“I disagree.”
“Well, you’re on your own,” Kelly said. “I think you’re going to find that the more you work against Maddie, the more you’re going to see any hope of a future with Nick evaporate. He doesn’t have a sense of humor where she’s concerned.”
“I think you’re making a mountain over a molehill,” Sydney sniffed. “He’s just infatuated with her now because she’s shiny and new.”
“She’s not, though,” Kelly countered. “She’s old, comfortable, and the love of his life. I feel guilty about giving you false hope, but that’s exactly what it was. Nick is never going to choose you over Maddie.”
“We’ll just see about that.”
Nineteen
“I’m going to run back to the cabin and get my coat,” Maddie said, surprising Nick as she moved to his side. “It’s cold when we’re away from the fire.”
“I’ll keep you warm if you want to cuddle with me.”
“I thought we would hold off on the cuddling until we get back to the cabin,” Maddie offered. “I’d rather not have an audience.”
Nick glanced around. He wasn’t thrilled about Maddie making the walk by herself. “Why don’t we call it a night instead?”
“You’re having such a good time, though,” Maddie protested. “Why do you want to leave?”
“I … .”
Maddie knit her eyebrows together. “You don’t trust me to walk back to the cabin myself,” she said. “You’re worried.”
“Where you’re concerned, love, I’m always worried,” Nick replied. He scanned the area again and lowered his voice. “You said someone was in the woods today. What if they’re still here?”
“If someone was in the woods, they were more interested in Jessica,” Maddie reminded him. “I wasn’t the one piquing anyone’s interest.”
That realization didn’t make Nick feel better. “I’ll walk back with you.”
“Nicky, I’ll be fine,” Maddie chided. “I’m perfectly capable of walking back to the cabin, grabbing a hoodie, and then coming back. You know I survived a whole ten years without you watching my every move, right?”
Nick crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t like being reminded of that.”
Technically, Maddie didn’t like reminding him of it. It was the worst mistake she’d ever made. “I’m sorry for bringing it up,” she said, contrite. “I love you, Nicky. That doesn’t mean I can’t walk to the cabin by myself. Besides, you have to watch all of these kids to make sure they don’t kill the lightning bugs.”
Nick frowned. “Okay,” he said, giving in. “You be quick and watch your surroundings. If you hear anything, you need to run.”
Maddie kicked her heels together and saluted. “Sir, yes, sir!”
“Oh, we’re going to play that game later, love,” Nick said, brushing a quick kiss against Maddie’s adorable smile. “I’m going to be the drill sergeant of your dreams.”
“I think I can live with that.”
MADDIE was halfway back to the cabin, her mind oozing with gooey thoughts of Nick, when she heard something rustling in the nearby trees. She slowed her pace, tilting her head to the side as she listened.
Despite her words to the contrary, Maddie worried making the walk by herself was a mistake. Her heartbeat sped up, and she internally chastised herself for causing an internal panic that probably wasn’t warranted. It was a forest, after all. There were any number of creatures inhabiting it … and many of them were nocturnal.
“What are you looking at?”
Maddie jumped at the voice, swiveling quickly to find Hayley standing behind her. “What are you doing?” Maddie asked, her heart fluttering. “Crap, Hayley, you scared me.”
Hayley was nonplussed. “Sorry. I thought you heard me and that’s why you slowed down. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Maddie’s gaze bounced between Hayley and the trees, her mind busy. She was certain the rustling she heard came from her right, not behind her. That didn’t mean the noise originated from a person, though.
“I think there’s a raccoon or something over there,” Maddie said finally, forcing a smile for Hayley’s benefit. She didn’t want to unnecessarily frighten the girl. “I was hoping to see it. I didn’t hear you. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” Hayley said, shrugging. “Most people look right past me like I’m not there.”
Maddie pursed her lips. Being a teenager was harder than anyone wanted to admit. When you have space and time from your teenage years, you can look back and see how unnecessarily dramatic you acted. When you’re living through it, though, it’s a different story. Poor Hayley was mired in the worst part of her teenage years and there was no immediate end in sight.
