“I know.” I placed a chaste kiss to his lips. “How’s Gran?”
Nash released his grip on me. “I’m not gonna lie and say she’s doing good or that she’s any better. We both know that isn’t the case with this situation.” He gave me a slight smile. “I can say she’s hanging on, and I think it’s because she’s been waiting for you to come back so she can say goodbye.”
His words pressed against me, weighing down my soul. Tears built in my eyes, but I blinked them away. Now wasn’t the time for crying.
The front door of the cabin opened, and I half expected to see Gran rush out to hug me, but it wasn’t her. It was Tris. The tension in her expression melted when her eyes landed on me.
“I’m glad you’re here,” Tris said. “She’s asking for you.”
I glanced at Karen, wondering what I should do about her.
“Go on. See your Gran. I’ll be fine. I’m a people person.” She winked.
As I made my way up the stairs and inside I could hear Karen introducing herself to everyone. It brought a smile to my face. Liam stood from where he’d sat on the porch and made his way to her, his hand squeezed my shoulder as we passed, offering me comfort. My bear needed it. Penny reached out for my hand and gave it a squeeze next, sending more warmth flowing through me.
I loved my clan.
The cabin was hot and stuffy when I entered. Someone had turned off the air. Was it because it was too cold for Gran to have it on? She’d always loved cranking the AC up. She used to tell me growing up to stop complaining and put a sweater on.
My heart raced as I made my way through the cabin toward her bedroom. The closer I came to the door, the more prominent the presence of death was in the air. Even my bear could feel it.
Voices made their way to my ears as I continued to creep down the hall. Rhett and Vada were talking with Gran.
“Dottie, please just let Tris take some of the pain away for you. Let her ease it some,” Rhett insisted. He was seated beside Gran’s bed, holding her hand and there was a pleading expression twisting his features.
“I’m fine,” Gran insisted with a slight shake of her head.
“You’re not fine,” I said as I stepped into the room, drawing everyone’s attention to me. I flashed Gran a smile. “You’re stubborn.”
Gran shifted in bed, sitting up. “And you’re home.”
I rushed to her side and leaned across the bed to pull her in for a hug. It was the first time she’d ever felt so delicate in my arms. I’d always thought of Gran as one of the strongest women I knew. My throat pinched tight seeing her so fragile. It broke me in ways I didn’t know were possible, sending tears sliding down my cheeks.
“Don’t you start crying. You’re here now, and so am I. Things will be just fine.” Gran untangled herself from me so she could lie back again. She grabbed hold of my hand and squeezed. “Now, I’d like to know what the hell all that nonsense was. Who were those men?” Her tone dipped to the stern place it always did when I was younger and in trouble.
It had me smiling again.
“That would be Damon Kincaid and his guys,” I said. “He needed me to paint something for him.”
“He couldn’t have just asked? What’s wrong with people nowadays?” She shook her head, and I noticed that while she still looked frail, color was finding its way back into her face again.
My painting flashed through my mind—the one of our hands transferring energy to one another. I dipped my gaze to where our hands were clasped together now, and I wondered if that was what was happening.
Was I transferring my energy to her?
If so, I hoped it was enough to allow her to stay with me for a while longer because I wasn’t ready to say goodbye.
Chapter Eleven
When I woke the next morning, snuggled in the cushions of the couch to the sound of Gran humming, I couldn’t help but smile as I listened to her. She was in the kitchen, cooking breakfast. I didn’t know what time it was, but I knew it had to be early because the sun was barely peeking through the blinds.
“She sounds happy,” Nash whispered from the recliner.
The two of us had opted to sleep in the living room last night, giving Karen my room. Liam said she could sleep in one of the RVs for the night free of charge, but she’d said she was fine here.
I’d slept with Gran for a portion of the night, but felt like I would wake her with my restlessness, so I made my way to the living room, which was when I’d spotted Nash. He’d been watching TV with the volume on low. We’d talked for a while, and I’d passed out at some point. I hadn’t known he’d stayed the night, but I was thankful he had. It was nice having him close.
“Yeah,” I said, listening to Gran’s sweet melody. “She does sound happy. Today is going to be a good day.”
Nash stood and stretched. The edge of his t-shirt inched up, showing his flat, toned abs and my bear went wild. He caught my eyes and erased the little bit of space between us to kiss me. My body instantly reacted, and my mind dipped back to thoughts of us standing naked together in the cave behind the waterfall. “I am going home to take a shower, and then I need to make my rounds of the campground. Do you need anything before I go?”
“No, I’m good,” I said,
