by Jordan Ford
“I thought I’d head over to the north bank and start stocking up on firewood.” Trey wipes the crumbs off his mouth and stretches out his hands for Ellie.
“Sounds good, man. I’ll come with. We need a bigger supply than we had last winter.” Kade passes Ellie over and her legs start kicking like crazy. She’s already jabbering before Trey even has her in his arms.
He grins and tickles her tummy while Kade looks at Jules and starts wiggling his eyebrows. “Going to be chopping some wood later, babe.”
“Oh, please.” Ana taps her empty mug on the table and rolls her eyes.
“What?” Kade grins. “My woman likes a good show of manly muscles. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
Trey snickers but keeps the cheesy smile on his face. Ellie’s watching him as he talks in a high, sweet voice. “Your daddy thinks he’s hot shit.”
“Trey!” Ana slaps his shoulder. “Don’t swear in front of the baby!”
“She doesn’t know what I’m saying. Do you, sweetie? You’re just listening to the tone of my voice, aren’t you?”
Ellie replies with a cute little squeak and more leg kicking.
“That’s right. You love your Uncle Trey, don’t you? He’s way cooler than Daddy. And if anyone’s going to look hot chopping wood this afternoon, it’s gonna be me.” He taps her nose on the word ‘me,’ which makes a smile stretch wide on Ellie’s round little face.
“Seriously?” Kade drops his fork. It clatters onto the table as he points at Trey. “You’re asking for it, dude. When it comes to wood-chopping, I’m like Captain America…and you’re like…like…”
“Shaggy.” Jules giggles.
“And this is why I love you.” Kade grins and plants a sloppy kiss on her lips.
She giggles against his mouth while I think of Caitlin and how sweet her lips are.
Trey throws a napkin at their heads to break them up.
“You better not be talking about Scooby-Doo.” His sweet tone falters as he points at Kade. “Oh, we are on like Donkey Kong, Kingsley.”
“Bring it, Calloway.” Kade lifts his chin then glances at me. “You in, Ry-ster?”
I swallow down my toast, already shaking my head. “Nah, I’m gonna check the traps today.”
“There’s plenty of time to do that and get back for the chop-off.”
I snicker and shake my head. “You guys go for it.”
Everyone’s eyes are suddenly on me—a mixture of concern and confusion.
I stand up before they can read more. I don’t want to feed their worry, but I’ve got to get out of here. Grabbing my plate, I scramble for a lie, an excuse, an out from the scrutiny.
“Actually, uh…” I walk into the kitchen and rinse my plate. “I need to head into town. I might do that this morning, so I’ll have to check the traps this afternoon.”
The confused looks give way to a couple of knowing smiles and an eyebrow wiggle.
I want to shake my head and deny their assumptions.
I’m not going into town to see Caitlin.
I’m not even going into town! I don’t know where I’m headed!
Shit. This is why lying doesn’t pay.
Forcing a grin, I wipe my hands on the back of my pants and escape to the bathroom. I’ll score myself a ten-minute reprieve in the shower. Maybe that will give me enough time to figure out where the hell I’m going to drive to this morning.
*****
My hair’s still wet, so I grab a beanie and shove it on before reaching for my glasses. I’m getting used to wearing them and have to admit I look a little like Uncle Rafe when I do.
That can’t be right, of course.
Not anymore.
Not when I’ve figured out he wasn’t really my uncle after all.
Scratching my whiskers, I turn away from the mirror and walk into the living area. Jules is feeding Ellie. She’s humming and lightly running her fingers over her baby’s face…looking like a natural mother, in love with her child.
I give her some privacy and step outside.
Ana’s coming out of the barn as I walk down the stairs. She’s pulling some working gloves on.
“Hey.” Her grin’s a little wonky as she approaches me. “You all right?”
I look to the sky and mutter, “Why do people keep asking me that?”
“Because you look troubled.”
“I’m not the only one.” I give her a pointed look.
