Page 43 of Secrets Hidden In The Glass

He drew back. “There’s no need to apologize.” He kissed her. “We’re all set.”

She sent him a small smile, not quite sure what to do now that she’d messed up their morning.

Nate looked out into the woods. “Should we keep walking? There’s a trail up ahead. It’s bound to be overgrown—kind of out of the way. Hardly anyone comes up here. Or we can go home.”

“No, we can’t.” She took his hand, determined to salvage the rest of her time here with Nate.

“All right. Let’s trek on.” He laced their fingers as they followed the old path, hiking for a solid mile on the overgrown trail to an area more quiet and remote.

“Why doesn’t anyone walk out here?”

“Locals do on occasion, but visitors like to stay closer to the water and the marked bike paths and trails just inside town. The legend of Old Man Brewster creeps a lot of people out.”

“Did he really fall into a well and starve to death?”

Nate shrugged. “That’s what Grandpa Morris, our local historian, says.”

“Grandpa Morris isn’t related to you?”

Nate shook his head. “The guy’s nearly a hundred years old. We all call him Grandpa. Even my parents.”

Callie nodded. “Where’s the well?”

“About a half mile in the other direction. It’s filled in now.”

She stopped and turned a circle as she looked up, catching small glimpses of the gloomy sky. “It’s hard to believe that there are so many trees in such a small area.”

“The Carters and Sandersons are big into conservation. There’s very little room for new construction on the island. We want to keep the land as untouched as possible.”

“How much farther does the forest go?”

“Mmm, another couple miles before you come out at the back end of the bee farm.” He cleared his throat. “I feel like I should probably mention that Grandpa Morris is on the Carter Island Conservation Board—a staunch supporter of the local wildlife and a true environmentalist.”

She smiled. “The whole story’s made up.”

Nate winked. “Could be.”

“Very smart.” Callie put the camera up to her eye and focused on Nate.

He crossed his eyes and stuck out his tongue.

She grinned and snapped. “Now a smile.”

He sent her one of his best grins.

“Mmm. Perfect.” She snapped again.

Nate glanced at his watch.

“How are we doing on time?”

“We should head back in about half an hour.” He looked up at the sky. “Before we get wet.”

She kept walking, following the bend in the trail, stopping for pictures of an old fallen log covered with patches of pretty moss, and noticed that the trail veered off again. “What’s up that way?”

“More trees and an old cabin.”

“Someone lives there?”