by Tara Sheets
“We don’t do much cooking in here,” he said. “But you’re free to use anything you find.”
Kat leaned against the counter and crossed her arms. “You don’t cook at all?”
“Not if I can help it.”
“So you’re a cereal for dinner guy, huh?”
“Please, I’m not an amateur.” He walked over to the fridge, opened the freezer, and pointed. Several frozen waffle boxes were stacked inside.
Her soft laugh did something to his insides, spreading over the hard places and seeping into cracks he didn’t know were there. He didn’t like it.
Jordan shut the freezer and quickly led her outside.
Weeds had taken over the lawn, and the grass was out of control and too long to mow. The rosebushes along the fence grew like wild things, all thorns and red blooms, no rhyme or reason to any of it.
“Beautiful,” Kat said, stopping to touch one of the red roses.
Jordan squinted at the overgrown mess of flowers. The bushes were exactly the same as he remembered, growing up. Ignored and abandoned. “No one’s taken care of them in years. I’m surprised they’re even still alive.”
Kat shrugged. “They just need some pruning.”
He frowned and kept walking, certain the rosebushes would need a bit more work than that. The entire yard looked like a scene from an apocalypse film. It shouldn’t have bothered him, but for some reason now that she was there, it did.
He led her through the weeds to the garage, then up a narrow staircase to the room above it. The studio was large and spacious, which was the only decent thing about it. Everything else was dreary. It had a scratched table with a single chair pushed against the far wall. Above it was a bare window that overlooked the front yard. The only other piece of furniture in the room was an ancient, lumpy recliner chair.
Kat was quiet as she roamed the room and peeked into the small bathroom. Then she moved to the table and looked out the window.
She began shaking her head.
Jordan felt a sharp stab of disappointment. He took a deep breath and let it out quickly. So the room wasn’t what she expected. He should’ve known. She was going to turn it down, and so be it. Could he blame her? The place was about as inviting as a jail cell. Utilitarian, drab, musty. Someone like her belonged in a place full of color and light.
Steeling himself, he walked to the door and pulled it open. It was no matter. He’d run the ad again for his grandmother. Someone else could tend to the animals for the time being.
She turned to him, biting her lip.
He gestured to the open door.
“It’s nice,” she said. “This will work great.”
Jordan blinked as she passed him to head down the stairs. She’d surprised him again.
Back outside, he pointed to a small gray barn inside the fenced paddock beyond the garden.
“The animals?” Kat asked.
He nodded.
“What’s in the red barn over there?” She pointed across the yard to the padlocked barn.
“Nothing important,” he said dismissively. Certainly nothing he wanted to talk about. “Do you want to meet the animals or not?”
Kat lifted her delicate brows. “Sure.” She charged ahead, calling over her shoulder, “You won’t have to worry about a thing. Animals are my specialty. It’ll be easy.”
Jordan watched her go, distracted by the feminine curve of her hips and the sway in her gait as she marched toward the barn in those tiny black shorts and combat boots. He had the distinct feeling that nothing about Kat Davenport living there was going to be easy.
Chapter Three
The barn was dry and warm enough, but happiness didn’t live there. Kat felt it the moment she stepped inside. An all-encompassing melancholy enveloped her, smothering her like a wet cloak.
She usually had no problem understanding what animals needed, and this was no exception. Even before she met them, she could tell they were neglected and needed attention.
The barn was about the size of a large toolshed. There was one stall and a pile of old hay in the corner. Three scrawny white chickens pecked at the ground, scattering when she stepped inside.
A scuffling noise came from the back stall, and Kat waited patiently. A few moments later, a small furry head peeked around the stall entrance.
“There you are,” Kat murmured. “I’m so glad to meet you.”
The miniature donkey blinked his long eyelashes and made a snuffling sound. He was fuzzy and gray, with a velvety nose and black tufts on his ears.