“I think you’re upset because Kevin left the bonfire and came and caught bugs with Nick and me,” Maddie suggested. “Is that what’s bugging you?”
“He didn’t go to catch bugs with Uncle Nick,” Hayley argued. “I’m not an idiot. He just wanted to hang around with you.”
Maddie thought about arguing, but there was no point so she refrained and changed tactics. “Do you think there’s some big future for you and Kevin that I’m standing in the way of?”
“No,” Hayley replied, making a face. “It’s just … he’s really cute.”
“He’s very cute.”
“He’s also only a year and a half older than me,” Hayley continued. “Why wouldn’t he be interested in a girl his own age? You’re … old.”
Maddie fought the mad urge to laugh. That was another thing about teenagers, they always thought anyone over the age of twenty was ancient. “Kevin doesn’t really like me,” she explained. “He thinks he does because he saw me catch fish and I’m … unattainable. Boys Kevin’s age are walking hormones. They can’t always control the way their minds work.”
“So … you’re saying that Kevin will outgrow it and realize you’re old one day?” Hayley looked intrigued.
Maddie smirked. “I think if you stop worrying about what Kevin is doing and play hard to get instead that he’ll be more likely to notice you. Guys hate it when you throw yourself at them. They like a hint of mystery.”
“I don’t know,” Hayley hedged. “Uncle Nick seems to like it when you throw yourself at him.”
“I guess that’s true,” Maddie said, internally chuckling. “We’re a unique situation, though. If I had thrown myself at Nick in high school, he wouldn’t have liked it one bit.”
“I don’t think that’s true.”
Maddie didn’t either. Still, she’d already told the lie so there was no reason not to embrace it. “It’s totally true,” she said. “Men like it when a woman is mysterious.”
“So I should go back to the fire and pretend Kevin doesn’t exist,” Hayley mused. “That’s what you’re saying, right?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
Hayley brightened. “Then that’s what I’m going to do.” She turned to head back to the campsite. “I’ll see you when you get back.”
“Do you want to wait and walk with me?” Maddie asked, something niggling the back of her mind.
“I’ll be fine,” Hayley said. “It will only take me five minutes to get back.”
“Okay,” Maddie said. “Just … be careful.”
“I’m not going to be careful,” Hayley scoffed. “I’m going to be mysterious.”
Maddie watched Hayley until the girl disappeared into the darkness and then turned back in the direction of the cabin. She picked a brisk pace, something inside of her warning that now was not the time to dawdle. She was almost to the cabin’s front porch when Olivia popped into being, causing Maddie to rear back and tilt to the side as she fought to keep her balance.
“Mom! Don’t scare me like that! Cripes … can’t you pop in a few feet away from me instead of right in front of me?”
Instead of the welcoming smile Olivia usually graced her daughter with, the look on her ghostly face was grim. “Turn around, Maddie. Go back.”<
br />
“What? Why?”
“Hayley is in trouble,” Olivia said, not mincing words. “You need to catch up with her and you need to do it now.”
“Is it the man from the forest?”
“There’s someone out there,” Olivia hissed. “I couldn’t see his features in the dark. He was watching you, although he wasn’t making a move toward you. When you and Hayley separated, he followed her instead of you. I … go.”
Maddie didn’t need to be told twice, she turned on her heel and raced back into the dark, the coat she’d come looking for forgotten. She had to get to Hayley. Leaving her to walk back to campsite alone was a terrible mistake. Maddie only hoped she could get to the girl and make sure it wasn’t a mistake she would live to regret.
“NO.”
Nick crossed his arms over his chest and fixed Spencer with a dark look. “Yes.”
Spencer mimicked Nick’s stance. “No.”
“Spencer, you’re going to give me that jar whether you like it or not,” Nick said. “You can’t keep the lightning bug in the jar. It will die.”
Spencer didn’t seem to care. “If it dies, it dies.”
