Psy & Changelings 10 - Kiss of Snow

thing to do for the little girl whose father was not yet totally recovered, the type of thing Walker did so often without fanfare or any expectation of kindness in return. “I brought you something.” Steeling her shoulders, she crossed the space between them to place a mug of coffee and a plate of buttered toast on the bench. It was what he preferred for breakfast. She knew that because she noticed everything about Walker Lauren.
    Putting aside the sander, he dusted off his hands and picked up a piece of toast. Neither of them spoke until he’d finished. “They’re both skilled individuals,” he said at last. “There’s no reason for anything to go wrong.”
    The knot in her stomach unfurled at the realization that he wasn’t going to make this hard. She was the one who’d walked way . . . but she’d regretted her decision every hour since. She’d missed him. No other man came close to creating the depth of feeling in her that Walker did with a simple look, a simple word.
    Faced with that indisputable conclusion, she’d canceled all future dates. It wasn’t fair. Not to her and not to the males.
    Instead, she’d looked hard at her relationship with Walker—not just what he’d said to her, but what he’d done . Quiet, reserved Walker Lauren, who rarely spoke to anyone, had come to her night after night, trusted her with things she was becoming certain no one else knew. Not only that, but he’d cared for her in that same quiet way. Maybe the words were the truth and his actions an inadvertent lie, but Lara had made the decision to see this through to the end.
    Never did she want to look back and wonder. Because he mattered. So much. Enough that she was willing to take the biggest risk of her life and continue this friendship that was nothing so simple. “You’ll worry all the same though,” she said. “He’s your baby brother, and she might as well be your daughter.”
    Pale green eyes widened the tiniest fraction. “Judd would be startled to hear himself described in such a way.”
    Laughing at the unusual show of emotion, she stole a sip of his coffee before passing it over. “I won’t tell if you won’t.”
    “Agreed.” He took a long drink before placing the mug beside the plate and reaching to cup her jaw. “You’re more rested.”
    Her skin burned where he touched it. “Yes.”
    “I’m glad.” Running his thumb over her chin, he dropped his hand. “Talk to me.”
    As he worked, she did exactly that, keeping his mind from dwelling on the truth that two people he loved were in danger. When he touched her now and then, whether it was an accidental brush or a deliberate act as he helped her perch up on the bench, she quelled the urge to demand more.
    This man, he was worth waiting for.
     
    RECOVERED FROM COMPUTER 2(A) TAGS: PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE, FATHER, ACTION NOT REQUIRED 5
     
    FROM: Alice
TO: Dad
DATE: March 2nd, 1974 at 10:18pm
SUBJECT:
     
     
    Dear Dad,
     
    My empathic connection came through. He confirmed my hypothesis, though he tells me that in all four cases, it was near impossible to spot and he did so only because he knew what to search for—and even then, he had to spend considerable time studying the target minds on the PsyNet.
    My tentative conclusion from this is that it must relate in some way to the Xs’ rating on the Gradient. Unfortunately, I have no Xs beyond 4.2 on the Gradient in my project, so there is no way to prove that.
    However, I’ve decided to continue on—see if I can design a test to prove or disprove the second part of my theory. Of course, the Ethics Committee will take forever giving their approval since it’ll involve live volunteers. In the meantime, I plan to continue with my historical research.
    I loved visiting the dig. I miss you both already.
     
    Love,
Alice

Chapter 29
     
    WE HAVE SOMETHING important to finish when you get back.
    Lying flat on the earth on a moonless, starless night far from home, the air thin, the mountains unfamiliar, Sienna kept Hawke’s final words close. He’d kissed her. Held her. Shared an important part of his past. Not only that, but he’d sent her on this mission, accepting that she wasn’t just another young soldier, but an X-Psy honed in the coldest fire.
    Finally, he saw her.
    We were two of the lucky ones—we found each other early.
    Wolves who lost their mates never mated again. It was once, and it was for life. Did it matter? Yes.