She flushed. “Probably nothing. But I heard something…There it is again.”
He relaxed and settled a warm hand on her shoulder. “That noise?”
She glanced to where he indicated. Two chipmunks dashed through the leaves and up the trees.
“I guess I’m a little tense.”
“We both are. The cave is just up ahead.”
He took her hand, surprised when she squeezed his. She continued to trudge behind him, and he released her hand to grab his flashlight. With a beckoning motion, he edged inside the cave. A cloud of bats launched from the ceiling and filled the air above his head. Jackson ducked, protecting his head with his arms. They wouldn’t hurt him, but he was just as glad not to have to share the space with them.
Mia pressed herself against the outside wall. “I’ll wait here for you.”
He grinned, pleased that she didn’t make a fuss when the tiny bat wings brushed so close to her face. She had grit. He’d give her that.
Easing farther into the cave, he swept the light from corner to corner, over the walls, and into each nook and cranny. Other than some spiders, the bats seemed to have been the sole residents, and they probably wouldn’t return until early morning. He hoped to be out by then.
He returned to Mia to give her a report.
“Great. Do you want to take the first watch or the next one?” she said.
He blinked at her. “Really?”
Her chin lifted. “You don’t think I’m going to let you do all the hard work, do you? I have a gun, and I know how to use it.”
“Don’t forget the crossbow.” He shrugged. “I have no desire to stay up all night, so it’s fine if we split shifts.”
“Okay. Can you wait outside while I change into dry clothes?”
“I wasn’t sure if you’d brought any.”
“I don’t like that it’s necessary, but I’m always prepared. I have protein bars, water, and mixed nuts in my bag for dinner.”
Sounded better than the MREs he’d packed.
After they’d eaten, Mia silently returned to the interior of the cave to try and sleep. Jackson sat just inside the opening, keeping his gaze focused on the clearing. He said a quick prayer for safety and guidance.
His heart ached for Dylan and Reggie. Were they safe? Warm enough? He couldn’t let himself consider any darker possibilities.
To distract himself, he turned his thoughts toward Mia.
She’d surprised him. Not just with her arsenal of weapons. That had been a shocking departure from the girly girl he’d once been in love with. But he envisioned the concern he’d seen on her pretty face when he’d been injured. She truly had been a full partner today.
And all for a student. Not even a member of her family. He also thought about how much she tried to be there for her great-aunt. This was not a person who could throw away someone just because they were inconvenient or because they didn’t fit in with her preferred lifestyle. Someone like their baby.
Either she’d gone through a true metamorphosis in the past twelve years, or he’d never fully known her.
He wanted to know which, but it wouldn’t do to get too close. He and Mia had crashed and burned once, and it had nearly destroyed him. He wasn’t sure he could go through that kind of pain again.
Mia flopped to her other side. She’d been trying to sleep but couldn’t. She was cold, even though she was dry. The ground was hard, and she couldn’t shut her mind off.
She had way too much pent-up emotion, and she couldn’t just scream or throw things. Normally, when she was this angry, she went for a run or put on some upbeat music and did some kickboxing in her house.
Neither was an option.
Plus, she was hyperaware of Jackson a few feet from her. This situation wasn’t his fault. She had to remind herself of that. Yelling at him for this wouldn’t solve anything.
He was hurting too. His brother was missing. Even if he didn’t have custody, she’d seen proof of his love and devotion to Dylan.