“You’re a sadistic little thing, aren’t you?”
“I have no idea what that means,” Spencer shot back. “I just know I’m not giving you my jar. I want to use it as a lantern.”
“But the bug will die.”
“I don’t care about the bug,” Spencer replied. “I want a lantern. It’s just a bug.”
“You’re the kind of kid who pulls the wings off butterflies, aren’t you?” Nick was really starting to dislike the boy.
“Butterflies are gross, too,” Spencer said. “I’m not touching a butterfly.”
Nick tilted his head back, pinching the bridge of his nose as he decided how to proceed. He didn’t get a chance to pick a new tactic because Olivia’s voice invaded his mind moments later.
“Hayley is in trouble,” Olivia said. “Maddie is going after her. You have to hurry. They’re on the path between the campsite and cabin. Go. Go now!”
Nick didn’t bother arguing – not that he would want to call attention to himself when a ghost was whispering warnings into his ear as it is. He took off in the direction of the cabin, breaking into a run and leaving Spencer and his new lantern in the dust. He had to get to Hayley and Maddie. They were in danger, and he wasn’t going to lose either one of them.
MADDIE raced through the darkness, paying no heed to the scenery on either side of her and focusing on the path. She knew Hayley wasn’t brave enough to veer from a known route. If someone grabbed her and dragged her into the foliage, it would be practically impossible to find the entry spot thanks to nonexistent visibility. She had to get to Hayley before she disappeared.
Maddie crested a hill, exhaling heavily when she saw Hayley’s silhouette moving away from her. She opened her mouth to call to the girl, figuring there would be enough safety in numbers to see Hayley back to the campsite when she noticed a dark shadow moving out of a clump of trees. The shadow was furtive as it moved behind Hayley. Maddie was out of options.
“Hayley, run!”
Hayley stilled at the voice, which was the exact worst thing she could’ve done. She swiveled quickly, balking when she saw the figure between her and Maddie. “Maddie?” She sounded terrified.
“Run, Hayley!” Maddie repeated the order, sprinting down the hill and directly toward the shadow. For his part, the man – and Maddie was sure it was a man due to broad shoulders and narrow hips – seemed surprised by her sudden appearance.
Maddie was relieved to see Hayley had snapped out of her shock and was running toward the campsite. She didn’t even glance over her shoulder. That left Maddie and the stranger, and that was a scenario Maddie preferred.
“Who are you?”
The figure didn’t move or answer.
“You were in the woods when I found Jessica today.” Maddie tried again. “Why? Were you following her? Why did you go after Hayley?”
Maddie moved closer to the figure. His face was shrouded in shadow, a dark hoodie pulled over his head and camouflaging any identifying features. The figure took a step toward her, causing Maddie to slow her approach. They were far enough apart that he wasn’t a threat and she wanted to keep it that way.
“Who are you?” Maddie asked the question again. She wasn’t expecting an answer. She was hoping she could keep him engaged long enough for Olivia to return … or Nick to arrive. Olivia hadn’t told Maddie she was going for Nick when she disappeared from the cabin’s porch, but Maddie knew that’s exactly where she headed.
Nick couldn’t see ghosts, but for some reason he’d been able to hear Olivia when Maddie was in trouble on several different occasions. In her heart, Maddie knew Nick was coming. That bolstered her, even though she was in a precarious situation.
“Are you out here hunting people?” Maddie asked. “Is that the game you’re playing? If you’re just playing scare games, you might want to own up to it and let it go. If you’re doing something else … well … there’s a police officer on his way here right now.”
Maddie wasn’t sure how smart it was to taunt the mute shadow, but the words were out of her mouth before she could consider the intelligence behind them. In the end, it didn’t matter.
“Maddie!”
The figure jolted at the sound of Nick’s voice, glancing over his shoulder. Maddie could make out three dark silhouettes moving in her direction. The smallest was Hayley. The other two belonged to Nick and John.
