Page 105 of One Last Chance

Turned back to her. “Everyone calls me a hero. But really, inside I’m just that guy in the river, frantic to find my cousin. Searching, I guess.”

She didn’t know why his words sat in her chest, filled her throat, burned her eyes.Shoot. What was her problem that this guy could so easily unravel her?

“Maybe I shouldn’t have told you all that. I think our fries are up.” He made to stand up, but she tugged him back.

“I get that. I came out here searching for . . . well, my sister was the reason, but maybe I was looking for something more. Maybe to let go. To find peace.” She offered a smile but looked away, blinking hard.

He reached out, touched her wet cheek, brushed the moisture away. “Sorry.”

“For what?”

“For scaring you.”

She looked at him. “Shoot.”

“What?”

“I told you not to make me fall for you. Now . . . I’m a mess. How do you expect me to go back to Minnesota?—”

“Maybe you should stay.”

The words fell between them.

He wasn’t kidding.

Oh.Oh.

His gaze landed on hers, and a smile slid up his face, sweet like honey, and it warmed her to her bones, her cells, her very core. She leaned forward, the man nearly hypnotic with his power to?—

“Axel. Seriously, your name isn’t on the list. What’s going on?”

She jerked away and looked up to the voice. The man had dark hair, no baseball cap, a chamois shirt, the sleeves rolled up, and jeans. Axel stood up, reached out his hand. “Mr. Remington.”

“It’s Ox, Axel. Every time, —we play this game.” He clamped a hand on his shoulder.

Flynn stood up.

Ox Remington. Handsome man. She tried to remember what Axel had said about him—miner, although he seemed pretty slicked up to be a gold miner.

He turned to her then and seemed to frown. “Have we met?”

“No, I don’t think so. Flynn Turnquist.”

“Flynn. Nice to meet you.” He held out his hand.

Her gaze fell on a tattoo on his arm, and her heart hiccupped, even as she shook his hand.

A wolf’s head.

“Flynn is from Minnesota,” Axel said.

“Just visiting?” Ox said and she tore her gaze away, met his eyes.

She nodded.

“Right in time for the fireworks.” He winked at Axel.

Axel laughed.

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