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“She’s a great kid You’re lucky”

“I am” Jason looked distant for a moment before he shook his head and smiled

“I’m sorry about her mother It must be hard” He had so ory, so he bit his tongue

Jason’s voice was steady “I lost Aie onfor her Everything”

“You don’t have any fa you?”

“No” Jason’s jaw tightened, his spine stiffening “We’re just fine on our own”

Hmm Definitely a story there, but Ben didn’t think it ise to press it “Most guys wouldn’t be able to handle it—taking care of a little kid all alone Sure as hell not as a teenager”

Jason shrugged and fiddled with a da down the briuys”

Definitely not Ben watched Jason wipe a raindrop froe it?”

Jason was about to say sohter “Where is she?”

Ben realized Maggie had wandered co “Don’t worry, I’ht over there” He pushed up the briloom

“Maggie!” Jason called

A lark’s song whistled through the trees, and the raindrops seemed to echo in the stillness

Before Ben could say another word, Jason bolted into the forest “Maggie!”

Ben followed “It’s okay, don’t panic”

“Dad, come look at this!”

Ben could practically feel Jason relax, his breath whooshing out in a long sigh as Maggie reappeared and pointed excitedly at so a hand over Maggie’s da it under her chin

Ben found hione so well? Not that Ben was an expert, but he flashed back to muddy hikes with his parents and their endless patience as they taught hi the wilderness with them

Jason pulled his phone from his pocket, and Ben said, “No cell service anywhere out here Sorry You’d have to go down to Apgar Village”

“Yeah, it’s been weird not going online But a good weird, you knoas just looking at the ti back? It’s almost been an hour”

“Nah, it’s okay I don’t have another tour until after lunch There’s a pretty cool cave nearby if you want to see it”

Maggie gasped and clapped, and Jason laughed, a throaty chuckle that tightened Ben’s groin “That’s Maggie for ‘yes’”

As Ben led the way, he hoped he’d hear Jason Kellerain soon in an entirely different context