Of course she’d call him on it. Didn’t mean he wanted to go down this road. Gathering up the trash, he stuffed it back into the cooler. “Didn’t you say something about dessert?”
“I did.” She reached into the basket behind her, pulling out a small square box. When she opened the lid, the aroma of cinnamon and apples went off like a flavor bomb.
“Whoa. That smells amazing. You made this?”
“Yes. It’s a super easy recipe. Which is exactly where I shine.” Grinning, she held the box just out of his reach. “You can have a piece of this amazing, delicious apple pie spice cake when you tell me the truth.”
A chill brushed the back of his neck. He didn’t have too many deep dark secrets, but that was a loaded question. “About?”
“The career you’d have if you weren’t a security consultant.” She lifted a square and took a big bite, moaning over it. “Mm. So good.”
Relieved that she wasn’t asking a tougher question, his focus locked onto a sudden desire for something more than cake: her.He pulled himself together. For her and her cake, he’d share his true dream. “I’ve always wanted to open a camp for kids. Somewhere in the mountains, I think. When I was a kid, I loved chasing fireflies and hiking through shady paths to find waterfalls.”
The words flowed out so easily. Because Natalie had a kind of magic that brought out the best in the people around her. He hadn’t actually discussed this with anyone, not even his family.
“It’s a someday goal,” he added. “Once in a while I poke around online, looking at potential properties, or researching the latest programming and marketing trends.”
She moved closer, placed a square of cake in his hand, and kissed him on the cheek. “When you get that camp going, let me know. I’ll come in and do some art sessions.”
He stared. “You’re serious.”
“I am. And don’t give me a song and dance about timelines, dreams, or hypotheticals.” She licked cake crumbs from her fingers, distracting him once more. “You’re with the Guardian Agency, so even if it’s years from now, you’ll know how to find me. Though I intend to stay right here and bloom where I’m planted.”
“Noted.” He bit into the cake and sighed. It tasted even better than it smelled. “This is incredible, Natalie. Holy cow. Thank you.” For all her stress over breakfast, she should be confident with her baking skills. He polished off the first piece and asked for seconds, noticing the way her eyes sparkled with his sincere praise.
They talked more about growing up and little things while the boat rocked gently. He periodically scanned the shorelines for any sign of Royer. Natalie stretched out, her sunglasses over her eyes and legs crossed at the ankles. She was so quiet, he was sure she’d fallen asleep.
Taking the opportunity, he texted both Jess and Connor, wishing he’d brought the drone along. A kayak was just too small a target at this distance. Jess responded to his queries about the warehouse space, letting him know the police had been checking that ever since they suspected Royer had come ashore on Brookwell. Knowing the warehouse was monitored made Trent smile. Right now, anything that made it harder on Royer gave him a boost.
Connor, tasked with monitoring Corey’s behavior, hadn’t spotted any worrisome reactions or calls after Trent’s earlier visit with him.
Accepting this outing as unproductive, Trent was debating how long to let Natalie doze when he caught a flash of movement close to Brookwell’s shore. A flash of red, there and gone, rolling with the movement of the water. He was instantly alert and, taking the binoculars, he confirmed the object was a single-person kayak. From this distance, his phone camera wasn’t powerful enough to get a good photo, but he couldn’t ignore the possibility that it was Royer.
He kept an eye on the paddler’s progress until he was sure the kayak was deliberately staying close to Brookwell. Not only that, but following a path that would pass by the construction site and the Hideaway.
He was certain down to his bones that he was watching Royer. “Gotcha.”
“Hmm? What’s that?” Natalie sat up and stretched her arms overhead. Her gaze dropped to the binoculars he held. “Did you find him?”
He scrambled to drag his thoughts back on point. “Yeah. I think I did. Sorry to wake you.”
“I was only halfway out,” she admitted. “Apologies for dozing.”
“Not a problem.”
She sat up. “So fill me in and tell me how I can help.”
One constant was true wherever the work carried him: his integrity. Factoring in how close he felt to Natalie, beyond the physical chemistry, he couldn’t just drag her along and make her more of a target. He glanced toward the shore. Noted the kayak was still making slow and steady progress.
“Best if we get you back to the house.”
She removed her sunglasses. “You mean the Hideaway?”
“No.” He would not compromise her safety. “Your sister’s place.”
She crossed her legs. “So it’s okay to have my help, but only from a safe distance?”
“Not exactly, but also, yes.” Why offer up excuses. It was clear by her body language that anything other than bringing her along would fall on deaf ears. He’d miscalculated. Best to own it. He handed her the binoculars. “I think that’s him and I think he’s headed to the construction site.”
