Page 103 of Forever After All

Linc managed to work with Jess the entire next day without revolving around her like a satellite. They didn’t say much the whole day, but he didn’t get the feeling she was pulling away. Instead, her small smiles were silent assurances that she was okay, and that was all he really needed.

He’d even managed to stay away from her tent the next night. He deserved major points for that, since having Jess right next to him made him want to drift closer.

The draw toward Jess was like an addiction. He had to keep his guard up at all times if he had any chance of resisting her.

Reading the Bible he’d brought along helped keep his mind off her. He understood about every tenth sentence, so he had to really focus to study.

His eighteen-year-old self would have burst into a fit of laughter if anyone told him he’d be studying the Bible one day. Still, every time he thought about that guy and the things he’d done, a wave of guilt rushed up, hot and boiling as it climbed up his neck and face.

He wasn’t that kid anymore. He was better. At least, he was trying to be.

The next morning, Jess woke first, and her rustling pulled him from sleep. The ache in his back pushed him out of bed, and he nodded once to Jess before disappearing down the path leading back toward the main part of the ranch.

The walking helped, and he headed back to the campsite ready to get moving to the cabin.

Jess handed him a bowl of oatmeal as she set her empty one to the side. She started packing up her tent as he scarfed down breakfast. Five minutes later, he was packing up the tools and tents while Jess strapped the bags to the mules and horses.

They hardly spoke until they were on the trail leading to the cabin. It was amazing how easily they worked together. The only other person Linc could work with in silence was Paul. Everyone else liked to chat, and while Linc didn’t have anything to contribute to most conversations, he enjoyed the time without expectations.

They stopped around noon to let the horses rest and eat a quick lunch.

Jess looked around as she fed Liberty a treat. “How far is the river?”

Linc turned his head, listening for the sound of running water. “Maybe an eighth of a mile,” he said, remembering the map he’d studied before the trip. “If we keep going another quarter of a mile, it gets closer to the trail.”

“Trail. That’s a loose term,” Jess said.

“Blake and Ridge have their work cut out for them clearing this section.” The forest had encroached on the path, leaving little to go by.

Jess wiped her hands on her jeans before propping them on her hips. “You ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Linc said as he mounted Thunder.

They continued on until they heard the river to their left. Tying the horses and mules to trees, they each grabbed a bucket and headed off the trail toward the water.

“How much longer do we have?” Jess asked as she pushed briars away from her legs.

“A couple of hours. Not long. We should have time to get settled before supper.”

His phone dinged in his pocket, and he switched the bucket to his other hand to check the message.

“It’s Stella. She said Ava was discharged, but the baby has to stay.”

Jess turned to look at him over her shoulder as she walked. “For how long?”

“She didn’t say.”

Jess walked on for a few minutes before turning to him again, “I just hope the–” Her words cut off with a gasp as she slid, falling into a ravine and out of his sight.

“Jess!” he shouted, dropping the bucket and lunging for her as her head disappeared. He grabbed the edge of the ravine and scanned the rocky expanse for her blonde hair. His heartbeat pounded in his ears.

She lay in a crumpled heap about fifteen feet down, unmoving.

“Jess!” he shouted again as he turned and lowered himself onto the closest rock.

No. No. No. No. Please. Please. Please. Please.

He gripped a rock with one hand and searched for a foothold beneath him. “Jess, talk to me!” He didn’t bother to stifle the panic in his voice. She still hadn’t answered him.

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