California Sunshine

Belle shakes her head. “The next day when I was hiking with him, he was fun to be with. He wanted to hear about everything.” She chuckles. Music to my ears. “It was nice. Being able to talk to someone about something I love and not be met with a bored, vacant expression. When I looked at that meadow . . . I knew I couldn’t stay there. And no matter how much you pushed, I knew that if I left the group, if I left Nova, I couldn’t go on. I didn’t want to be alone again.”

I reach out to take her hand again, relieved when she lets me. “I’m not very good with emotional shit. I tend to push them down more often than I face them. But I can guarantee one thing. Going home won’t solve your loneliness. Might even make it worse. Because you’ll be turning your back on someone that likes you for you. Just the way you are. Nova won’t carry you to Canada. You don’t need him to. You’re plenty strong enough. But he’ll walk with you. He’ll be there when you need to lean on someone. Whether it’s for a moment, an hour, or however long you need. He’ll be there. So will Bats.” I draw in a deep breath, but I know one more thing for certain. “So will I.”

I pull out my phone, finding a contact and forwarding it to her. Belle cocks an eyebrow at me. “Bats gave me your number,” I tell her. “That’s Autumn’s number. If you still think you need to leave, she’ll arrange everything for you. Taxi, airline, everything. No questions asked. I’ll make sure of it. The guys and I are going to make breakfast. Plenty for you too. If you want to hide alone in your room until we’re done, we’ll know your answer.”

I don’t know why I do it, but as I stand to leave, I bend down and place a soft kiss on her cheek. She smells like wildflowers, and her skin is as soft as petals on my lips. Before I draw back, I whisper, “I’m glad you didn’t leave us, Elizabeth.”

Belle’s eyes meet mine for a long moment, and we finally see each other for who we are. Two lonely people. Sometimes we need our space. Sometimes we need others to lean on. Which way she’ll choose, I don’t know. But as I turn and head out the door, I can at least look Nova and Bats in the eyes when they turn their gazes toward me from the table on the porch.

I let the door close behind me, letting out a long sigh as I approach them. “I told her everything I could. Why I’m on a deadline. What really happened last night.”

“Did it work?” Nova asks with hope in his voice.

“I don’t know,” I admit. “But I gave her Autumn’s number in case . . .”

“In case of what?” Bats asks when I don’t finish.

Before I can answer, the door opens behind me. Belle is standing in the doorframe, biting her lip as she looks at Nova, then Bats, then me. I suck in a breath and freeze, like she’s a deer ready to bolt at the slightest movement. Slowly, she steps out and crosses to . . . me?

Reaching out a hand, she lifts her eyes to mine, smiling the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen. “Hi. I’m Elizabeth. I hear you’re heading to Canada?”