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“Morning? Gage, there are still stars in the sky.”
“Sure, but how will we get to appreciate the sunrise if we aren’t awake for it?”
Groaning, Sophia stands and pins me with a pointed look. “You’re one ofthosepeople, aren’t you?” I cringe at her accusation even if I’m not quite certain what that is exactly. “A morning person.”
Laughing, I follow her in the house. Once in the kitchen, she pours out what is left in her cup and places it in the dishwasher. I notice a backpack on the table and a large, insulated water bottle next to it. When she turns to face me, there is a travel mug in one hand and the lid in the other.
“Coffee?”
“No thanks. I have one in my truck.”
Smiling, she goes about filling the cup and adding creamer. I watch Sophia move around the kitchen as she puts the creamer away and snags a banana from a basket. When she takes the first bite of the banana. I have to turn away. I’m not a pervert by any means, but seeing this woman standing before me in a pair of cutoff jean shorts, a hoodie, and pair of sneakers taking a bite out of a piece of fruit like she is... well, I’m a little distracted.
“I have sunscreen, a hat, water, a few protein bars, trail mix, and some electrolyte packs. Can you think of anything I forgot? Gage?”
I clear my throat and turn to face her. “Sorry. Nope, sounds like you’re set. Are you ready to head out?”
“You promise to take it easy on me? I wasn’t kidding, Gage. It has been years since I’ve done more than run on a treadmill.”
“I remember,” I say and take the pack off the table and head toward the door.
Sophia doesn’t say anything as I lead us to my truck. I’m actually a little surprised she hasn’t commented on my taking the backpack. There is little doubt in my mind that Sophia Brooks has become used to taking care of herself, relying on very few people over the last three years as she adapted to a life controlled by a stranger. I thought a lot of what Dr. Vail said about us both being pursued. Maybe that is why we naturally fell into this friendship.
She sighs from the passenger seat, her thumbnail between her teeth as she stares out the window. I don’t comment. The truck makes it only about ten feet before I’m gifted another, more dramatic sigh.
“Just say whatever it is you’re not saying. You may run out of sighs.”
“Never doubt me. I have a lifetime of sighs saved. Do you think this is okay? Safe, I mean.”
This was not what I expected her to say. I could be honest and tell her I have no idea. There is no way to foresee what a stalker will do especially when he can’t find his target. Something tells me Sophia doesn’t want the complete truth this morning.
“Honestly, I can’t answer that. You, more than anyone, should know there is no way to predict what will happen. But I can promise you’re safe with me. That’s a guarantee.”
“Hmm... that’s what you do, isn’t it? Sacrifice yourself to save others.”
Shifting in my seat, I let her words hang in the air between us. It seems more like a rhetorical question anyway. The drive is quiet as I maneuver through town.
“You aren’t taking me somewhere isolated to murder me, are you? I have enough problems these days to worry about you becoming a psycho killer.”
Chuckling, I glance her way and catch the smirk and sparkle in her eye. That’s what I hoped to see today.
“Really? Ten minutes ago you all but accused me of having a savior complex and now I’m a killer?”
Sophia shrugs her shoulder and then hits me with a zinger. “It isn’t like you’re an open book, so how am I to know? Besides, one could argue there isn’t much of a difference if you think you’resavingthe world bykillingbad guys.”
“How much true crime do you watch?”
“None. We don’t... we don’t stream. My parents bought me all the seasons ofDexteron DVD. I rewatch them often.”
I don’t know there’s even a response to that tidbit of information. Sophia is a bit of an onion. She’s layers upon layers of information and surprises.
“Wait. Why are we at your cabins?”
“Best hiking spot is just over that ridge,” I say, pointing past my cabin.
When I step out of the truck, she squints her eyes at me. “You came all the way to The Bluebird to pick me up just to drive back home? I could have driven myself here.”
“What fun would that have been?”
