“I don’t know. I just guessed that you somehow need to stay near your brothers,” she muses, biting her lip, making me want to reach out and pull it out.
“Possible.”It happened while we were driving farther away, so maybe there is something in that.
But my brothers? Really? If I can’t go anywhere without them, that would suck. “Maybe it’s Lubec?”
“I don’t know. But honestly, I’ve never had the problem of needing a ghost to travel. I always thought they hung on to people and just went where they went, but maybe that’s not it. Where is your grave? Lubec?”
“No idea,” I shrug. “Never saw it. But I’d guess so. We have something like a family grave there.”
I shudder at the thought. I should have told the guys I wanted to have my ashes scattered somewhere. Anywhere would be better than that.
“You never saw your grave?” Sloan furrows her brows.
What a strange thought. Would I want to see my grave? I guess not.
“Nope.” I laugh. “But I know that family grave is creepy as fuck. The guys mostly just visit the Lost Fishermen’s Memorial on my birthday and such.”
“What’s that?” she asks curiously, tilting her head adorably.
“It’s a stone sculpture next to the beach, a memorial to fishermen who have lost their lives to the sea. It’s a peaceful place, pretty. I liked to hang out there and watch the seals when I was alive. I would love to show you.”
I would love to show her so many places I loved when I was alive.
“I’m not going back to Lubec,” she vows, inspecting her fingernails.
I don’t think we can avoid that. But I’m game for anything as long as she’s there.
“Okay, fine. What’s the plan then?” I ask, leaning back on my hands. But she doesn’t answer for a long while, and then her eyes start to brim with tears.
“Hey,” I coo, leaning in, prompting her to find my gaze. “What’s going on in your pretty head?”
A small sob breaks out of her, making my heart sink. “I’m lost, Saylor. I don’t have any money left. The van is on its last leg. It’s cold as fuck again.” I hadn’t even noticed, but now she mentioned it, I noticed she was dressed in multiple layers.Fuck. “I don’t have anything left to eat. I don’t have a plan for what to do with myself. I’m just… lost.”
“You’re not,” I whisper, frowning at her, my finger gliding along her jaw, making her shiver under my touch. “You’re not lost. You’re found. I found you. You found me. And we’ll find a way, okay?”
I’d do anything to make her happy. Go anywhere.
A shuddering breath leaves her before she takes a few deep ones, trying to compose herself. “It’s just all so dark.”
“If everything around you is dark, maybe it is because you’re the light,” I say softly, stroking her cheek.
She nods slowly, biting her lips. “I’m open to suggestions, you know.” She gives me a small, watery smile, and my heart instantly feels lighter.
“Okay, if that’s so, then I say, let’s drive back to Lubec.”
“Saylor—” she starts, but I cut in.
“Last time I checked, Tally still owes you a paycheck, which would at least give you some more time.”
“I’m not going to beg Tally for money!” Sloan shoots a glare my way.
My stubborn girl.
“Who said anything about begging? You fucking earned that money. You worked for it. You would have gotten it anyway if hell didn’t break loose and you just up and left.” She huffs, crossing her arms over her chest, but I don’t budge. Her stubbornness will not bring food to the table. “We drive back, get the money, maybe work another two weeks or more to fill the funds. This gives us time to think, make a plan, and test out how far we can go. We could settle somewhere around here, nottelling the idiots a word about it. The area is small and still big enough not to cross each other’s paths if you try hard enough. We could look for another mechanic or waitressing job? I don’t know if you like it here, and maybe it’s too much to ask you to stay around to be with me. If so, we could find another?—”
Fuck, her leaving me would kill me again, but all I want is for her to be happy.
“Casper,” she breathes out, and it looks like all the anger brewing inside her left her with that breath. Reaching out to touch my forearm, she stops me in my tracks. Her eyes are filled with something I would like to call love when she tells me, “I’ll keep you no matter what.”