The shadow must have realized he was outnumbered because he immediately bolted into the woods. Maddie watched him go, impassive as she waited for Nick to close the distance between them. He was out of breath when he yanked her into his arms, hugging her tightly.
“Are you okay? Hayley said there was someone out here.”
“He ran into the woods when you yelled my name.”
“Where?” John asked, scanning the trees for a hint of movement.
“Down there,” Maddie said, pointing. “Don’t bother looking for him. I’m sure he’s long gone.”
“Did he say anything?” Nick asked.
Maddie shook her head. “He was going after Hayley.”
“I know. I … .”
“How did you know we were in trouble?” Hayley asked, wrinkling her nose. “You guys knew I was in trouble before you even saw me. How?”
“I just had a feeling,” Nick lied, exchanging a worried look with John as he hugged Maddie again. “It was a really bad feeling.”
Twenty
“I don’t like the idea of leaving you here,” Nick said the next morning, rubbing Maddie’s back as he snuggled closer to her next to the river. “Why don’t you come with me?”
After the drama of the previous evening, the men decided they were going to hike through the woods for signs of the mysterious figure. Even though there were two police officers present, they couldn’t file a report because the stranger didn’t technically do anything wrong. They couldn’t use the testimony of a ghost as a reason to get a search party – or dogs – out to the scene.
While the figure’s actions appeared nefarious, they also could be construed as an innocent prank. Anyone could’ve dressed up in black clothing and pretended to stalk Hayley and Maddie. Deep inside, Maddie knew that whoever was out there had mayhem on the brain. Unfortunately, it wasn’t something she could prove.
“I want to stay here,” Maddie replied, keeping her voice low. “No one is going to go wandering off this morning. I would feel better if I was here and watching the kids, though. My mother will pop up if there’s any danger.”
“And she’ll come to me if you’re in danger,” Nick muttered, running a hand through his hair. “We really need to have a discussion with her one day about why I can hear her when you’re in trouble but no other time. I’m not complaining, mind you, but it might be nice to hold a conversation with her that didn’t involve you being in danger.”
Maddie patted h
is hand. “It would be nice,” she agreed. “I promise I’ll be safe here, Nicky. I’ll stay here and not go back to the cabin. It’s probably safer for me to remain with your family instead of tromping around in the woods anyway.”
“I like it better when I can see you.”
“I like it when I can see you, too … mostly because you’re so handsome … but we can’t be with each other twenty-four hours a day,” Maddie said. “I want to stay here.”
Nick sighed, resigned. “You stay within sight of someone at all times, Mad. If I find out you wandered off when I get back, we’re going to have a huge fight.”
“I’m still waiting for us to have a huge fight,” Maddie said, her eyes bright. “Christy says that make-up sex is amazing.”
“We’ll consider that when we’re not on an outing with my family,” Nick said, leaning down to kiss her. “I love you, Mad. Stay safe for me.”
Maddie rested her hand above Nick’s heart. “Stay safe for me, too.”
“Always, love.”
“WHAT are you doing?” Maddie asked, sitting in the chair next to Hayley and curiously studying the girl. The men took off into the woods an hour before, and after helping Sharon clean up the breakfast dishes, Maddie was at a loss for something to do. That’s when she saw Hayley, bright pink sunglasses perched on her nose as she stared up at the sky, sitting in the shade off to the side.
“What does it look like I’m doing?”
Maddie had no idea. “Getting a tan? You should put on some sunscreen. You’re not going to believe this now, but you’ll regret getting too tan in your teens when you’re in your twenties and you’re already getting wrinkles.”
Hayley snorted. “My mother makes me lather up every day in the summer.”
“Oh, well, that’s good,” Maddie said. “What are you doing then?”
“I’m being mysterious.”
“Oh,” Maddie said, pursing her lips to keep from laughing as she glanced toward the nearby field where the boys played a game of catch. Maddie wasn’t surprised to see Kevin and Kyle hanging around again. They’d stopped by every day since the first, although Maddie couldn’t remember seeing their father in that time. “How is the mystery game going?”
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