“What?” Meg laughed. “I had no idea that could happen.”
Cade grinned. “As kids, we thought it was the funniest thing in the world. Nicholas wouldn’t stop talking about it. I think he told about fifty strangers that summer about our tent sliding down the hill as we slept. Zane got the biggest kick out of that.”
Meg liked the way Cade’s green eyes sparkled in the setting sunlight. It made her stomach flutter. “You must miss your brother.”
His smile faded. “I do.” He looked like he was going to say something else, but he swallowed the remark, and Meg let it go. If there was tension between them, she figured it was only natural. Cade was convicted of murdering his girlfriend. That’s bound to drive any family apart.
“What about you? What’s your family like?” he asked.
“My parents are both gone, and I have no siblings. I’ve never been close with any extended family. I’m pretty much alone.” She didn’t mean for it to sound so pathetic, but after she saw the pity in Cade’s gaze, she wished she’d said it differently.
Cade placed his hand on Meg’s shoulder, and tingles erupted over her skin. She hadn’t expected her body to react in such a way, and she leaned back to break contact. Unfortunately, she leaned too far, and her log stool tipped, causing her to fall backward. She let out a shriek just before she hit the ground, knocking the wind out of her.
Cade jumped to her side. “Are you okay?” He asked it with a straight face, but the corners of his mouth were twitching.
“I think I bruised something.” She sat up.
He looked her over. “Your back? Or...don't tell me. You bruised your butt, didn’t you?”
She whacked his arm. “My pride. I was going to say my pride.” She rolled her eyes at him.
“Oh.” He chuckled as he helped her. He sat her log upright and she took her seat.
“Thanks.”
The sun hung low enough in the sky now that long shadows were cast over them. Cade wiped his hands on his jeans. “I bet our dinner is done.”
Meg stood. “I’ll go get the plates.” She walked into the house and was surprised at how hard it was to see already, even without the sun completely down. At least she’d bought some candles. She grabbed two plates from the cupboard and opened the silverware drawer. After her eyes adjusted, she pulled two forks out.
Cade had fished the oven out of the fire and was opening the lid with his metal rod when she came outside. “I don’t have anything to dish it up with.”
“I’ll go grab something.” Meg went back inside and rummaged around in the drawers until she came up with a spatula and a serving spoon. She walked back outside and dished food for them both.
They sat on the logs. Meg cut into her potato with her fork. It was soft and fell apart easily. “Sorry, there’s no sour cream or butter. This is kind of a lame meal.”
Cade stabbed a piece of his ham and lifted it to his mouth. After chewing, he smiled at her. “Tastes great to me.”
Something about the way he was looking at her warmed her, and she blushed at the compliment. “I’m glad.”
Meg had to agree, after not eating anything but snacks for lunch, this was a decent supper. The ham practically melted in her mouth and the potato curbed the gnawing hunger in her belly. She went inside and grabbed two water bottles then handed one to Cade. “Maybe when we’re out of water, we can fill these up from the stream.”
Cade made a face. “Only if you want to get sick.”
“Seriously? Stream water can make you sick?”
He shrugged. “It’s a gamble. We’re in nature. Animals use the water too. Better not to do it if you can help it.”
Meg was stunned. “All right. I’m glad you said something.”
He unscrewed the cap and took a long drink. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed.
Why did that make those butterflies come back? Strange. She was acting like a silly school girl. Meg cleaned up their plates while Cade tended to the fire. She went into the dark house. She’d just have to be careful around Cade. It made absolutely no sense to be attracted to him. She should tattoo a big off-limits sign on his forehead.