“Can I make an assumption from how you’re holding each other that everything is good between you two?”
“Yes,” Keller says. He brings my hand up to his mouth and presses his lips to my knuckles.
Lara claps her hands, the giddiness unlike her, but I appreciate it. “Does that mean there will be a wedding when this is all over?”
“Yes,” Keller answers again, not even taking a second to think about it. “Lilly will be my wife, and nothing will stop that from happening.”
He’s right . . . nothing.
After a few more minutes of talking, I can feel Keller start to grow tired, so I stand and tug on his hand. “We should get you to bed. You’re still not one hundred percent, and it’s been an adrenaline-filled day.”
“She’s right,” Lara says, standing as well. Ottar lifts from his chair and places his hand on Lara’s lower back. I raise a brow at her, and she smiles. “What?”
I motion my finger between the two of them. “Uh, what’s going on here? Are we back together?”
Ottar looks down at Lara as she looks up at him. “We’re taking it day by day,” Lara says.
But then Ottar shakes his head and says, “No, we’re back together.”
I chuckle. “I like Ottar’s answer better.”
Lara leans into him. “I like his answer better too.”
“Congrats,” Keller says, then lifts his backpack. He pulls out the monitor from the house. “In case anyone heads for the island, you can see it on that. Let’s focus our efforts on figuring this all out tomorrow.”
“Already planned on it,” Ottar replies.
With that, Keller urges me toward the stone steps that lead to our old bedrooms.
“This feels all too familiar,” I say as we climb up the stairs, his shoulders drooping.
He must be exhausted. Not only did he push his body hard for three months, but he also stayed up late and woke up before me every morning on the island. He never truly took a break besides when he collapsed from dehydration. He’s worn out and deserves the sleep.
I wonder what room we’ll sleep in, mine or his, but he doesn’t give me much time to think as he pulls me toward his room.
Thankfully, Lara and Ottar brought us everything we might need including toiletries and clothes. Most likely packed by Runa. I remind myself to ask Lara how she’s doing tomorrow.
Once Keller and I are ready for bed, me in a silk pajama set and him in his briefs, he brings me over to my side of the bed and pulls down the covers for me. He helps me into bed, always doing everything for me, then he moves over to his side. When he lies down, he lets out a deep breath and then curls into my back, holding me close to his chest.
“Do you feel better that you have Lara and Ottar here to help you keep watch?”
He nods. “I do.”
“Think you’ll sleep tonight?”
“Yes,” he answers and then buries his head in my neck. “I love you, Lilly.”
“I love you, too,” I say while closing my eyes, feeling a wave of peace wash over me.
* * *
“Is Keller still sleeping?”Lara asks as she hands me a cup of coffee while I sit at the kitchen table.
The stone kitchen with old wood accents holds so many memories, so many dear ones, that it brings a smile to my heart. Keller would not let go of me last night. Not sure if he was tired, grateful, or simply needed me close, but he took full advantage of the comfort of having friends present to help keep us safe, hence why he’s still sleeping.
“He is,” I answer. “I slipped past him and came down here, not wanting to wake him up. I honestly don’t know how much sleep he’s gotten since he was kidnapped. I feel like more happened while he was there, but he’s saving me the gory details.”
“I’m sure of it.” Lara takes a seat and lets out a deep breath. “I can’t think about him chained up, all alone in a stone cell. It makes me physically ill.”
