Chapter 21
CHAPTER 21
T horn stood in the middle of the living room, letting her eyes take in everything around her. The house was filled with memories—things she and Jaden had picked out together, things they’d used during their stays here. His presence was so strong, it was almost like he was right there with her.
She shivered, despite the warmth of the day. Coming back here was always going to be tough, but she hadn’t expected the emotional hit to be this hard.
She could still see him, clear as day—sitting on the couch with a cold beer, tinkering with the boiler when the hot water wouldn’t work, laying those paving stones on the terrace outside.
Tears welled up in her eyes, but she only let them fall because she could hear the water running. Damian had gone straight to the bathroom to take a cold shower. There would be no hot water after this long.
Thorn sniffed and took a shaky breath. Maybe if she went outside into the sun, she’d cast off the shadows.
Out on the terrace, the sun hit her full in the face. Blinking, she sat down on the low stone wall and looked out over the terraced fields below—once full of olive trees, now just dried-up remnants of what used to be. She let her feet dangle, staring at the horizon. The view was the same, the house was the same, but everything felt different. Jaden was gone, and she was here with someone else.
The sun dried her tears, but she stayed put until she heard Damian step outside. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m just tired. How about we take a nap before we figure out our next move?”
He looked at her for a moment, then nodded. “Yeah, sure. Which room do you want me to take?”
She shot him a surprised look. After last night—she pushed the thought away, not ready to deal with that. She’d assumed he’d want to be with her.
“I think we could both use some alone time.” He kept his tone light. “And honestly, I’m just going to crash. I assume we’re safe here?”
She gave him a grateful smile. She needed time alone with her thoughts and the memories that haunted this place.
“Yeah, they won’t find us here. Not even Pat and the unit know about this spot, and it’s in my parents’ name, not mine.” If anyone was tracking them, they wouldn’t get past Las Piedras.
“Okay, then. I’ll see you later.” And he strode back into the house without another word.
Thorn showered and changed into fresh clothes that she found in the closet, then collapsed onto the bed. The door to the spare room was closed—Damian would be out cold by now.
Why had she brought him here?
Because there was nowhere else to go, she reminded herself. Damian needed protection, and this was the only place that came to mind where they’d be completely safe. But even knowing she’d done the right thing to protect her high-value target didn’t stop her emotions from spiraling.
Despite the years, the bed still carried a faint trace of Jaden’s scent. His things were still on the dresser—his comb, his deodorant. She picked up the deodorant before lying down, breathing in the familiar smell, and once again was overwhelmed with sadness.
The bedside table had a stack of books Jaden had planned to read but never got the chance. She ran her fingers over them gently. Like her, he’d loved to read.
It was stiflingly hot in the bedroom, even with the window open, so she reached up and pulled the cord for the ceiling fan. It creaked to life, slowly at first, like it had forgotten how to work, but then picked up speed, sending a light breeze over her.
That was better. She closed her eyes, letting the sound of the fan and the memories swirling around her lull her into a restless sleep.
When Thorn opened her eyes hours later, she thought she was back at the hotel with Damian. Then reality came crashing back, and the warmth of that thought was replaced by the cold, familiar grip of grief.
Pushing it aside, she got up and went outside. Damian was sitting on the terrace. He had set up the outdoor table and chairs, which he must have found stacked in the outdoor shed, and was sitting with a beer in hand.
He smiled when he saw her. For once, her heart didn’t do a flip-flop. “It’s warm, but right now it’s the best damn beer I’ve ever tasted.”
She joined him at the table. “I see you found the outdoor furniture.”
“Yeah, I hope you don’t mind. It’s such a gorgeous evening, and this view.” He whistled softly. “It’s incredible.”
She looked out over the hilly landscape to where the sky met the sea. “It sure is. It’s why my parents bought the place. They loved it here.”
“I can see why.”
Thorn forced her mind back to the practicalities. “We’ll need some food. There used to be a local farm store down the road. It should have everything we need.”
Damian nodded, his eyes bright and more alert since his nap. He’d cleaned up, too, the stubble gone, probably using one of Jaden’s old razors, but he was still wearing the same filthy jeans and shirt.
“You can borrow some of Jaden’s clothes,” she said, her voice tight. “You can’t keep wearing those.”
“You sure?”
“It’s practical. Besides, it’s not like he needs them anymore.” She bit her lip, hoping the pain would stop the rising wave of emotion.
Damian put down his beer. “You miss him, don’t you? Being back here can’t be easy.”
She shook her head. He had no idea.
One thing was for sure, she wasn’t ready to talk about it, least of all to the man she’d just slept with. “I think I’ll head to the store before it shuts.”
She felt his eyes on her as she walked back inside to get the motorcycle keys.
