In time, I’ll tell her.
I say, "Thank you, Hadley."
She lets out a breath. Half a laugh. Her thumb moves against the back of my neck.
"For what?"
"For trustin' me with that."
"Mmhm."
"You did good."
"You did better."
I almost laugh. I almost don't. I straighten enough that I can look at her face.
Her eyes are bright but she's not crying. Her hair is loose around her shoulders. She's the most beautiful thing I've ever stood this close to.
I tell her so.
She looks at me for a second like I just said something in a language she has to translate.
Then she says, "Don't say that unless you mean it, Rogue."
"I don't say things I don't mean, Hadley. Not to you."
She nods.
She lets her hand drop off the back of my neck slowly. The way she let her hand drop off my forearm this afternoon. The same speed.
She steps back half a step. "I oughta let you go."
"Yeah."
"Nash is asleep."
"Yeah."
"It's late."
"Yeah, it is."
We look at each other a heartbeat longer.
She says, quiet, "Goodnight, Rogue."
"Goodnight, Hadley."
I go down her porch steps, cross her gravel, and I don't look back until I'm at my own door, and when I do look back her porch is empty and her kitchen light is off.
The screen door closes softly behind her somewhere inside.
I let myself into my own cabin.
I sit down at my desk because I don't trust my hands to do anything else.
I sit there for a long time until the right monitor pings.