She bites her lip and looks to the ground. Her growing bangs cover her face as she stares down at her boots.
“Have the guys left already?”
“They’re about to.”
I bob my head, feeling kind of bad for bailing. I should be out there helping them, not disappearing so I can avoid telling them the truth.
“Hey, Riley.” There’s a hitch in Ana’s voice. My eyes dart to hers and she gives me a weak smile, but doesn’t say anything.
“Yeah?”
She opens her mouth, but the sound is cut off by the appearance of her boyfriend. Trey lopes down the stairs and stops short when he sees Ana and me standing there. His eyebrows dip for a second, his expression hardening as he walks towards us.
“What’s up, you guys?”
“Nothing,” Ana says too quickly. Forcing a smile, she goes on her tiptoes and kisses Trey’s cheek. “Good luck with collecting wood. Be safe and I’ll enjoy this afternoon.” Her chuckle is forced and dry.
Trey acts like he doesn’t notice, cupping her cheeks and planting a kiss on her that tells the world they belong together.
I snicker and look to the ground. Scratching my beanie, I rearrange it on my head and am about to walk for the car. Goodbyes are overrated. I’m only going into town.
Or I’m not.
Shit. I still don’t know where I’m going.
“Oh, would you guys give it a rest!” Kade barks from the porch. “We’ve got wood to collect, Calloway. You can kiss your woman later.”
Trey lingers for a beat longer before pulling back and brushing his nose against Ana’s. “Love you,” he mouths, then winks.
She smiles at him and brushes her teeth over her bottom lip. “See you later.”
“Have fun in town, Riley!” Kade kind of sings my name as he and Trey saunter off with a laugh.
As soon as they’ve disappeared into the barn, I point at Ana. “Did you want to tell me something?”
With a slight shake of her head, she backs off and waves her hand. “It’s not important. You take care of yourself, okay? Say hi to Caity for me.”
I frown. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. Go.” She points to the car. “Seriously. I’m fine.”
“O-kay.” Pulling the keys from my pocket, I amble to the car, glancing over my shoulder one more time to check on Ana.
She’s still watching me, her forehead creased with worry.
I try to ease her unrest with a friendly smile.
She manages to reciprocate—sort of—and then spins for the barn.
The car door creaks when I open and shut it. Nestling into my seat, I start the engine and buckle up. As I drive away from the cabin, I have no idea where I’m going.
I reach the road and turn left without thinking.
The view is spectacular at this point, especially with that clear blue sky. Sun glistens off the snowy mountaintops. It’s serene. Beautiful. It helps me forget about the nightmares…and takes me towards Legacy without me even realizing.
#15:
Long, Slow Steps on the Floorboards
Caitlin
Riley hasn’t called me back.
Texted me.
Acknowledged me.
The stonewalling is a little hurtful, but it’s more concerning than anything.
I’m desperate to tell him what Uncle Kurt said.
Yesterday I came up with an excuse to borrow Dad’s truck and drive up to the cabin, but then a bunch of valid reasons stopped me.
What if he hasn’t told the others yet?
W
hat if me turning up unannounced will annoy him?
What if he doesn’t want to see me?
I tried to argue back: Maybe he does. Maybe his cell phone’s broken.
But those excuses were feeble. I don’t know how I know. I just do.
Riley’s ignoring me.
And knowing him, he’ll have a valid reason for it.
Slapping my laptop closed with a huff, I lean back in my chair.
Screw calculus. I’ve basically finished the assignment now. I just have to do my final read-through and send it in.
I flip my computer the bird and jerk out of my chair, only to spin around and find my father staring at me.
Shit. I didn’t even hear him come up the stairs. That’s so unlike me.
“Calculus kicking your ass again?”
