Becoming Calder (A Sign of Love Novel)(63)

I laughed softly. "I mean it. I would." I leaned up on one elbow so I could see his face better. "Do you think there's a life out there for us?"
Calder paused for a few beats, looking down at me. "I'm going to make a life for us out there. A place for you and me. And until then, yes, I'm going to believe that there is."
I put my leg over his and snuggled into him again. "Someday we're going to sleep every night like this." I tilted my head, looking up at him.
"Yes," he agreed. The look on his face was so serious as he pushed a piece of hair off of my cheek. "I love you, Eden."
I blinked at him, my heart taking flight. "I love you, too," I whispered.
We lay there together, silent, the words "I love you" seeming to float in the air above me like silent music. After a few minutes, I leaned up and looked at him sadly. "I better get back."
He nodded. "If anyone sees you, tell them you were in the kitchen. They probably won't believe you, but—"
I sat up on my knees. "I won't let anyone see me." I hesitated for a second. "I hate watching him treat you the way he is."
Calder let out a breath. "It's okay. He's using me to prove a point to the rest of the people. As long as I know you're strong, I can play his game. I have to know you're not worrying about me, okay?"
I nodded. "Okay."
"Okay." Calder looked at me for a beat and frowned. "I don't like sending you out of here not knowing you'll get back to your room safely." He sat up and we both stood together. Calder leaned in and kissed me softly on my lips. "When you get back to your room, look out your window up at the moon. I'll be looking at it from here." He smoothed a piece of hair away from my face. "As long as we're both under the same moon, we'll always find a way to each other. The God of Mercy wouldn't have it any other way."
I let out a small laugh on a breath and leaned in and kissed his lips one last time. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Morning Glory."
I opened the door quietly and slipped through it. I snuck quietly through the great room and up the stairs. When I got to the top, Hector's door suddenly started opening and I ducked quickly into the room across from his, an empty guest room. I plastered myself up against the wall, my heart beating triple time. If Hector went down the hall to my room, would he look in and see me gone?
I squeezed my eyes shut tight. I heard Hailey say something from inside Hector's room and his voice answering as he moved back inside. I peeked around the corner and saw that his door was still open. I tiptoed hurriedly past it and down the hall to my own room where I opened the door and closed it quietly behind me, letting out my breath on a loud exhale.
I threw back the covers and removed the quilt and got in. Not two seconds later, my door opened and light from the hallway flooded in. I opened one eye just enough to see Hector's outline standing in my doorway, staring at me. I continued to pretend to sleep. After a long minute, my door closed and I heard his retreating footsteps. I rolled onto my back, attempting to get my wild heartbeat under control.
Had Hector checked on me before this? A shiver moved down my spine. Still, I couldn't help feeling thankful for the small amount of time I'd had with Calder. And thankful I hadn't been caught.
I turned over in bed and looked out my window, my heart slowing into a peaceful rhythm as I stared at that full moon I knew Calder was looking at, too.




CHAPTER FOURTEEN


Calder



The next morning, I woke up as the rising sun hit my eyes through the uncovered window next to my bed. I groggily made my way outside, through the back door, where dew was still glistening on the ground. It'd burn off in the next hour or so, and no one who slept later than five thirty would ever know it had been there at all.
I went to the river where Hector still insisted I bathe. I knelt on the bank, splashed water on my face, and blew out a big breath, causing the water droplets to fly away from me in every direction, landing back in the water with a hundred tiny splashes. I bent and used my hand to bring the water over my head and behind my neck and then shook my head like a dog, sending water droplets into the air to land back in the water once again. I brought my shirt up to blot the remaining water from my face and neck and then started toward the outhouse all the way at the back of where the worker cabins sat, about a quarter of a mile away. I paused and looked back up at the main lodge behind me. No one would be up for at least an hour. Per Hector's rules, I had been trekking back and forth to the outhouse since I'd moved up to the main lodge, but who would know if I used the small bathroom all the way at the back of the house?