by Meg Collett
Hale finally caught her, but she only let him wrap his arms around her. He felt salty too; the water was still slick against his skin. It soothed her to feel the ocean on their bodies.
“You talk about your feelings like they are dangerous.” His words ruffled her hair with their breath, and her eyes drifted closed.
“They are,” she said so quietly she barely heard herself.
He hadn’t heard. His hands cupped her face as he leaned back to look at her. “Sorry for leaving tonight. I’m not good at handling my temper.”
She lifted a shoulder, smiling slightly. “I thought it would make me hate you.”
“I thought I hated you too.” Hale mimicked her shrug.
“Maybe we both don’t have it figured it.”
“Apparently not.”
Kyra’s grin slipped away. “Why is it so hard?”
“Think that’s why they call it ‘life.’ Cause it’s supposed to suck sometimes.”
“I liked it when it was easy.”
He dipped his forehead against hers. “Was it really easy, or were you just faking it?”
She pulled away and smacked his chest half-heartedly. “I had it good before you came along and made me realize how awful it really was.”
“I’m glad I did.” Hale caught her hand and held it against his chest.
“I don’t know if I’m worth it,” Kyra murmured, her eyes skimming over the floorboards again. She could give everything to Hale and he might still think she wasn’t good enough in the end. And she didn’t know if their relationship would be worth the pain his rejection would cause. For her entire life, nothing had seemed worth it when compared to the darkness inside her. So she’d played it safe. Until now.
“I think you’re the most complicated woman I’ve ever met.”
It wasn’t the right thing to say. He was supposed to say she was everything he’d ever wanted. But that was silly, and it wasn’t Hale Cooper. She smiled. “I think that’s the best compliment you’ve ever given me.”
“Truce?” Hale grinned.
“Truce.”
With that, he took her hand and led her toward her stairs. “I’m going to sleep with you, Kyra. Tonight and maybe tomorrow night. And if you play your cards right, I might stay the weekend too.”
“Um…” she paused on the stairs, a frown tugging at her mouth.
He glanced back at her and pulled on her arm. “I’m going to sleep next to you, because trying to figure you out is exhausting. Don’t worry about any unwelcomed advances. I’m too tired for that shit tonight.”
He didn’t wait for her answer, but she followed him anyway. They didn’t bother with showers or changing. They collapsed onto her mattress and scooted under the covers. Hale wasted no time wrapped her in his arms. Her back was tucked against his chest, his arms encircling her. For the second time that night, Kyra sank into his body and let go.
She fell asleep right away.
sixteen
Technically, I have the day off.”
Kyra stirred, blinking into the bright light streaming through her bedroom. Hale stood next to her bed with a thermos of coffee in his hand from Sweet Roasts. He looked ready for the day, and apparently he’d gotten a head start on Kyra.
“What?” she mumbled, tasting her awful morning breath. Quickly, she reached for the coffee to burn it out. Hale handed it to her and sat down on the edge of her bed.
“The inside of the house is getting painted today, so I have the day off, since Cade handles the subcontractors. And we need a break from this house.” He rolled his eyes. “Actually, I need a break from this house, and I want to take it with you.”
Kyra burnt her tongue, but the coffee tasted like heaven. She moaned her approval. “Where are we going?” she asked a moment later.
“To my favorite spot on the island. So get dressed and wear hiking shoes.” He smacked her butt through the thin sheet, which sloshed her coffee, and left the room.
When she went downstairs ten minutes later, Hale appeared from the back of the house and presented her a bag. “Breakfast of champions,” he said. She peered inside the bag and discovered a still-warm bagel. “You can eat on the drive over.”
“Where’s your favorite spot?” Kyra asked as she followed him out the door, locking it behind her. She stole a glance at Stevie’s house; the lights were off with no sign of activity.
“It’s a surprise,” he answered cryptically. His smile was crooked and goofy, but Kyra liked it. He acted more laid back and comfortable today, and after last night, Kyra welcomed the change with relief.
Hale’s truck roared to life. Kyra munched on her bagel, which was the delicious blueberry kind, as he navigated through town. They rode in comfortable silence, music playing quietly in the background. Kyra didn’t know much about country music, but she recognized some Johnny Cash and George Jones, which surprised her because it was so different from his usual hardcore rock music.
“What are you staring at?” Hale asked, keeping his eyes on the road.
Kyra laughed. “How did you know I was looking at you?”
“I can just tell.”
The rasp in his voice took on a husky edge that sent chills down her arms. “I thought you only listened to rock.”
Hale flipped on his blinker and turned right, heading out of town toward the northern end of the island. Kyra hadn’t had much time to explore more since her tour with Cade, so she was already getting lost. “My mom used to play this stuff all the time when we were kids. I guess it kind of stuck, because I like it.”
“How is she really doing?” she asked carefully, not knowing how far to push him after the group had talked about his mother last night at dinner. She munched on her bagel, taking small bites and watching Hale out of the corner of her eye.
