Gabe leaned his forehead on hers. “I think it’s called a kiss, but my brain isn’t working too well.”
Sherlock whined as thunder rumbled in the distance.
Natalie sighed and stepped away. “We need to get Sherlock off the mountain.”
“And then?”
Her blush gave him the answer he needed.
He kissed her and smiled. “Let’s go.”
Sherlock didn’t need to be told twice. As they scrambled off the rocky ledge, he barked, urging them to move faster.
With his hand wrapped around Natalie’s, Gabe made his way down the mountain. When he’d driven into Sapphire Bay all those months ago, he never thought he’d find the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. But it had happened, and he knew exactly what he was going to do about it.
* * *
Later that night,Natalie and Gabe waved goodbye to Eric at Polson airport. The thunderstorm that everyone was expecting had never arrived—which was fortunate for Gabe’s agent. The visit to Caleb’s home had been a stopover on his way to Calgary for a conference. If the storm had touched down in Polson, there was a high chance his flight would have been canceled.
On their way to the airport, Eric talked about Gabe’s publishing schedule. After the conference, he was returning to Manhattan and he wanted Gabe with him.
While Natalie listened to what they were planning, she became more and more worried. She wasn’t sure how she felt about long-distance relationships, or even what kind of a relationship she had with Gabe.
“What are you thinking about?” Gabe asked.
She watched the lights from another plane taxi down the runway. “I was thinking about us.”
When he didn’t say anything, she turned and looked at him. His gaze was steady and sure, something she was far from feeling.
He looked around the departure area. “Why don’t we get a coffee? We can find somewhere quiet to talk before we go back to Caleb’s house.”
Natalie nodded and walked beside him to the nearest café.
“What would you like?”
“I can get our drinks.”
His eyebrows rose. “What would you like?”
Natalie sighed. “Fine. A cappuccino would be great.”
Gabe returned with their drinks and two chocolate-covered pastries. “Where would you like to sit?”
She headed toward a table on the far side of the dining area. Apart from a few people grabbing a late dinner, the tables were empty. Natalie wasn’t sure how their discussion would end, so it was just as well there weren’t a lot of people around them.
Gabe placed their tray on the table and sat beside her. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.” Sipping her drink wouldn’t start the conversation, but she didn’t know where to begin. “Are you looking forward to going home?”
“I’m looking forward to getting back to a normal life.” Gabe’s gray eyes never left her face. “I need to tell you something.”
Natalie had never seen Gabe look so serious or uncomfortable. Her heart sank. “What is it?”
“It’s about today. Finding you in the cave brought back a lot of memories—things I thought I’d come to terms with.” He took a deep breath. “I want to tell you this so that you understand me a little better. The reason I was upset was because Michelle died in Central Park at a place called The Ravine. It’s supposed to be a sanctuary away from the noise of the city, but her killer turned it into a trap.”
“Oh, Gabe. I’m so sorry. Is there anything I can do?”
He shook his head. “I’m okay now. I just need you to know that sometimes the memories of that night hit me hard.”
