Page 116 of Rescued Duty

She might have been the girl who got away once, but he didn’t want to do anything to mess it up now.

Lord, guide our time together today. May our conversation be honoring to You. Show me how I can love and respect Your daughter.

Zack spun the red bracelet on his wrist. A reminder of where he’d been and how far he’d come. He prayed he could show Naya today how much she meant to him. That he wouldn’t take her for granted—ever.

He capped the water bottle and headed to his locker to grab his belongings.

Eddie walked out of the locker room and stopped in the hallway. “Let me know how things go.”

“You bet, man.” Zack gripped his friend’s hand and pulled him in for a slap on the back. “Thanks for everything.”

Zack gathered his belongings, then headed out to his car.

Two kayaks sat perched on his car roof. He had no idea if Naya enjoyed kayaking or had even gone before. It was a gamble, but there was intention behind his choice.

The sun shone, and the unseasonably warm spring temperatures made it a perfect day to enjoy the outdoors.

On his way to pick her up, he passed Ethos. Crime scene tape surrounded the exterior, warning people to stay away from the unstable structure. A few shingles littered the ground, and shards of glass reflected rays of the sun’s light. The gaping hole in the wall where they’d escaped just the other day was boarded up.

How quickly life’s circumstances changed. Yet their lives had been spared, and justice would be dealt.

Ever since their meeting with Wilcox, he’d slept better, knowing Roger and Hudson were locked away. Sure, emotionswould threaten to kindle a blaze in his heart. Especially knowing the role Roger had played in his parents’ deaths. But right now wasn’t the time to dwell on that. He and Naya weren’t running for their lives anymore, and Zack didn’t have to worry about trouble following her because of him.

He wanted to stir a different—better—kind of fire with the girl who’d left her mark on his heart. And he intended to make it more permanent than the bracelets they’d exchanged years ago.

Zack stepped up onto Naya’s front porch, and the door swung open before he could knock.

“Are those for us?” Naya pointed at his car, her mouth widening.

“Figured we hadn’t had enough adventures yet.” He winked.

Naya slung a drawstring bag over her shoulder and followed him back down the sidewalk.

He’d told her to wear something comfy, more athletic. Even in sneakers, a T-shirt, and shorts, she stole his breath. And with her hair in a high ponytail, her long black curls cascaded around her shoulders in an elegant fashion.

Zack opened the passenger door for her. “After all the excitement we’ve had, I didn’t want to make today too boring and risk you running off to get caught in the crosshairs of another life-or-death story again.”

Naya laughed. “You can rest assured that won’t happen. I’m ready to live the quiet life for a while.”

“Hopefully this will be a good mix between exciting and peaceful.” Zack grinned.

Fifteen minutes later, he parked by the lake. Zack went to get out of the car but paused when Naya didn’t make a move to unhook her seatbelt.

“You okay?”

She stared out the front windshield, which had a direct view of the body of water. “I don’t exactly have the best memories when it comes to water.”

Given how her brother had died and the situation at the bridge when they’d met again, her hesitancy was understandable. “I thought we could make some new ones. But I don’t want to force you to do something you’re not comfortable with.”

Naya turned to him, her eyes glistening. “Making memories with you seems to be a recurring theme lately.”

One he wanted to continue for a long time.

The tension that had been prevalent a few seconds ago erased itself from her features, and the lines along her forehead disappeared.

“Having a better mindset around this,” she waved her hand in the direction of the lake, “would be wonderful.” Naya unbuckled her seatbelt and pushed open her door. “Let’s go kayaking.”

Zack worked to unhook the kayaks from their perch. They carried them in tandem down to the loading dock.

---