His grip tightened slightly on the wheel, but he said, “She’s tough. Maybe too tough. She won’t tell us when the pain gets too bad, and she insists on living at her house. It makes it hard to keep an eye on her, but the nurse we hired is really good.”
“Is she starting another round of chemo soon?”
“No.”
The single word said it all, and Kyra knew when to drop the subject. She turned to the window and marveled at the scenery; Canaan Island was beautiful, with lush trees and jagged cliffs. All the houses and buildings were bright, cheerful colors, but the buildings were becoming fewer and fewer as they drove farther north, the road narrowing and twisting along the towering bluff. Kyra could just make out the crashing waves far below them as they went around the sharp corners.
“You’re really not going to tell me where we’re going?” she asked, growing excited.
“Nope.” Hale shot her another grin, once again easing the tension. He looked as excited as she felt.
“Have you always lived on the island?” Kyra neatly folded her bagel bag and put it in one of the cup holders. Hale’s car was a lot neater than hers, which was no surprise. There were probably landfills neater than her car.
“Left for college. Didn’t work out, so I came back.” Hale turned off the main road and headed down a single-lane service road. Kyra bounced in her seat when he hit the massive potholes. She reached for the door handle and held on.
“Why did it not work out?” She almost bit her tongue when they hit another bump.
Hale shrugged. “Wasn’t for me. I never went to class, and I hated the types of people there. I couldn’t find my place with them, so I left.”
“And you’ve found it now?” she asked, raising her eyebrows at Hale’s profile. She thought about his gruff and grumpy personality. From outside appearances, he certainly didn’t fit in with the typical Canaan crowd.
Confirming her thoughts, he snorted derisively. “I’m the type of person that will never fit in. People see me and think I should be in jail or doing drugs—or both. Maybe I look like some in that crowd, I guess, but that’s not me. And I don’t think you fit in either, Kyra. You think you do, and you try really hard. It’s not worki
ng though, is it? See, that’s where we are different. I’m okay with it. I don’t think you are yet.”
Kyra was stunned for a moment, uncertain about how he’d turned this around on her. “I’m fine with who I am,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest.
He rolled his eyes. “Yeah, sure. Whatever you say. I bet if you were real and honest with people, your videos would do even better than they do.”
“My videos do fine, thank you very much.” They hit another bump, and her elbow cracked against the door.
“I’m not trying to make you mad.” Hale stopped the truck in front of a large metal gate with a crooked, bent No Trespassing sign. He turned off the engine and looked at her. “I’m just telling you what I think.”
His gaze was simple and open. All he wanted was for her to be honest with him too. She took a deep breath. “I’m trying.”
He smiled. And it wasn’t his crooked, snarky one either. It was a real smile, and it hurt Kyra’s heart. He looked like a child when he smiled, like a little boy without the harsh judgments of his neighbors. It was a smile he’d probably given his mother countless times when she was healthy and young and he played in the house with Cade while she listened to old country music. It takes a real man to smile so unguardedly like that, Kyra realized, and he was smiling it for her.
“Try harder.” With that. Hale jumped out of the car, slinging a backpack over his shoulder. Kyra blinked as the door slammed. It took her a moment to recover, and when she did, she rolled her eyes at his back.
“So much for having a moment,” she mumbled before she got out of the car and followed him. He headed down the fence line, stepping through tall brush and briars. She went after him carefully, making sure not to snag her bare skin on the thorns.
“Are we doing something illegal?” They passed another warning sign about trespassing.
“So many people come up here, the cops don’t care anymore.”
Aside from the ugly fence, the area was beautiful. The trees were thick, blanketing her in pine smell, and seagulls squawked above her head. From somewhere up ahead came the slight sound of waves. Hale crunched along the path in front of her until they came to a slit in the fence. He pulled back the metal for her.
“Thanks.” She ducked through and watched as he followed just as quickly. He pulled the chain link back into place like an expert. Clearly, this wasn’t the first time he’d been up here.
“This is your favorite place on the island?”
“Yep.” Hale adjusted his pack and took the lead once again. “You’ll understand in a minute.”
The trees opened up some as they climbed a slight hill. The grass scratched against Kyra’s thighs as she waded through. A breeze bent the limbs around her, making the trees sing in tune with the birds. Pockets of brightly colored flowers cropped up along the way. And all the while, the ocean smell grew stronger, overpowering the pine scent. The waves grew louder, and their pull ached in her chest.
“Look there.”
Kyra followed Hale’s finger and saw a tall lighthouse emerging through the trees. It sat atop the hill they were climbing, which she now saw was a large bluff. The lighthouse was positioned right on the very edge, its base surrounded by rocks.
“Oh, wow,” she whispered, taking in the sight. They kept climbing, but she slowed to look up at the lighthouse.
Its age was clearly apparent, and it obviously wasn’t in use anymore. The door at the base was boarded up, and the paint had peeled and crumbled off. It towered into the sky with a narrow railing wrapping around the very top. The glass surrounding the lights up there was broken away, but Kyra could tell it had once been majestic. Now it just looked kind of sad.
