Sable Peak (The Edens, #6)

by Devney Perry

“Hey.” He dipped his chin, like he was tipping an invisible hat. “I’m Mateo.” That name locked into place for all time.

He stared at me, his face unreadable. “I’m done waiting for you to see me.”

She loved cherry tomatoes. I hated them but always thought it would be weird to offer her food from my plate because that was something couples did and we weren’t a couple.

“I noticed her, Mom. It wasn’t that I didn’t notice her. But I didn’t think . . . I didn’t know she felt that way.” Vera had been right. “I didn’t see it.” Mom put her hand on my arm. “And now?” I blew out a long exhale, my breath billowing in a white cloud. “Eyes wide open.”

Her gaze whipped to mine. Finally. I had her attention. She sure as fuck held mine.

Clear and a million. Today, I was seeing clear and a million.

“Have you ever ridden a horse?” I asked, turning from the glass. “No.” “Want to learn?” “Someday.” Vera nodded. “Your dad offered to teach me this summer.” Fuck that. I’d be the one to teach her to ride and to fly. I wanted to teach her anything and everything. I wanted time with Vera. We just needed more time.

Mateo slid into a seat, chair legs scraping on the floor. The seat directly beside mine. Not the chair around the corner of the table. Not the chair across the table.

“Good night.” “Vera.” He stopped me just as I’d opened the door. The night air should have cooled my face, but Mateo’s stare was so intense that sweat beaded at my temples. “Yeah?” “I see you.”

Something here was worth exploring, and I wasn’t wasting my chance.

“Mateo.” “You’re confused.” I tucked and untucked a lock of her hair. “I thought I was pretty clear.” “Not to me.”

“This is a date,” I declared. “But we’re studying.” “It’s a study date. And soon, I’d like to take you on a dinner date. And a movie date. And a coffee date. I want to date you, Vera. I want to spend time with you.”

“What’s the weather like?” “Uh, raining?” “In here.” He reached out and tapped my temple. “What’s the weather like in here? You look upset.”

“Because your hair reminds me of a sun-ripened peach on a hot summer day. Because you’re sweet. And because it’s my favorite fruit.” “No, it’s not. You like strawberries best.” “Not anymore,” I murmured, bending to take her lips.

After last night, there was no going back with Vera. She wasn’t just under my skin, she’d burrowed down to my bones, infusing the marrow each passing day.

The next morning, when I woke to find Vera in the kitchen with Allie again, the sky was blue. The sun was shining. The weather today, inside and out, was clear and a million.

The table wasn’t made for this many people. There was hardly an inch between chairs but somehow, we made it all work. And for the first time in the two years I’d been eating dinners with the Eden family, I sat beside Mateo. When he dished his garden salad, he moved the tomatoes from his plate to mine.

“Is a pitty wok.” “That is a pretty rock.” He took it from her, inspecting all sides. “What should we do with it?” She took it from him, wound up an arm and threw it as far as she could. It landed about five feet away. “Ah gone.”

“I love you, Vera. I fucking love you. I won’t leave you. And I won’t let you go.”

If all I accomplished for the rest of my life was to kiss Vera every morning and every night, I’d consider it a life well lived.

“How’s the weather, Peach?” “Better than I expected,” she whispered. “It started overcast and gray.” “And now?” She smiled. “Clear and a million.”

“I love you.” Nothing else mattered. On the hardest days of her life, I’d be here to remind her that I loved her.