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Horses.
Horses.
I haven’t laid eyes on one in more than five years.
“What the hell, Mack?” Faith is calling out. She’s run out with the others to greet the newcomers, and she’s smiling as broadly as I’ve ever seen her. “We asked for reinforcements, and you’ve brought us a bunch of horses?”
The man slides down to the ground. The horse he was riding was the only one with a saddle. “Hey, I brought you Travis too. He’s got to be good for something—even without Layne.”
The other man has parked the Jeep and gotten out. He shakes Ham’s hand and claps his back like he knows him well and is glad to see him. “Layne stayed at home,” he says, predicting and answering Faith’s next question. “Too close to when the baby’s fixin’ to come. We’re tryin’ to be careful.”
“Of course,” Faith says. “I’d be happy to see her, but I’m glad she stayed home where it’s safe.” Then she turns back to the man who must be named Mack. “Now tell me about these horses.”
“I kept seeing them,” he explains. “They were running wild about fifty miles east, and every time I passed through the area, I’d spot a couple of ’em. I have no idea how they managed to survive on their own so long, but they were looking so skinny I thought they could use some help.” He pats the muzzle of the one he was riding. “They must have been left on an abandoned horse farm. Came right up to me when I offered them apples and carrots. Didn’t mind the saddle at all. I wasn’t sure how to bring the others, but they all just followed this one, no hesitation.”
“Oh my God.” Faith has come over, and she carefully approaches one of the others. It snuffles the hand she extends, clearly hoping for a snack. “They’re a mess, but they look like really good stock. None of our horses made it through the first year after Impact.”
“So you think you’ve got room for them?” Mack has closely shaved hair and a large, solid form. Even though he came riding up on that horse, he looks more like a soldier than a cowboy in his gray T-shirt and pants that look like Army fatigues. “I know horses aren’t exactly low-maintenance, but one day there won’t be any more gas to scavenge, and it’d be nice to have horses around then.”
Faith is looking up toward the guard posts, and I see why when I notice Jackson up there. He catches her eye and gives her a nod in what is clearly a silent answer to her silent question. Then she replies, “Yes. We can definitely take them on. It’s a good thought. Thank you.”
“Of course.” Mack is grinning. I’ve only known him for a few minutes, but I suspect it’s his most natural expression. “That’s my job. Roam around the countryside and find burdens to foist on unsuspecting people.”
For the first time, he seems to notice me and Grant, standing around with the others. He approaches us with an outstretched hand. “I’m Mack. You the folks from the bunker?”
Grant gives a curt nod as he shakes the other man’s hand. “Grant. And this is Olivia.”
I return Mack’s smile as he shakes my hand in turn. “It’s nice to meet you. So you and Travis are going to help us?”
“Yep. That’s the plan. And there should be some more coming tomorrow.” He turns back to Faith. “I got Cal and Rachel making the rounds and picking up volunteers from some of the towns we’ve settled. I think we’ll collect enough to manage—with what you’ve got here.”
“Any chance of Maria and her crew pitching in?” The question is called down by Jackson, who is still in the guard perch but is obviously paying close attention to the conversation. “When do you next see Anna?”
“Not for a couple of months,” Mack says. “So they won’t be able to help us this time. But Cal and Rachel will, as long as you’ve got something to pay them with.”
“We do,” Grant says before I can say the same thing. “If you think they’re worth having with us, we’ll give them what they want. And the rest of you too. With our thanks.”
“Cal and Rachel are as good as it gets. And Travis and I don’t need anything. We do this kind of thing because we want to. Some of the volunteers might appreciate some sort of donation though.” Despite his warm, relaxed demeanor, Mack’s brown eyes don’t appear to miss anything as they run up and down over first Grant and then me. “Your clothes are in pretty good condition. I know a lot of folks are short on that.”
“We’ve got plenty of extra clothes,” I put in. “And a lot of other things. They’re just all down in the bunker with the rest of our people.”
“We’ll get ’em out then. Tomorrow, when we see who we’ve got to work with, we can make a plan.”
I smile up at him, feeling excited, hopeful, for the first time in days. I glance up at Grant, feeling the instinctive need to share the feeling with him, but he’s not looking at me. His brows are drawn together, and I don’t know why.
It felt like we were so close to each other only ten minutes ago. So close I almost admitted how I feel about him. But now it seems different for some reason. Like he might be drifting away from me again.
* * *
That night, I go to bed alone because Grant volunteers to do the late perimeter check to make sure the guards are all in place and nothing suspicious is going on outside the walls.
I’m in bed for an hour without him, and I’m as tired as I always am when the sun goes down. But I don’t fall asleep. I lie there waiting for him.
We usually have sex before we go to sleep, and I want to again tonight. Not just because my body is used to it—although it definitely is. But because I want to feel close to Grant the way I was this morning. I’ve barely seen him all day. It’s been busy, but still…
I’m not going to fall asleep until he comes to bed.
The sound of the door opening is the first signal of his arrival. Then I feel a draft of air. Then I smell him come into the room.
