"Cliff..." Tears rolled down Eden's cheeks. "I..."
"Stop." He turned from her and rubbed his own eyes. "I didn't tell you that story to have a pity party or anything. I just felt like you should know."
"You protected me, Cliff," she said softly. "And I'll always be thankful to you for that."
"I'm just thankful you're here," Cliff said, averting his eyes. "Come on, the town's just up ahead."
After several minutes of awkward silence, Cliff and Eden reached the entrance to Land's End. Past its large wooden gate stretched the town's main strip, a line of dusty old stores encircled by zig-zagged houses. Outside the modest town center, the number of homes dwindled, dotting the land out to the barren hills.
Cliff guided Eden to the center of the strip, where the sheriff's office sat - a smal
