That sounded like something a dad would say. Cordy let herself hope that was what it meant.
“She’s pretty awesome.” Cordy kissed Madeleine's head. “But I won’t complain when she starts sleeping longer stretches.”
The rest of the ride was quick, and they were able to drive the side-by-side pretty far up the trail. When Chance pulled it over, Cordy could see the cavern. Only about a fifteen-minute hike should get them there.
The hike wasn’t bad—Cordy was warm but not sweaty, her muscles straining pleasantly instead of painfully. It felt like her body was waking up to something new, discovering how it would be now that she’d given birth. Her abs would feel like this, her hips would feel like that. Things were different, but not bad.
Madeleine fell asleep against her chest, drool leaking from her tiny rosebud mouth. She even gave the cutest snore every so often, which made Chance laugh each time he heard it.
The trail leveled out at the cavern entrance. There were faint footprints in the dust, and brush grew wild over the entrance. The place seemed to breathe secrets, with the old footprints and the brush trying to hide the cavern. No names were carved on this side—this side was only for the Kessals since it bordered their ranch.
Cordy found herself reluctant to breathe too loudly. Chance seemed to feel the same as he pulled aside the overgrown brush. “Here it is,” he said quietly.
Cordy adjusted Madeleine in her carrier, then gestured to Iggy. “Come on.”
Iggy thumped his tail but didn’t move. Instead, he sunk to his belly, his head on his paws. He wasn’t going anywhere.
“All right, but you’re missing out.”
Cordy slowly walked inside the cavern, ducking her head as she passed the entrance.
The cavern itself was much bigger than she expected. The ceiling soared overhead, and there was enough room to fit at least a dozen people. It was cooler than outside, the rock holding a chill without the sun to warm it. But it was surprisingly bright inside, thanks to the bigger entrance on the other side.
It also stank of sulfur, but she was expecting that. Hot springs were always funky places.
“Come to the other side,” Chance said. “That’s where all the names are.”
Cordy gasped when she walked out of the bigger entrance—she could see the entire town from here. She peered down the trail and saw that Chance was right; it would have been much more difficult to come up this side of the mountain.
“It’s something, isn’t it?” Chance’s voice was hushed.
It was. This was the kind of experience Cordy traveled the world for. To see something she never had before.
“Turn around,” Chance urged.
The rock around the cavern entrance was covered with names. Cordy marveled at them. It was a romantic history of the entire town, laid out for all to see. She didn’t think she’d ever seen anything as charming in all her travels. She wondered how old the oldest was. How new the newest was. Who still made the hike together to see their names.
“I’m so glad I saw this.” Cordy rubbed the baby’s back. “I’ll have to take Madeleine up here when she’s older.”
“The big one is inside,” Chance said. “Come see.”
The sulfur smell wasn’t as bad this time. Chance took her hand and led her to one of the far walls.
It took Cordy’s eyes a moment to adjust since it was darker over there.
Ida and Jesse.They were enclosed with a giant heart. Ida’s name was bigger than Jesse’s. Jesse must have carved them there.
Oh my.Cordy felt the weight of those names and Chance’s entire family history like a stone on her chest. She could barely breathe around it.
Love had torn his family apart in so many ways. No wonder he didn’t believe in it.
She couldn’t look at Chance as she stared at Ida and Jesse’s names. If Chance was going to tell her he loved her, it would have been here. Cordy had gambled… and lost.
This place practically thrummed with love and knowing that she loved him when he didn’t feel the same… It hurt so much worse in a place like this.
“That’s them.” Chance’s voice was filled with an emotion she couldn’t name. “The ones who started it all.”
Cordy held tighter to Madeleine. “It’s very moving.” She was proud of how steady her tone was.
