Page 17 of Oakheart

I just told her that I hoped they all made it home safely, and I was looking forward to meeting her other son, which had made her smile broaden and her cheeks flush. The sensation offinally having done, having said, the right thing hit my chest like a sledgehammer, and I was glad for it.

It was harder, working on the house by myself. Pa had offered to come and help, but I didn’t want to put that on him, and just walking there was a long way on one good leg. Uncle Tommy could’ve managed, but that would’ve meant asking him to remove himself from Grant’s inner circle, even for a few days while the others were gone.

I didn’t want Grant’s attention.

In the end, Evie was the one who tagged along, and while she wasn’t much help with the dangerous stuff or the heavy lifting, I liked her company.

I liked when she filled the silence by humming songs her ma used to sing her.

She was eager to help, and there were plenty of times when a second set of hands to hold something steady was much appreciated, no matter how little they were.

“What do you think Viktor’s going to be like?” Evie asked as she held a beam still while I secured it to the foundation. The logs that’d make up the lower walls, I thought I could get into place on my own, but I’d need to wait for the others to get the higher ones situated.

“Viktor?”

“Katya’s other son. She said his name is Viktor, and he’s Leo’s twin. They must look a lot alike, so he’s probably cute, don’t you think?”

Did I? Leo was handsome enough—I just hadn’t stopped to think much about it because I was too fixated on?—

Well, building. Obviously. I was fixated on my work.

“You’re a little young to be looking at anybody that way, aren’t you?”

Evie rolled her eyes. “I cansee, Cash. I know when a boy’s cute. That doesn’t mean I?—”

Her cheeks pinkened, and I really, really hoped that was all this was. That her friends hadn’t seen anything they shouldn’t, or that nothing had happened that?—

A crush was a normal thing, but the thundering of my heart spoke to all the ways such an innocent experience could be twisted and used and?—

“Katya!”

As soon as I finished securing the board, Evie let go and bounced across the foundation to where Katya had come with her basket.

The first day, she hadn’t realized that Evie would be with me at the site, but we’d split sandwiches so everyone had some.

Since then, Katya had made one for each of us, every day. There was some spread she used, herby and nice. I didn’t know what it was, but it was delicious.

If she was trying to win me over with food so I’d build her a nicer house, it was working. Of course, she didn’t really need to. She was kind, and wherever she was, I wanted her to be happy.

When I was a kid and she’d taken her son and fled, I’d liked to imagine they’d landed somewhere better than Wildwood.

Now, I didn’t think it had worked out that way. But here? I was going to make her the best place I could and hope it was enough.

“They’re getting back tomorrow, right?” Evie asked, licking her fingers clean of the spread that’d dripped from her sandwich when she was finished. “They’ve got the flights booked and everything?”

Katya smiled softly. “They do. They’re all coming home.”

Evie grinned at me, but I saw the reservation in Katya’s eyes. Even so close to having them back, she was worried.

“Dad got me a new nail polish,” Evie announced, rocking onto her knees. “I wanted to wear it for the occasion. Do you—”She glanced my way before turning back to Katya. “Would you like to wear it with me, Miss Katya?”

The smile Katya sent her way eased some of the tightness in my chest.

Big changes rarely happened in the pack. We didn’t get new members. Good things didn’t happen.

It’d make sense for Evie to want to celebrate this.

“I suppose if Cash doesn’t need your help—” Katya arched a brow at me.