I shrug, even though that fact bothers me as well. “Sometimes I can. And sometimes I’m here, next second I’m not. I feel a pull before I’m just gone. I lose a lot of time in between sometimes. I think the longest was a week where I just… wasn’t.
“That was fucking scary, to be honest. I was just hanging around with Hunter, listening to him on the phone, talking about Lio’s fifth birthday party that would be happening in a week before I felt the pull. Next thing I knew, I was back,watching Hunter trying to wrangle Lio and five other small kids with party hats.”
She scrunches up her cute nose again. “That sounds horrible.”
“It is,” I agree, watching how she turns her gaze back to the ocean. The seals are crying along with the seagulls, and the wind picks up. A seagull lands next to a seal, and she takes another picture.
“You said you were a photographer,” she states, biting on her bottom lip before looking at me.
“You remember that?” I ask, a grin spreading over my face. I said it in passing while she was afraid of me, and still, she remembered. My chest fills with warmth. She rolls her eyes at me before she lets the camera dangle around her neck again, walking a few steps away from me. I hurry after her. “I was. Mostly landscape and night sky.”
“That’s the thing with the tripod where you sit around for hours, right?” she teases, and I love that there is some sass back in her tone.
“There’s a little more to it, but basically, yes.” I chuckle, looking out at the sun as it slowly sinks lower in the sky.
“What did you like about it?” she asks when she crouches down to inspect some shells between a couple of stones.
Does she want to get to know me better?
The thought makes me all giddy inside.
“The quiet mostly, being alone in nature. Living in a house with three brothers and working on the boats with a crew during the day left little time for peace and quiet. I liked having some hours just for myself now and then…” I explain, trailing off when I feel a pang in my chest. “It’s just been me, myself, and I for way too long now, though. I can’t stand the silence anymore.”
She stands, looking at me with knowing, sad eyes. “I get that.”
It feels like she does.
She opens her palm to look at the necklace she’s still holding. Letting out a long breath, she starts, “So we have it. It’s no longer hidden. What do you want me to do with it?” Her gaze comes up to me. “Do you want me to put it on your grave? Or should I give it to your family? I would send it anonymously. I’m not going to let you speak with them through me. I’m sorry, but I draw the line there.”
I can practically see her pulse pick up when I look at her delicate throat. I don’t want her to go through anything more because of me. Seeing her down in that small space this morning, panicking, trembling, and nearly pulling her hair out, I was scared like never before. Nearly out of my mind with worry for her, I told her to scream, to dosomething.But she froze.
Even though I could have kissed Hunt for getting her out of there, I was so freaking jealous that he could do that, and everything I did was for nothing besides getting her into that situation in the first place.
“Keep it.” I shrug, really not bothered with what happens with it now.
“What?” Her eyes go wide in disbelief. “I’m not. What would have been the sense in all of this if I just kept it now?”
“I just didn’t want that guy to have it or for it to be lost in his damn boat,” I tell her, meaning every word. “I would love for you to have it, though.”
You can have all of me.
“I’m not gonna wear it,” she mutters, looking back down at her palm where it’s still laying before she turns it, revealing my name and birthday on the back.
“Saylor Jones, December first,” she whispers, stroking her thumb over the engraving.
“When is your birthday?” I ask, my curiosity piqued.
I want to get to know all of her.
“February first,” she shares, and I burst out laughing.
Oh, my God, this is just hilarious.
“Why is that funny?” She furrows her brow at me, her tone agitated again.
“It’s not. Well, it wouldn’t be if it wasn’t North’s birthday too,” I cackle and can practically watch the fact sink in.
“Ugh, you’re kidding me, right?” she asks, exasperated, letting her head fall back.
