red hill - jamie mcguire

His fingers dug into my back, and I pulled him close.
“I’m so sorry,” I said against his lips.
He shook his head, keeping his eyes closed. “Don’t. Don’t say a word. Just let me hold you.”
I buried my face into his neck, feeling safer than I had in weeks. Nathan loved me more than he
should after what I’d said. Hopefully it wasn’t too much to ask that God give me just one more
miracle.
Bryce climbed the few steps to Miranda, and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.
“Good God almighty,” Skeeter said, his voice grave. “Y’all shoulda warned me.”
“About what” Bryce said.
“Two redheads in the house.” He sighed. “I had better chances in Shallot.”
Miranda narrowed her eyes at him, and I laughed. “You’re probably right.”
“I’m so glad you’re back,” Nathan said, hugging me again. He kissed my cheek before pulling me
into the house by the hand. He left me long enough to show Skeeter the facilities, and get him some
clean clothes, and then he returned. “I have some bad news. The electric is off. I’ve tried to flip the
breaker, but it’s . . . it’s gone.”
I nodded. “We knew it was temporary, right”
Nathan nodded. “So, you met my brother-in-law He’s something else, isn’t he”
“Yes. Is this going to be . . . awkward for you”
“No. Skeeter knows she left. He knew it was over a long time ago. Are you okay”
“Yeah,” I said, hugging him to me. I pressed my cheek against his shoulder, glad that he didn’t take
anything I’d said before seriously. “What I said before . . . I . . .”
Nathan shook his head. “No . . . forget about it. It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not okay. That was a horrible thing to say, and I’m sorry. I wasn’t good at this before the
end of the world, and apparently I haven’t gotten any better.”
“Good at what”
“Loving someone.”
He raised an eyebrow, smiled, and then took me into his arms, planting a tender kiss on my lips. “I
never asked for perfection.”
I breathed out a small laugh.
“But I got it, anyway.”
I touched each side of Nathan’s face and pulled him toward me, kissing his lips. Only one thing
could make my life better, and I ached for my girls to reach me so we could all be together. “It’s not
perfect. Not quite yet.”
“But it will be,” Nathan said, never missing a chance to reassure me.
“Uncle Skeeter, you should come meet Butch,” Zoe said.
Skeeter had just emerged from the bathroom, his skin shiny and his hair wet. His face still looked a
little dirty, but it was just the tan line around his eyes from his sunglasses.
“Who’s Butch” Skeeter said, fastening the last button of his clean shirt. He tugged at the fabric
where it fit a big snug. The shirt looked expensive, white with horizontal pinstripes. It didn’t look at
all like something he would normally wear.