Page 10 of Tracking Wolfe

I met his eyes. “I don’t want this. And that’s all I should have to say for you to respect my decision.”

He squeezed his eyes closed in a painful expression. “Fuck, Trace. Fuck. I’m sorry.”

I stood up and walked over to where he was before leaning down and pressing a kiss to the top of his head. “I’m sorry, too.”

He stayed long enough to finish his hot chocolate, making awkward, stilted conversation that made me want to throw both stoneware mugs across the room. When I finally walked him out to the porch and into the frigid night, I was grateful for the cold.

It meant this awful interaction was almost over.

“Be safe on the road,” I murmured, rubbing my hands over my arms to keep the cold away.

Patrick turned and cupped my face before planting a long, devastating kiss on my lips. His mouth was warm, but not enough to take the chill off my heart. I wondered if anyone ever would.

“Take care of yourself, beautiful,” he murmured.

As I watched him drive away, a movement from the direction of the other SERA buildings caught my eye. A faint white vapor cloud in the trees as if someone had just exhaled.

“Hello?” I called.

A figure moved away from me, deeper into the tree line.

Who would it be at this hour, on this part of campus? There were only a handful of people around, and any of them would have reassured me with a simple response.

I quickly stepped back inside and shoved my feet into my boots before grabbing my parka and a headlamp from the hooks by the door.

After walking swiftly in the direction they’d gone, I moved through the trees and out into the larger parking area in front of the instructor cabins and main buildings.

The only reason I was able to identify the vehicle driving away was because the driver had to tap the brakes to make the turn on the shaded icy patch of the driveway there.

Dark green Land Rover.

The vehicle Jude and Derek used when they were in Legacy.

I returned to the cabin and found my phone to text Derek.

Were you just at SERA? Thought I saw the Rover.

Derek

No. We’re in San Francisco.

I stared at the screen, but before I could think of a polite way of asking if maybe his Montana vehicle had been stolen, another text popped up.

Derek

Was probably Wolfe. He’s in Legacy. Staying at Marian Lodge. Jude was supposed to go, too, but he woke up with a fever.

My heart did a little kick.

If Wolfe had been here, standing in the trees between the main parking area and my cabin, wouldn’t he have said something? If he’d heard me call out, wouldn’t he have let me know it wasn’t a stranger trespassing?

Then again, maybe not.

There was a time it would’ve been entirely unremarkable for Wolfe to drop by my place. To spend an afternoon reading on my sofa while I worked on my laptop beside him. To make me watch some stupid show I’d grumble about… then get completely invested in. To take a walk along the Embarcadero, where we’d talk about everything and nothing.

But Wolfe hadn’t sought me out in six years. Not since I’d moved to Legacy to ensure he couldn’t.

Maybe I’ll stop by and say hi to him tomorrow.