Page 58 of The Light We Lost

I rolled my eyes, savoring the warmth in my chest. I hadn’t felt it in three days—when I’d last seen him after dinner at Shay’s. “I almost brought them to you after Patty grilled me for twenty minutes on what I was doing between the hours of two and four in the morning.”

“Ah, I heard what happened to Sheriff Turner’s car.” His lips quirked up, a teasing smile there. “Remember when we tried stuffing a potato in his exhaust pipe?”

I laughed. Patty hadn’t been entirely wrong to accuse me—I was a little shit as a kid sometimes. But I was innocent in this case, having spent the early morning hours passed out on my parents’ couch with Genny curled up beside me.

The front door chimed open, and a customer walked inside, looking to buy a new range finder. Leaving Nolan to help him, I wandered through the shop, stopping at the display in the far corner. The shelves were full of carvings, ranging from chess pieces to dining ware sets. The largest item was a tree stump that’d been carved down into an end table. I understood why Dad had been eager when Nolan said he’d gotten a new shipment. They were beautiful.

I smiled, admiring a little wooden bear. It looked to be an exact replica of the statue outside the diner, even including the rifle in its arms. “Are you close with the person who carves these?” I asked as Nolan strolled down the aisle toward me, finished helping his customer.

“Uh . . .” He scratched at his jaw, seemingly taken by surprise. “Yeah, sort of. Why?”

“I thought they might want to participate in the fundraiser. I’d bet people would enter the raffle just for a chance to win one of their woodworks. Do you think they’d be interested?”

“Yeah . . . I can ask him.” There was something strange in his voice, and I could’ve sworn there was red seeping up his neck. Before I could tell him he didn’t have to help if he didn’t want to, he said, “If there’s anything you like there, take it. He won’t mind.”

Instead of pointing out that whoever had made these probably would mind if I just took one, I reached into my bag and pulled out my wooden star. I’d snagged it off my desk after my meeting with Evelyn. “This is the one my dad gifted me.”

Nolan ran the star through his fingers, a faint smile on his lips. It was three dimensional, no bigger than the size of my palm, and the wood was stained a light honey color. Rather than commenting on the star, he said, “I’m heading to the top of the mountain—Jake’s up there fishing. I want you to come with me.”

Something stirred in my belly, a sensation I hadn’t felt in a long while. I wouldn’t admit it aloud, but I’d always loved when Nolan was a bit assertive, confident. Wanting to toy with him, I smiled. “I’m not so sure my mama would want me to go fishing with you.”

He smirked, a devilish look in his eyes. “Lucky for us, you always loved breaking the rules.”

“You’re sure Jake doesn’t mind sharing his camper with Genny and me?” I asked from the passenger seat of Nolan’s truck as he drove us down a back road, the smell of pine and dirt wafting through his open window. I didn’t have any issue sleeping in a tent or under the stars—though I hadn’t gone camping in years—but I felt better having Genny indoors.

“Said it was fine as long as you or the cat don’t try and snuggle him in bed.”

I smiled at Genny, curled up on my lap, and scratched her ear. I hadn’t seen Jake in a while, but that sounded exactly like something he’d say. “Do you guys do this often?” I asked, and he nodded. “Are Brooks and his family meeting us up there?”

“Nah.” He shook his head, his voice distant. “Jake and I usually reserve this time just for us.”

“What?” I twisted in my seat to face him, wincing when Genny swatted me on the arm. “Why am I coming then—”

“Because I asked you to, remember?” He raised a brow, but his gaze stayed forward as he maneuvered the rocky road. We’d turned off the main road about an hour ago. “I needed a break, and I thought you might need one too. Besides, Jake’s been wanting to see you, so this will get him off my back.”

I didn’t respond, trying to ignore the low warning in the back of my mind. It wasn’t because I was going camping with Nolan. Shockingly enough, I’d felt calm since the moment he’d asked. What had me wary was Nolan admitting he needed a break. I eyed him carefully. His hands were steady on the wheel. His gaze was forward, his lips curved as he murmured along to the radio. And if I closed my eyes, I could hear the remnants of his laugh.

He seemed happy. And despite the circumstances of when we’d first reunited, he’d seemed good then too.

Deciding he was only tired, I leaned against my door. With Nolan’s window down, the mountain breeze stirred through the truck and kissed at my skin. The road was rocky and narrow, sandwiched between trees. The forest was green, hints of yellow and orange dusted throughout. Settling into the silence, I closed my eyes, bracing for the wave of emotions that always seemed to hit when I let myself sit still. But the longer I sat there, singing birds and the bumpy road lulling me near sleep, there was nothing.

Except it wasn’t emptiness I felt. It was . . . it was peace?

Before I could delve deeper into that, the truck shifted to the right, jarring my eyes open. Confused, I sat up, blinking hard as I registered we’d arrived at the campground. I must’ve fallen asleep. “Good nap?” Nolan asked, his eyes gleaming. “Must have been, from the way you were drooling.”

I scowled. Somehow Genny had found her way to his lap, and if I had been awake, there was no way I would’ve allowed that. “I do not drool.”

“No?” He cocked a brow, and I raised one in return, refusing to fold. I held his gaze, ready to stare into those addictive baby blues all day if I had to. He must’ve realized it, and I should’ve known he wouldn’t play fair.

He reached for me, so slowly I had plenty of time to move, but I was too stunned to do anything. His fingers grazed my jaw hesitantly, like he was doubting himself. But then all of that hesitation disappeared as his hand settled beneath my chin.

His thumb feathered over my lips, stopping at the side of my mouth. “Looks like you’re lying again,” he whispered and lightly rubbed at the side of my mouth, wiping away what had to be drool. But I didn’t care, not when I was struggling to breathe. I was losing my mind. It was obvious Nolan had too. “There’s nothing to be embarrassed of. You’ve always looked damn good sleeping in my truck.”

His thumb brushed my bottom lip, his touch firmer this time. I held his gaze, for once not questioning what I saw there. He leaned in, and I seemed to do the same, fooling myself into believing it was because Nolan had urged me to.

His breath danced over my skin, and I couldn’t deny how good it felt, how steadying it was to share the same air. How had I gone so long breathing without him? I knew it was because in the years he’d been absent from my life, I hadn’t truly breathed, truly lived—

“Well, now I know why you wanted to bring her along!” a raspy voice chimed in, and I broke away from Nolan, my back hitting the passenger door. Jake was leaning against the driver door, his arms resting on the open window. “I’m guessing I don’t need to make up a bed for Indy in the camper since she’ll be sleeping in the bed of your truck with you?”

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