Page 26

Lark

I ’d just managed to change into real clothes—yoga pants and one of Axel’s T-shirts that hung halfway to my knees—when a knock rattled the cabin door like someone was trying to break in with personality alone.

“Who the hell…?” I muttered, wincing as I limped toward the door.

I opened it to find a petite woman in a leather jacket, curly auburn hair escaping from a half-hearted bun, and a carry-on suitcase that looked like it had been through three natural disasters.

“Wow,” she said, blinking at me. “You look like a raccoon that lost a bar fight.”

“Hi, Marley.”

“Hi, hurricane.” She shoved past me and dropped her bag with a dramatic sigh. “So, are you dying or just being overly dramatic again?”

“I got hit in the head by a gas station roof during a tornado.”

Marley snorted. “Classic you.”

She glanced around Axel’s cabin, her eyebrows lifting. “Okay, what is this place? Some kind of wilderness man-cave? There are knives on the wall. Are you dating a serial killer?”

“He’s military.”

“So… yes.”

I sank onto the couch. “Why are you here? Your friends Jake and Tiff called and told me you were injured. Why didn’t you call me? I’m your only family.

She flopped into the chair across from me, propping her feet up like she owned the place.

“Jake said you had a close call and might be in a vulnerable emotional state. I figured now’s a great time to check in, remind you that you still owe me an apology for that thing you said at Grandma’s funeral. ”

I blinked. “You mean when you showed up drunk and told Uncle Howard his new wife looked like a retirement home stripper?”

“Exactly. That thing.”

I pressed my fingers to my temple. “You are exhausting.”

“And you are squatting in the woods with a hot mercenary who apparently lets you wear his clothes and possibly fight tornadoes while concussed.”

“I’m not squatting—”

“You know what I mean. First you take off in that RV and now I find you living in the woods.”

I glanced toward the back door, praying Axel wasn’t about to walk in. He’d met a cartel boss, rescued hostages, and flown helicopters in combat zones—but nothing would prepare him for Marley Bennett.

She studied me, suddenly more serious. “So… are you okay?”

I hesitated.

“I don’t know. I mean, I survived. But now I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. I can’t chase storms forever. But I’m not exactly built for PTA meetings and lemon bars either.”

Marley tilted her head. “Have you ever thought maybe you don’t have to pick one or the other? Maybe you could… I don’t know… start something new. Something that scares you in a different way.”

I stared at her. “Since when do you say smart things?”

She shrugged. “Since I ran out of dumb ones.”

There was a beat of silence before she added, “Also, when Jake told me about the accident, I freaked out. I quit my job at the newspaper, broke up with my boyfriend, and drove here on a whim, so I need a place to crash for a few days. Surprise.”

Of course she did.

I groaned and dropped my head back against the couch. “Axel’s going to love this.”

Marley smirked. “If he can survive you, he can survive me.”