“And he was afraid to come when the matriarch beckoned because deep down, he’s afraid being awful is genetic, not environmental. So watching him go down that path and either fighting it or surrendering to it because there’s a lot of money at stake—that struggle—is more interesting than watching him be a familial doormat.”
He could feel the stirrings as the part of his mind that had been throwing itself against a brick wall perked up, grasping at the loosening threads he’d knotted up. “Keep going.”
“I don’t really know what else to say. There’s a chance you got to that part of the book while you were feeling extra warm and fuzzy with your own family, and you didn’t want to be in the head of somebody who’d screw over his own brother. But you’re not writing a book about the Kowalski family. It’s about the Clark family, and they’re twisted by generational wealth. You can have Stephen choose the right thing to do at the end, but having him take the high road halfway through took the wind out of the book’s sails, and I think your subconscious knows that.”
Danny stopped walking again because all of his attention was on the story now, and there was nothing left for navigating the exposed roots and lingering patches of crusty snow in the path.
His mind played with the plot threads, weaving them together in a way that sparked the need to write—his fingers itching for his keyboard, or a pen and paper—and it felt so good to feel his story again.
“We can go,” Kenzie said, her voice pulling him out of his head. She laughed, waving her hand back in the direction they’d come from. “I can tell you’re dying to get to your computer.”
He was, but he also didn’t want to cut his time with Kenzie short. She’d come all the way out here to walk with him. “We haven’t gone very far. If we turn back now, it was a waste of your time.”
She put her hand on his upper arm, and he knew he must be rattled if such a simple touch could make his pulse quicken. “The whole point is getting your book done, so the fact you look like you’re about to sprint back to your truck and rummage for a pen and something to write on means it absolutely wasn’t a waste of time.”
“You’re right.”
“And it’s okay if you do run off, you know. I won’t be offended.”
It was hard to think with her touching him, but nothing short of a moose charging out of the woods at them could have made him move. “I don’t think I could run all the way back to my truck, and I can’t die before this book is done.”
She squeezed his arm, laughing, and then dropped her hand. “Let’s keep walking, then.”
They continued down the path, with Danny doing more of the talking. He talked about her suggested change, following that thread out to test how to weave it into the story. Kenzie mostly nodded, occasionally adding a thought.
Excitement had him walking faster, gesturing with his hands, but she had no trouble keeping up. When they reached the spot where the rough walking trail ended in scrub brush, they turned back. The closer they got to where they’d left their vehicles, the stronger the itch for his keyboard got.
But once they were back in the parking area and he was free to go, Danny hesitated. It felt rude to just drive away after she’d given him her time, but the story was screaming in his head and he was terrified it would quiet again.
The conflicted emotions must have shown on his face, because she laughed. “I promise it’s okay for you to go, Danny. You need to go make some notes and get back to work.”
The hug wasn’t planned. He was overcome by relief his writing juices were pumping again and gratitude that Kenzie seemed to understand him, so he wrapped his arms around her. “Thank you.”
When her arms went around his waist, accepting the embrace, he realized it had been a huge mistake because now he didn’t want to let her go. The warmth of her body and the scent of her hair filled his senses, and Danny closed his eyes briefly, savoring them.
The urge to kiss her was strong—it would be so easy to transition from holding her to capturing her mouth with his—but it would be wrong. The last thing he wanted to do was take advantage of her kindness and generosity with her time.
Danny reluctantly withdrew from the embrace and gave her a smile. “I’m going to go, but I can’t even tell you how much I appreciate your help.”
A slight blush of pink colored her cheeks. “Anytime. And you know where to find me if any follow-up stuff pops up.”
“Thanks, Kenzie.”
Danny forced himself to get in his truck, and by the time he buckled up and put it in gear, she was in her car. Once it was running, he waved and backed out to the dirt road he’d taken in.
When he was back on pavement, thoughts of how Kenzie had felt in his arms gave way to the story developments they’d come up with together.
He had to make a conscious effort not to speed because the closer he got to the campground—and his laptop—the faster he wanted to drive.
It was time to get to work.
Chapter Five
A week passed with very little communication from Danny, and no actual sightings. Kenzie missed seeing him, but she was happy for him at the same time. His body was practically vibrating with a need to get to his manuscript when they parted ways, and she took his absence as a sign he was writing again.
It also gave her plenty of time to mull over that hug. Her brain knew it was a thank-you hug, but there had been a small moment when they’d both stilled. For the space of a few heartbeats, he’d held her, and every time she remembered that, it wasn’t her brain in charge.
Maybe that’s why, when Rob and Hannah walked through the door, she couldn’t help watching that space for an extra moment, hoping Danny had joined them and was simply lagging behind.
