Boomer picked his head up from his napping spot, probably hoping somebody had brought a picnic lunch, but when he saw Gwen’s hands were empty, he flopped back down.
Gwen walked right to Case and he settled her on his lap, wrapping his arms tightly around her and resting his cheek on the top of her head. They didn’t talk and it wasn’t the most comfortable position for him, but he didn’t care. He could feel some of the tension seeping out of her body as he held her, so he’d hold her for as long as it took to help her feel better.
“That was a lot,” she said finally, but she didn’t try to get up.
“It sounded like a lot. Looked like it, too.”
“I’m glad, though. I think Mom really needed that.” She chuckled and lifted her head. “I’m also glad it happened before we got therealglasses in.”
Perhaps realizing a gazebo bench wasn’t the most comfortable spot there was, Gwen pushed herself up and, when he swung his feet to the floor, she sat beside him. Case would have preferred to keep holding her—an aching back and legs were a small price to pay to have Gwen in his arms—but he reached over and laced his fingers through hers instead.
He’d been telling himself for days that the next time he had Gwen alone, they were going to talk. He didn’t like being in this limbo of not knowing if they were starting something together or not, and he definitely didn’t like hoping they were if she had her mind set on pretending nothing had happened.
But it didn’t take an emotional genius to see that now wasn’t the right time. All four of the Sutton women needed a break right now, and that he could do.
“Want to go for a ride?” he asked, guessing that Ellen wanted some time alone, and that Gwen wouldn’t want to go inside with the rest of her family.
“Sure.”
He chuckled, squeezing her hand. “You’re not even going to ask where we’re going?”
“No, as long as it’s somewhere I can be in jeans and sneakers.”
“I’m pretty sure there’s nowhere in Stonefield you can’t go in jeans and sneakers.”
She grinned and bumped him with her shoulder. “That’s true.”
Once they were in his truck, with Boomer content to sit in the back seat—though he kept poking his head over the center console in case he was missing something—Case decided to keep it simple. The last thing he wanted was for them to walk around town and have her run into anybody with strong opinions about the book or movie, so he drove down a network of back roads to one of Boomer’s favorite spots.
The river that ran around the outskirts of town was shallow and slow-moving here, running through a wide clearing in the woods. It was a fun and safe place for Boomer to run around, and he could play in the water to his heart’s content.
“This is a beautiful spot,” Gwen said, watching the dog splash through the river. “How come I’ve never been here before?”
“It’s actually private property, so it doesn’t get a lot of traffic, but I do tree work for the owner and he loves Boomer, so we have an open invitation.” He looked at her and grinned. “Plus, you were probably afraid all those books you were always toting around might get wet.”
She laughed and the sound filled the clearing. “That’s a good point. I’ve never really been the outdoorsy type.”
They were quiet for a few minutes, watching Boomer live his best life. Every once in a while, she’d turn her face up to the sun and close her eyes, and he could practically see the stress seeping out of her muscles.
Then she looked at him and he could see that she still had a lot on her mind. And judging by the way her face softened as she sighed, it had to do with him.
“I haven’t been avoiding you,” she said quietly. “I know it probably looks that way, but I’ve been working.”
He smiled, because it was good to hear her say it. “I hear you’ve been spotted wandering the house looking for snacks in your pajamas with messy hair, so I assume the writing’s going well?”
She laughed, shaking her head. “Yes, it is. If there are crumbs on my pajamas and possibly also in my hair, the writing is goingverywell.”
“Your job looks a lot more glamorous on TV. Lunches in the city and champagne toasts when the book is done.”
“I usually celebrate finishing a book by taking a shower, sleeping for two days and then wondering when I stopped buying vegetables.”
He was about to make a joke about her needing somebody to take care of her, but he realized at the last second it might sound like he was fishing for it to behim. And maybe he was, but he’d already decided today wasn’t the day for that. She was finally relaxed and enjoying herself, and the last thing he wanted was for her expression to tighten up again because he’d brought up their relationship.
And maybe, before he brought it up, he should get hold of his own feelings on the matter. Yes, he wanted her. He wanted to spend time with her. He wanted her in his bed again. He wanted to hug her when she needed one, and he wanted to make her laugh.
But he’d just made a big leap from wanting to see her to being there to make her take a shower and eat vegetables while she was writing a book.
To be there for that, they’d be sharing a life together. Living together. He’d gone from zero to a hundred without any rational thought on the matter, and maybe before he brought Gwen into it, he needed to slow himself down.
