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He pauses, looks back at me. “Yeah, you can move back a bit. You’re blocking my light.”
“Oh.” I step away again.
“This is really a one-person job.” Carter goes back to changing cables.
“Then why’s Oliver here?”
“In case he falls asleep,” Oliver answers after a long silence.
“Why would he fall asleep?”
“I had a head injury last time we were out in the field. Left me with some chronic-fatigue shit.” Carter reaches behind his neck and pulls off his shirt. “Fuck, it’s hot today.” He balls the t-shirt up and tosses it on his bag before turning back to the closet.
His back is covered in tattoos.
“So, Oliver comes with so you don’t fall asleep, or so if you do, he can wake you up?”
“Falling asleep out in these woods alone wouldn’t be safe,” Oliver answers.
It was an hour hike to get out here to the stand. Trying to make it back in pitch-black darkness would be hard. Then there’s the whole wild animal issue.
One of the tattoos on Carter’s back trails up his spine like little crystals piled on top of each other. I get closer to him, taking in the small designs.
“These are good.” I touch the top crystal. “You didn’t finish some though.” I run my fingers over a bird with only one wing completed.
Carter stiffens beneath my touch.
“Charlotte, my sister, did them. Used to practice on me when she was learning.” He snaps another cable in. “She died before she could finish that one.”
I pull my hand away; I’ve touched a nerve. “I’m sorry.” It’s the only thing I can think to say, even knowing full well it does nothing to dull the pain.
Oliver sneezes, breaking the thick silence that falls over us.
“Man, you have to stop fucking that chick,” Carter teases. “Her cats are gonna be the death of you.”
“You’re seeing a woman with cats?” I ask, moving over back toward the door. It’s hot today and even more stifling in this little cabin.
“No, I’m not,” Oliver says. “I went over to her place after I finished a job and found her legs wrapped around some bartender.”
“Shit. Sorry, man.” Carter turns away from the closet.
“No worries. She never would have given up those fucking cats.” Oliver shrugs.
I step out onto the platform, letting the soft breeze blow across my face.
Someone steps out behind me. It’s Carter. I can smell the light musk of his aftershave. He wraps his arms around me from behind and presses his hands into the railing.
“You’re not contemplating trying to go off on your own, are you?” he asks, resting his chin on my shoulder. I lean into him.
“I’m not stupid. Plus, I have no sense of direction.”
“Didn’t drop breadcrumbs on our way out?” He’s joking, but I doubt he would be surprised if I had done just that.
“You’ve given me a safe place to stay while all this gets worked out. I’m not going to ruin that. But I wouldn’t mind knowing what’s happening outside.” Being kept in the dark is getting old. There has to be some news they can offer me.
He grabs my waist and spins me around. A dark shadow falls over his face.
“Not yet.” His weighted words sink between us. “You need to understand Vivian wants you out of the picture. She will not stop until you are.”
