On A Night Like This (Callaways #1)

already up. He was fully dressed and sitting on a rock by the creek, staring into the ripples of water. His expression was contemplative, but he didn't look as agitated as he had the night before.
    When he saw her, he smiled, and said, "Good morning, Sleepyhead."
    She scrambled out of the tent and walked over to him. "I didn't hear you leave."
    "You were sleeping so peacefully I didn't want to wake you." He paused. "Sorry about last night."
    "You're not responsible for your nightmares. Although, you could be sorry about that big rock you set up the tent on. It was right in the middle of my back."
    "Sorry, Princess. I'll do better next time."
    "How are you feeling today?"
    "I'm hungry," he grumbled.
    "Me, too, but I think we're out of food. And don't try to talk me into any survivalist ideas. I'm not in the mood to eat a grasshopper or pretend ants are a good source of protein."
    "They actually can be very nutritious."
    "I'll take your word for it."
    "Well, I was thinking more about pancakes. There's a great restaurant on the way back into town. It has the best blueberry pancakes you've ever had in your life."
    She raised an eyebrow at his enthusiasm. "Sounds great. I hope it lives up to your hype."
    "It will. Let's get packed up."
    As Aiden took down the tent, she gathered the rest of their things together, feeling a little sad that their trip was over, but she couldn't hide out in the wilderness forever. Real life was waiting.
    "Thanks for bringing me here," she told Aiden as they loaded up the truck. "I had a great time."
    "Me, too," he said, smiling into her eyes. "I guess there was a country girl hiding under all that city soot."
    "I guess so."
    He gave her a kiss that felt a lot like goodbye, but she tried not to take it that way. They still had some time together. Goodbye would come soon enough.
    Fifteen minutes after leaving the mountains, Aiden pulled into the parking lot of the pancake house. There was a good crowd, but they managed to snag a table without a wait.
    After ordering her meal, Sara headed to the restroom. She hadn't been so happy to see a public restroom in her life. It was nice to wash her hands and face and run a brush through her hair. She didn't have any make-up with her, but she didn't really need it. There was a glow to her skin and a light in her eyes that she didn't recognize. She was used to seeing a weary reflection in the mirror, stressed eyes and mouth, pale skin, and tangles in her hair that came from twisting the strands while she worked out some long, thorny problem.
    The woman she saw in the mirror now looked more like the girl she used to be, and that had a lot to do with Aiden. He was bringing back her old self, and she liked the change. Whether or not her old self would be able to survive in New York was another question.
    When she returned to the table, there was coffee and juice waiting, as well as a huge stack of blueberry pancakes. Aiden had added some eggs to his pancake order, and their table was overflowing with food, but somehow they managed to finish it all.
    "I just gained five pounds," she said, rubbing her very full stomach as she sat back in her seat. "But the pancakes were worth it."
    "I told you they would be."
    As the bus boy cleared the table, she felt the pressure of the ticking clock. "I need to get back to San Francisco, Aiden."
    His smile faded, his expression turning serious. "I know. You need to speak to your dad. Are you ready?"
    "Probably not, but it has to be done."
    "You'll be okay," he said, a gleam of admiration in his eyes. "You have a core of strength inside of you, Sara. It got you through a cold childhood, your mother's death, your dad's distance, and it will get you through this."
    "Thank you, Aiden." His confident words made her eyes tear up, and she lowered her gaze, not wanting him to see how he'd affected her. She couldn't be an emotional girl around him. She'd promised she wouldn't be. It was all supposed to be light, casual, fun.
    After paying the bill, they returned to Aiden's apartment. He wanted to grab a few more things to take back to the city. A moment later, his phone rang. "Jeanne," he muttered as he took the call.
    While he was talking, he paced around the living room. At one point, he stopped by a side table, pulled out a note pad and jotted something down. Sara hoped he was finally getting some information, but she couldn't tell. His side of the conversation was very abbreviated. She heard him mention a couple of names like