Shadows Peak |✔

Chapter 31: Casey

The walk back to his house was held in sweet silence. Neither one of them felt the need to speak, and Casey was content with just holding her close.

Seeing her so vulnerable when he was used to seeing her reserved and strong reminded him of the first night he met her; the night he shared a room with her at Gordon's inn. She was crying in a way he'd only heard one other person cry; his mother, the day she became a widow. That night he kept himself from comforting her; today he didn't. He pulled her into a hug, only finding himself wanting to pull her closer.

Looking at her as they walked down the road, Casey wondered what it was that drew him to her. He'd spent the last three years solely focused on his family, feeling a responsibility to his mother and brother now that his father was gone. The weight of that reality left no room for someone else...yet here he was, with a girl that made him want to make room.

As they neared Casey's home, he noticed Bonnie tending to the flowers in front of her house. His neighbor looked over at them, and he could tell what her beady eyes were narrowing in on; his arm wrapped around Sydney.

He felt the small nod of Sydney's head as she looked in Bonnie's direction. The older woman slowly stood straight up, no longer bent over her garden. Casey raised his free hand in a waving motion as they passed her by, feeling her eyes stilled on his back.

"You don't like your neighbor very much, do you?" Sydney asked, looking up at him knowingly.

A small chuckle came from him at her accurate observation.

"I think it's best I not answer that."

As they stepped onto his front porch, Casey awkwardly dropped his arm that held her. Sydney was the first one to step away, putting a little distance between them as she kept her head down, shyly.

Not an expression I ever expected to see from a girl like her.

Clearing his throat, he opened the front door.

"After you," he said, more like a question than a confident gesture.

Smooth, Case. Real smooth.

The amused smile on Sydney's face made him feel better, and she happily went inside.

I should have forgiven her days ago.

"So, since we left the bonfire early-"

"When you say left, are you referring to how you ran away and I chased you down?" she teased, making her way to the kitchen.

"You did not chase me down!" Casey protested. "I let you catch up!"

"Oh, yeah right!" Sydney scoffed, laughing at his words.

"You know what? I'll be a good host and let you think you've won."

The way her mouth dropped open before quickly closing into a cute smile only made Casey want to mess with her more.

Turning around, Sydney began to search through the kitchen cubboards.

"What are you looking for?"

"Um, a pot or something," she answered.

You're not going to find them in there.

"Why don't we just-" he began to suggest, but an unwanted noise interrupted him.

Knock knock knock!

Letting out a sigh, Casey walked over to the front door. When he opened it, he had to fight back a groan of irritation.