“Will do.”
Aspen squeals on the other end, and Jenny’s brows pull together.
“What, baby girl? Do you want to talk to Uncle Brody?” Jackson asks her.
I smile because Aspen always wants to talk to me. Willow says she even talks to me on her play phone.
She begins to rattle the minute he puts her on the line. I catch something about a rock and bird, but other than that, I have no idea what she’s telling me.
“Are you going to play with Jack tomorrow?” I ask when she finally gives me a chance to talk.
“Yeah, Jack.” The phone sounds like it falls to the ground, and I laugh.
“Gosh darn it, you little squirrel,” Jackson teases his daughter. It sounds like he’s chasing her around the room. Her little laugh fades as she runs away from him. A few seconds later, he picksup the phone. “Hey, sorry about that. I can’t get that child to sit still for two minutes.”
“Wonder where she gets that from?”
“No idea,” he says laughing. “Anyway, I better get her in the tub. She’s head to toe covered in dirt.”
“That girl would live outside if you’d let her,” I joke, watching Jenny’s eyes fill with tears.
“Just like her mother,” he agrees. “Anyway, ride safe, brother. And thanks again.”
“Always. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
When the call ends, Jenny lets out the sob she’s been struggling to keep in. “I … I need some air,” she says, rushing out the door.
I watch her out the kitchen window as she paces in her garden. When she pauses to talk to a tree, I shake my head. Fuck, what the hell am I supposed to do now? Convince her to come to town with me? I can’t leave her here; she might disappear. Maybe that would be for the best.
She swipes at her eyes angrily.
My gaze roams over the landscape. The woman has a damn green thumb. Just like her mother and Willow.
My head falls. Fuck. Why me, Rachel? Why do this tome?
When my attention goes back to the window, I notice Jackson’s mom has little trinkets and rocks sitting on the windowsill. I pick up a little ceramic frog and bounce it in the palm of my hand. Rachel sent me here for a reason. I just need to figure out what that is.
Jenny comes inside as I’m placing dinner on the table.
“Oh, you didn’t have to finish. I’m so sorry.” She rushes to my side to help.
“Just sit down. I’ve got this,” I tell her.
“Did your mom teach you to cook?” she asks, reluctantly letting me serve her.
“Sure did. Rachel taught me everything I know.”
Her eyes soften around the corners. “She was definitely the very definition of a mother, wasn’t she?”
I nod, lowering myself beside her. “My grandmother took me in, but it was Rachel who mothered me.”
“I’m sorry about my reaction to the phone call. I promise I do have some control over my emotions. All of this has just caught me off guard.”
“You never worried about anyone showing up at your door?”
“Yes and no. The only two people who knew I was alive are gone.” Her brows pull together at the irony of the situation. She shakes her head. “I’m not sure why she would have led you here.”
“I think she thought it might be time for the secret to come out.”
