Page 50 of Hidden Shadows
“Work. You’re doing your job, and I’m doing mine.”
She tried not to flinch. Was he talking about just this moment or more than that? It felt like more. It almost felt like he was telling hereverythinghad been just work.
They were halfway to the toboggans when Beth and Rad walked past. They were deep in conversation, but when Beth noticed Finley, her expression was one of concern.
She rushed over to them and touched her arm. “Hey! Are you okay? I tried to call you yesterday but couldn’t get through. I was so worried.”
“Sorry, my phone was in my pocket and isn’t working now. But I’m okay. Nixon got me back to the resort and got me warm.”
Beth pressed a hand to her chest. “Thank God.”
“How’d it happen?” Rad asked, looking far less concerned than Beth.
“I was distracted and bumped into someone. It was my fault. I’m sorry to have caused a scene.”
“Oh my gosh, don’t apologize,” Beth rushed out before Rad could respond. “That must have been so traumatic. I can’t even imagine falling through ice. I’m surprised you’re here instead of taking a day off. Tobogganing footage, right?”
Nixon tensed beside her.
She swallowed. “I wanted to come and get one last bit of footage.”
“So, it’s your last day?”
She nodded.
“Well, I need to thank you now, then, don’t I?” She wrapped Finley in a hug. “Thank you for helping us make this fair a success.”
Finley returned the hug. “All I did was post about my time here.”
Beth pulled back, squeezing Finley’s shoulders. “You created engaging content, blasted it out to your fans, and have brought people in droves. Thank you. Have a lovely Christmas.”
She squeezed her shoulders once more before linking an arm through Rad’s. He dipped his chin, heading off with his cousin.
As Finley continued forward, she couldn’t help but feel a bit lighter. There had been real gratitude in the woman’s eyes. She’d made a small difference for them and what they were doing here. It felt good.
When they reached the tobogganing station, she grabbed a sled. Nixon tried to take it from her, but she shook her head. “I’ll carry it. You keep your hands free in case you need to get all badass bodyguard.”
He just nodded. God, she didn’t even get a smile? A small twitch of his lips?
With a sigh, she started toward the hill, then stopped behind the long line of people who were waiting to go down. As they stood together quietly, she took a couple videos of the hill itself, as well as the line in front of her.
When they were halfway through the queue, she couldn’t take the silence anymore. She spun on him. “This is about more than me coming today, isn’t it?”
His gaze remained on anything and everything but her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Oh man, she’d never wanted to slap a person in her life, but right now, that was exactly what she wanted to do, just to get some damn emotion out of him. “Are you having second thoughts about us?”
His jaw clenched. And when his silence lengthened, her chest cracked.
He was.
It may have only been one night together, but it meant something to her, and she’d thought it meant something to him too. Thought it cemented them together.
She forced the hurt and devastation off her face as they moved forward with the line. “Do you wish last night never happened?”
A pained look came over his face. “Finley…”
“Do you?”