“Aren’t you a beautiful one?” Kat crooned. She approached slowly, kneeling in front of him and murmuring things that made no sense. Things that weren’t even part of a language. They were just the soothing noises she instinctively knew how to make to put the animal at ease.
The mini donkey approached her cautiously, then all at once, rubbing his head against her outstretched hands. The connection was instant. Glimpses of his daily life flashed through Kat’s mind like scene snippets from a movie reel. Long, dull days in the pen. No one around to keep him company except the chickens. Boredom.
Kat smiled and scratched him lovingly behind the ears. “You’re all right, aren’t you? You just need a friend. We’ll get you one, I promise. Things are going to get much better around here. Don’t worry.”
She rose from the ground and made her way to the chickens, only vaguely aware that Jordan was watching her from the doorway. The tiny donkey followed beside her.
Kat knelt close to the chickens and waited. They clucked and shifted nervously, ruffling feathers and strutting just out of reach. Soon they grew bolder, and within moments, Kat was petting them, searching for that thread of communication she always had with animals. A quick image flashed through her mind—the chickens, warm and snug in their old coop. Soon she understood exactly what they needed. “They’re nervous,” she said aloud. “They miss their old house, where they felt safe.”
Jordan pushed off the wall where he’d been leaning, and came to stand next to her. The chickens scattered out of reach. “How did you know?” he asked. “The old chicken coop broke apart in a storm a while back.”
“Chickens need a safe place to roost at night,” Kat said carefully, making sure only to say things a normal person would know. “A place to keep them away from predators.”
“I didn’t even know we had chickens until a week ago. My grandmother said they’d all been lost in the storm, but she’d been leaving food out just in case. These three are the only ones left.”
“Can you build them a coop today? I can help. They’re very unhappy.”
He gave her an odd look, but she was used to it. People had been giving her that look her whole life, but speaking up on behalf of animals was something Kat was compelled to do. Even if it meant making herself vulnerable to other people’s scrutiny and judgment.
“I’ll see what I can do,” Jordan said.
“Good.” Kat stood and slapped dust off her hands. “I’ll have them all happy again in no time. I promise.”
Jordan walked with her to the front yard. He was quiet on the way, and Kat wondered what he was thinking. Maybe he thought she was a weirdo with the animal stuff . But she was pretty sure she hadn’t done anything too crazy. It’s not like she hugged the chickens or anything. Which she totally planned on doing, as soon as she got the chance. Chickens were simple creatures, and they loved comfort. Some of them actually liked being held.
Near the porch steps, Jordan stopped. He studied her from beneath thick, sooty lashes. Why did men always get the best eyelashes? So unfair.
She fidgeted with the hem of her top, hoping she hadn’t blown it with the animal whispering.
A small white bus pulled into the yard, and Kat was grateful for the distraction.
“My grandmother’s back,” Jordan said. “Come, and I’ll introduce you.”
She followed him across the yard as a tiny old woman in a purple velour jogging suit stepped off the bus and waved good-bye to
the driver. Her white, wispy curls were so thin her pink scalp showed through, and her face was a road map of wrinkles, but her eyes were a sharp, clear blue. She saw Kat and broke into a grin.
“You must be Kat Davenport. I’m so sorry I was late to meet you.” She bustled over to them, relying on a gray cane she gripped in one hand. “It’s Milton Johnson’s fault I’m late, as usual. He insists on calling out the bingo letters, but he takes forever. I think he does it on purpose. It’s the only time he gets that kind of rapt attention from so many people.”
She stopped in front of Kat, a little out of breath. “Well, look at you. You’re just gorgeous. I wasn’t expecting a beauty queen to answer my ad, but we’ll just have to bear it as best we can, won’t we, Jordan?” She jabbed him with her elbow and laughed.
A small crease formed between his brows.
“Well, isn’t this fun?” Opal continued. “I’m looking forward to having another person around to talk to, I’ll tell you that much. Has my grandson shown you around?”
