“No!” she shouted. Then she looked away. “I’ll try him later.”
“These hot spots don’t last, babe. At least send him a text,” I told her. “If I were in his shoes, I would want to hear from you and know you were all right.”
“Right. Yeah.” I watched her fingers move over phone as if she was typing a message, but then she put the phone away.
It was weird, but I don’t think I heard the sound indicating she had hit send.
I was about to ask her what was up when she asked me a question.
“You think people will know?”
“Know what?”
“You know. That we did it.”
“You make us sound like two teenagers who lost their virginity together. We’re consenting adults, Shelby. I’m sure most everyone who has seen us together has already assumed we were fucking.”
I could see her wince at my words.
“What?” I pressed.
“I don’t like people knowing my business is all. What we have is private and I want to keep it that way. I don’t care what they think, I just don’t want you going back to camp tonight chatting with the boys about what a great lay I am.”
That immediately pissed me off. “A, I’m not going back to the camp tonight. I’m staying with you in your cabin. B, it is not my habit to share the details of my sex life with anyone. And C, I’m wondering what kind of person you think I am, if you believe I would do something like that.”
She frowned and looked instantly contrite. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…I know you’re not like that. I don’t why I get so messed up in my head sometimes. It’s like I can’t let myself believe I met you. That I’m here. That I’m safe.”
“Safe?” I said, catching on that one word. “Were you not safe at home?”
Because I was starting to believe that the idyllic life she painted in her profile with her mom and dad and two brothers wasn’t exactly how she lived. Certainly not with her mom gone when she was so young.
Which meant maybe there was a reason she didn’t want to call her dad.
“Shelby—” I started, feeling like she was hiding a lot from me.
“Don’t be silly,” she said. “Of course I was safe at home. I meant safe with you. After all, you could have been anybody. A serial killer who lures women to Alaska, so he can peel off their skin and wear it like a dress.”
“That is fucked up.”
“I only mean that sometimes I have a hard time letting myself believe I could be so lucky.”
Was it luck? Two people who filled out a few paragraphs about who we were with some pictures then…thishappened.
It wasn’t like I believed in things like fate and destiny. I always believed my life and my choices were under my control. But this, right here, right now, with Shelby felt like something totally out of my control.
“Was that our first fight?” she wanted to know.
“You pissed me the hell off, I can say that much.”
“I’m sorry again.”
“Shelby, I’m not saying you have to go around believing that everyone is good and kind. Too damn often in life people can be disappointing as hell. But up here in this place away from the rest of the world, I can tell you the people here are who they seem. None of my guys, not Jack, Ark or Caleb would ever treat you with anything other than respect. I promise you that.”
“Okay, Eli. I believe you.”
Those words felt even better thanI’m sorry.
I pulled the truck up in front of Bud’s and Shelby hopped out on her side. I headed toward the door and pulled it open and suddenly a shriek of noise blew out at us.
