Boundless

Chapter 18

At breakfast the next morning, I tried not to look at Sam too much.

The night before, we had stayed in the parlor until I heard Libby climbing the stairs to go to bed.

Now, it seemed like days instead of hours since I’d seen him last.

Libby kept looking between Sam and I. She knew but she wasn’t saying anything

When everyone was finished, he stood up. “I’m going to take Rebecca around town today.”

“Be back by dinner,” Nettie said and we left.

He grabbed hold of my hand and pulled me through masses of people. We walked until the crowd thinned and we were on the edge of town.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

“Just wait.”

We left town and the road leading into town. The trees began getting thicker. Twigs snapped underneath our feet and branches scraped my arm.

We went further and further into the woods, at least a mile.

“Are you sure you know where we’re going?” I asked.

“You have so little faith in me,” he said as I tripped over a raised root.

“Not you. Your sense of direction maybe, but not you.”

“Well, we’re almost there.”

After a couple more feet, he stopped in front of a tree. “This is what you want me to see?”

“Not just this,” he reached his hand into a hollow in the tree. “What’s inside.”

After pulling on something for a bit, a small metal box slid from the tree. It looked like it had been in there for a bit. The hinges were rusted and made a grinding noise as they opened.

Inside were three piles of paper money.

My eyes widened. I’d never seen so much money before.

Sam pulled out five bills and extended them towards me. “I want you to have this.” I looked down at his hand then back up into his serious blue eyes.

I backed away. “I can’t.”

“Come on, Rebecca, I dragged you all the way out here,” he stepped towards me. “We took three trains. I owe you.”

“It wouldn’t be right.”

“Why not?”

“Because of where you got it from…because it’s not mine…because it’s a lot.”

“I can’t go take it back. Whether I like it or not, I’m stuck with it. And it can be yours. I’m giving it to you.”

I was out of excuses. I really needed that money. “I…I’ll pay you back.”

“You don’t need to,” he looked down at me. “Consider it payment to a good travel companion.”

“I don’t think I’m worth that much.”

“Consider it a tip.”

I took the money from his hand and put it into my pocket. “Thank you.”

“It’s no problem,” he shrugged. “Now,” he put his hands on my arms and pushed me gently back against the tree, “remind me why I’m tipping you again.”

“I’d be more than happy to.” I slung my arms around his neck and kissed him. I couldn’t remember when I’d felt so bold as I did then. I felt boundless.