Page 71 of Torin

“It got you this far.”

A lump rises in my throat.

“I guess I thought…” I shake my head. “Once I got here, I could stop running.”

His eyes soften.

“I know.”

“But you’re not running because you picked the wrong place.”

I frown.

“You’re running because your father’s still chasing you.”

I swallow. “So, what if he never stops?”

He doesn’t answer immediately. Instead, he reaches for one of the canvas bags by the door.

“Then we’ll deal with whatever comes next.”

The words are so matter of fact that they steal my breath.

We’ll.

He tucks one box under his arm and reaches for another. “Come on,” he says quietly. “Let’s go.”

I lock the door and put the key back where I found it, then I climb into the truck.

As we pull away, I twist in my seat for one last look. The cabin disappears behind the trees almost immediately.

Just like that.

I let out a slow breath and face the road ahead. The forest slips past in flashes of green and gold.

I’m going to be living with Torin now. Sleeping under his roof.

With every minute the flutters in my stomach grow.

13

Hannah

Twenty minutes later, the lodge comes into view through the trees. The place is enormous. Even after seeing it yesterday, it’s a startling sight.

It’s seen better days, yes, but it has good bones—the heavy timber frame, the soaring roofline. The broad porch wrapping around the front.

It wouldn’t take much to make the place beautiful. A fresh stain on the wood. New lighting. Planters overflowing with flowers instead of weeds. The porch could be incredible with some decent furniture and⁠—

I stop myself.

I’m already mentally redesigning the place.

Like I might be here long enough for any of that to matter.

Torin pulls up outside and kills the engine.

He gets to the boxes before I do.