No big deal.
My heart is already racing as I start the drive up the mountain toward the lumberyard.The further I go, the quieter it gets.The town fades away, replaced by trees and winding roads and that peaceful, woodsy calm that always makes me feel like I can finally breathe.
I tighten my grip on the steering wheel.
What if he’s busy?What if I’m interrupting?What if?—
A truck appears around the bend ahead, and my breath catches.
No way,I think, but it is.
Rune is heading my way.
I slow, pulling off to the side of the dirt road.Rune drives past me, and I see his head whip in my direction.He slams on the brakes.I burst out laughing as he throws his truck into reverse and backs up until he’s next to me.His window rolls down, and he leans out, that familiar intensity in his eyes softening the second he sees me.
“Hey,” he says.
“Hi.”I grin.
“What are you doing up here?”
“I could ask you the same thing,” I tease.
He huffs out a quiet laugh.“Work.What about you?”
Instead of answering, I lift the taco bag and shake it at him.
His eyes drop to it, then back to me.A slow grin spreads across his face.“Follow me.”
My stomach flips, and I grin.“Okay.”
He turns around and drives past me.I shift into drive and follow him up the road a half mile before we turn onto another street.We drive down the gravel road for a few minutes, then pull into a driveway.
I scan the cabin and surroundings as I shift into park and grab the bag of tacos.His cabin is exactly what I imagined and somehow… not at all.It’s tucked into the trees, halfway between town and the lumberyard, like a little hidden world.The structure is simple and sturdy, surrounded by tall pines and quiet.It’s peaceful and private.Very Rune.
I park behind his truck and step out, looking around as he comes up beside me.
“You live here?”I ask.
“Yeah.”
“I love it,” I say honestly.
His gaze shifts to me, something soft flickering there.“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
He nods, then holds his hand out to me.“Come on.Let’s eat.”
I follow him inside, my eyes pinging around the place as he leads me into the kitchen.The cabin is sparsely decorated.It’s clearly a man’s house, with the leather couches and giant flat-screen TV.A bookcase is tucked into one corner, stuffed with old paperbacks that look like they’ve been read a dozen times.
Rune pulls out my chair for me, and we both sit at the kitchen table.His knee brushes against mine, but neither of us pulls away.I pass him a chicken, birria, and shrimp taco, then take one of each for myself.
“Thanks for dinner,” he says as we unwrap our food.
“No problem,” I say, taking a bite of taco.
“So,” he says, watching me.“You’ve been busy.”