Whether he meant to or not, Rune sounded like a dad, something she’d never had. It made her chest a little tight.

“You got some inside information on me, Rune?”

He shot her a wry look. “Nah. I’ve just lived long enough to know that a woman like you is only held back by asshole men.”

“Are there a lot of asshole men here in the Fort?”

“A few. Some would say I’m one.”

“You? You’re nice.”

“Shut your mouth! Don’t go spreadin’ rumors like that,” he chided her.

Emma giggled. “Fine, but I’m sure other people have figured out that you’re a softy at heart.”

Grumbling, Rune secured his rifle to the bike. “Only when I like people. I do like you. As I said, you remind me a lot of my daughter, which is why I’m gonna give you some advice. If you’ll allow it.”

“I’ll allow it.”

Staring her straight in the eye, Rune said, “Give him time.”

Tilting her chin, Emma gave him a quizzical look. “What?”

“You heard me. Don’t play innocent.”

Emma knew he was talking about Juan and was a bit rankled. Yes, she experienced an undeniable pull toward the tall, handsome man, but that didn’t mean anything more than she’d gone a very long time without sex. It made her uncomfortable that a few people made it obvious that they suspected there was more than sexual attraction brewing between them. After all, they’d just met, and Emma didn’t believe in fate.

“Even if I had designs on him, he’s got all his attention on his unrequited love. If she’s alive.”

“Even if she is, Emma, time is on your side.”

It bothered her that his words gave her a tiny bit of hope. So she shut it down with a heaping dose of denial and snark.

“Are you sure? Because the world ended, remember? Time doesn’t seem to be on anyone’s side. The longer you live, the better the chance that something will go wrong and you’ll end up dead.”

“Now you’re just shit talking to avoid listening to my advice.”

Bristling, she shot him a defiant look. “I listened.”

Sitting on his bike, Rune flipped his long white braid onto his back and regarded her somberly. “There are two different kinds of ghosts. The ghosts of those who have died and refuse to move on are the most famous. But the harder ones to get rid of are the ghosts that live in your head. Memories of what was, what coulda been, what was hoped for. A lot of people here are haunted by both types. Lord knows I am.”

Attempting to not think too hard about his comment, Emma shrugged. “Maybe that’s all we have left after the reality of the old world is stripped away.”

“Ghosts?”

“Yeah. The kind that lives in our head. I’m trying to let go of mine, but at night, when I’m falling asleep, I like to pretend that none of this happened. That I’m in my old bed and my son is sleeping in his room down the hall.”

“But that’s all bullshit and you know it.”

“That’s a mean thing to say.”

“But it’s true. What’s real is that you’re here, right? Finding a new life? Reality isn’t your memories. You know I’m not shoveling bullshit at you.”

Emma reluctantly nodded.

“Jenni brought you here for a lot of different reasons. I feel it. I know it. But despite whatever designs she had on you, you’ve still got your free will. You can hop on the back of my bike right now and ride out into that big, dark world and find your own path. You understand that, right?”

It was eerie how perceptive he could be. A part of her had considered leaving with him. It had been the briefest flash of a thought, but it had been there. Not because she didn’t like the Fort or its people, but because she didn’t want to feel there wasn’t a choice other than to stay. Emma didn’t believe in fate, but the ghostly intervention in her life made her newfound role feel inevitable. Jenni had diverted her life just as Stan had. Jenni had saved her life, but she’d also handed her legacy over to Emma. That was not only daunting, it made Emma feel like she was caught in a snare. Now it was clear why she was so restless. A piece of her feared she was trapped by forces beyond her control.

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