Fighting Our Way (Broken Tracks 2)

Whipping my head around as someone steps closer, I prepare myself for the worst but when Nate’s grim face comes into view, I relax slightly.

He tilts his head to the side when he looks up, but before he says anything, I ask, “Everything okay?”

He smiles and walks over to me, throwing his cell back in the backpack and pulling his t-shirt over his head. “I could ask you the same thing.” He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me into him, kissing me lightly on the forehead and sighing. “You look worried and I don’t know why, but I just want to say I meant everything I said.”

I have two choices here: I can either tell him the truth about why I’m panicking and feeling like even now with him back beside me, I still feel eyes on me. Or I can grasp onto the excuse he’s giving me and run with it.

Tilting my head back, I stare into his eyes for a beat, ready to tell him everything, but when my mouth opens, I hear myself saying, “You meant everything?”

“I did. I never say something I don’t mean,” he replies right away.

“Me too.”

His chest rises and falls on a deep breath before he runs his hands down the length of my arms and says, “I hate that I’m about to say this, but… I need to go into the office.”

“Oh.” Even I can hear the sadness in my voice.

Sitting on a rock, I pull my socks and boots on at the same time as him. When he stands up, he lifts his backpack and holds his hand out to me.

“I hopefully won’t be too long so you can come with me, then maybe afterward we can grab a bite to eat?”

My slowly saddening mood flips one-eighty and the smile that overtakes my face shines bright.

Turning my head, I gaze one last time at the waterfall, knowing we’ll come back and that it will always hold a special place in my heart. It’s where we confessed our true feelings and where we showed them to each other.

Sighing happily, I turn back around as we head back the way we came: through the wooded area and back onto the main trail. It seems to go by in a flash on the way back and I wish I could prolong it, but before I know it we’re getting into Nate’s SUV and he’s driving back toward civilization.

Nate keeps my hand in his the whole journey, his thumb rubbing back and forth. Every so often he lifts my hand and places a kiss on my knuckles, his gaze connecting with mine.

That unnamed emotion I saw in his eyes earlier I now know is love—his love for me—shines bright. I only hope I can hold onto his love and not destroy it.

Staring out the window, I will my thoughts not to turn dark as everything starts to come down on me. After today I know there’s no chance of being able to keep Nate out of the fray, but I have no idea what I can do to stop what is about to happen. It’s like seeing a car crash in slow motion: I know the hit is inevitable, but when and how hard still remains to be seen.

I shake my head, flinging the thoughts out of my head and refusing to spend this time with Nate thinking about what could happen. Instead, I focus on the here and now as Nate pulls into an underground parking lot, parking in a bay that has his name on a plaque attached to the wall.

Turning the engine off, he spins in his seat, smiling softly. “Are you sure this is okay? I called my partner to try and get her to come instead but she’s out of town again.”

“Honestly, it’s fine.” I unclip my belt and reach for the door handle. “I’m dying to see where Nathan Cole displays his badassery.”

“Displays his badassery?” He laughs loud, climbing out of the car. “I do my best.”

Snorting, I walk around the back of the car and slip my hand into his—the most natural thing in the world. “I imagine you walking around in one of your designer suits and bossing people around all day,” I say, walking beside him before he punches the button to what I presume is an elevator.

“It’s not half as glamorous as that; I promise.” We step into the elevator and he presses a button. “Case and point: being called into work on weekends.”

“Hmm.” I stare at our reflection in the polished steel doors. “I suppose there is that.”

Seconds later, the door is opening up and Nate pulls me out. Men and women in suits rush past us, going in different directions and disappearing behind doors, until all of a sudden a pair of eyes are connecting with mine and then Nate’s before a voice shouts, “Cole is here!”

I step back as people flock toward him, practically pushing us back into the elevator. They start talking a mile a minute and handing him files; he has to let go of my hand when he’s passed the seventh—or is that the eighth?

“Quiet!” he shouts over everyone and I shiver at his commanding tone. “Thank you, you’re all starting to give me a headache.” He turns to the man beside him. “Where’s Stacey?”

“Conference room three,” he tells him.

Nate nods as he looks through the first file before looking up and giving me another small smile. “Everyone, this is my… girlfriend, Lia. Lia, everyone.” My stomach dips at the term girlfriend and I stare at him for a beat, repeating it over and over in my head. Pulling myself out of my own head, I offer them a small wave as they all start to murmur. “Yes, I have a social life, guys. Get over it and quickly.”

He reads over the file in front of him one more time before calling, “Murphy?”