Chapter 19
Tristan
Getting through the day has been torment. All day I kept waiting for a text or something to tell me whether she was going to meet me at the ridge, but nothing came through.
Somehow I managed to choke down dinner, get Sadie settled, and tell my family I was going out for a ride and not to wait up.
No one batted an eye. Which made me feel guilty, because if they knew what I was going to do, there’s no way they would be so accommodating about it.
I saddle my horse, tie a blanket on the back (I’m not a complete savage), put a bottle of wine in the saddlebag (that was fun sneaking out of the house), and I have some snacks as well.
I have no idea whether she’ll be there, but we made this bed, and I’m hoping to all that’s holy we’re going to sleep in it.
Or not sleep.
The ride out to the ridge takes about twenty minutes in the daylight. At night it’s a little more difficult, as I have to navigate through a few spots that are rocky, and the horse can easily lose its footing.
Carefully, I get out there about fifteen minutes before we’re due to meet.
When I get to the clearing, I grin.
Lark is there.
Her horse is tied to one of the stakes, and her hair blows in the wind as she stares out at the ridge.
It’s dark, the only light coming from the almost-full moon. Stars speckle the sky, blinking like fireflies.
I dismount and tie my horse to another stake. Then I grab the blanket, lay it out, and put the wine and snacks off to the side. Still, Lark stares out at the darkness.
Not wanting to scare her and push this encounter in a very horrific direction, I clear my throat.
She turns, her long hair fanning around her as she sees me.
“Hi,” I say softly.
“Hello.”
Lark starts to walk toward me, and I do the same. “You came.”
“I did. So did you.”
“I did.”
“It’s been five days,” Lark reminds me.
“That wasn’t my brightest idea,” I admit.
“No?”
I shake my head. “No. I should’ve just said one.”
She stops in front of me, her smile wide. “I didn’t need five days, Tristan.”
“I didn’t either, but I needed you to have them.”
There needed to be no questions between us. I had to know she understood that this agreement is all I can ever give her. That she had the time to process, fully be okay with the decision. We are risking a lot, more her than me.
Her family. My family. The feud will escalate. People will be hurt and angry. We’ll both have blowback that will leave destruction in its path.
