“Turns out they’re here in the campground to surprise me. They’re having a campfire and want me to invite you.”
“Oh, I don’t need to interrupt?—”
“Are you kidding? If I don’t bring you, I’ll never hear the end of it. My mom’s a strong believer in always having room for one more. But if you don’t want…”
The uncertainty in his eyes gripped her. He really wanted her to go. Wanted her to meet his family. Wanted to keep this from ending.
Much to her surprise, so did she.
“Um. Yeah. I love campfires.”
He raised an eyebrow, and okay, she might be lying—except who didn’t love campfires?
But he smiled then and she did too.
“Good.”
And of course, his smile found a soft place inside and took root.
If she stuck to the campsite, avoided photos, it should be fine. After all, moments like these reminded her why she had to find Teresa. Why she had to get the Bratva off her trail. Why she needed her life back.
Or at least the life she so desperately wanted.
SEVEN
This had to go well. Liam’s gut twisted as Nimue’s earlier words echoed—wanting to meet his family someday. That simple wish had detonated something in his chest, a longing so fierce it caught him off guard. He wanted her to meet them more than he’d wanted anything in recent memory. He navigated his old Bronco through the campground toward the nearest parking lot to his parents’ site.
He wasn’t ready to analyze why. When Logan had called with their surprise arrival, it had felt like divine timing. But now, as they passed site after site of families gathered, laughing together, his stomach clenched.
They’d adore her—no question. But that was the problem. The way he’d leaned over her shoulder, grabbed her hand, held her when she’d nearly plunged into the canyon—he was getting attached. Falling for a woman he knew almost nothing about.
Maybe it was the way she’d listened to him and not judged. Or her story, her vulnerability.
Maybe he simply felt like she’d let him inside her walls.
He felt trusted.
And no, he hadn’t possessed the courage to round back to his question about what she was really doing here, but maybe that was okay. Maybe it didn’t matter.
He liked her, and maybe, if he could continue to earn her trust, she’d tell him.
Or maybe it didn’t matter.
Then again, that was a lot of maybes.
He pulled into the parking spot closest to site twelve and got out. They navigated a small trail through a few sites, but he had no doubt he was going the right way when his family’s familiar laughter grew louder as they walked.
The campsite glowed with firelight as they approached. Half the kids chased each other in an epic game of tag while the others concentrated on not incinerating marshmallows.
Roman’s toothless grin blazed when he spotted Liam first, the boy’s dark red hair catching the glow of the flames as he launched from a log and sprinted toward them.
“Uncle Liam!”
Liam caught him mid-leap, swinging him into a hug that triggered four-year-old giggles.
“Getting big, kiddo.” He ruffled Roman’s hair before setting him down.
“Liam!” His mom rose next, straight gray hair dusting her shoulders, eyes bright with joy. She crossed to him, enveloping him in a hug that smelled like home—vanilla and contentment.