We walk together, side by side, in near silence. A distant hoot of an owl and the thump of our feet on the ground fill the empty space.
The walk takes less than a minute before we come to the clearing. I stop, holding my arm out in front of me and gesturing for her to go ahead.
She pauses, eyeing me hesitantly. “Is this the part where you lead me out in the middle of nowhere so nobody can hear my screams for help as I’m brutally murdered?”
“Jesus Christ.”I gape at her, raising my eyebrows. “If you were worried about me being a murderer, why would you agree to come with me, in secret, to an undisclosed location?”
She twists her mouth to the side. “Clearly, my survival skills are nonexistent.”
“Clearly.”
She huffs, shimmying past me and walking into the clearing.
For the first time since deciding to bring her out here, my anxiety spikes. I’m not used to being vulnerable and opening up to people. I don’t do relationships and I keep my guard up. It’s for the best.
Nobody gets hurt if they know what to expect.
But here I am. Leading her directly to my heart.
Breaking every fucking rule—forher.
She steps forward, then freezes, breath catching when she finally sees it.
A simple A-frame-style build, like the cabins we rent out to guests—but with some enhancements. It has natural stone on the first level, and instead of the traditional log-cabin style in the original plans, I used cedar wood siding. The large, black double-pane windows were a bitch to put in, but thankfully Landon is a good friend and knows how to keep a secret. Only him and my dad know about this project. I feel bad keeping it from Emmett, but I know he would feel pressured to do the same thing and settle here—and he wants more.
“It’s mine,” I say quietly. “I’ve been spending all my free time out here building. It’s nothing grand, but…it’s mine.”
Seconds tick by like hours and she still isn’t saying anything. I swallow nervously, shoving my hands into my pockets to hide the slight tremble.
“Well…what do you think?” I manage, keeping my voice steady despite feeling everything but.
Her eyes snap to me. So wide. So green. “Wesley…youbuilta house.”
Every time she says my name, it sinks straight into my chest, like she’s carving herself deeper into me.
I clear my throat. “I built a house.”
Saying the words out loud is a relief I wasn’t expecting. The weight that’s been pressing on my shoulders and chest slowly dissipates.
“It’s beautiful,” she says softly, looking back at the house.My house.“Why do you stay at the main house if you have all of this to yourself?”
“Well, it’s not finished yet.” I sniff, pulling off my hat and running my hands through my grown-out hair. I’ve never let it get this long, especially in the summer. “The inside is still a mess. Floors still need to be put in. Doors need to be installed. Light fixtures. Painting. I have cabinets, but no countertops. It’s a big job, and I’ve been learning as I go.”
“I’m very impressed.” Her smile beams.
I shrug, trying to play it off like hearing her say that is nothing. “I’ll let you be the first to see it when I’m finished.”
Her grin falls and she folds her lips between her teeth, dropping her gaze to the ground. I close my eyes, realizing I’m a complete fucking idiot and there’s no way I’ll be finished by the end of summer. She’ll be long gone by the time I’m done.
“I’m an idiot. Just forget I—”
“I’d like that,” she says, interrupting me. “Seeing it all finished. Whenever you’re done.”
Fuck. I don’t want to get my hopes up, but I can’t help the tingle of excitement I feel at the possibility of Sadie coming back.For me.
“You’ll be the first to know,” I murmur.
Her brows pull together in confusion. “Nobody else knows about this?”
