“I promise,” Dante said. Jasper watched as Sophia followed her brother down the hallway to the bedrooms. He turned to find Ronan smiling at him like a loon, and all he wanted to do was punch the guy.
“Don’t,” Jasper warned.
“I didn’t say a word, man,” Ronan defended.
“Let’s make you cavemen some coffee, and then I’m going to catch a ride back to town with Dante. I’ll leave the van here for you guys, in case you need a way out,” Avery said.
Jasper found Sophia standing on the dock overlooking the lake. The water reflected the fading colors of sunset. She hugged herself against the cool breeze.
He stopped several feet away. "I won't interrupt."
"You aren't." She didn't turn around. "I just forgot lakes could be so pretty."
He blinked. "What?"
"For three years, I never saw anything other than concrete walls.” She watched the water ripple, and silence settled between them. "I thought I'd forgotten what open space looked like."
Jasper looked across the lake. "I grew up in Montana."
She smiled faintly. "Big sky country."
"Yep,” Jasper said.
“My father used to take us camping." Her smile faded. "I've been trying to remember his face."
His heart sank. "You can't remember your dad’s face?"
"Just bits and pieces of him,” she said, closing her eyes. "I remember his laugh and the way he'd carry Dante on his shoulders." She swallowed. "But his face is blurry.” A tear slipped down her cheek.
Without thinking, Jasper reached into his wallet and removed a worn photograph of his parents, his younger sister, and him. He was about sixteen years old. "My mother used to say that pictures keep memories from fading.” He handed it to Sophia.
She studied the photograph carefully. "They look happy."
"They were,” he said.
She handed it back. "I don't have any pictures."
Jasper made a decision. "When we get home, we can get every photograph Dante has." She looked up at him, and her eyes widened.
"You'd do that?"
He shrugged. "It seems like something worth doing."
The back door opened, and Ronan walked onto the dock carrying three mugs. "I successfully made hot chocolate."
Jasper raised an eyebrow at his partner. "No smoke?"
"Fuck off,” Ronan grumbled. He handed Sophia a mug, and she accepted it with a shy smile.
"Thank you,” she said.
"You smiled at me,” Ronan said.
"I did,” she agreed.
"I should write this down,” Ronan said.
She rolled her eyes. "Don't ruin it."
