Page 57 of The Lightkeeper

And then, like a switch, her serious intensity flicked off, and her bubbliness switched back on.

“Ailene! We need the champagne!” She patted my hands and hurried over to Mom, leaving me standing there, steeped in the urgency of her words.

I knew how important the light was… for the lighthouse. For the ships. For the shore. For safety.For shelter from the storm.But that wasn’t the same.Or was it?

Aurora laughed again at something Max said to Nox, her whole face brightening. Like everything else she did, when she smiled, her happiness consumed every inch of her expression. From the wide white of her smile to the dimples on her cheeks, I’d noticed her biggest smiles made the swells of her cheeks bump the bottom of her glasses. Only once her smile dimmed did she realize they weren’t sitting right and she’d have to reach up and adjust them.

I’d noted that in my log book two days ago—a journal thathad gone from a few brief mentions of her presence and studies when she arrived to daily notations of the numerous things I learned by watching her. Talking to her. Touching her.And then there were the sketches.

I wasn’t a portrait artist by any means, but I couldn’t…not…try to capture her. Small, rough sketches in the margins of my log. I knew I was an idiot for doing it, but at some point, she’d leave the lighthouse, and those notes would be all I had to remember.

My eyes flicked around the room, looking for anything else to focus on. Mom and Gigi were talking to Violet, Harper, and some of Lou’s friends from town. Jamie and Lou were discussing something by the door before Lou hurried off. No sign of Frankie now, so I assumed Lou had been sent to find her sister so Jamie could give the birthday toast. But inevitably, my attention worked its way back to the kitchen like a yo-yo, unable to wander far from the woman who I tried to pretend I wasn’t attached to.

This time, when Nox gently touched Aurora’s elbow to claim her attention, it pushed me over the edge. I stalked from the very edge of the room—from safety—over to her.

Maybe Gigi was right. Maybe Aurora was the light, and all I wanted was for her to drown out my darkness.

“Aurora.” I said her name even though she’d turned to me as I approached, like she could sense me coming. I purposely put myself between her and Nox, my body blocking him from any further contact.

“Kit. Good to see you.” Max extended a hand.

I shook it quickly and then pulled back. “I think they want everyone outside by the fire for the toast.”My hand went to the small of Aurora’s back, her shiver only adding to my unwarranted sense of possession. I didn’t wait for their response before guiding her toward the back door.

“Yourfamily is so nice,” she said as I led us down the steps to the paver patio off the basement where the fire pit was.

“Too nice,” I muttered, stopping near one of the main beams that supported the deck above, needing to have something at my back.

“Thank you, everyone, for coming,” Jamie said, putting a stop to whatever she was about to say as he stepped forward, a beer in his hand. “Frankie… Lou… I’ve always said there was a reason you were due on April Fool’s but arrived the day after, and no, it wasn’t to give you a pass for all your pranks.” Everyone laughed, and Frankie faked a pout before winking at him. “You brought a lightness, laughter, and a level of love to our lives that never would’ve existed otherwise. The things that the two of you have accomplished and will accomplish make me not only proud to be your brother and excited to see what the future holds… but also a little bit sorry for whichever men try their luck for a chance with you.” He paused, let the laughter start to rumble, and then added, “Especially you, Frankie.”

My sister’s mock gasp quickly dissolved into a wide smile, but it was Aurora’s soft laugh that caught my attention. Like she knew I was looking, her head tipped toward me, a breeze catching the ribbon in her hair and loosening the bow.

“Shit,” I muttered, snagging the fabric in my fingertips before it blew off altogether.

Her eyes lifted to my face. I focused on the ribbon—on tying a new bow in her hair—and not what it looked like.Or the flicker of warmth I felt.My fingers worked the ribbon securely onto her head, holding it in place while I formed the bow. Years of doing this for the twins should’ve made my fingers move deftly, instead, they worked clumsily and slowly, clunking around like the stupid thing that beat in my chest—thrown off by her nearness.

“Happy birthday, Frankie and Lou.” Everyone raised theirdrinks and cheered, the sound ringing painfully in my ears and snapping me from the moment.

The cheers. The chants. The runners.The lump in my throat swelled.Fuck.I squeezed my eyes shut and chugged all the water in my paper cup, trying to block out the memory that wouldn’t leave me in peace. My heart pounded. I could feel the rumble of the runners. The excitement in the air. And I knew it was coming… something bad. The chill in my spine was the same as I’d felt before Smith came back into the tent and unloaded his weapon.

“Kit…”

My eyes slammed open. Aurora swam into focus in front of me.Her big, warm brown stare searching mine with concern.Breathe, Kit. Fucking breathe.My hands slid to her face, holding her like she was my liferaft—my way back to the shore of sanity.Breathe, and it’ll pass?—

Boom.

Boom. Boom. Boom.

Instinct trumped everything.

“Get down!”I roared and hauled Aurora to the ground, covering her with my body.

There was shouting. Curses. A few more bangs as I shielded myself over her, my back on fire.Shit. Fucking shit.

Not again.

Not another bomb.

Not again.

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