Page 60 of Beautiful Exile

Nora was a caretaker, through and through, from plants to buildings to human beings. She nurtured everything that crossed her path. And I’d been no different.

But something about that nurturing made me twitchy, the need to run fast and far humming beneath my skin. And I knew what fueled it.

Fear.

Because the more I let the nurturing, care, and love in, the more I had to lose.

So, I sat in my truck, staring at the farmhouse: its white siding and massive front porch—boards carrying generation after generation of stories. Countless heart-to-hearts in those rockers or on oneof the porch swings. Losses and triumphs. Pain and joy. All of it mixed together in the most beautiful painting I’d ever seen.

Gravel crunched beside my truck, and my hand instantly went to the blade at my belt.

“Can I keep my neck intact this time?” a deep voice asked.

My fingers released the handle of the switchblade. “You know, your stalker tendencies are really showing.”

Linc chuckled, the rasp of it sending a delicious shiver through me as he shifted to look down at me. “I was just innocently taking a call but couldn’t help but wonder if you were going inside or planning to just stare at the house all night.”

Annoyance flitted through me at the challenge of Linc’s words and the fact that he’d seen me as I’d done silent battle with a damn house. “Just needed a minute.”

That had Linc’s demeanor changing instantly. “Are you okay? Did something happen?”

“Breathe, Cowboy,” I said as I glanced up at him, Linc’s concern wrapping around me like an echo of his embrace. It wasn’t quite as good as one of his hugs, but it didn’t suck. “I’m just not the best with big groups.”

Linc studied me for a moment. “So you said. You going to be okay?”

“I’m fine,” I muttered. The problem was that my family knew me best. They saw things I could usually hide from the rest of the world. And there was no denying that the events of late had me rattled. That reporter. The note. But most of all…Linc.

“Pulling on a mask?” he asked. His voice held no judgment; there was simply a desire to understand. I appreciated that.

“More like trying to find inner calm. I like spending time with them, I do. It’s just…”

“It’s a lot coming at you all at once,” Linc suggested.

I nodded, one corner of my mouth kicking up. “It is. But it’s affectionate chaos.”

Linc chuckled. “Been here fifteen minutes, and I can already tell that.” His fingers curled around my door handle. “You ready?”

There was something about the question and gesture. It was as if Linc would wait here all night with me if I needed him to. But it was also more. It was the fact that I had someone to walk into the farmhouse with and wouldn’t have to deal with the wave of people alone. It helped.

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” I mumbled, pulling my key out of the ignition.

Linc opened the door and held it for me and Brutus. The moment Brutus was out, Linc bent to give him a scratch behind the ears. “You been keeping her in line today?”

I let out a soft scoff. “Tried and failed, most likely.”

Linc’s gaze lifted to me. “Can’t rein her in, too wild for that. But that’s how you were meant to be.”

That twitchy sensation was back, and it wasn’t just because Linc saw me. It was because he saw who I wanted to be. “Tell that to Trace. I’m pretty sure he wants to inject me with one of those tracker things.”

Linc barked out a laugh. “That’s one way to play it.”

I started toward the house, and he fell into step beside me. The gravel drive was littered with my siblings’ vehicles: SUVs, trucks, Fallon’s hatchback. The only one I didn’t see was Trace’s. My gaze slid over them to the ranch lands spread out around us and the beautiful view.

I took a second to remember the peace this place had always given me. The safety. And sent up a silent thanks to whatever greater being had put me here.

Glancing over at Linc, I knew that had tugged him here, too. That feeling of peace. The quiet beauty.

“Where’s Ellie?” I asked as we walked up the front path.

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