Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem novel Chapter 1317

When the topic of the old folks coming down from the mountain came up, Tarquin frowned slightly.

There was definitely more to the story behind their so-called “fake deaths” and choosing to live in seclusion. He’d have to look into it—this wasn’t as simple as it seemed.

He didn’t tell Elysia about his suspicions, though. Instead, he tried to reassure her.

“Sure, life up there’s rough around the edges, but they’ve got a place of their own—a cozy cabin with everything they need. Honestly, they’re doing alright.”

“And hey, they might be getting on in years, but they’re still in pretty good shape. When the day comes that they can’t take care of themselves anymore, we’ll figure out a way to bring them back home.”

“If they still refuse to leave, maybe we’ll just go up there and keep them company ourselves.”

He smiled. “A few years from now, once the kids are older and don’t need us as much, we could even move up there for a while.”

At that, Elysia’s eyes lit up. “If it weren’t for the kids, I swear I’d love to stay in the mountains forever. Sure, there are wild animals, but at least you don’t have to deal with people scheming against you. Life just feels… peaceful.”

She turned to him, her face full of excitement. “When we get old, if I want to live out my days in the mountains, would you come with me?”

Tarquin didn’t hesitate. “No matter where you are, that’s where I’ll be.”

Elysia beamed, happiness written all over her face. “I think I fall a little more in love with you every day.”

Grinning, and careful not to jostle the baby sleeping between them, Tarquin reached over and gently pinched her cheek. “Get some sleep, hon. We’ve got an early start tomorrow.”

“Okay!”

Elysia nestled in with the baby and closed her eyes. Tarquin gave her a soft, soothing pat over the little one until she drifted off.

Still, the way he looked at Tarquin now—there was no coldness or suspicion left.

“Evan’s still up,” he said, guessing why Tarquin had come.

“I figured,” Tarquin replied. “Why don’t you get some rest? I’ll take the first watch. You can switch with me halfway through the night.”

The old man started to protest, but Tarquin cut him off, “Elysia’s orders. If I don’t listen, she’ll give me hell.”

The old guy hesitated, his lips twitching, but finally just climbed up into the tree nearby to catch a nap. He was used to sleeping rough and didn’t like sharing a tent anyway.

Tarquin understood. He didn’t push it.

And with that, he headed off to find Evan, questions burning in his mind.