“Probably more effective than running on the beach.”
“Is that what you do to keep so fit?” he asked.
She flashed a tilted grin and shrugged one shoulder. “I don’t get the chance very often. Mostly, I run around the base.”
“That military fort up north?”
“Joint Base Lewis-McChord, yeah.”
Not inclined to give up personal details easily, was she? He sat on the cot, and Snoot immediately hopped up beside him and nestled against his thigh.
“You’re a soldier, then?” he asked, stroking the dog’s thick fur.
She turned away to examine a row of old tintypes on the wall, faded images of solemn-faced lighthouse keepers and their sturdy wives.
“Listen, miss, if you’d rather I not ask personal questions, I’ll bite my tongue and get on with the tour. But I enjoy getting to know my visitors.” He raised his palms in a placating gesture. “I promise, I mean you no harm.”
Her expression softened. “It’s fine. It’s just that—” She sighed. “When I tell people what I do for a living, they tend to ask a lot of questions. Sometimes, it’s nice to be anonymous, you know?”
Was she some kind of spy or special ops assassin? Images of sexy, bad-ass movie heroines dazzled his imagination, but he tamped down his curiosity. “Sure, of course. Everyone’s entitled to a few secrets.”
And keeping his ugly secret from her was his only chance to enjoy her company a little longer. Once women found out about the disaster and its aftermath, they inevitably bailed.
“Thanks for understanding.” She crossed the narrow room and sat beside him on the squeaky cot. Sandwiched between them, the dog thumped the mattress with his tail and laid his head on her lap, eyeing Addy with heart-melting adoration. She absently stroked his fur and stared off into the distance.
“Most people wouldn’t thrive in this kind of isolation.” She nudged his shoulder with hers. “Do you?”
“Ah, who’s asking questions now?” he teased.
“Sorry, that was too personal, wasn’t it?” Her gaze dropped. “This is my week for asking hard questions, I guess. I find myself at a turning point, and there’s a lot I need to figure out pretty quickly.”
“Like whether you enjoy isolation?”
“Sort of. And whether I could thrive in a small town.”
“Small like Bumfuck, or like Trappers Cove?”
“Are they that different?”
“Very much so.” He slapped his thighs and pushed to his feet. “Well, Ms. Mystery, are you ready to go up topside?”
“Lead on, Lighthouse Keeper.”
At the top of the final staircase, Kieran opened the heavy metal door while Addy clipped the dog’s leash to his collar. “Heel, Snoot.”
Unlike many visitors, this beauty displayed not the least hesitation stepping onto the platform. And like the well-trained soldier he was, the dog glued himself to her side, calm despite the swooping seagulls overhead, and contented himself with sniffing the wind that lifted his mistress’s hair.
It was always interesting to see how people reacted to the view up here. Some plastered themselves to the sturdy wall, jaws tight, lips bloodless. Some giggled, made giddy by the height. Some winced at the wind’s power. But not secretive Addy. She rested her hands lightly on the railing and slowly scanned the horizon.
“Wow,” she said at last, “I was about to turn back when Snoot tugged me toward this place. It’s…” She sighed through a misty smile. “What an amazing view. Makes me feel like I’m above it all, you know? All the petty day-to-day bullshit, the complications, the…” She trailed off, spread her arms wide, and closed her eyes. “The wind blows it all away.”
Kieran stepped up beside her, awed by how perfectly she expressed the comfort he felt up here. “It’s an excellent place to have a think.”
She gifted him a brilliant smile. “You’re a lucky man, Kieran Gallagher.”
“I am today,” he agreed, drinking in the sight of her—jade eyes shining, dark hair whipping in the wind.
She tossed off a laugh. “Are you flirting with me, sir?”
