Page 14 of The Outlaw's Code

There was a storm brewing inside me with every step away from Calder, one that was getting harder and harder to ignore. I didn’t want to know what was going to happen when it finally touched down, when the winds picked up, when the sky darkened overhead.

I just quietly hoped that we’d never have to find out.

6

CALDER

Shane would barely lookat me.

He was talking to me, so that was at leastsomething. But trying to keep eye contact with him seemed impossible, his gaze leaving as soon as it met mine. It’d been like that ever since he’d fixed the generator and tried to get away from me as quickly as he could afterwards. It was like Shane had become allergic to me overnight, everything about him a little more distant than usual.

Today, we were on a supply run to a ranching co-op. We’d been riding in Shane’s car for hours, the sun setting behind us now. I’d turned on the radio, letting country classics fill the silence between us, twangy guitars and heartfelt lyrics abounding. And even though Shane wasn’t looking in my direction, I’d practically been staring at him, somehow trying to read his mind.

Suddenly, the truck bumped and banged.

“Shit.” Shane’s tone was calm, even as he cursed.

“What? What is it?” The trail ahead of us was muddy and narrow.

“We need to stop here for the night.” Shane was already pulling his truck off the road, headed for a clearing. “Not worthit, as is. Last time I was over here, it was full of little cracks and ditches. Easy to avoid when you can see where you’re going. Not so much when there’s mud everywhere. It’ll probably be clear by the morning.”

“By the morning?” I pressed. “Wait. Does that mean we’re spending the night out here?”

“There’s no point in risking it. We’re not even halfway there.” Shane shrugged. “It’s annoying but that’s why I always have camping gear, just in case.”

A few minutes later and the car had come to a complete stop. Shane casually leapt out of the truck and moved towards the back of it, pulling out various camping supplies. I watched him as he worked, his confidence radiating off him like usual. Shane didn’t seem rattled by the situation, at all, treating it like it was just another part of his workday.

“Has this happened to you before?” I asked, leaning against the truck.

“Never.”

“Always a first time for everything,” I muttered. “Do you need me to help? Grab stuff out the back?”

“I think I’m good here,” Shane replied. “But could you start building a fire? Wherever looks good to you. We can get started on setting up camp soon.”

He didn’t even look at me as he handed me some gear for the fire, his focus still on the back of the truck. “Thanks.”

“Yeah. Thanks.” My tone was deflated as I started looking around for somewhere to build the fire. I could’ve sworn I’d felt something between us, some kind of spark, but Shane made me feel like it’d all been in my head.

Maybe itisall in my head.

My very concerning, still not fully healed head. That would’ve explained why I was attracted to Shane, despite the woman in the photo. It would also explain the dream of him at the end ofsome trail, like a romantic end to some cowboy western. Besides, it was more obvious than ever that Shane wasn’t interested in me, possibly less so now than ever before?—

Shit.

Maybe Shane knew exactly what I’d been thinking.

Maybe he just wasn’t interested inmethe same way.

Is this Shane’s way of blowing me off?

I got on my knees with the supplies Shane had given me, setting the kindling up a few inches away. When it was ready, I lit a match, tossing it onto the sticks in front of me. I blew gently at the base of the fire once I saw the first few flames licking at the wood?—

But just like that, the fire was gone, the wind blowing it right out of existence.

I couldn’t help but let out a pained laugh, the situation resembling the one between me and Shane a little too closely. I lit the match again, and the same thing happened, the wind taking it all within seconds. I laughed again, like a maniac, as I tried to keep the fire going for the umpteenth time. The universe seemed to have a sense of humor, and a dark one at that.

“Uh, you okay over here?” Shane’s voice interrupted my moment of madness.

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