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Crow never took his eyes off me. “Not sure yet.”
I dropped my hands. “That woman you helped a year ago—she’s my wife now. We have a son. He’s a couple months old. We actually live just a few miles away from here, so I guess we’re neighbors.”
Crow ignored everything I said. “What do you want?”
“I’ve traded adrenaline for domestication. Hasn’t been easy. There are days when I feel so restless I could explode…but I never tell her. So I decided to focus my energy on something productive—like an olive oil business.”
Crow’s eyebrows furrowed.
“I planted additional saplings in the spring, and I know it’ll take some time for them to come into maturity, but I was hoping you could help me start this business. Perhaps I can learn a few things from the winery, like shipping, production, distribution.”
“And why would I help you?” Crow asked.
I gave a shrug. “You always have an ally right down the street. If shit ever goes down, you’ve got someone to watch your back. I’m sure your life is unremarkable and peaceful, but that’s always a reassurance. And if that’s not reason enough, I’m a rehabilitated man who wants to support his family honorably. I want to show my children how to live off the land. I want my kids to see me differently than everyone else I’ve ever met. You, of all people, can understand that.”
Crow was a man devoid of all emotion, and there was only one way to pierce his hardness.
Family.
It was the one and only time he had a heart.
“Alright,” he said. “I’ll teach you.”
When I walked into the house, I found Laura and Demetri asleep on the couch. He was on his stomach on her chest, and they seemed to breathe in sync. Her arms still cocooned him, and the sunlight came through the window and warmed them both.
I approached the back of the couch and stared down at the two of them. The house was silent, which was a rarity, and the world outside was quiet. The olive trees were visible in the distance, climbing up the hill until they disappeared on the other side.
I moved to the armchair and sat there, watching them both sleep, the two things that mattered most to me.
I wasn’t sure how long that lasted, how long I sat there and watched them, but it must have been an hour before Demetri grew fussy and started to cry.
Before Laura could fully wake up, I took him into my arms and carried him outside, his favorite place to be. I took him into the sunshine as I bobbed him up and down, turning his cries to little giggles.
He smiled at me.
I smiled back.
Laura followed me outside a moment later. “How’d it go?”
“Good. He said he would teach me the ropes.”
“That’s nice.”
“And then one day, I’ll be able teach you the ropes, son.” I looked at Demetri, who smiled every time I gave him attention.
Laura covered her mouth as she gave a yawn. “Do you mind if I take a nap? He was up all night.”
“No problem.”
“Thank you.” She directed my face to hers and kissed me. “I love you.” She patted my chest and walked back to the house.
I watched her go. “I love you too…”
I unlocked the screen and showed him the pictures in the bar.
Benton smiled. “Looks just like you.”
“I know he does.” I realized it the first time I saw him. Dark hair. Dark eyes. And he was a long kid, which told me he would be tall.