“Now you can see why this is my favorite place,” Hale said, sweeping his arm to the view in front of her. Kyra hadn’t even noticed they’d come to a stop on the edge of the bluff.
The bluff overlooked a small cove with sides made of huge rock outcroppings that the waves bashed themselves against, sending sprays of water as high as the bluff’s edge. The wind buffeted against her, causing her ponytail to twist and swish around. Looking down at the battle of water against land, she had the sense of power and war, ageless and unending. It was raw and powerful, consuming and devouring. They could’ve been the only ones in the world standing up here, except for the lighthouse, which felt like a presence of its own.
“It’s amazing,” Kyra said. She couldn’t come up with anything else to describe how gorgeous this secret place was. Together they sat down in the grass, and Hale pulled out some water bottles from his pack and handed her one.
“The lighthouse has been here since the late 1700s. It’s the oldest one in the South.”
“Why isn’t it used anymore?”
Hale finished his water and put the empty bottle back in his pack before he peered up at the lighthouse beside them. “The technology was old and really dangerous. Fires were a big worry back then in lighthouses because the fuel was so flammable. So the town built a new one a few miles away.”
“This one doesn’t look like it burned,” Kyra said. She examined the structure, which still looked pretty solid, just forgotten.
“Nah,” Hale said, and Kyra heard the amusement in his voice. “It’s just haunted.”
Goose bumps spread across Kyra’s skin; she felt the presence of the lighthouse. It was as though the building was breathing right next to them, looking at them as they looked at it. She forgot to inhale for a second. “Really?”
“It’s just legend. It may not even be true,” Hale said with a shrug.
“How is it haunted?”
He shot her a grin, like that was just the question he’d hoped she would ask. “Sometimes on foggy nights, the beam comes on and sweeps across the ocean. You can see it from all over the island, flashing back and forth to warn the ships of sailors long lost.”
“That’s crazy. I thought you said the technology was too old to be used.”
“It is,” Hale said. “The oil is too old and dried up to ever be used for light. You hear stories of teenagers coming up here for a good time when the beam comes on. They say they saw a White Lady standing out on the bluff with her dress whipping in the wind.”
Kyra’s mouth popped open. “A ‘White Lady’?”
“It’s a type of ghost dressed in white, hence the name.”
“Gosh, Hale.” Kyra rubbed her hands over her arms. “And this is your favorite place on the island? That’s weird.”
“I think it’s awesome.” She caught a flash of his smile, and she knew the child in him delighted in ghost stories.
“Have you ever seen the beam?”
“Not yet. But maybe one day. The old folks in town say it’s good luck to see the lights,” he said.
“That’s so crazy.” She reached over and shoved him back. “Why did you tell me that story? It’s not romantic at all.”
Hale looked at her with his eyebrow cocked, which pulled the piercing in his brow. “You think this was supposed to be romantic?”
“Uh…” Kyra didn’t know what to say, but Hale saved her from answering. He stood up and pulled on his pack.
“Come on. Let’s hike down to the shore, then we can go back to my place. Is that romantic enough for you?”
seventeen
They spent the rest of the day hiking around the lighthouse bluff. Kyra found herself scanning the rocks above them for a White Lady standing in the wind. Of course, she never saw her or the beam flashing across the ocean. She was certain Hale caught her looking a few times, but he didn’t make fun of her.
They passed the afternoon talking about the island and her house. She learned that once he started talking about his restoration work and original versus new that it was hard to get him to shut up about it. But his passion was contagious, and she found the subject interesting when he talked about it, which was probably because she liked watching his expressions flare and ebb as he went on, gesturing wildly with his hands. He was beautiful like this, just as sh
e’d thought. She wondered if she could ever be so open and unguarded.
They spent a lot of time talking about her college years and her videos. It was hard to be more than just smiles and laughter. He expected more, and he didn’t settle for a fake grin and some silly comment. He pushed her until she told the truth. It gave her a headache and set her teeth on edge, but he seemed to be able to tell when he was pushing her too far. Their silence was easy, and Kyra let herself unwind in between their words.
Hale only brought some protein bars with him, and when Kyra’s stomach growled so loud that he heard, he announced it was time to go home. They hiked back to the truck and headed into town. He picked up vegan-friendly ingredients for tacos at the store, and they headed back to his house.
On the way, Kyra checked her phone. She had a few texts from Stevie and a missed call from Aunt Carol.
Stevie: Where areeeeeee youuuuuuuu????
Stevie: I want to go for drinks. You wanna come?
She’d sent that last one at noon. Kyra really hoped she hadn’t gone to a bar so early in the day, but when she read the next text, her fears were confirmed.
Stevie: DRINKKKKKKSSSSSSSSSSSSSS BITCHESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Kyra tried to call Stevie, but her phone went straight to voicemail. With a sigh, she sat back against the seat. “What’s up?” Hale asked, catching her concern.
“It’s Stevie…” She didn’t know how much to tell him about Stevie’s drinking, but he seemed to read her mind anyway.
“She drinks a lot, huh?”
Surprised, she glanced at him. “Yeah, I guess so. I’ve never really thought much about it.”