“Where are you guys going to do it?”
“I think I’m going to keep that part private.”
She rolled her eyes.“Dawn messaged me.Then we video chatted.”
“Yeah?”I could tell by the way she tapped her fingers rhythmically on the cover of her book that something particular was on her mind.
I waited her out.
“She thinks maybe I should have some trackers put on me.Like in my shoes, maybe some hoodies and stuff.I already have the Find My Friend app on my phone with you.But what if Kyla comes and my phone falls out of my pocket when she kidnaps me?”
“Kiddo …”
She shrugged.“It could happen.”
Fucking hell.
“Dawn’s just worried.And so am I.Aren’t you?”
“Terrified.But we also can’t live in fear.As far as we know Kyla is headed to, or already in, Cedar Bluff.And all we can do is remain vigilant.Lock our doors, keep our faces off social media, and hope that Kyla uses the two brain cells rattling around in her skull and stays on that side of the continent.”
“I’ve already ordered some trackers.They’ll be here in two days.”
Of course she did.
I rested my hand on her ankle and gave it a little squeeze.“I won’t tell you that we’re safe here, because we might not be.But what I can tell you is that this is the safest and happiest I’ve felt in a very long time.We are building a community here.We’re making friends.”
“And girlfriends.”
“And girlfriends.”I nodded.
“And I’m going to fight like hell to hold on to what we’re building.I won’t let her take this away from us.We’re going to install some security cameras here, and Tom already ordered all the material for a gate.”
Her head bobbed.
My smile wasn’t real, and I knew she could tell, but I did it anyway.
“Can you drop me off at Damon’s on Friday?He asked me to come back over to birdwatch again.Just like Austin, he was really into the Merlin app.Could identify a bunch of bird calls without the app by the time we got back to the house.”
“Really?Hewantsto birdwatch?”
She reared her head back.“Why wouldn’t he want to birdwatch?Birdwatching is a lot of fun.”
Now I was smiling for real.I squeezed her ankle again and stood up.“You’re right, kiddo.It’s super fun.However, maybe you should ask him what his hobbies are.”
“Why?He’s fine birdwatching.We both enjoy it.”
Something told me Damon might be tolerating birdwatching, but he wasn’t ready to list it as one of his favorite pastimes.“Because that’s what it means to have friends.You show interest in each others interests and hobbies.You don’t just spend time doing what you like.You take turns.”
She didn’t look convinced.“I’ll think about it.You can drive me though, please?”
I bobbed my head and chuckled softly to myself.“Yes, I’ll drop you off on the way.”I stepped toward her and pressed a kiss to the top of her blonde head.“Don’t stay up too much later reading.”
“You know I will.”
I sighed for the umpteenth time.“Yes, I know.”
“Goodnight, Dad.”
