Chapter 14 Picked On Our Trail

• Blake's POV
• I woke up both smiling and sore—sore from the strain in my arm, smiling because yesterday hadn’t been a dream. I’d actually spent time working alongside the woman my heart couldn’t stop admiring. Lyra had served me sweet potatoes, lettuce, milk, and assorted meats. The aroma alone nearly made me weak. When she set the food down, I didn’t know where to start. I tried to play it cool, pretending I was only thirsty, but I ended up clearing the entire plate. Her cooking was that good.
• I wished I could bring her here. I wished I could open up. Maybe have her teach that style of hers to our cooks. Living in seclusion all these years had kept us from experiencing the richness the outside world had to offer. What else had we missed?