Page 66
As we cleared the woods, the Altamaha River sparkled in front of us, moonlight reflecting off the surface. Ryan let out a breath, and I made sure the coast was clear before stealing a kiss. “You’re safe with me. I promise.”
I backed up to the river, getting Ryan comfortable in the bed of the truck with the pillows and blankets we’d brought along with us.
“This is gorgeous,” he said, taking in the view in front of him. “I didn’t even know this was here.”
“It’s known to some people as ‘Georgia’s Little Amazon.’ The Native Americans used to use it for survival before it was taken over. Eventually, it was used for steamboats. It’s really quiet now. Not many roads cross it, and not a lot of people come out here.”
Ryan settled into his nest of pillows. “How long have you been coming out here?”
I ached to have him in my arms, but I wanted him to be comfortable, and while I felt confident that no one would find us where we were, I couldn’t expect him to feel the same way.
“Since my mom got sick. I found it by accident, but kept coming back when I needed to clear my head. I’ve never brought anyone here.”
“What about Grace?” Ryan asked, taking a slow sip of his wine.
I shook my head. “Nope. This was my safe place. Grace was always too loud.”
“What makes me so special that I get to see your happy place?”
Without missing a beat I turned to him and said, “You are my happy place now.”
That was the first time I’d rendered Ryan entirely speechless. He opened his mouth more than once to speak, but he couldn’t get any words out. “Wow.”
“I know. That um… that was—”
“Perfect,” he finished. He stretched his arm across the bed, taking my hand in his. “It was perfect.”
Telling him about Sawyer was inevitable. He needed to hear it from me, but I wanted to make sure that he knew he was safe.
“Remember in high school, they make you do that essay about where you see yourself in five, ten years down the line?”
He nodded, slowly shifting himself closer—even if he was glancing over his shoulder with every inch he stole.
“When I did mine, I thought I’d have graduated college. Maybe I’d be a pro ball player, have a wife and a couple of kids. Now, when I think about where I want to be in five years, I don’t know. The one thing I do know, is that I want it to be somewhere with a view like this, with you beside me.”
By the time I finished speaking, Ryan had wiggled his way over to me, nestling beneath my arm. He peered up at me through his lashes, giving the river a run for its money with the way his eyes glittered. He let out the breath he was holding and grasped at his chest. “You’re going to kill me if you keep talking like that. My heart can’t take it.”
“I’ve gone over the time we’ve spent together more times than I can count, and I still can’t figure out how in just a couple of months you’ve completely turned my life around. I would have never imagined I would be here, and I probably would have laughed in the face of anyone who told me anything different.”
“I remember how defensive you were when I first mentioned it,” Ryan reminded me. “You looked at me like I killed your puppy.”
I forced a laugh, embarrassed by how I’d acted. “I am so sorry if I ever came across as rude, or insensitive…”
“You didn’t. You were scared. Even I could see that. But I do have a confession to make.”
“What’s that?”
My arm fell around him, pulling him into my chest. I’d quickly grown to love the feeling of him against me.
“That first night at the bar, I told you I was staring at the girls. I lied. I was looking at you. When Sawyer thought I was staring at him, I was waiting on you to come outside.”
“I know,” I said with a smile. “I always knew. I’m glad you didn’t give up. There’s no place in the world I’d rather be right now.”
A laugh made Ryan vibrate against my arm. “Maybe in a town where I’m not constantly looking over my shoulder?”
“Yeah, that would be nice,” I agreed.
He tipped his head back to look up at the stars. “Still… We don’t have views like this in Miami. There’s too much light pollution. Thank you for trusting me enough to bring me here.”
