Page 37 of Omega's Refuge

The next morning, I woke feeling refreshed. It didn’t make much sense, considering I’d slept in a tent on the hard ground, but the fact remained—I’d had the best night’s sleep in months.

The morning was chilly, so I put on some layers of flannel and stepped out of my tent. As I neared the group gathered around the fire, Rex approached with a red enamel cup of coffee. “How’d you sleep?” he asked.

“Like a baby.” I smiled sheepishly, taking the cup from him. “A coyote could have snuck in my bag and joined me in my sleeping bag, and I wouldn’t have noticed.”

“Glad to hear it.” His expression was congenial, but there were lines beneath his eyes, suggesting he hadn’t slept as well as I had.

“How about you?”

He avoided my gaze. “Oh, I slept like a log.”

“Great.” He was lying; that was obvious from the lines under his eyes, but there was no point in calling him out. For whatever reason he didn’t want me to know he’d slept poorly. I inhaled the scent of the cooking food. “Do I smell bacon?”

“Yep. We’re having campfire bacon, biscuits, and gravy.” Rex moved away from me to refill the others’ coffee. “Should be ready in a minute.”

Martha and Joe waved me over to sit with them. We chatted about fishing and the plans for the day as Rex and Gus served us plates of hot food. I cleaned my plate, consuming every crumb, and had another cup of coffee to round things out.

Once breakfast was over, Rex, Gus, and Ronny packed up everything but the fishing poles. Then we went down to the river and took another crack at fly fishing before we headed back to the ranch.

After such a great night’s sleep, I was in better spirits and feeling more energetic than the day before. Rex helped everyone bait their hooks, and he kept watch over us as we fished.

I was happy when he came over to me, even though his presence also made me nervous.

He leaned over my shoulder, watching me flick my line back and forth. “You’re getting the hang of it,” he said. “Good job, Tanner.”

“Yeah?” I grinned at him. “I still haven’t caught anything, though.”

He squeezed my shoulder, sending tingles down my spine. “You will. Even if you don’t catch anything today, you’ll have more chances in the next few days.” He grimaced. “I mean, if you stay, that is.”

I’d been thinking about whether I should stay or go home, and I’d come to the conclusion I didn’t want to leave yet. I hadn’t told anyone mydecision, and I wanted Rex to be the first to know. “I’ve decided I’ll stay,” I said quietly.

“Yeah?” Rex’s face lit like a kid on Christmas morning.

“Yep. I finally made up my mind.” My face warmed because he looked so happy it made me feel happy too. “Why not, right?”

“Absolutely.” Rex dropped his head as if trying to get his glee under control. “Joe and Martha will be happy you’re staying.”

I laughed. “Just them?”

He lifted his gaze. “Obviously I’m glad. But you already know that.”

He was right. I’d known that Rex would be glad I was staying to finish my vacation. That was why I’d wanted to tell him first. His reaction was everything I’d hoped it would be too. “I mean, there’s only two days left, so it’s not that big of a deal.”

Rex nodded. “I guess we just need to make the best of the last few days, right?”

“Absolutely. Time is flying by.” The day Steve left had been traumatic and felt like a total waste. I’d spent the first half angry and emotional, and the second half still angry and emotional—but also sloshed. The only good part was that I’d been able to spend that time with Rex.

A muscle worked in his cheek as he studied me. “You can always extend your stay if you want to. Past the two days you have left.”

I wrinkled my brow. “Wouldn’t I have had to book that in advance?”

He shrugged. “I’d make sure you’re taken care of.”

My gut tumbled at the way he watched me. He looked so hopeful, I was tempted to stay, even though it seemed like a crazy idea. “I have to go back to the real world some time.”

“This is the real world too.” He gave a coaxing smile. “Just think about it. No pressure.”

“I’m nervous about doing something that impulsive,” I murmured. “I need to go home and find a job.”

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