“Yes,” Kat said. “It’s all very nice. I—”
“Oh, psh,” Opal interrupted. “It’s not nice here. It’s abysmal. My cotton-headed son and his wife had no business trying to run a farm, which is why I moved in last year to help them out. But did they listen to me about anything? No. The only reason the lavender still thrives is because it’s stubborn, like my grandson here.” She tilted her head toward Jordan. “But his parents weren’t any good at taking care of much. And now look.” She pointed to the overgrown yard. “Everything’s a mess. But Jordan’s here now, and he’s going to save everything. Won’t you?” she asked him.
Jordan didn’t answer, but Opal didn’t seem to notice.
To Kat she said, “Jordan was always reliable like that. Even when he was a little boy, you could count on him.”
Kat didn’t miss the look of resignation that ghosted across Jordan’s face.
“Is your room okay?” Opal asked as they walked toward the farmhouse. “I haven’t been up to that room in years, on account of my leg trouble. But Jordan assures me it’s all in working order.” Her unhurried pace was slightly uneven, and Kat had to slow her steps to match.
“I like the room very much,” Kat said. “And I’ll take good care of the animals.”
“Good,” Opal said. “They’ll be so much happier now.”
They chatted for a few more minutes and Kat answered Opal’s questions about where she came from, and what line of work she was in. Kat glossed over her answers with expert precision, like she always did. It was just easier than having to explain the real way she grew up. Anytime Kat said the words “foster kid,” she got that look of pity she’d grown to hate.
The whole time Opal talked, Jordan remained quiet. Kat risked a glance at him and wished she hadn’t. He was looking at her in mild amusement, as if he knew half her answers were contrived. As if he knew her secrets.
“Come in for some tea,” Opal said. “We have molasses cookies.”
Kat made a show of checking her phone. “I’d love to, but I have to get going. I have some packing to do, and then I’m meeting a friend later.”
Jordan held his grandmother’s elbow to help her up the steps.
Opal waved him away. “I can do it myself, boy. I’m not an invalid.” Using her cane, she slowly and methodically ascended the steps.
On the porch, she turned back to Kat. “It’s settled then. You’ll stay. And I’ll see you soon.”
Kat watched as Opal disappeared into the house.
Jordan shook his head. “She does that a lot.”
“What?”
“She says things like they’re decided, even though they aren’t. Pay no attention. Just let me know later today after you think it over.”
“I don’t need to think it over,” Kat said quickly. “I’ll take it.” She jammed her hands into her pockets. “I mean . . . if you want me.”
An odd expression flashed across his face. He cleared his throat. “Opal seems to think this arrangement is a good idea, but it’s important that you know it’s not permanent.”
A familiar disappointment settled over her. Of course it wasn’t going to be permanent. Nothing ever was. At least, not for her. But she’d hoped she could rent the place long enough to get on her feet.
“Um, did you think I was planning to live here forever?” she asked flippantly. “Of course it’s not permanent. Although, now that you mention it, we didn’t discuss terms of the lease.”
“Month to month. I’ll e-mail the paperwork.”
Kat nodded with a sinking feeling. A month-to-month lease wasn’t very promising. She’d hoped it would be a longer term. Then again, she had no other alternatives. If nothing else, she’d have a solid month to set some money aside, and if she was lucky, she’d have even longer.
After they said good-bye, she made her way to the car, determined to look on the bright side. Everything was falling into place. Maybe moving to the island was going to be the best decision she ever made. Maybe this would be a place she could fit in and just be herself.
When she neared her car, a dark shadow swooped past her head with a joyful caw!
Kat glanced up at the black crow making lazy circles in the clear blue sky. “Edgar,” she called. “I’ve been wondering when you’d find me.”
Edgar the crow fluttered down and landed on a low tree branch.
“I know what you want,” she teased, reaching up to stroke his glossy feathers.
