Chapter Nine
Present
“He’s waking up!” Tuck’s call cut through the evening air as Amalie fastened the tie of her pants. She’d walked off for some privacy to relieve herself, thinking it would be okay to leave John for just a moment.
When she reached the wagon, Tuck knelt in the back, his face so close to John’s it looked as if he was kissing him.
Amalie pulled herself up and pushed Tuck aside. John’s eyelids shifted, and his lips parted as he gasped for air.
“Hey,” she cooed, touching his cheek. “You’re okay.”
His breath calmed at her touch, but a groan rumbled in his throat. He didn’t open his eyes before he spoke. “Ames?”
A tear slid down her cheek and she wiped it away. She didn’t have an emotional friendship with John. Theirs was based on strength and courage.
“I’m here,” she w
