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“You’ve got it on your face.” Chloe pressed her hands to her lips, allowing her innocence to come forward.
I brought my fingers to my mouth, smiling. “So do you,” I responded. I licked my lips and then wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. As I looked up, my eyes locked with Adam’s. His elbows rested on his knees as he sat slouched forward toward the fire. The light from the flames danced off his blue irises, mesmerizing me.
Looking at Adam was like an addiction. Every time I did it, I wanted more and more.
“Let’s tell ghost stories.” Conor’s voice broke my reverie. Thank God.
“How about a story about Ireland, instead? Ya know, since I’m a foreigner and all.”
Chloe tapped a pink fingernail to her lips and pursed them together in thought.
“I’ve got one,” Conor said, not giving poor Chloe any time to come up with something. “You see that tree over there?”
I looked over my shoulder to where Conor was pointing. A tree, small in size but with a lot of branches still covered in green, sat alone in the middle of a field. A pile of stones surrounded it. “Yeah?” I looked back over at Conor, who was standing before the group, prepared to enlighten me. “What’s the big deal?”
Conor smirked. “Oh, Anna.” He deepened his voice, trying to sound older, or like Adam—which was adorable. “If you cut one of those trees down, you’ll have bad luck. You don’t want to piss off the wee folk, the fairies. Those trees are their meetin’ points between worlds. You chop a Fairy Tree, and you won’t sleep another good night for the rest of your life.” Conor showed me his palms and shrugged. “They’re special. I promise ya.”
I smiled at him. “Good to know. I’ll do my best to avoid cutting any down before I go back to Kentucky.”
“Why do you have to go back?” Chloe asked, her eyes large and on me.
“Um.” They were mostly teenagers, not five-year-olds, I had to remember. I could be honest with them. “Well.” I looked up at Adam, and he was studying me. I thought I could see a hint of curiosity on his face, or maybe it was just the light casting shadows. “I only have a job here for another few months. I might have to go back to the U.S. after it’s over.”
“Oh.” Chloe kicked at the dirt and dropped her stick to the ground.
“I’m sorry,” I said.
She moved past me and began sprinting toward the Fairy Tree.
Conor came around in front of me. “A lot of people come in and out of her life. I guess she was hoping you’d be different. She really likes you.” He shrugged his shoulders, and then Jenna and Conor went after her.
Adam was on his feet now, but he remained standing. He must’ve decided to let Jenna and Conor talk to Chloe.
I scanned the eyes of the rest of the group, trying to figure out what to do or say that would make things better. “Tell Adam here to offer me a job at his company, then,” I joked.
The rest of the group jumped up. “Yeah. Yeah,” some of the kids hollered.
Adam raised his hands in the air, smiling. “We’ll see.”
“No pressure,” I teased, facing him.
“None at all.” He cocked a brow at me. “Maybe everyone should go get some shut eye. We’ve got an early morning.”
I had hoped to talk to the group tonight, to try and get some information out of them about that girl outside the center, but it looked as though right now wouldn’t be the best idea.
“Adam’s right. It’s late,” I finally said. I took a step backward but forgot my proximity to Adam—he was too close to me. I staggered back slightly and stumbled into the log that had been my seat. Adam swooped his arm down to wrap around my waist, keeping me upright.
“Thanks.” I sucked in a breath, taking in some of the crisp air as I got my feet under me again.
His hand dropped to his side, and he stepped away from me. “Come on.” He waved his hand in the air, motioning for the group to gather and head in for the house. “Guys. House. Now.” His monosyllabic commands were kind of cute as he herded everyone together.
I remained standing in front of the fire, staring at it as if the answers to my life, my future, were there.
“You coming?” Adam asked as the kids started to head to the house.
“I’ll be in soon.” I kept my eyes on the orange flicker of light as it captured oxygen from the air.
“I don’t want to leave you out here alone.”
