Page 99 of Stepping Into Tomorrow

He handed over a s’more. “Here you go.”

“Thank you.” She smiled and licked her lips before taking a small bite. A few crumbs of Graham cracker fell onto her jacket. She brushed them away, chewing and swallowing before she looked to Nash, crouching before her. “It’s perfect.”

Eli had his back to them, bending over his plate of dessert at the small table Nash had dragged out. Nash turned back to her, blocking the light of the fire, eclipsing her in darkness, taking the warmth of the fire and replacing it with a heat of another kind. His warm tongue slipped along the corner of her mouth, sending a spiral of arousal twisting through her. He pressed a gentle kiss on her lips and pulled away, leaving her craving more.

Her chest rose and fell more rapidly as he backed away.

“You had a little marshmallow on your lip,” he explained.

She blinked as he walked away, a faint smile etched on his face.

“Can we have the surprise now?” Eli asked, tossing his paper plate into the fire.

“Sure. Wait here.” Nash disappeared returning to the house while she finished her dessert. He came out with two giant paper lightbulb-looking objects in his hands.

“What are they?” Eli asked.

Nash walked up to Isabella as Eli drew closer. “These are biodegradable paper lanterns. And this is a marker for you to write a message to your dad. We’ll light them and the heat will make them rise into the sky and send your notes . . . well, up.”

Dios, that is so thoughtful.

Nash shifted on his feet, as if he were feeling nervous. “You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to. I just thought . . .”

“That’s cool.” Eli grabbed the marker and went to work, using the light from the fire to write his message.

If Eli wasn’t here, she would jump into Nash’s arms and kiss him. Tears welled in her eyes. Nash had taken what was an extremely hard day for them and turned it into something memorable. Did he know just how much this meant to her? How could anyone not fall in love with this man? But could he love her back? Was that what he was telling her with how he’d taken care of her and her son today?

She choked up as she set her tea on the ground and stood. She interlaced her fingers with his. “Thank you.”

Nash gave a curt nod. “It’s not a big deal.”

“Oh, it really is. And I think that’s exactly why you did this. I’m so very grateful.”

His gaze dropped to her lips. “I know what it’s like to . . .”

To lose someone you love? To want to be close to them even after death?

“Have you done this . . . before?”

The light that had been in his eyes was snuffed out with her question, leaving only smoking grief swirling in their depths.

He stiffened and turned towards Eli. “Ready to light it, bud?”

“I think so.”

Isabella stayed in place as Nash walked away. An invisible cord tugged her heart towards him. Somewhere along the way, she’d fallen for him. She was no longer approaching the cliff but plummeting off the edge. The question was, would he be there to catch her? Or would she crash?

45

NASH

Rain pelted the window beside the bed. Thankfully, it had held off until both lanterns had floated out of sight. Nash pressed a hand to his chest, shifting on the mattress, hoping to relieve some of the tightness that had been there all day. He’d known the anniversary was going to be tough for Bella and Eli, but it had also brought up a lot for him. He’d never been able to do that—let go—say goodbye for good, because his soul was still restless, not knowing what had happened to Ana. Logic told him she’d passed long ago. He’d kept hope for so long and been disappointed over and over; his heart had calcified. But lately, with Bella here, the fucker wanted to beat again. Could he move on? A part of him would always love Ana, but she was gone. And he’d carry that guilt forever. I should have gone after her. But she’d betrayed him.

He pulled in a deep breath, expelling the dark thoughts. Focusing back on his writing in the journal before him, he adjusted his glasses.

As I watched those lanterns floating up to the sky, I thought of you, Ana. Of the weight of not knowing what happened to you. Are you out there living your life somewhere on the West Coast like you always talked about visiting? Or are you gone forever? I’ll never know, will I? Maybe it’s time I let you go. Stop writing to you. Leave your memories in peace. I have a baby on the way. A family I’m now responsible for. People I care about. They’re relying on me. And I want to be what they need. But I feel so guilty as if I’m leaving you behind—

The floor outside his door creaked. Nash perked up. Should he go check on Bella? After they’d come in, she’d had a surprise of her own for her son. Apparently, Robert had left a series of videos for Eli to view on certain occasions. The first anniversary date of his death had been the first. Nash had left them alone, giving them privacy for their shared grief.

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