“The truth is,” he turned to far enough to see her but kept his grin hidden behind his shoulder “I don’t even like you.” She walked to the edge of the porch and latched onto the roughly hewn wooden post with both hands. “Are you sure, cause it sure does seem like you’re fond of me?” Her foot lifted and her toes tapped the boards on the porch. His gate quickened. He needed to get to the other side of the car where the waning daylight would conceal the smile that pulled across his face. “Well, maybe a little bit. You know like a friend. But let me know if your sister is available later. I want to spend some time with her.” He couldn’t believe how cheesy he was, but then again he couldn’t believe she was here. That she was… well her. The same her that he had spent his dreams chasing.

She didn’t respond but instead twirled around the shot back into the cabin. The cold wind had taken its effect on her and pursued her to the fire. Meanwhile he was chiding himself in the car. “Your sister?” he didn’t hide his frustration from himself. “No wonder it has taken you this long to get her. Next time why don’t you tell her that her mother is more attractive?

The drive to town wasn’t far. The road zoomed alongside the lake for a few miles before making a wide swoop away from the shore to the inlet the town sat on. He darted into the store and was back out again as quickly as he had left. On a night like tonight dessert was a necessity. Tonight was a celebration for both of them. For him it was the celebration of his lifelong yearnings culminating at the exacerbation of his strength. For her it was finding everything she would ever need or could ever want sitting right under her nose. The perfection that was only dreamed about in movies, a fairytale in real life.

A car blew past him on the road back, which was saying something because he hadn’t even given any thought to the posted 55 mph speed limit. He glanced down to see the bright orange arm dancing at 85. “Wonder what his hurry was” He thought just loud enough to brake the silence in the car, but the was an ominous feeling growing in the pit of his stomach.

As he pulled off the road he could see the car that had passed him was parked near the cabin with the door ajar. His stomach sank about as much as it could. Something was not right. Where had he seen that car before?

As his feet hit the old steps of the cabin a loud creek pierced the stillness and a jolting realization came to him. He had seen that car at every stop since they had left the city. Had it been following them?

He stepped across the threshold and …