Just when I think things are going to be okay, I hear a voice over my shoulder whisper, “You shouldn’t make promises you can’t keep.”
Chapter 17
A Trail To Follow
Wade’s cell phone rings and I can tell by the way his back is ramrod straight, it’s not good news. Nothing like getting bad news at 5:30 a.m. to set the day off with a note of anxiety.
“Are you going to have to leave?” I say, reaching for Wade’s hand as he throws back the covers.
Wade nods, still half asleep. He tugs out a new dusty-blue t-shirt from his backpack and puts it on. His voice is gruff as he whispers, “Yeah, Grandpa’s not doing well. I gotta go check on him.”
“Do you want me to come with? I could—”
“No, no… Go back to bed,” he says, bending down and kissing the top of my head. “No reason for both of us to get up at this ungodly hour. Besides, you have homework, remember?”
“Ugh,” I groan, pulling the covers over my head.
Wade chuckles, zipping up his jeans. “You won’t figure out how your powers work if you don’t test them out. At least you know for sure you can test them here instead of hunting down what’s-his-name.”
“Not fair,” I say, dropping the covers and glaring at him.
He laughs it off as he takes a seat on the bed so he can slide his shoes on.
“Wade…” I begin.
“I’m over it, Autumn. Really. I trust you, and that’s what matters. Just don’t expect me to like the guy. Okay?”
I sit up, resting my cheek on his shoulder so I can plant a kiss on his neck. “Deal.”
He twists around, but there’s still a hint of insecurity hiding in the depths of his eyes.
Shifting closer, I plant a kiss on his lips, then reach around, taking his face in my hands. I kiss his cheek, his eyelids, his chin.
His kisses back are gentle, but reserved, and I can’t help but worry that he’s still taking things with Colton to heart. As he shifts off the bed, his grin doesn’t quite reach his eyes.
“Will you be able to come back?” I ask, sliding my legs over the bed’s edge.
Wade’s eyebrows tip up in the middle and he shakes his head. “I don’t think so, Dru. I need to spend some time with him to know if he’s getting better or worse. You know? I wish I could—”
I cut him off with a swipe of my hand. “I know. I totally understand.”
He nods, more to himself than me, by the looks of it. “Good. Well, I suppose I better…”
“Right,” I say, nodding. “Let me walk you out.” Standing up, I reach for my pajama bottoms and throw them on.
“You don’t have to. Really. You should go back to bed and stay comfortable.”
“Mr. Hoffman, I insist.” I stare him hard in the eyes and his pupils widen.
“All right, then,” he grins, raising his hands in defeat.
We walk the hallway in silence, but when we get to the big front door, I wrap my arms around him.
Without a word, his strong arms encompass my body, and we melt into one another. He places his cheek to the top of my head and pulls me closer. Standing there, I wish I could keep this cocoon around us forever.
“You better let me know how your grandpa is. I hope he’s okay,” I whisper.
“Me, too.” He pulls me in tighter.
“Drive safe, okay?” I whisper into his chest.
“I realized something yesterday,” Wade says, his words reverberating through me.
Pulling back, his expression is a difficult mixture to read.
“With all this Colton stuff, your powers, everything with my grandpa and how close to… I realized I don’t want to waste time. It’s too short. So, here goes. I’m falling for you Dru. And not”—he bites his lower lip—“…not just kinda-sorta. I mean, I love you.”
Tears brim in my lids and I can’t help but reach out for his face. With my index finger, I trace the lines from the crease of his left eye down to his lips. “Wade, I love you too. I wasn’t looking for you, but I know I never want to lose you.”
His eyes are wide and he leans into my touch, grabbing hold of my wrist and giving my palm a kiss. Smiling softly, he bends forward until his lips are crushing down on mine. Unlike the reserved kisses in the bedroom, his true passion bleeds through, as he places his hands on either side of my face and presses down hard. My lips buzz from the pressure and intensity of him and when he finally pulls back, I’m left in a state of dizzy bliss; tingling from head to toe.
“I’ll see you soon, okay?” he says, kissing my eyebrow.
Without another word, he opens the door and walks out.
Raising my fingertips to my lips, I stand there, watching as he drives off. I wait until I can no longer see his taillights in the driveway before closing the front door.
Exhaling slowly, I plant my forehead against the ancient wood.
“How did I ever get here?” I whisper out loud. I never knew falling in love could hurt, even when it felt so good.
Taking a deep breath, I turn around to head back to bed. I’m wide awake now, but I need to at least make an attempt at more sleep. Wade and I didn’t fall asleep until well past midnight and goodness knows I don’t want to figure out how little sleep that actually is.
As I make my way past the grand staircase, some movement to the right catches my eye. I take a step back and have another look.
“Dad? Are you awake?” I call out, my heart suddenly thumping in my chest.
Silence greets me and I take a tentative step up the first couple of stairs.
“Dad?”
At the top of the landing, the bottom of a woman’s white dress moves from view, heading down the hallway toward my Dad’s wing of the house.
Goose bumps flash across my skin