I shrug, shake my head, then scratch the side of my nose. My eyes are stinging for some reason but there’s no way I’m crying in front of Dad. Seeing his sweet pea distressed always freaks him out. I learned pretty soon after Mom cut us off to save the tears for the privacy of my own room, and then I decided that crying was just a big fat waste of time. It wouldn’t make Mom suddenly love me. It wouldn’t get me out of the middle of nowhere or back to Chicago. It wouldn’t make Tia un-pregnant, and it wouldn’t take away the loneliness.
In the end, I just kind of stopped crying altogether. It’s easier that way.
Clearing my throat, I point a thumb at my computer. “I’m nearly done. I guess I’m just over it.”
“Well, why don’t you take a break and look it over with fresh eyes later?”
His expression makes my eyes narrow. I cross my arms as my right eyebrow cocks. “You need me to man the store, don’t you?”
“Hey, at least I’m not asking you to watch the twins as well. We’ll take them with us.”
I roll my eyes and walk towards his open arms. He engulfs me in a bear hug and kisses the top of my head.
“How long will you be?” I mumble into his shirt.
“Two hours. Tops.”
“And where are you going?”
He sighs. “Lunch with Kurt.”
I tense, then hope Dad doesn’t notice. Sliding out of his embrace, I smile up at him. “Thanks for not inviting me. Seriously.”
“Don’t be rude.” He lightly flicks my nose. “The guy drives me crazy too, but he’s family. Got to keep the in-law happy or he might arrest me.”
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure the amount of paperwork involved probably stops him from arresting anybody.” I roll my eyes.
Dad laughs and turns out the door. “Just be grateful I’m not willing to close the store for the guy.”
I force out a laugh, my insides jittering. Crap. I hope Uncle Kurt doesn’t open his big fat mouth and mention that I stopped by his office the other day.
Following Dad down the stairs, I’m already formulating excuses to explain myself. Do I casually mention something now, or do I hope Kurt’s obvious guilt over being an incompetent sloth is enough to shut him up?
“Girls. Girls. Stop fighting. You can both be fairies.” Tia’s voice is strained tight as she breaks up the twins. They’re in the back corner of the store, their arms crossed, identical scrunched-up expressions on their chubby little faces.
“But it was my turn today!” Penny argues.
I bite my lips together, trying not to laugh.
“Well, we can’t even find the wand.” Gina stomps her foot. “It’s not my fault you’re not clever enough to think up magic fingers. That was my idea.”
I rest my hand on Gina’s head and stroke her dark curls. “You know, when someone copies you like that, you should take it as a compliment.”
Penny frowns. “What’s a comp-a-ment?”
“It means that someone thinks you’re cool,” I explain. “So Gin-Gin, when Penny copies you, it means she likes your idea. She thinks you’re cool.”
Gina’s lips part in unison with Penny’s, and then they both smile at each other.
Tia takes advantage of the brief armistice and grabs a hand each. “Okay, let’s go.” She leads them to the front of the store and turns back once to give me a wink.
I grin at her while Dad pulls me into a side hug and kisses my forehead. “Love you, Sweet Pea.”
“Love you, Dad.”
I wave goodbye and walk around the counter. As soon as the bell above the door signals their departure, I place my hands on the varnished wood and sigh.
I wonder what Riley’s doing.
With nothing to distract me, worry starts taking out large chunks of my belly, feeding off my unrest.
I nibble the edge of my nail and then pull the phone from my back pocket, tempted to text him again. Unlocking the screen, I hover my thumb over Ryan, but then the bell above the door tinkles.
I slip the phone away, flick my ponytail over my shoulder, and move into sales mode. My smile is in place by the time a young man I don’t recognize walks into the store.
His hair is dark and slicked back, his brown eyes small and narrow.
“Hi there. Welcome to Legacy.”
He raises his eyebrows at me.
“Let me know if you need help finding anything.”
He nods but doesn’t speak, slipping down the aisle to my right.
I don’t recognize him, which means he must be passing through. That doesn’t happen much in Legacy, particularly at this time of year. People come up to Legacy for a reason. I want to know what his is.
