Page 56 of Her Wicker Guardian

Tom looks mildly offended. “That seems unnecessarily cruel.”

I understand enough now to catch the joke, and something in me loosens.

Tom looks back at me. “Keep the jeans. The shirts too.”

“Thank you.”

Shannon says, “See? Now you have room for all the new ones I keep telling you to buy.”

“I knew there was a trap.”

There is no anger between them. Shannon looks pleased with herself. Tom only shakes his head, as if this is exactly what he expected. Neither of them tenses or pulls away. I watch longer than I mean to.

Shannon notices. “What?”

I shake my head. “Nothing.”

Tom glances at her. “Well, that line sounds human enough.”

She points at him. “Do not teach him husband survival strategies.”

“I haven’t taught him anything. Yet.”

Shannon leads us around the cottage to the truck. The trailer behind it is filled with willow. That interests me more.

I move toward it, and Tom steps aside before I have to ask. Some of the willow is fresh and flexible, while other pieces have dried too far. I pick up one length and bend it between my hands.

Tom watches me test the first piece. “Good?”

“Yes.”

I test another and feel the resistance immediately. I hold it out to him. “Too dry.”

Tom takes it and bends it. The branch snaps cleanly between his hands.

“Huh.”

Beside us, Shannon sighs. “You did the huh.”

Tom looks over. “What huh?”

“The impressed one.”

“I’m examining willow.”

“You’re impressed.”

Tom looks down at the broken branch as if the evidence supports him rather than her. “It broke.”

We carry the willow around the cottage to the work area, and by the time I choose another piece, Shannon is still staring at her husband. There is something between them I don’t completely understand yet, but I can tell Tom is enjoying the argument more than he would want to admit.

I pick up another piece from the bundle beside me. Tom looks at me. “You really know how to build the bear?”

“Yes.”

“Ever built one?”

“No.”