She tried waiting up for him, curled up in bed with her gaze locked on the door, but exhaustion beat her at her own game. Maybe he had stayed out longer deliberately to give her time to fall asleep, or maybe she’d been too tired to keep talking. Either way, the end result was the same. Lydia fell asleep without uttering another word to Del and didn’t wake until sunlight streamed in through the small windows.
The cabin was deserted, the fire going strong with fresh logs that made the room warm and cozy. The entire place smelled green, like a living thing fresh amidst the wilds, and it drew a sleepy smile to her face. If this was how he’d lived the past twelve years, she had no problems understanding why he would choose to stay in such a remote location.
The chairs from the table had been
