Page 30 of Love in the Wild

She opened the door, and he stepped back to give her space. Holding her hands behind her back because she didn’t know what to do with them, Hadley flashed him her best smile. “Hi, I’m Hadley.”

Gage gave her a once-over. “I figured.”

Good grief, she still didn’t know what to do with her hands.

“Oh!” She remembered the lunch she’d brought him and ducked back into her car. “I brought you something.”

She stood with the bag and drink before shoving them at his chest.

Smooth. So smooth.

Gage slowly took the bag, watching her the entire time like she might have just handed him a bomb.

“It’s roast beef. Thea said it was your favorite.”

Gage opened the bag and looked back up at her. “She’s right.” He jerked his head toward his truck.

Like a good little puppy, Hadley followed him, trying to reel air into her screaming lungs with each step. When they reached the back of his truck, he lowered the tailgate and put the drink and bag on it like it was his table.

Hadley backed up to it and hefted herself onto the ledge. Gage pulled the sandwich out of the bag and held it up to her.

She raised her hand. “I’m good. I ate before I came. That’s all yours.”

“Thanks. I’ll give you some cash before you leave.”

“No need.”

Gage sank his teeth into the sandwich, keeping his intense gaze on her the whole time he chewed. “You talk first,” he said around a bite of roast beef and bread.

Hadley wiggled her hips, settling in on the tailgate. “Well, I met Thea a few days ago after she was discharged from the hospital. I’m friends with Brett, and he called me to ask if she could stay with me. As soon as she was feeling better, she went back home.”

The lie tasted bitter on her tongue. She didn’t like lying. Growing up, she’d always been honest with her mom, even if she’d done something bad.

“How is she?” he asked before taking another bite.

Hadley squinted. “She’s not great. Her bruises seemed to get worse. She needed crutches to get around most places, and she was tired a lot. The doctors said to expect that while her body was healing.”

“Did she hear from anyone else while she was here?”

Oh no. She hadn’t gone over this possible question with Brett and Thea. How much should she tell? Her uncle had filed the missing person report on her, but did Gage know that? Would it be bad for Thea if Gage knew?

“Not really. Just Brett, I think.”

Gage huffed, sounding kind of irritated by the mention of Brett.

“Brett’s a good guy. He made sure she had everything she needed while she was here,” Hadley said. It was a truth Gage needed to know.

“Good guy is a stretch. He has Patton blood.”

“And you’re a Howard,” Hadley spat back.

“Never said I was a saint. I lost my compass a long time ago.”

The surety and finality in Gage’s words squeezed something in Hadley’s chest. How awful would it be to endure life not knowing the love of the Lord? Until a few months ago, Hadley hadn’t known what she’d been missing either. It was as if she’d been walking around in the dark, lost and hopeless, only to find a guide waiting to lead her into the light.

Thea had found that assurance, but apparently her brother hadn’t.

Over half of the sandwich was already gone. The man ate like someone might snatch the food from his hands if he didn’t make it disappear quickly.

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