Chapter 61: The Universe said Hi
His voice was quiet and firm, but to her, it felt too loud. Cutting through the swirl of emotions she’d been holding back and leaving her exposed.
As she wrestled with her thoughts, hearing her name from his lips caught her off guard, stirring a nervous uncertainty about what might come next.
She turned her face back to him, slow and careful, as if her heart weren’t pounding and her spine hadn’t stiffened. Calling her name like that, out loud and in front of everyone. What was he up to?
"What?" she blinked. Around the half-built campsite, everyone was still talking and laughing, but for her, the world had tilted.
Adriana looked up, sensing the shift. Her smile faltered just a little, eyes narrowing as she followed Craig’s gaze to Merlina.
Craig’s gaze didn’t move. "You’re stepping on the tarp."
She frowned. "What?"
His tone didn’t shift. "The tarp."
Then his eyes dropped. So did hers.
"Oh."
She stepped off the thin, rough sheet of tarp, the waterproof cover meant to keep their tent dry—and heat rose to her cheeks. Why did she have to step on it? Why now, of all times ?