Page 42 of In Too Deep
She lifted her head.Studied him with those blue eyes that saw too much.Then she nodded.Almost imperceptibly.
Right.
Then begging her to stay because he needed her would be selfish.If this place was breaking her, he had to let her go.
Even if it shattered him.
“Then you should go.”
The words tasted like ash.
Meg searched his face.Surprise flickered across her features.“You’re not going to try to talk me out of it?”
He managed a small smile.He masked the ache threatening to split him open.“If you really think this is what you need, then no.You deserve that peace.”
She opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something more—something he desperately wanted to hear.
Noah’s radio crackled.
Of course.
“Noah, this is Eden.You copy?”
He stared at Meg.One more heartbeat.Two.Hating the interruption with everything in him.But he didn’t have a choice.
He unclipped his radio from his belt.“This is Noah.Go ahead.”
“Teague wants to know if you are delaying the cave mission again due to weather.”
“We’ll look at the weather tomorrow.Over.”
“Copy that.”
Silence rushed back in, and Meg rose to her feet.
Noah stood.His hand caught her elbow as she turned.Not tight.Not restraining.Just enough to make her pause.
When she finally met his gaze, he gave her arm a gentle squeeze.“If the weather clears, are you up to going to the cave tomorrow?One last mission?”
She started to speak.
He held up his other hand.“You don’t have to.I’m leaving the choice up to you.Completely your call.”
Something shifted in her expression.Gratitude, maybe.
She nodded.“I’ll be ready.”
He released her arm.Watched as she turned and headed toward the door, footsteps echoing.Noah stood in the empty common room of the Ranger’s Roost, listening to the storm rage outside.The heater still clanging.
One last mission.
The words ran through his mind.Over and over.
They’d do this.Try to find the gold.Seal the cave.And then he’d let her go.Let her walk away to Pennsylvania.To safety.To the peace she needed and deserved.
But now that he knew—without doubt, without question—that he loved her, he also knew he’d do anything for her.
Including letting her go.
