Page 32 of A Montana Secret Admirer
She stared toward the brightening horizon, her skin paling considerably. “We need to go back.”
“Sure. Is it the boys?” He’d expected her to nod and tell him that she was worried they’d wake up to find her gone, but they weren’t all that far from the ranch, and he knew that Jane would be more than capable of getting the kids breakfast. Bothhe and Serenity would be tired today, but he had figured it was something worth sacrificing for the great night they’d shared.
But she didn’t agree with his line of questioning.
Her breaths came out sharper, heavier, like she was going to have a panic attack. She reached for the items they’d put to the side and gathered a few things in her arms before standing up, but then she lost her footing and nearly stumbled.
Reese was on his feet in an instant. He reached for her arm to steady her. “What’s the matter? We can call Jane and let her know she needs to keep an eye on the boys?—”
“It’s not the boys,” Serenity snapped.
Was she crying?
He looked at her, reaching for her face, but she jerked away from him and hurried toward his truck.
“We have to go. Now,” she muttered breathlessly. Then her eyes turned to the brightening sky, and he could have sworn he heard her whimper. He hurried after her, and when she turned to head back to their blanket to gather the remainder of their supplies, he stepped in her path.
Reese grasped her by her upper arms, preventing her from getting past him.
Her eyes were already red-rimmed, but he couldn’t tell if it was just from staying up all night or because of her current distress.
It was likely both.
“Serenity,” he whispered. “What’s wrong? I really want to help.”
She shook her head, then squeezed her eyes shut just as the first rays of light darted out from beneath the horizon. He glanced over his shoulder at the view. It was breathtaking. Red bled with the darker hues in the sky. He frowned as he turned his attention back to Serenity.
“Talk to me.” He traced her cheeks with his thumbs, wiping them free of the tears that had spilled. “Whatever it is, I can fix it.”
Once again, she shook her head.
He wanted to get her to talk to him. They were both exhausted. She wasn’t dealing with whatever it was, and as much as he tried to be patient he was losing that battle. “Serenity,” he snapped.
Her eyes flew open, and she stared at him. “It’s Finn.”
Confusion flooded his chest. “Finn? Your husband?”
Her focus shifted to the sunrise, and her voice was so full of pain that it tore his heart right from his chest. “He loved to watch sunrises with me. It was our thing. From the moment we got serious, we’d watch as many as we could together. He always said sunrises were better than sunsets because they were the sign of a new day. A fresh start. They were a symbol of faith.” Her voice cracked, and she shut her eyes again, which only made more tears slide down her cheeks.
And that was when everything clicked.
Reese shot a look over his shoulder at the sunrise. He couldn’t begin to understand what she was feeling. What was he supposed to say to that? Competing with a dead man was not something he’d banked on doing when he’d started falling forSerenity—though in the back of his mind, he guessed he should have known better.
“Serenity.” When she didn’t open her eyes, he repeated himself. “Serenity.”
She blinked and found his eyes.
He offered her a sad smile and wiped at another tear. “I know you love him.”
Blinking again, she exhaled through pursed lips.
“And I wouldn’t dream of trying to replace him. He helped you become the person you are today. I don’t want you to forget him just because you’re dating me.” He pressed his forehead against hers. “Do you understand?”
She nodded.
The tension was still high, and he wanted nothing more than to ask her to stay with him for a little longer and maybe grab breakfast so everything could settle. But he didn’t.
“I’ll take you home,” he murmured.
