Lark huffs at that, hands going to her hips. “Yes, we women are the downfall of men. Not that you all have these stupid ideals of what we should be like. Rules from society, other women, our parents, the damn world. We’re told to be quiet, but to yell when we’re not being heard. We’re told we should be protected, and on the other hand told to fight for what we want. Which is it? You poor, poor men, always taken down by women.”
Well, that was a speech worthy of a camera. I also feel about two feet tall. “I apologize. As a girl dad and brother, I know better.”
The fire leaves her beautiful eyes, and she smiles. “Thank you for your apology. I will continue my story.”
“Please do.”
She nods once. “The guys are here for about two years at this point with no signs of the smuggler. No one knows where they are or who they are. The one who is madly in love knows that the girl he loves is about to lose her land. It’s going to break her if ithappens, so he decides…” She pauses dramatically. “To sell the first bar.”
“Stupid.”
“Right? Totally stupid. They think it’s fine, though, because they’re states away from California, no one knows who they are, and they drove a hundred miles west to sell the gold.”
“Always go east,” I joke.
“Are you going to be annoying through the whole story?” Lark asks.
I raise both hands. “Sorry, sweetheart. I’ll behave.”
“I doubt that, but I’ll finish because I hate a cliffhanger.” Lark pulls me farther down the road. “Legend has it that the girl he met here betrayed them. Apparently, she also worked for the smuggler, but no one knew that. He fell for the wrong girl, in the wrong place, and it cost him his life and the gold.”
“So why did the town collapse?” I ask, genuinely wanting to know.
“It’s said that when the thieves were killed, the heroine of the story lost her mind over his death. She was so angry that they took the love of her life that she shot the smuggler, her father, because he was apparently who forced her into it, and then took the gold and has never been seen again. The town collapsed because no one wanted to live here after the murders. It’s a sad story of things gone wrong in a small town.”
The way her smile widens as she looks around the town has me wondering whether she’s maybe a bit of a sociopath.
Then I remember it’s Lark and there’s not a mean or harmful bone in her body.
“That story is…terrifying.”
She turns back to me, rushing forward and wrapping her arms around my neck. “It’s a cautionary tale about loving a thief.”
I laugh. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Lark lifts up on her toes. “Good thing we never have to worry about that.”
No, because she’s already stolen the heart right from my very chest.
Chapter 28
Lark
After we leave the town of horrors, we’re nearing Infinity Ridge faster than I hoped.
I wish I could slow time. I wish I could make the seconds take longer, give us a chance to have more of this—the hand-holding, the kisses in public, the smiles and laughter without having to meet in secret.
I hate each mile passed. Each second gone. Every moment we are losing.
I reach my hand across the console and take his.
He looks over, smiles, and squeezes. “I had a great trip.”
“I did too.”
“Maybe we can figure out a way to do it again.”
I nod, hating the stupid flare of hope that lights my soul. I want a lot of agains. “I’d like that.”