Tapping my finger on the counter, I resist the urge to follow him through the store. His steps are loud and slow on the wooden floorboards.
Long, slow steps shouldn’t make me suspicious. I guess they make me more uneasy than anything, which is stupid. People walk slowly through stores. They’re looking for stuff. It’s not uncommon.
My imagination is obviously on overdrive because of the whole Riley freaking out in the shack thing.
I shake my head and try to ward off the creepies.
Thankfully Mrs. Solomon walks in and distracts me with her standard purchase of milk, half a dozen eggs, and a copy of her favorite trashy magazine, which Dad continues to supply for her.
“Have a great day.” I wave to her as she walks out.
And then I’m alone with the stranger again.
He’s hovering near the counter now, looking over my shoulder at the display behind me.
I have to force a smile when he steps up to the counter and thumps down a bottle of Coke. He points over my shoulder. “Pack of Camels.” He pulls out his wallet and lays his money down.
“Can I see some ID, please?”
He snickers and gives me a pitiful look. “I’m twenty-one.”
“Awesome.” I raise my eyebrows. “Can you prove it, please?”
With an exaggerated sigh, he flips open his wallet and shows me his driver’s license.
Looks legit so I check the birthdate, name and state—Nevada. That’s kind of far, but we sometimes get people all the way from the East and West Coasts so it’s not completely ridiculous.
He is twenty-one like he said, so I nod and reach for the cigarettes.
“Nice place here.” He takes the packet from me and starts to unwrap it. “Gotta love those mountains.”
“Yeah, they’re beautiful.” Opening up the till, I deposit the money, half expecting him to make a grab for the cash.
“How long you been living up here?” He pulls out a cigarette and perches it between his lips.
“You can’t smoke in here.”
“Not going to. Just getting it ready.” He leans forward and asks me again, “You been here long?”
“A while. My family moved up here when I was ten.”
“Nice.” He takes the cigarette out of his mouth and rolls it between his thumb and middle finger. “So, it’s a good place to raise kids, then?”
I shrug. “If you don’t want them to have a social life.”
He snickers and bobs his head.
“You just passing through?” I
shut the till and look him in the eye.
“Just checking out new places to set up home. The lady wants somewhere small-town and peaceful.”
I nearly blurt out that Legacy is exactly that, but I hold my tongue. I’m not overly keen on selling this place to the guy.
“Are there many young families up here?”
I shake my head. “Not really. It’s too isolated for most.”
“Isolated,” he whispers. “So peaceful and quiet, then.” His smile is smooth and handsome.
I lean away from it.
My curiosity is on overdrive right now. Why would a twenty-one-year-old guy want to bring his lady to live up here? Who is his lady? Seems like a weird thing to do at such a young age.
I think of Jules and Kade.
But that’s different.
I’m about to question this stranger some more when I spot a car pulling up to the store.
Riley!
My body pings straight. “Well, it was nice meeting you. Good luck with your town hunting.”
“Yeah, thanks.” He pops the cigarette back between his lips, grabs his soda, and saunters out the door.
Stopping next to Riley’s car, he hunches over and lights up. Taking in a slow drag, he then blows out a stream of smoke and ambles away from the store.
My lip curls in disgust.
I don’t know why I’m feeling grossed out. The guy was handsome and everything, but I don’t know… He had a creep-factor going on.
I’m glad he’s gone.
Mostly because Riley’s here. Parked right outside the store.
Is he going to come in?
Craning my neck, I try to get a better look at the heart-stealer.
For some reason, he’s just sitting in the car, watching Mr. Creepy walk away.
Why isn’t he coming in?
Bouncing from one foot to the other, I anxiously wait for him to make a move.
He’s not doing anything!
I’m about ready to run outside and open the damn door for him. But then I hear the sweet creak of his car door and my jitters change to a whole new level.
#16:
Failure to Resist
Riley
I wasn’t going to drive to Powell’s General Store.