He preened, happy for the attention, then shifted on his feet excitedly as she opened her car and dug through her tote bag on the passenger seat. She lifted an unshelled peanut from a small plastic bag. When she’d first arrived on the island, she’d absently tossed him one of her Cheetos, and for Edgar, it was love at first sight. Ever since that moment, he followed her around town. Kat usually kept treats in her bag, just for him.
When she walked back to the tree, Edgar flapped his wings, lifted off the branch, and settled on her shoulder.
She laughed. “You’re such a sucker for a gourmet meal. We’re two peas in a pod, you and I.” She spoke quietly to him for a few moments, then handed him the peanut. He took it and launched into the sky.
She waved as he flew away, even though it was a silly gesture. Edgar was a wild bird, but she still thought of him as a friend. To any normal person, the whole exchange would probably seem odd. On impulse, she glanced back at the farmhouse and froze.
Jordan was standing on the porch watching her. He was far enough away that she couldn’t see his expression, which was probably a good thing. Did he see her talking to Edgar? How weird did she look? Was it too much? The last thing she needed was to be rejected from her new living arrangement before she even had a chance to move in.
Kat got into her car, turned on the engine, and pulled onto the main road. She gripped the steering wheel and exhaled in frustration. If Jordan thought she was odd, he’d be one hundred and fifty percent correct. But she’d made the decision to just be herself from now on, and she wasn’t going to try to fit into a mold. So yeah, she talked to birds. And other animals. That’s who she was. She peered in her rearview mirror at the lavender farm as she drove away, then lifted her chin in resolve. “Like it or not, Jordan Prescott, this is who I am.” She tossed her hair back. “Get used to it.”
Chapter Four
At lunchtime the following day, Kat stepped into the local florist shop, Romeo & Juliette’s, with Hank trotting beside her. She breathed in the mingling scents of fresh-cut greenery, flowers in bloom, and damp earth. The florist shop was one of her favorite spots on the island, mostly because of the manager.
Juliette Holloway emerged from the back room looking like spring incarnate. She wore a floral sundress that swirled around her legs when she walked, and a gardenia was pinned into her long dark hair. Layered over her dress was a flouncy green apron smudged with dirt. The whole effect made her look like a forest fairy. Juliette loved plants and nature, and anyone who knew her would agree that ma
naging the shop was exactly where she belonged.
“Good,” Juliette said, walking up to Kat and giving her a quick hug. “I’ve been waiting for you to get here. Ever since you ditched me in search of full-time employment, I’ve missed you. My plants miss you.”
“Somehow I doubt that,” Kat said with a grin. Juliette was Kat’s first official friend on Pine Cove Island. For a few weeks, Kat had helped out by working part-time in the shop, even though she knew next to nothing about plants. Since Kat had preferred to find a permanent job working with animals, she’d moved on once Juliette hired a full-time employee.
“Emma gets back from her honeymoon soon, so we all need to get together for a movie marathon at the house.” Juliette lifted Hank off the floor and snuggled him up to her face. “And you and Hank are coming. That’s not negotiable.”
Kat felt a surge of warmth for her friend. From the moment they’d met at the beginning of the summer, she felt like they were kindred spirits. The rumor on the island was that Juliette Holloway had a magical green thumb, along with her cousin Emma, who baked wishes into her cupcakes. One of the reasons Kat wanted to stay on the island was her curiosity about these unusual women who seemed to have strange abilities like her. She hadn’t discussed her connection to animals with them yet, but that was the beauty of their friendship. Both of the Holloway girls seemed willing to accept her exactly as she was, no questions asked.
Juliette set Hank on the floor and walked to the back counter. “How’s the job hunt going?”
“I start at the Daisy Meadows Pet Rescue on Monday.”
“Animals!” Juliette grinned. “That’s perfect for you.”
Kat beamed. It felt good to be able to share her progress with a friend. “I also found a place to live. I’m renting a room from Opal Prescott at Willowbrook Lavender Farm. Do you know her?”