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A gasp of my name from her lips is all I need to hear.
I startle her by quickly moving my arms and scooping her off her feet in a bridal carry in front of the door. A small squeal echoes through the forest around us, along with the little giggle now coming out of Cassie’s mouth.
“Now to do this the right way that I couldn’t do when we arrived,” I say, kissing her forehead quickly. “Welcome home, Cassie, and our little bubba. I’ve been waiting for you both.” The emotion takes all the volume from my voice as I get to the last few words. Tears are welling in her eyes, and to be honest, I think in mine too.
“I love you, Noah, and this baby will too. You are our safe place.” As she snuggles into me, I walk over the threshold of our log cabin, Cassie in my arms, to start our new life together. But before we do, Cassie needs to know the real me.
Looking down at her, I know that I’m not here to save Cassie. She could have done that on her own, I’m sure, but I’m here to be her protector. Something that is no longer my job but now my life’s journey.
Placing her down gently on the couch, I place another gentle kiss, this time on her nose.
“I didn’t know I could love until you.” I stand and walk to the door, the emotion overwhelming me. I need fresh air.
My mouth is dry, and I’m struggling to talk, but I get out what I need.
“Just turning on the generator. Back in a minute.” My feet take me as quickly as they can without running out into the forest to the area where I built a little generator shed. Filling the fuel and priming it, luckily it starts with the first pull of the rope. Locking the shed door again to keep the animals out, I’m back at the side of the cabin, turning on the gas and pushing the pilot light to get it going. Thank goodness everything has stayed in working order and now we have hot water, gas to cook, and the fridge to keep our food fresh. The rest we will work out later. Food, a place to sleep, and apparently according to Cassie, a clean toilet are all we need to live undercover for as long as it takes.
Standing, I take one last look around outside before I head back in, and for the first time in a very long time, I feel happy. And not just the regular everyday happy but that deep-down sense of happiness you feel in your soul. I know how strange that sounds when Cassie’s life is in danger, but if her life were any different, I wouldn’t have met her, and that is not something I even want to imagine now. A life without Cassie just isn’t a life.
“Ghost, is everything okay?” Her voice brings me out of my inner thoughts. I push the lock on the car keys that are in my pocket so we’re settled in for the rest of the night.
“Yeah,” I call back as I turn and walk back into the cabin, shutting the door behind me.
“No, I don’t mean out there. I mean, are you okay?” Cassie is now sitting on the couch, legs crossed and her hands in her lap, looking a little anxious. I have to learn I can’t get anything past her; she sees me, all of me.
“Everything is perfect. Let me get you a snack and some water and we can talk.” Heading to the bags of food on the counter that we haven’t put away yet, I find the cookies that she demanded were on the list we gave Badger, so I’m guessing they’re her favorite. This is good to know. It’s the little things that we still haven’t found out about each other, but we have all the time in the world to learn. I grab two waters that are still cool from the shop, even though the fridge will take a while to get cold properly.
“Oh, yes!” Cassie’s excitement all over her face has taken away that worried look from a moment ago. Food trumps it all, it seems.
“If cookies are this exciting now, I can’t imagine what it will be like when the pregnancy cravings kick in.” Settling on the couch next to her, I look at her mouth, full of the cookie and with crumbs on her lips where she is devouring it.
She gives me a shove in my shoulder, and we both let our bodies sink into the softness of this couch that has been here since I bought the place. When I sat on it and felt like I could fall asleep, I knew it had to stay. The dark green color looks like it belongs in the rustic room.
The first cookie gone and a few big mouthfuls of water swallowed, and Cassie is looking at me with anticipation.
“Spill, Ghost. What do we need to talk about? I feel like you have something that is eating at you, and that freaks the shit out of me.”
Our tender moment from minutes ago is long gone and my sassy girl is back. She doesn’t beat around the bush when she wants to know something.
“You know I hate secrets.” Her eyes are boring into my soul. Even if I tried to deny it, I have a feeling she would get it out of me anyway.
Luckily, I’m ready to tell her everything.
“Relax, bright eyes, it’s not bad. It’s just, I’m not quite who I appear…”
I know by the stunned look on her face that I need to keep talking before she starts with the million questions which will probably come anyway.
ChapterFourteen
CASSIE
Idon’t think Ghost was listening to the doctor when they said no stress. You can’t tell a woman, “We need to talk because I’m not who you think,” and then not expect me to start freaking out. Even if I didn’t have hormones that were sending me extra loopy, I’d still be jumping out of my skin.
Jason isn’t who he said he was either. I can’t do this again.
“What the—” My words are muffled as he places his finger on my lips, silencing me, which just pisses me off more.
“Cassie, stop talking before you get the wrong idea! I’m not Jason. I can see the fear in your eyes. I’m me, but there is just extra you need to know. Do you think you can hold it until I talk?”
