“What do you mean?”

“Like he doesn’t totally forgive you, right?”

“He does. The Bible is really clear that when we ask for forgiveness, He gives it to us.”

“So you have an entirely fresh start.”

“Yeah.”

She was frowning. “You don’t act like you believe it, though.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know. You just don’t seem to act like someone who knows it’s all been erased.”

“I believe it.” Even as he said the words, though, Wyatt understood why she wouldn’t have known his beliefs by his actions. “You don’t believe forgiveness is possible?”

“I don’t know what I believe. You and Lindsay make faith seem so real. Lindsay always has, and listening to you talk now, it’d be ridiculous not to think that sounds appealing. But ever since you told me you’d changed... I don’t know. You seem so careful now. Are you sure you know God has forgiven you?”

Wyatt would have said yes. Obviously he knew that God forgave and gave second chances, but maybe Elsie was right that he hadn’t forgiven himself, and that maybe he didn’t fully acknowledge the fact that God had fully forgiven him. He was still thinking when she hit him with the last question he’d have expected.

“So... Do you have a girlfriend now?”

“No.” He answered quickly, though Elsie was pretty sure she’d caught him off guard. “No girlfriend.”

“Why?”

She’d noticed how determined he was not to flirt or give the impression he was interested in her. He was overly careful now and she hadn’t put her finger on why that bothered her until this conversation. How did someone have faith that God was real and would forgive them for the wrong they’d done if they didn’t actually live like it? Elsie had a full life. She didn’t need faith as some kind of add-on. If she were to have faith, it would need to be something real, something real that actually mattered.

“You know what?” Elsie started talking again. “Ignore the why question. That was too much. Sorry, Wyatt.” She laughed and heard how nervous it sounded. They were alone in the woods and she was scared, so she’d walked them into conversational dynamite so they’d have something to focus on other than the dead body lying somewhat nearby.

“I’m never going to deserve a girl like...the kind of girl I would fall for now.”

His voice was huskier than it had been a minute ago, wasn’t it? Or was that just Elsie’s imagination?

“I don’t think that’s true,” she said quietly, almost surprised at herself that the words had left her lips. His eyes were on hers now, asking questions she didn’t know if she was ready to answer. She didn’t know if she had answers for them.

Her phone vibrated just as she was wondering if she was brave enough to follow this line of conversation any further.

“It’s Trooper Richardson. We’re on our way to you and didn’t want to alarm you. We just landed on the island and a team is heading up to you.”

“Thanks. I appreciate you letting me know.”

“We’ve got a crime scene team to process everything there, and a pilot ready to take you home.”

“Thanks.” She slid the phone back into her pocket and told Wyatt what they’d said.

When the troopers arrived at the scene, Elsie briefed them as best she could and then Trooper Richardson confirmed for her that they could leave. If the troopers had any more questions, they would call her.

She swayed a little and Wyatt reached for her hand to steady her. She took it, noticing again the impact that small touch had. They started walking away, still vigilant for any threat. But the way the sky was slowly starting to get light again was giving Elsie a chance to relax slightly.

Which only allowed her more time to think.

The investigation was out of her hands, the missing person dead, the threatening stranger gone for now. What was on her mind now was Wyatt.

That was it, just...Wyatt.

The way he was so selfless to help other people, the way he was a natural protector, all of it appealed to her.

Could he ever...feel the same way about her?

She wasn’t brave enough to ask. Not really. Was she?

“You said earlier you didn’t deserve the kind of woman you’d fall for now.”

“Yeah?”

“What if...? What if that wasn’t true? What if you did find someone?”

Her heart was pounding in her chest now. Her timing was all wrong, but Elsie had never been great at relationships. Every moment that had passed in the last twenty-four hours had made her feel like she was on a collision course for Wyatt, her teenage crush morphing into something that exhilarated her and terrified her.

He didn’t answer. Just stopped walking and looked over at her.

Elsie couldn’t breathe. What did she want him to do, to say? It wasn’t like she was trying to flirt with him here in the woods. She’d never been good at flirting.

But she really did wonder. What if he found someone? And if it wasn’t her, would she be okay with that? Would it be enough for her to know that, one day, she might figure out how not to be alone, too?

She was afraid it wasn’t.

“I’d still wish I’d lived differently. I would still think she deserved better.”

The way he met her eyes, his gaze steady and unflinching, made her think she wasn’t alone in her feelings. But while she was willing to take the risk...Wyatt wasn’t. Maybe it wasn’t selfish; it sounded like he was more worried about the risk he would be to her.

But it was still a no.

Elsie nodded slowly, moment past, not sure she’d ever be brave enough to broach the subject again.

“When we get back to town,” Wyatt started, “you need to get some sleep.”

“I’m the one who fell asleep during my watch,” she said, voice wry, “which implies that you’re the one behind on sleep here.”

“You need it more than I do. I’m worried about you.”

Worried about her heart...presumably, if she’d read the situation right and he was sort of talking about her. Worried about her sleep. Worried about her safety.

“I’m not that fragile, Wyatt. I can handle some rough days.”

“But you shouldn’t have to.”