I lie perfectly still, afraid to wake her. She looks peaceful now, the fear and tension from the night before erased in sleep. A strand of hair has fallen across her face, and I brush it away.
This moment feels fragile, like blown glass—beautiful but likely to shatter at the slightest touch. I know I should extract myself before she wakes, before this becomes awkward, but I can’t bring myself to move. Not yet.
Her eyelids flutter, and I hold my breath, but she doesn’t wake. Instead, she sighs softly and burrows closer, her fingers tightening slightly on my t-shirt. Something in my chest constricts—a feeling I haven’t allowed myself in a very long time.
Scout stirs at our feet, lifting his head to look at me with sleepy eyes. He seems to be asking what I’m going to do, but I have no answer for him. I’m in uncharted territory here.
The sound of movement in the kitchen breaks the spell—Julia and Margret must be up. Carefully, I begin to disentangle myself from Lana, moving inch by inch to avoid disturbing her. She mumbles something unintelligible but doesn’t wake as I slip a pillow where my shoulder had been.
Scout watches me with what I swear is judgment in his canine eyes as I retrieve my crutches and make my way to the door. I pause at the threshold, looking back at the woman curled in the bed, her face finally peaceful in sleep.
Whatever ghosts haunt her, whatever she was running from—I find myself wanting to stand between her and those shadows. It’s an unfamiliar feeling, this protectiveness that goes beyond professional duty or casual friendship.
And it terrifies me almost as much as it draws me in.
In the kitchen, Julia is humming softly as she measures coffee into the filter. She looks up when I enter, her eyes widening slightly at my disheveled appearance.
“Morning,” I say, my voice rougher than I intend.
A knowing smile plays at her lips, but she doesn’t comment on my obviously just-woke-up state or the fact that I’m coming from the direction of Lana’s room rather than my own. “Coffee?” she offers instead.
“God, yes,” I accept gratefully, sinking into a chair at the table. My leg throbs in time with my heartbeat, reminding me that I pushed it too hard yesterday.
Julia slides a steaming mug in front of me. “So,” she says casually, leaning against the counter. “What’s the plan for today?”
I take a sip of coffee, buying time to organize my thoughts. “Jake and Ella are flying in this afternoon. We need to fill them in on everything—the treasure, Margret, and Danny. Speaking of which, where is she?”
“She got her farm hand to pick her up. Thought it would be easier on you after Danny punched you in the leg.
I nod, thankful that Margret considered that.
“Don’t forget to mention the mineral rights to Jake,” Julia adds. “That’s going to be a big deal.”
“I won’t. He’s going to have some decisions to make. If those copper deposits are as valuable as Margret thinks...”
“It could change everything for this community,” Julia finishes. “For better or worse.”
The sound of soft footsteps makes us both look up. Lana stands in the doorway, hair tousled from sleep, Scout at her heels. Her eyes meet mine briefly before darting away.
“Morning,” she murmurs, making a beeline for the coffee.
“Sleep okay?” Julia asks, and I tense, wondering if she’s fishing for information.
Lana’s back is to us as she pours her coffee, but I see her shoulders stiffen slightly. “Fine,” she says, too quickly. “How about you?”
“Like a rock,” Julia replies cheerfully. “I’m making pancakes if anyone’s hungry.”
Lana turns, cradling her mug between her hands. “Sounds great. Where’s Margret?”
“Farm hand picked her up about an hour ago,” Julia says as she collects a bowl from the cupboard.
There’s an awkward moment where none of us quite know what to say next. Julia, bless her, fills the silence with chatter about pancake recipes as she gathers ingredients. I watch Lana over the rim of my mug, trying to gauge her mood, to see if there’s any hint of regret or embarrassment about last night.
Her eyes finally meet mine, and I see a flash of vulnerability before she masks it with a small smile. “Thank you,” she mouths silently, and I know she’s referring to last night—to my staying with her through the nightmare.
I nod once, acknowledging but not drawing attention to it. Some moments are best kept between those who shared them.
The morning passed in a blur of preparation after the barn animals were fed. We clean up Ella’s house, making sure everything is ready for her return. Julia packs her few belongings, planning to retrieve her car once the tow truck arrives. Lana and I avoid being alone together. I take the UTV and clean every inch of snow away from Ella and Jake’s driveways while she bakes cookies.