Thorn returned with two heavy bags of groceries. She’d just made it to the farm store before closing and had ridden the mile and a half back with one bag hooked over each handlebar.
“Damian?”
The sliding doors were wide open, and she could hear music playing—one of Jaden’s old CDs—but Damian was nowhere in sight.
“In the kitchen,” he called back.
She stepped into the kitchen, only to freeze in her tracks. The bags slipped from her hands, groceries spilling across the floor. Standing at the sink was Jaden. No, not Jaden—Damian, but dressed in Jaden’s beige cargo shorts and his favorite dusky-blue T-shirt. From the back, it was like seeing a ghost.
“Are you okay?” Damian spun around.
She tried to shake off the shock. “Oh, God. Yes. I’m sorry. You gave me a fright, that’s all. Seeing you in those clothes, I thought…” She trailed off, feeling foolish. “It’s stupid. I’m fine.”
Damian bent down to pick up the groceries. “You thought I was Jaden?”
She nodded, her throat tight.
He stood and placed the bags on the counter, his expression softening. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. You said it would be okay.”
“It is.” She felt like an idiot. Of course, it wasn’t Jaden. He was gone. She shook her head to clear it. “I think I’ll have that beer now.”
Damian opened the fridge and handed her a cold one. “I plugged it in, and it’s working. Nice to have electricity out here.”
“Yeah, that was a recent thing. They installed it after we did the renovations. Before that, we used generators.”
“Why don’t you go outside and relax? I’ll make us something to eat.”
“You cook too?”
He masked a grin. “I know my way around a kitchen. Confirmed bachelor, remember?”
“I can help,” she offered, but Damian shook his head.
“You went to get the groceries. I’ll do this.”
Thorn went outside, secretly relieved. Standing beside him, looking like that—it was too much.
A short time later, he emerged onto the terrace carrying a platter filled with warm tortillas, a bowl of guacamole, and some fresh jicama sprinkled with chili powder and lime. He’d even opened a bottle of tequila he found in the cupboard.
“This looks amazing,” Thorn said, eyeing the bottle of tequila. The label read Reserva 2015. The year Jaden died. “I forgot we had this.”
Damian grinned. “I figured we could use a little indulgence.”
The food was welcome, especially after going so long without anything hearty. When they finished, Damian poured them each another shot and turned to her, his expression suddenly serious.
“I know we need to talk.”
“Not now,” she whispered. She couldn’t face questions about their relationship. “Let’s just enjoy the view and the tequila.”
He nodded, lifting his glass. “To the view, then. And to forgetting everything else for a while.”
They clinked glasses, the smooth burn of the tequila starting to warm her from the inside out. As the evening wore on, they continued to drink, the tension between them loosening with each shot. The stars above seemed to blur together, the crisp night air mixing with the warmth of the alcohol, creating a heady mix that left them both slightly unsteady.
Damian’s laughter came easier, his voice softer, and Thorn found herself relaxing into the moment, her guard slipping just a little. The tequila worked its magic, dulling the sharp edges of her grief, making it easier to push the memories of Jaden to the back of her mind. But as Damian poured yet another shot, she knew she couldn’t keep avoiding it forever.
He handed her the glass, his fingers brushing hers, and the simple contact sent a shiver through her. She downed the shot, the burn no longer as intense as before, and set the glass down with a sigh.
“Jaden,” she started, her voice barely above a whisper. “He… he would have loved this.”
Damian turned to her, the playful glint in his eyes replaced by something deeper, more understanding. He didn’t interrupt, just waited, letting her find the words.
Thorn took a deep breath, the tequila making her bold, or maybe just tired of holding it all in. “We used to sit out here, just like this. Drinking, laughing… dreaming about the future.” Her voice wavered, the weight of the memories pressing down on her. “But that future never came. He was taken too soon.”
Damian reached out, his hand covering hers. “I’m sorry,” he said softly, his touch grounding her as she fought back tears.
She nodded, swallowing hard. “I don’t talk about him much. It’s easier to pretend I’m okay, that I’ve moved on. But the truth is, I’m still stuck in that moment. The year he died… everything changed.”
They sat in silence for a moment, the tequila giving her just enough courage to continue. “I don’t know how to let him go,” she admitted, her voice trembling. “I don’t know if I want to.”
Damian squeezed her hand, his voice gentle. “You don’t have to let him go, Thorn. You just have to find a way to keep living.”
She looked at him, her eyes glassy from the drink and the emotions bubbling to the surface. For the first time in a long time, she felt like she wasn’t alone in her grief, like someone understood the pain she carried.
With a strangled sob, she buried her face in his shoulder and cried. To her embarrassment, the tears wouldn’t stop. She clung to Damian, letting out all the pain she’d held back for so long. He didn’t say a word, just held her tight, offering silent comfort as she cried.