“Not off the highest of my head, however we will determine it out. We’ll determine it out,” I stated.

Her eyes locked on mine and I knew she may inform I wasn’t simply speaking in regards to the subsequent clue however us. She didn’t reply me however put the paper down and walked again into the room.

I heard her shifting round and that she was discovering the place the lighthouse was and our subsequent cease. With us going in direction of Avila Seashore we have been heading again in direction of Santa Barbara and residential. I had a sense that there weren’t that many extra clues for us to seek out. I agreed with Natalie, I used to be longing for this to be over in order that we may transfer onto our subsequent chapter, however I felt Natalie slipping from me and I didn’t need that. I wanted extra time along with her, simply us. I wanted to discover a solution to persuade her that what we began right here was one thing unimaginable, one thing price preventing for.

It was all very sudden and new and it wasn’t like me in any respect to simply leap into one thing. However nothing had ever felt so good, so proper, and so excellent as being with Natalie. I simply wanted to point out her that I used to be on this along with her. Not simply with the present however with us however I didn’t understand how to do this. She stated we wanted to complete the hunt after which we may go from there. I’d try this, but it surely didn’t imply I’d cease desirous to be along with her or convincing her that there was much more for us as soon as we accomplished the hunt my father needed us on.

Chapter 21

Natalie

It turned on the market was a lighthouse that regarded out over Avila seaside, Level San Luis. It was set to be constructed within the 1870s to assist defend the numerous ships that got here to the port, as many as 4 hundred per 12 months. But it surely hadn’t been accomplished till nearly twenty years later.

Whereas it was nonetheless a working lighthouse, it had been preserved by a non-profit group that maintained its maintenance. There have been two methods to get to the lighthouse, both by a trolley that ran all the way down to it or a three-mile hike all the way down to the lighthouse and again.

I had discovered all this data by the point Jason had gotten again into the room. He had stayed on the market giving me the time I wanted to settle down or he might need wanted it himself. I wasn’t certain what he needed from me, from us sleeping collectively, and his feedback and solutions to any questions didn’t assist me determine it out.

“It’s too late for us to go to the lighthouse in the present day however they do a hike each Wednesday and Saturday so we will go tomorrow. We will take a trolley to the lighthouse however I used to be pondering we may do the hike, it’s just a little over three-miles spherical journey,” I stated to Jason when he got here again into the room

“That sounds good. We will head on the market tomorrow and plan on staying in Avila or wherever else the subsequent cease is,” he stated and walked previous me and to the toilet and took a bathe.

I hated that there was an awkwardness between us. I knew it was my fault, I used to be the one who had the outburst once we have been speaking exterior. I hadn’t dealt with it proper however he wasn’t making it straightforward on me. One minute he could be speaking about us as a pair as if now we have a future after which the subsequent, he was speaking about how necessary it was to keep up what we had for the corporate, for the workers.

Behind my thoughts, I knew that we couldn’t final, that we wouldn’t final. What we have been doing on this journey was one thing we wanted to do. To get it out of our system so we may transfer on. He had stated as a lot the morning after we slept collectively. He didn’t know what it was and neither of us had needed to outline it.

The issue was, I used to be beginning to assume that I needed one thing extra with Jason however I didn’t see how we may. It was straightforward, good to see that we had gotten alongside, that we had discovered a solution to be mates, and sure, even fall into mattress with one another. However how lengthy would that final? How lengthy earlier than one in all us did one thing the opposite didn’t like and we ended up hating one another.

It would not be proper for us to attempt to have one thing and nonetheless work collectively. It might solely finish in catastrophe and it wouldn’t work for the crew and everybody who was relying on us to placed on a present. The perfect factor to do was to finish no matter we had earlier than we bought again. However each time I ever thought-about it, I didn’t need to.

The considered seeing Jason daily and never having the ability to be with him, to kiss him, maintain him, and go to mattress with him each night time was an excessive amount of for me to grasp. I don’t understand how he had accomplished it however he had wormed his method into my coronary heart in solely every week’s time. I had no concept what to do about it so I simply didn’t give it some thought.

I used to be already in mattress and with my again to Jason when he got here out of the bathe. I made him assume I used to be sleeping. I used to be too tousled with my very own ideas to have one other dialog with him and I took it as a small blessing when he got here to mattress however didn’t do the rest. It was an extended whereas earlier than I heard his regular respiration that he had fallen asleep and even longer earlier than I may do the identical.

We have been each gradual and just a little surly with one another as we bought up, packed, and headed to the lighthouse. The day was cool and cloudy, matching our moods completely. It was excellent climate and day to take a hike. We arrived on the assembly spot and took the hike with others all the way down to the lighthouse. My foul temper quickly dissipated as I walked alongside the path and took within the attractive view of the rocks and kelp being coated by the waves.

Jason was shut behind me and once we bought to a spot that we may stroll subsequent to one another we did. He didn’t say something to me, we had hardly spoken to one another all morning. We nonetheless didn’t as we continued down the trail to the lighthouse.

It was good to be standing subsequent to him, to simply be in his presence. He had such a chilled method about him. With out having to say or do something, he simply made me really feel safer, safer, and extra current. The strain from the night time earlier than began to go away me and once we bought to the lighthouse and waited for the tour to start, it didn’t shock me that Jason took my hand.

I took it for the olive department that it was and squeezed his hand again, I didn’t have the best phrases to convey to him that I preferred that he took my hand. I preferred that he was there subsequent to me. I preferred that we have been on this journey collectively. As we headed into the lighthouse, I instructed myself I’d take the time that I had with him whereas we had it and never fear about tomorrow or the subsequent day.

The tour was informative and enjoyable, telling the historical past and enjoyable antidotes in regards to the lighthouse and the individuals who stayed and labored there. It was nonetheless a working lighthouse but it surely not wanted to have somebody staying to ensure it was operational. Trendy know-how had improved within the final century or extra. When the tour was accomplished, we have been free to stroll across the floor however couldn’t go into the opposite buildings and we may stroll again to the parking zone at our personal tempo.

There was a railing that ran alongside the entrance of the lighthouse and regarded out over the water. I headed there and Jason adopted me. Once I bought to the sting, I stood and regarded out, having fun with the view. Jason got here up behind me and wrapped his arms round me. I put my arms on high of his and simply stood there with him in silence for a couple of minutes.

“The ocean jogs my memory of you,” he stated after a second.

“Anger, turbulent, and determined to get its method?” I requested.

“Robust, decided, and unrelenting,” he stated and kissed my neck.

“Similar distinction. However I’ll take it as a praise.”

“It was meant as one and I’m glad you noticed it as such,” he stated.

“And also you remind me of the rocks down there. Robust, resilient, fixed,” I stated.

“Is that speculated to be a praise?” he requested with a comfortable chortle.

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