, distracting Charlie when she was in pain. Zane promised to teach Charlie Krav Maga when she’s better, so she can kick anyone’s ass. Cole has come by every day to check on her wrist, and Finn sends her funny memes and jokes every day.

When Georgia saw Charlie for the first time after the abduction, she burst into tears, sobbing, “I’m so sorry. I should have stopped him.”

But Charlie just hugged Georgia hard, even though her bruises must have been hurting, and told her, “You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m just so glad you’re okay.”

And I’m so happy for Charlie. She deserves to have people around who care about her.

Not just me, though I love her the most. But she also deserves a family who’ll always have her six.

The sign for the Saratoga State Park comes up on the left, and Charlie laughs. “I knew this is where you were taking me.”

When I told Charlie about this trip yesterday, I didn’t specify where we were going, just that I wanted to take her to Saratoga one more time. Though I’m sure she guessed it would be here.

But hopefully part of this trip will be a surprise to her.

“Busted.” I grin at her as I park the car. “But you don’t know exactly where we’re going.”

She smirks at me, her eyes flashing bright silver. “I bet I do. There’s still one left, isn’t there?”

I arch my eyebrows at her. “Maybe.”

It’s a perfect day for a walk through the park—the worst of the summer heat behind us, a bright blue sky with a few puffy white clouds, dry with a slight breeze, so it’s not too buggy. Birds are chittering and calling around us, a bluebird chirping to its mate from one tree to another.

Charlie takes my hand and beams up at me. “This is my favorite place in Saratoga, now. One of my favorite places anywhere, really.” Her hair blows back from her face, and the hem of her sundress lifts just enough to give me a small flash of leg.

Which never ceases to get me going.

Her eyes drop to my waist and she laughs again. “You really love these dresses, don’t you?”

I lean in and kiss her, cupping the back of her head, tracing the seam of her lips and tasting the chocolate she insisted on buying before we got on the road.

“All road trips have to have junk food,” she explained as we went into the gas station. “It’s one of the rules.”

We’re in a public place—damn it—so I end the kiss too soon and lead Charlie down the short path to the last natural spring we have to visit.

I drove here a few days ago, leaving Charlie with Finn and Nora back at Blade and Arrow, swearing them to secrecy. I needed to see this place in person first, to make sure it would be the perfect place for Charlie’s surprise. And it is.

Charlie is grinning, and she says, “We should bring Leo a sample. He loved all the other ones so much.” But she’s snickering as she says it; she knows Leo was never impressed.

As for me, it wasn’t the water I cared about. It was doing something special with Charlie.

The trail sets us in front of a wooden pavilion, the worn stone tap and basin underneath it. On any other day, that would be all, maybe another person tasting the spring water or filling a bottle, a simple place surrounded by nature.

Not today.

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