With one final nod, Nate turned the key and started the car’s ignition. They’d no more hit the highway and she was out like a light.
Gracie thought she’d be too wired to sleep, but the events from the past week, plus her earlier adrenaline surge and subsequent drop, had apparently taken their toll.
The next thing she knew, he was waking her with a gentle nudge and a soft whisper.
“Gracie.”
She could hear the sweet sound of his voice but couldn’t seem to open her eyes. Nate nudged her harder.
“Gracelynn.”
Hearing her full name, she cracked open a heavy eyelid. “Hmm?”
“We’re here.”
Gracie blinked a few times and sat up straight. Once the cobwebs finally cleared from her brain, she remembered what had happened.
Licking her dry lips, she ran her fingers through her hair. “Where exactly is here?”
“A small resort along Lake Livingston.” When she looked at him expectantly, he added, “We’re about three hours southwest of Dallas.”
“I slept three hours? Why didn’t you wake me?”
He shrugged. “Figured you needed the rest.”
Gracie rubbed the sleep from her eyes. “I guess I must have.”
Looking through the windshield, she saw the log building they’d parked next to. It was small with a sign that readLivingston Cabinsnear the door. Shining brightly from one of its two windows was a neon sign letting customers know they were still open.
Gracie started to open the door, but Nate’s hand on her arm stopped her.
“Wait.”
She turned to him. “What?” Then, it dawned on her. “Oh, right. I should probably let you get out first to be sure it’s safe.”
“There is that,” he said with a tiny smirk. “But, there’s something else I wanted to talk to you about first.”
Scooting down in his seat a bit, Gracie watched as he reached into his jeans pocket. He pulled his hand out and opened his palm to her, its contents leaving her both confused and a little breathless.
“Are those what I think they are?”
“Depends. If you think they’re wedding rings, then yeah. They are.”
Her gaze landed back on his. She half-expected him to be wearing that smartass grin she was beginning to enjoy seeing. There wasn’t even a hint of a smile in his expression.
Heart beating rapidly, she asked, “Nate, why do you have wedding rings?”
Using his free hand, he held up the smaller of the two bands. “Akmar and Walker won’t be looking for a married couple.”
“Oh. Right. That makes sense.”
She took the thin gold band and slid it onto the finger that was supposed to symbolize everlasting love.
Since she was a little girl, Gracie had always imagined what it would be like to see a ring such as this on her hand. In her wildest dreams, she never would have guessed she’d be wearing one in order to hide from a professional killer.
Another thought hit.
“Before we left, you said it was likely they knew who you were. What if they start calling around to hotels and places like this looking for us?”
