“I don’t think so. It’s out of our hands for the time being, but I’m sure the sheriff up in Landers will let us know if they do.” Annie took her first bite and closed her eyes, savoring the taste of fresh fish laced with bright herbs and warm butter.
Daniel cleared his throat. “Is anyone… has anyone said anything about me?”
Annie opened her eyes again. “What do you mean?”
His answering shrug was a bit too nonchalant. “I mean, this is the closest property to Lewis Ridge. I was just hoping no one had jumped to any conclusions or anything.”
His face was still casual, but his body was tense as he waited for her reply.
Annie shook her head quickly. “Of course not. At least, not that I’ve heard. The sheriff up there thinks the boyfriend is hiding out somewhere, which all but spells out his guilt. My guess is everything’ll be wrapped up in a bow by the end of the week, and the town gossips will move on to the next thing.”
Across the fire, Daniel’s chest sagged in relief, and he took another bite.
They ate the rest of their meal in companionable silence and set their empty plates on the ground when they were finished. Daniel topped off their glasses with more tea, then sat back in his chair, gazing intently at Annie across the fire.
Annie met his eyes as the logs crackled between them. “Tell me something about you. Anything.”
Daniel’s chest rose and fell. “You first.”
Annie leaned back in her chair and thought for a minute.
“I’m afraid of horses. I got thrown when I was seven and broke my collarbone. I haven’t been on one since.” She paused. “More?” Daniel nodded. “My favorite color is green, and when I was in fifth grade, I shoplifted a pair of earrings and felt so guilty about it that I went down to the police station and turned myself in.”
Daniel’s mouth quirked upward. “Six to eight months?”
Annie retruned his smile. “A pat on the back and a Tootsie Roll from the sheriff.”
Between them, a log snapped and sent up a fountain of sparks.
When they settled, Daniel said quietly, “Okay, now tell me something about you that nobody knows.”
Annie opened her mouth, then closed it again as she stared into the flames.
“I hate my freckles.”
Daniel’s brows drew together. “Why?”
Annie waved a hand at her face. “You don’t see women with freckles like these on the covers of magazines. They’re from my mom’s side of the family, and when I was little, I used to wish Dad had married some other lady with better skin.”
The words tasted sour, spoken out loud, selfish and ungrateful, considering the age at which she’d lost her mom. Guiltily, Annie brought her gaze back to Daniel. He was smiling softly at her.
“Your face is a combination of two people who loved each other. And two people before them, and two people before them for thousands of years. If that doesn’t make you feel beautiful, I don’t know what will.”
Emotion welled in her chest at his words and Annie looked away, toward the last of the purple light rimming the western horizon.
“Someday, I hope you have a little girl of your own with every bit of your freckles. Then you might see what I see when I look at you.”
Annie couldn’t breathe with him staring at her like that, saying those words that sank right through her skin to that broken place in her heart.
She shook her head and smiled. “Enough about me. It’s your turn, tell me something about you that no one knows.”
Daniel’s smile faded and his gaze dropped into the fire. For a full minute, he stared at the flames without speaking.
“I don’t think I can,” he said finally.
The last of the light had left the sky, and the lake was murmuring in the darkness outside the circle of firelight.
Annie said Daniel’s name, and he looked up, eyes wary.
