12. Hunter

Kaci's been quiet all afternoon, and I'm wondering if I need to call the doctor. She's due in for a check-up tomorrow, and I decide to leave it till then.

I got the fire pit going early and stuck the joint of meat on to spit roast. It's been turning slowing for the last three hours.

It's extravagant for only two people but I feel the urgency to impress Kaci, to make her want to be with me before her memory comes back. I want her to enjoy her time here so much she never wants to leave. Even when she remembers the truth.

She's sitting in a camping chair by the fire, and I drag another one up and hand her a bottle of vanilla flavored cola. She takes a swig and screws up her face.

"Nope."

Every time she's thirsty, we try something else from my drinks fridge. No alcohol yet as per the doctor's orders.

So far we know she likes full fat coke and lemonade, but that's about it. A woman of simple taste.

I take the vanilla cola and get her a regular one instead.

"You haven't told me much about the military."

She fixes me with a steady gaze, and I get the feeling she won't be put off again.

I take a slow swig of my beer, deciding what's safe to tell her.

"I was a Sergeant." I decide to be as honest as I can without giving away who she is or what I did to her brother.

"I was mostly deployed in Afghanistan. It wasn't pretty."

She sips her cola, still looking at me. "Are you still friends with the men in your unit?"

I look into the flames of the fire so she doesn't see my expression. "They're all dead."

The silence hangs between us for a long moment. "I'm sorry…" she begins.

"Me too. I don't like to talk about it."

The flames crackle and suddenly I'm back in Afghan, the explosion ringing in my ears as flames lick at the truck.

I squeeze my eyes shut tight, blocking out the screams and the phantom smell of burning flesh.

"Hey."

Kaci's hand falls on my shoulder, and I open my eyes. The wreck is gone, the only noise the crackling of the flames and the insects chirping in the woods.

"You okay?"

I'm not okay. I've never been okay since that day. But I take a deep breath and push the memory back into the box where it belongs.

"We need more wood."

I stride over to the wood pile, leaving Kaci staring after me. I'm not ready to go there with her. She'll know soon enough. When she remembers she used to have a twin brother, that hell will be hers too. But for now, I want to forget. To pretend that we're just a man and a pretty girl hanging out by a campfire.

I'm by the woodshed when my phone rings. It's Suzie from the control center.

"We found something that might be a clue to your girl," she says excitedly.

I glance over at Kaci and she's siting by the fire, her brows knitted together as she watches me.

"I'll just take this," I tell her before stepping inside.

I close the door behind me before answering Suzie.

"Shoot."

"Some hikers reported a car this afternoon that they thought looked abandoned."

My pulse races. It's got to be Kaci's car. She would have had to have some way to get up the mountain.

"It was covered in ash, and leaves had fallen on it like it had been there for a few days. We won't be able to retrieve it till tomorrow, and then we can run a check on the plates."

My heart sinks to my stomach. They'll run a check on the plates, discover it belongs to Kaci, and then she'll know the truth. The game will be up, and she'll hate me for lying to her.

"That's good news," I say hollowly. "Where was it found?"

"It was tucked into the side of the road like someone had stopped in a hurry on the Lone Ridge Road. That's up your way, isn't it?"

The Lone Ridge Road. It's the only road that leads to my place. Kaci was on her way to see me.

"Yup."

Suzie says something else, but I don't hear the rest of the call.

Sometime tomorrow, Kaci will know the truth about who she is. Even if she doesn't remember, she will look online. She'll relive the grief of losing a twin, and she'll find out I'm the one responsible for his death.

I've got one more night with her. One more night to hold her in my arms, one more night to protect her from the truth.