Page 51 of The Outpost (Jamison Valley 4)
“I missed the rain,” I whispered. “It feels like home.”
Beau’s frame deflated and he pushed out a pained breath. I couldn’t even begin to guess why.
“What?” I asked.
“Nothing,” he muttered.
“You have to tell me. Game rules.”
“Then I’ll take my pass.”
My spirits fell. “Okay.”
What did that mean? Why wouldn’t he tell me what was wrong? The questions begged to be asked but I respected his decision to pass and let them be. Still, I didn’t understand how my love of the rain could possibly be upsetting.
“Hey.” He squeezed my shoulder and gave me a small smile. “I’m fine. Let’s keep playing. Ask me a different question.”
“Okay.” I thought for a few moments before asking, “If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?”
“Disney World,” he answered immediately.
I smiled, glad he was teasing me to lighten the mood. “No, seriously. Where would you go?”
“Disney World,” he repeated.
My smile dropped. “Why?” He had promised to take me there when the Federovs were no longer a threat. Was it because he wanted to see me again? Would he miss me too after I was gone?
“Because that means you’re safe from the Federovs,” he said, “and this whole mess will be over.”
Right. He didn’t want to see me again. He wanted to be done with this mess.
The hope I’d felt seconds ago vanished. When I was gone, Beau would go back to his normal life and forget all about the headache that I’d caused him this summer.
“I think we’d better take Disney World off the table,” I said. “Once this mess is over, I’m sure you’ll be glad to be free of me. I don’t want you to feel obligated to meet me at a kid’s resort just because we were joking around.”
I picked up my glass to take a drink, but before the plastic rim hit my lips, Beau grabbed it out of my hand. With a loud clink, he set it on the floor.
“What just happened?” he asked.
“I’m letting you off the hook.”
“No, you’re taking away something I was looking forward to. Why?”
My eyes found his. “You’re looking forward to it?”
“Yes. Of course.” His face was so gentle and soft, I realized I’d made the wrong assumption when he’d called this a mess.
My head fell against his chest and I snaked an arm around his waist. “Me too.”
We both sat quietly, enjoying the sound of the rain and Boone snoring softly on the floor. I didn’t move my arm, and as time went on, I rested further against Beau. My knees fell from their upright position to drape across his big thigh while my head burrowed further into his shoulder.
Eventually, his cheek hit the top of my head and his breathing slowed. But before either one of us fell asleep, I had to ask one more question.
“Beau?”
“Hmm.”
“Why did you stop spending the night?” I whispered.
