together. For a brief moment, he thought about Emily, but quickly abandoned all thoughts. Don’t even go there .
“It’ll be dark soon,” he said, wanting to break up their little party and get back to the cabin where he could think. He stood and helped Peyton to her feet.
The four of them packed up the leftovers and started back toward their cabins. When Peyton told Stacy she and Reeve were leaving in the morning, he’d thought Stacy was going to cry she was so disappointed. He’d noticed the glistening tears in Peyton’s eyes as well. Stopping by the Brozack cabin, the women exchanged addresses and hugged one last time.
Later that night, Reeve sat out on the deck, gathering his thoughts in the darkness when Peyton stuck her head out the door, interrupting his thinking.
“Are you coming in soon?” she asked.
“In a little while.”
The screen door squeaked as it opened, and the deck boards creaked and shifted with her weight. She sat on the step next to him and hugged her knees. “Look at all those stars,” she said, looking up at the ink blue sky.
Reeve glanced up, wondering when he’d last taken the time to look at a star-lit sky. He couldn’t remember, it had been so long ago. Probably when Emily was still alive.
“I just wanted to thank you again for helping me.”
He nodded, but didn’t say anything.
“I’ll be out of your hair tomorrow,” she said. “That should make you happy.”
Yes, it should, he agreed silently, but for some reason, it didn’t.
“Well,” she said on a sigh, “I should get to bed. My things are gathered, in case Jameson comes early…” Her voice trailed off and she stood.
He heard the screen door open and slap shut. “Reeve?” she said.
He turned around to face her.
“I was just going to say that I wanted to kiss you last night, too.”
He sat there, motionless, a million thoughts buzzing through his head and none of them making sense. All he could think to say was, “Good night, Peyton.”
And then she was gone.
He sat there for some time, alone with his thoughts, until something struck him odd. Getting to his feet, he began pacing, then went inside to wake Peyton. He intended to get some answers. The truth this time.
****
“Sonny Donatelli,” Reeve said, pacing the living room floor. He ran a hand through his dark hair and swore. “Dammit, Peyton, why didn’t you tell me about him?”
Peyton wrapped her arms around her legs and leaned back into the sofa. “I don’t know. I just thought the less you knew the safer I’d be.”
He stopped pacing and speared her with a chilling look, then shook his head and swore again. “How in hell am I supposed to keep you safe when I don’t know who or what I’m up against?”
Swallowing hard, Peyton merely stared up at him. He’d waken her from a sound sleep demanding answers. She’d finally told him about finding Father Mike and the men who had chased her.
“Is there anything else you haven’t told me?” he asked.
“No,” she said quickly. Except that I’m not a hooker. As much as she wanted to tell him the rest of the truth, she couldn’t bring herself to say the words. He was too angry. Admitting she’d been lying to him about that, too, would only push him over the edge. Besides, after tomorrow morning, she was never going to see him again. By the time he found out the truth, she’d be miles away. Hopefully.
Reeve dropped down on the sofa beside her and looked into her eyes. “Peyton, do you trust me?”
I don’t know, she wanted to scream. I don’t know who to trust anymore. “Yes,” she said, realizing she meant it.
“Good,” he said, “because here’s what I want you to do…”
****
It was just after three in the morning when Reeve heard a noise outside. He sank back into the sofa cushions, hoping the intruder wouldn’t notice him in the dark.
He watched as the front door slowly opened, and a dark figure entered the living room. Then, pointing his gun at the shape,
“It’ll be dark soon,” he said, wanting to break up their little party and get back to the cabin where he could think. He stood and helped Peyton to her feet.
The four of them packed up the leftovers and started back toward their cabins. When Peyton told Stacy she and Reeve were leaving in the morning, he’d thought Stacy was going to cry she was so disappointed. He’d noticed the glistening tears in Peyton’s eyes as well. Stopping by the Brozack cabin, the women exchanged addresses and hugged one last time.
Later that night, Reeve sat out on the deck, gathering his thoughts in the darkness when Peyton stuck her head out the door, interrupting his thinking.
“Are you coming in soon?” she asked.
“In a little while.”
The screen door squeaked as it opened, and the deck boards creaked and shifted with her weight. She sat on the step next to him and hugged her knees. “Look at all those stars,” she said, looking up at the ink blue sky.
Reeve glanced up, wondering when he’d last taken the time to look at a star-lit sky. He couldn’t remember, it had been so long ago. Probably when Emily was still alive.
“I just wanted to thank you again for helping me.”
He nodded, but didn’t say anything.
“I’ll be out of your hair tomorrow,” she said. “That should make you happy.”
Yes, it should, he agreed silently, but for some reason, it didn’t.
“Well,” she said on a sigh, “I should get to bed. My things are gathered, in case Jameson comes early…” Her voice trailed off and she stood.
He heard the screen door open and slap shut. “Reeve?” she said.
He turned around to face her.
“I was just going to say that I wanted to kiss you last night, too.”
He sat there, motionless, a million thoughts buzzing through his head and none of them making sense. All he could think to say was, “Good night, Peyton.”
And then she was gone.
He sat there for some time, alone with his thoughts, until something struck him odd. Getting to his feet, he began pacing, then went inside to wake Peyton. He intended to get some answers. The truth this time.
****
“Sonny Donatelli,” Reeve said, pacing the living room floor. He ran a hand through his dark hair and swore. “Dammit, Peyton, why didn’t you tell me about him?”
Peyton wrapped her arms around her legs and leaned back into the sofa. “I don’t know. I just thought the less you knew the safer I’d be.”
He stopped pacing and speared her with a chilling look, then shook his head and swore again. “How in hell am I supposed to keep you safe when I don’t know who or what I’m up against?”
Swallowing hard, Peyton merely stared up at him. He’d waken her from a sound sleep demanding answers. She’d finally told him about finding Father Mike and the men who had chased her.
“Is there anything else you haven’t told me?” he asked.
“No,” she said quickly. Except that I’m not a hooker. As much as she wanted to tell him the rest of the truth, she couldn’t bring herself to say the words. He was too angry. Admitting she’d been lying to him about that, too, would only push him over the edge. Besides, after tomorrow morning, she was never going to see him again. By the time he found out the truth, she’d be miles away. Hopefully.
Reeve dropped down on the sofa beside her and looked into her eyes. “Peyton, do you trust me?”
I don’t know, she wanted to scream. I don’t know who to trust anymore. “Yes,” she said, realizing she meant it.
“Good,” he said, “because here’s what I want you to do…”
****
It was just after three in the morning when Reeve heard a noise outside. He sank back into the sofa cushions, hoping the intruder wouldn’t notice him in the dark.
He watched as the front door slowly opened, and a dark figure entered the living room. Then, pointing his gun at the shape,
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