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„I know what I saw. Don’t worry. You looked sweet while you were doing it. And I promise to tell no one. It’ll be our little secret.“ He kissed the tip of her nose. „In fact, I consider it a real turn-on.“
„After the night we’ve put in, you probably consider breathing a turn-on.“
„Depends on who’s doing the breathing.“ There was mat grin again, sending her heart into a series of somersaults. „There’s a fantastic sunrise outside our window. Want to walk to the dock and watch it?“
Even before she could respond, Barnaby walked to the door and stood waiting.
„Is he a mind reader?“ Josh held out his hand and helped Grace to her feet.
Within minutes they’d dressed and were padding barefoot along the dock, with Barnaby racing ahead.
„Oh, look at that.“ Grace pointed to the bright orange ball of sun on the horizon that seemed to be rising directly out of the lake.
„I wonder what the ancient people thought of that?“ Josh kept her hand tucked firmly in his.
„It would be easy to believe the sun slept in me lake after dark.“
He nodded. „Along with the spirits.“
Her head swiveled to study him closely. „Does this mean you’ve decided not to believe Wyatt Eagle’s tale?“
He shrugged. „I’m sure he believes it. But now that I’ve had some time to think it through, I’m not so sure.“
„What about the ghost you saw?“
He gri
„Do you honestly believe it was fog?“
„I don’t know what I believe anymore. Not that it matters.“
„It matters to me. What about my photo shoot of the dancing light?“
„You came here hoping to find something mystical. I think what we’ve found together is mystical enough. No harm in getting some shots of starlight on the water though. Now that the countryside is alive with color, at least you’ll have some breathtaking pictures.“
While Grace mulled his words, they stood watching until the sun had completely risen above the water. Then, almost reluctantly they turned toward the cabin.
„Time to return Bamaby to his owner.“ Josh pointed toward their jackets. „We’d better bring those along, just in case there’s another sudden change in the weather.“
„Good idea.“ Grace picked up her jacket and followed him out the door.
Once outside, the big yellow dog trotted eagerly ahead of them, leading the way along a well-worn path through the forest.
They traveled for more than a mile before spotting a rustic cabin up ahead, almost hidden under a canopy of lush forest.
„There it is.“ Grace pointed, and they hurried to catch up with the dog, bounding ahead of them.
Josh caught her hand and helped her over a fallen log. „Looks like Barnaby is aware that he’s almost home.“
As they stepped into a clearing, they stared in surprise. Instead of the snug retreat they’d been expecting to see, this cabin looked deserted. The door was hanging by one rusted hinge. As they climbed the steps, Josh held up a hand.
„Watch out, or you could fall through that hole in the wood.“
Stepping gingerly around the crumbling step, Grace trailed him inside, only to stare around in dismay. The interior was even worse than what they’d already seen. Cobwebs hung from rotting beams. The sparse furnishings appeared to have been chewed by creatures from the wild; the stuffing tossed about, the cushions of an ancient mattress damp and moldy from the elements.
„This can’t belong to Wyatt.“ Grace couldn’t control a shudder.
When the dog trotted out the open back door, they followed, then stopped in midstride at the sight of a grave marker.
Josh knelt to read the inscription before looking up at Grace. „It has Wyatt’s name. But the date is all wrong. According to this, he’s been dead for years.“
Grace dropped down beside him to trace the name and date that had been carved into the marker. The color drained from her face. „What’s going on here, Josh?“
His eyes narrowed. „That’s what I’d like to know. If someone’s trying to play a trick on us, they’ve got a really warped sense of humor.“
„The grave certainly looks old.“ Grace studied the earth, overgrown with vegetation. „I don’t think anybody could fake the condition of that cabin.“
Josh looked around, then got to his feet and helped her to stand. Drawing an arm protectively around her shoulders, he whistled to the dog.
She looked alarmed. „Where are we going?“
„Back to our cabin. Whatever’s going on here, I’d feel a lot safer in familiar surroundings.“
They started back along the path toward their own cabin, with Barnaby happily ru
For the first time since his arrival, Josh made certain that the cabin door was secured before tossing a log on the fire. Seeing it, Grace was grateful that she wasn’t alone.
She touched a hand to his. „The supply plane will be here in a couple of days.“
He looked at their joined hands, then up into her eyes. „We’re not waiting for the supply plane. First thing in the morning, we’re leaving.“
„How?“
„The way I’d pla
She lifted a hand to his cheek. „I trust you completely, Josh.“
He drew her close and pressed a kiss to her temple. „Whatever’s going on here, we’ll get through it together.“
„Together.“ She drew a little away and smiled. „I can’t think of a nicer word than that.“
„Neither can I.“ He gathered her close and covered her mouth with his. „Come to think of it, it’s a word neither of us has ever been able to say before. Together.“ He spoke the word inside her mouth as he took the kiss deeper.
And then there was no time for words as they came together to offer comfort in the only way they could.
Ten
„Listen to this.“ Darkness had settled over the land, but inside the cabin, with a cozy fire burning, Josh and Grace sipped coffee while she shared with him some words from one of her mother’s letters. „My darling Grace, one of my greatest fears is that, without a mother’s love, you will spend a lifetime just passing through…“
She sucked in a breath. „It’s what I’ve been doing, Josh. Don’t you see? All this time, I’ve just been passing through.“ She lowered her head and continued reading: „… instead of living your life to the fullest. Remember this, my darling. Each moment should be savored, for each moment we’re on this earth is a treasure. And the richest treasure of all is having someone to share the moments.“
„A wise woman, your mother.“ Josh topped off Grace’s cup and his own, before settling on the sofa beside her.
Grace reached into the manila envelope and withdrew a stack of photos. „It’s such a thrill to finally be able to see what my mother looked like.“
As she sorted through them, Josh had quick glimpses of baby Grace in a young woman’s arms, of a laughing baby in a bathing suit at the beach, of a happy baby clapping her hands and reaching out for the string of a balloon.
Finally Grace came to the one she’d been looking for. „This is my favorite. The one in my father’s album had been torn in half. Always, I’d only been able to see him looking at an empty space. But now I can understand the intense look on his face. Isn’t she beautiful?“
Josh stared at the photograph of the gorgeous golden-haired woman in a fairy-tale wedding gown, standing beside a stern-looking man in a morning coat and tails. But it wasn’t the scene that captured his interest; it was the woman.
„This is your mother?“
At the sharp edge of his tone, Grace glanced over. „What’s wrong?“
He tapped a finger on the photo. „That’s my passenger.“
She couldn’t seem to absorb his meaning. „I don’t understand.“