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“Alright. All done,” she said in her usual cheerful tone. “Where do you want to head to next?”
Maddie finished taking her last drink of the now lukewarm coffee and set it down on the table in front of her. “Do you want to go by the medical building and see how things are going?”
Her mother hummed in thought. “Yeah. Let’s do it. We can check in and see if they need anything.”
Maddie nodded with another small smile, then stood.
They walked outside, and she slipped her sunglasses on right as the warm mid-morning sun touched her cheeks.
She pulled the sleeves of her hoodie up, relishing the cool air as it wafted over her forearms.
“How’d you manage to find a sweatshirt in your favorite color?” her mother asked beside her.
Maddie tilted her head to the side. “What do you mean?”
She’d thrown on the hoodie that morning before they’d left the house. It was the same hoodie that she’d found in the store in town before they’d run into Carter. Or—actually—it was the one Saff had chosen for her.
“Its forest green,” her mom continued. “That’s your favorite color, right?”
A warmth flared in Maddie’s chest, finally realizing why Saff had switched it for the other one.
Maybe her mother had been right in what she’d told her before. Maybe Saff had always cared about her more than she’d realized.
“Um—I found it in a store,” she said. “Or—well—Saff found it.”
Her mother let out a knowing hum, waiting a beat before continuing. “You seem like you’re in a good mood this morning. Are you getting used to things here?”
Maddie shrugged. “I guess.”
“Or does it have more to do with you and Saff?”
A smile crossed her face before she could stop it.
“I knew it!” her mother exclaimed with a light giggle.
Maddie’s smirk spread into a full-blown grin. She looked to the side, trying to avoid appearing too much like a teenager with a crush.
Her mom chuckled. “So what changed? I thought you said she didn’t feel the same way.”
Maddie thought about it for a moment. The memory of the kiss once again filled her thoughts.
“I don’t know,” she said simply.
And that was the truth. She wasn’t sure what had changed in Saff the day before. But she’d felt it all day. Something about them felt different. Something aboutherfelt different.
Saff was still that stoic, strong woman she’d been since they were first thrown together. But something had slowly shiftedin the days since they’d arrived at the settlement. She couldn’t quite place what it was. She just seemed lighter somehow. Like her usual walls had slowly begun to fall.
Then when they were laying together, and Saff moved her hand, everything completely shifted.
Every feeling she’d pushed away and done her best to ignore had come surging forward, exploding out of her. And that’s when she’d realized just how strong those feelings were.
There was no going back now—no convincing herself that she could ignore them. She wanted Saff to stay. She just wanted—Saff.
“Well,” her mother continued as they walked, “whatever it was, I’m happy for you. You deserve someone who can make you smile like this.”
Chapter twenty-five
Saff stared down at the blood and fluid crusted to her skin.