Page 88 of North

TEN

“I don’t know how you do this for days. I’ve been sitting here for four hours, and already I’m so tired I could curl into a ball for a week.” Selah sat in the den, the best vantage point in the house, staring through North’s night-vis goggles for movement.

They sat in darkness on a couple of overstuffed chairs, a window open, the cool air of the mountain pastures stirring into the room.

“It’s the adrenaline. It spiked when we started, and it’s falling as we wait,” North said quietly. He held a hunting rifle with a scope.

In the main-floor master bedroom that faced the back of the house, Ford and Scarlett had the same setup, although Scarlett had the added bonus of the visual feed from the four cameras attached to the house and barn. Apparently, the Marshall family had done this before, years ago, when Tate and Glo held a marriage ceremony in the backyard. Glo’s mother, then VP-hopeful Reba Jackson, had been the target.

Reuben had told Selah the story as he checked their supply of guns—all .308 Winchester bolt-action hunting rifles. He’d stacked them on the table, assigned ammunition to each.

“My mom got shot. Nearly died,” Reuben had said. “Gilly had to fly her to Helena. It was…scary.”

“Gilly is your wife?” She’d counted out twenty rounds per weapon.

“Yeah. She and I worked with the Jude County Smokejumpers. She was our jump pilot.”

“Did you get the guy who shot your mom?”

“Yep.” He’d picked up a walkie and handed it to her. “This is for you. North and Ford have them too.” He’d also handed her one of the rifles. “This is for North. I’ll arm Ford and RJ, and she and I will be upstairs with Hardwin.”

The gun had been heavier than she expected. She’d slipped the walkie onto her waistband.

He’d paused before he turned away. “Selah. I’ve been in some pretty bad places. A plane crash, nearly burned to death in a fire, my mom’s near-death. I’ve learned that I can plan and worry, but in the end, God always shows up. And He always has a plan. A much bigger plan than ours.” He’d clamped a big hand on her shoulder. “It’s going to be okay.”

She’d tucked his words into her heart, wanting to believe him.

Now, sitting in the darkness with North, well, it seemed she’d walked into an action movie, and the ending felt iffy.

“Is this what it’s always like?”

North glanced at her. The moonlight outlined his strong jaw, and she could feel his gaze on her, the strength of it finding her bones.

“Yep. Days of waiting, of your muscles tight, your gut coiled…hungry, thirsty, stiff…”

“And then?”

“And then you see the girl you love emerge from under a tamarind tree, alive, and you realize that you’ll stop at nothing to save her. Even if you’re eaten by fire ants.”

She smiled. Reached for his hand and found it. “That happened?”

“Everything but the fire ants.”

Oh, she loved him. Except: “What happens after this, North?”

He let go of her hand. “What do you…um…”

“I want to marry you.”

A beat. Oh no⁠—

“That’s my line there, Miss Hold Your Horses.”

She laughed. “Really?”

“Yeah. I should have asked you a year ago, but…” He drew in a breath.

Another beat.