Then he bent down and did exactly that, his hands holding her face, the touch soft, sweet, gentle.
Jericho.
Orlando barked and Jericho looked up as headlights streamed over them. A Bowie Resorts truck pulled up beside them, and Jericho slipped his hand into hers.
Hudson climbed out of the truck, wearing a work jacket, boots, a ball cap. A few fatigue lines etched his face.
“Hey, Hud,” Jericho said. “Late day.”
“Yeah. We had a truck stolen from the worksite last night.”He sighed. “And some building supplies are missing again.” He reached into the truck. “But I got dinner from the Midnight Sun. And I think we’ll be ready for the grand opening next weekend.” He shut the door. “So, what have you two been up to?”
“SO THIS HUNTER,”Hudson said to Jericho as he snagged another rib from the carton, “you think he’s with Summit Construction?”
They sat around the oak table, just the guys. Harley had escaped into the home office to search for something on Hudson’s computer.
“Maybe,” Jericho said as he finished off his rib. He looked around for Orlando, but the dog had abandoned him to sit with Harley.
She’d gone weirdly quiet after he’d kissed her—mostly because he had no response, really, for her sudden and apparent regret. And her tears hadn’t helped. It just turned him wordless, thudded a deep ache into his chest.
He didn’t know how to fix it.
Hudson glanced toward the office, the light streaming from under the closed door in the hallway off the kitchen. He lowered his voice. “She okay?”
“She’s hurt. But relieved. And ... it’s a crazy mix of emotions.” He didn’t blame her. Jericho didn’t know what to feel about the events over the last twenty-four hours. The promises he’d made.
The way his heart had left his body ... followed her around. The fact was, he wanted to join Orlando in the room with Harley, his words still thundering inside him.“I’m notgoing to die. And you’re not going to run,and Mars isn’t going to win.”
Felt a little like a promise he’d made to himself.
But Mars—the guy was still out there. And maybe findinghim would help her see that, no, he wasn’t going to die, and Mars wasn’t going to win, and this whole thing could end happily.
Oh, he hoped so.
“Have they found the truck yet?” Malachi asked Hudson.
Moments before, Hudson had been on the phone with Deke, describing the stolen truck. Sounded like the same truck that had forced Gregg off the road.
“Nope,” Hudson said. “But the building materials do match Gabe’s account—”
“Adam,” Jericho said, and Hudson gave him a look.
“Right. Adam. And for the record ... that’s a crazy story. I remember Gabe—Adam—after the plane crash. He worked on the wing addition here at the resort and built a couple cabins. All with North Face Construction.”
“I want to head up to the Eagle’s Nest with you in the morning, Hud,” Jericho said. “See if I can nose around the Summit Construction office.”
Hudson picked up a napkin, wiped his fingers. “It’s Sunday. No one will be working, so I’m headed to church in the morning though...” He raised an eyebrow.
“Is that an invitation?”
“It’s not a command. But couldn’t hurt to throw a little prayer in the direction of a happy ending with you two.” He smiled.
Jericho quirked an eyebrow.
“Please. I saw you two kissing long before I pulled up. Feels like old times.”
“Old times?”
Hudson glanced at Malachi, back to him. “Your bedroom wasn’t the only one that overlooked the dome house. And the dock.”