Pain bit her stomach. “No, Jace, that isn’t what I’m saying. Please, don’t misunderstand.”
“I’m glad to be here with you, Bree, but I know there’s a road you have to go down. I get it. I’m a detour. You’re gonna have to go down that road eventually.”
He’d articulated her thoughts perfectly. Jace was a distraction. A detour.
“Maybe you could stay another day?”
He smiled. “That could be arranged.”
The mountains, with their peaks illuminated by the full moon, took her breath away. Or was it Jace? Probably both. “Oh…uh, where are you staying?”
“I stayed in that cabin right over there last night.” He pointed to her cabin. “I think they might let me stay there again tonight if I promise not to disturb the ‘little lady’ stayin’ on the other side.”
Bree closed her eyes and felt heat flush her cheeks. They hadn’t booked anyone else on the other side of the cabin, and she’d wondered about that. It must have been intentional. “They’ve been so good to me here.”
“They’re very protective of you.”
“They are?”
“Yep. The only reason they let me stay, last night, was because you weren’t here.”
“You’re kidding?”
“Nope. Think you can put in a good word for me tonight?”
“I’ll do that,” she said softly.
He wanted to tell her he’d be there for her, on the other side of the cabin. If she wanted him to, he’d hold her when she cried. He’d comfort her, like he had one other night, when she’d begged him not to go.
The door opened, and Red came out on the porch with a key in his hand. “You’re welcome to bunk in the same place you did last night,” he said and went back inside.
Jace tucked the key in his pocket. “You ready to call it a night?”
“Not yet.” She sighed and put her head back on his shoulder.
“No hurry, sweet girl.”
“Is your leg okay?”
“What leg?”
He’d been tossing and turning for what seemed like hours when he heard the tap on the adjoining door. At first he thought he might have imagined it, but then he heard Bree say his name. He jumped out of bed, forgetting about his knee. It almost gave out on him, but he managed to hobble over to the door and open his side of it.
“Were you asleep?” she asked.
“No. Not even close.”
“Do you mind if I come in?”
“Not at all.” He stepped back to let her through the door. “Uh, can I get you anything? Something to drink?” He didn’t know why he made the offer. He wasn’t sure he had anything to give her if she said she did.
“No. I’d really just like, you know, I mean would you mind, uh…”
“No, I wouldn’t mind,” he answered, and led her over to the bed.
He held her until he was sure she’d fallen asleep, before he allowed himself to drift off.
When he woke the next morning, she was gone. He looked over at the adjoining door, now closed, and wondered if he’d dreamed the whole thing. There was only one way to find out.