“The ladder is still caught in the canopy,” she whispered.
“It wasn’t safe to use. We strung some rope around the branches and lifted you off in a stretcher.”
She frowned. “Detective Jameson said you climbed the tree to see if I was okay. I thought he meant you used the ladder.” Her eyes widened. “He meant youreallyclimbed the tree.”
Gabe looked into her stunned face. “I used to climb trees all the time when I was younger.”
“You’re nearly forty.”
“That’s not old,” he grumbled. “I might have stretched one or two muscles, but I found you.”
“That’s why you had blisters on your hands.” She studied the tree, then looked at Gabe. “It’s an enormous tree to climb. Are you sure you’re not related to Tarzan?”
The smile on Gabe’s face was good to see. “Would that make you Jane?”
“It depends on whether you want to swing from the branches again.”
Gabe looked up at the tree and shook his head. “Not today.”
Natalie kissed his cheek. “That’s good because I wasn’t going to let you.” She looked at the leaves and pine needles scattered across the ground. Apart from more fluorescent paint, there was no sign of what had happened. “I thought there would be blood everywhere.”
“There was when Chapman was shot. Someone must have cleaned the site.”
She looked at Gabe to see if he was joking. He wasn’t.
They stood below the hideout for a while, each lost in their own thoughts.
When the time felt right, Natalie closed her eyes and listened to the sounds of the forest. Somewhere close by, a bird was singing. The trees rustled in the breeze and warm air moved across her damp skin.
“What are you doing?” Gabe whispered.
“Listening. Try it.”
She opened her eyes and smiled at him. “Go on. I won’t tell anyone.”
He lifted one brow before closing his eyes.
“Take a deep breath,” Natalie said softly. “In and out. What do you hear?”
“The forest.” Gabe opened his eyes. “Was that a trick question?”
“No.” She picked up a leaf and held it close to her chest. “The forest has healed itself. All the violence, the anger, and the fear have gone. The birds are singing and the air smells as pure and fresh as it always has. We need to heal, too.”
Gabe looked above them, into the canopy of trees. When his gaze returned to Natalie, there were tears in his eyes. “When I saw you in the tree, I thought you were dead. My heart broke in two.”
Natalie wrapped her arm around his waist and held on tight.
“But you weren’t dead. You’d used everything inside of you to stay strong, to fight for your life. You were courageous, and brave, and I love you.”
Tears stung Natalie’s eyes. “I love you, too.”
Gabe’s hand brushed away her tears. “While I was in New York, I realized my life isn’t the same without you. Would you like to go on that first date we talked about?”
“The one where we aren’t going rock climbing?”
Gabe smiled. “You remembered.”
“I also remember you saying our first date would be creative. How does visiting the latest exhibition at the Polson Art Gallery sound?”
