Page 70 of Hooked

“You barely met them,” I teased.

“It took very little time knowing any of your friends to know your life here will be rich and full. These are good souls you’ve found.”

“I know. I was very lucky.”

He extracted his arm from my grip, wrapping me in his embrace instead. “You’ve grown into an astounding woman, Cecily. And that’s due entirely to your own goodness.”

“Thank you for coming.”

“Goodbye, darling girl.” He kissed the top of my head and then swung up onto his horse. “We will see each other again before too long.”

“Promise?”

“Yes.”

He gave a wave and a smile of farewell, and then he was gone.

It was a bittersweet parting. Our time had been too short and I would miss him, but I was grateful to have someone to miss.

When my father was out of sight, I went in search of Falstone, eventually finding him near the gardens, piling wooden swords into a bundle. He must have just finished a round of training with his band of warriors. He smiled when he saw me. “Did you see your father off?”

“I did,” I answered, picking up a scattered sword and staff.

“He seems like a good man.”

“I think he really is,” I confessed, still in awe.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

“Yes. Why wouldn’t I be?”

The look he gave me was a reprimand. “You just found and said goodbye to your father in a matter of two days.”

I examined my head and heart for a moment. “I really think I am. I’m better than I’ve been in many years. Knowing him has given me back the happiness I remember from my childhood.”

“But you didn’t want to join him in the home he’s built?”

I shook my head, a wistful smile curing my lips. “This is the life I’ve built, and this is the life that I want to keep.”

We worked in companionable silence for a while.

“I’ll be training the children again tomorrow,” he said.

I grinned. “Do you mind if I come watch?”

“Not at all. In fact, I was hoping you might be willing to be part of our game.” He raised his brows at me in challenge.

I just held his gaze. “You know how I love games.”

He leaned in, pressing a sweet but searing kiss to my mouth before continuing his work.

***

The next day, I made sure to have all of my work finished early. It seemed essential that I not miss any of the time that was available for Falstone and I to spend together. It was the strangest thing, but being away from him was starting to be…uncomfortable? Or maybe it was simply that I didn’t like it. I wanted to be where he was, as often as possible.

So I was disappointed when I went out into the yard to find not only a lack of children, but a lack of Falstone as well. I shaded my eyes from the glare of the sun, looking around the yard, tuning my ears for any telltale sound.

Nothing.