Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 99399 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99399 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
I took a quick photo of the plates in case I lost track of him, then quickly climbed into my tent. It took all of my self-control not to go bang on his door and beg him to talk to me, but I knew that wouldn’t be fair to either one of us.
Besides, I had no fucking idea what to say.
I’m sorry I kissed you, but I’m going to need to do it again.
I can’t be with you, but I can’t be without you either.
Tell me I’m not the reason you ran. Please.
I shoved foam earplugs into my ears and pulled on a sleep mask, fully expecting to toss and turn for a while before succumbing to sleep. Instead, I fell asleep quickly, the stress from the previous few days and the weeks of backcountry camping before that catching up to me.
I woke sweating a few hours later with the sun beaming through the tent’s nylon shell and my sleeping bag tangled around my legs. It took me a few minutes to remember where I was, and then I quickly shoved out of the bag and tent and glanced in the direction of Wolfe’s van.
Gone.
Thankfully, his friends’ vehicles were still there. Since they’d been traveling together for a few weeks now, I hoped that meant he hadn’t gone far. I took a few minutes to shower in the campground bathroom and change into clean clothes before hopping in my rental and heading out in search of food.
It seemed the only place serving lunch was Jake’s Place, which I’d seen in several of the photos on Instagram. I pulled into the little gravel lot and found Wolfe’s van parked on the far side of the building.
Fuck. Was this where I wanted to confront him?
Might as well. Better than running the risk of him leaving. It would be just my luck that today would be the day he decided to split from the group and travel somewhere else.
I trudged inside and was surprised to find Wolfe sitting at a table with a very young woman. As I stepped closer, I recognized her from one of the social media accounts.
BGShay was chatting happily at him while playing a few chords on the guitar when she spotted me.
“Hey! Take any seat. Do you want coffee?”
Wolfe turned to see who she was talking to… and froze.
“Hi,” I said, trying to put a world of apology into my facial expression and body language.
“W-what are you…?” He swallowed and shifted in his seat, cheeks blooming pink in a way that hit me center mass. “What are you doing here?”
The young woman must’ve sensed the tension. She set the guitar down and stood. “Coffee?”
I nodded without taking my eyes off Wolfe. “Thanks.”
As soon as she moved out of earshot, I took one of the empty seats at his table. “Your dads were worried about you,” I said softly.
His face dropped, and then his jaw tightened as he glanced down at his half-empty plate of food. “Oh.”
He looked disappointed, and I realized belatedly that I’d said the wrong thing.
“I was, too,” I admitted. “Leaving without any explanation isn’t like you.”
Wolfe’s eyes stayed on his plate. “As if you know anything about me anymore.”
The arrow struck true, right in my chest. My only saving grace was the conditional “anymore,” giving me credit for the years I’d known him better than almost anyone. There had been a time when we’d talked about all kinds of things.
A time that came to a swift end six years ago.
“Maybe that’s fair. But I still care. You know that’s true, I hope.” My fingers itched to touch Wolfe. To smooth the messy hair over one eyebrow and feel the warmth of his skin. I kept my hands to myself out of sheer will.
“Sure. Because you think I’m a kid who needs minding,” Wolfe hissed. “I’m very clear on that.”
“Because you’re a part of my family,” I whispered back. “And because you’re…”
Precious. Important. Mine.
I didn’t speak the words, but I thought them. Felt them.
He sucked in a breath, held it, then let it out before meeting my eyes again. “I’m fine. You can see that. So you can go now. Tell Papa and Dad I’m okay. Report back to your bestie like a good friend.”
I couldn’t help myself. I reached out and smoothed that piece of hair.
Wolfe’s eyes widened, and he jerked back, making me realize I’d made a mistake yet again.
I carefully returned my hand to my lap and murmured an apology, but before he could say anything, a man came over and set my coffee down.
“Everything okay here, Will?”
I glanced up at the guy. I remembered him from my Instagram searches.
Jake. Of Jake’s Place.
Tall and good-looking. Because of course he was.
“Everything’s fine,” I said.
“Doesn’t look fine.” The man gave me a hard look. “And I didn’t ask you.”