“Thank you… for earlier.” My voice was quiet, but sincere. “You didn’t have to do that.”
Now that I looked at it, my cottage needed seriousfixing. Shingles had come off the roof, the outside needed fresh paint and stain, and one of the shutters was completely torn off from a recent storm. And when I looked at Alaric, he seemed to notice the same things. His eyebrows furrowed and he didn’t look at me as he said, “Don’t start thinking I’m turning into a fish out of water.” His voice was gruff.
“I don’t think you are out of place. I think you’re kind.”
His jaw tightened, but he didn’t let go of my hand. “You don’t really know me, Malia.”
“I think I’m learning to.”
He exhaled and shook his head, though something flickered in his eyes, like I was stripping away a layer he wasn’t ready to lose. He began releasing his fingers from mine. “Don’t let go yet,” I said and the corner of his lip twitched, like he fought a smile.
I motioned to the swing on the porch, the one facing the distant sea, and he nodded. So we sat in a content silence for a while, holding hands, deep in our thoughts.
And in that moment, as the breeze carried the scent of salt and blooming flowers, I felt a quiet strength growing inside me, a warmth sparked by his simple kindness.
He fought for me.
He believes in me.
Maybe I could believe in us.
Another thought came that I never imagined could be mine. But it was: Maybe I could even believe in myself.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
ALARIC
The noni juice worked wonders. Instead of leaving her, I kept watch on the porch.
Why haven’t my men found the twins?I wondered. And where were they? If they were going to hunt Malia, shouldn’t they be here by now?
I fell asleep on the porch, dagger in hand.
The following morning, Malia was up before me, humming as she tended the house and made breakfast. I got up and went for a run on the beach. I needed to get my body moving, both to heal my body and, hopefully, my spirit.
I was torn.
Malia.
Or whaling.
It seemed like the answer should be simple.
But a battle raged within.
Instead of heading straight back to the house, I veered into the woods to scout for trees worth chopping.
And then?—
Flowers.
She deserved them. I don’t know what possessed me, especially when everything between us still felt impossible.
But I wanted to do something kind.
Malia was changing.
Each time she was seen, appreciated, it was like her whole world brightened. Her shoulders eased. Her eyes sparkled like starlight.
