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Her mom’s eyes closed again and Elena took a deep breath and began pulling items from her basket.
She’d dug the potatoes from a patch she’d planted earlier in the year. The carrots too, though it was beginning to get too cold for the vegetables to survive. Tomorrow she’d go and pull them all up and put them in the keep alongside their cabin. The temperature wasn’t freezing yet. It was in the low forties, but it was still early January and would likely get a bit colder before the weather changed and spring warmed them.
She pulled a pot from the wooden stand under the counter and carried it to the fireplace. Grabbing the fire poker, she pulled the wrought iron hook from inside, hooked the handle of her kettle on the hook and poured water from the pitcher on the counter into it.
She hummed as she cut her carrots and potatoes and dropped them into the pot. She gathered herbs and spices as she looked for plants and seeds. As she dropped them into the warming soup, the fragrance filled the air. Finally, she added the fresh venison pieces to her soup. Pushing the kettle and hook into the fireplace, she cleaned up.
She added her flowers and seeds to the various canning jars she’d collected and placed them on the wooden shelves her dad had made. Loud voices outside the cabin diverted her attention.
She tiptoed to the door and listened. “I know it was that fucker from town. The one who killed Everett.”
“How do you know that?”
“Dark hair and a beard. He was wearing that fucking blue cap he wears with the gun club logo on it.”
She closed her eyes. Her stomach tightened. Aidyn had been up here. She thought she heard running while she was on the east side of the mountain, but she didn’t see anything. He was going to get himself killed if he kept coming up here. She needed to warn him.
“Keep an eye out. If they come back up here, grab him and bring him up to Craig.”
Their footsteps crunched on the gravel outside and faded into the air.
She stirred her soup, then finished sorting her seeds and plants. Tonight, after they ate, she’d slip down the mountain and leave a note for Aidyn.
Her mom sat up in bed and Elena watched as she reached for her shoes and slipped them on. She pulled the blanket from the foot of the bed and wrapped it around her shoulders as she moved into the kitchen.
Elena pulled two of the three bowls they owned from under the sink and set them on the table. She gathered their spoons and filled their bowls with the hot soup.
It smelled wonderful and it would warm them for sure. Eating quietly, she allowed her thoughts to imagine Aidyn sitting here with them. Eating her soup and enjoying it. She’d been enamored with him from the first time she’d seen him. Something about his demeanor. He was sure of himself. He had confidence and vitality. But he was also considerate of others. She’d watched him and his friends from the cover of brush as they worked down on the base. He laughed easily with his friends and his smile was stunning.
“The soup is good, Elena.”
Elena jerked slightly. “Thanks, Mama.”
“You’re lost in thought.”
She tried to smile. “I was. Thinking about the best way to divide up some of the plants I found today. I’d like to propagate them differently this year. I think I can grow healthier plants by rooting them in water first rather than drying them out for seeds.”
Her mom stopped eating and stared into her eyes. “You can do that.” Elena took another spoonful of soup, but her mom didn’t stop staring. “I don’t think that was what you were thinking of, though.”
Her cheeks heated and she swallowed the soup in her mouth.
“Mama.”
Her mom shook her head slightly. “You be careful. You’re all I’ve got.”
ChapterThree
Aidyn tossed the last of his t-shirts on top of the pile in his suitcase. They’d be in there for a few minutes. Just as long as it took him to get from this house, out to the sewing factory. So he didn’t worry about wrinkles or packing appropriately.
He zipped the suitcase closed and set it on the floor. He pulled the strap to his computer case over his shoulder and picked up his suitcase before exiting his room. His teammates voices could be heard downstairs. They’d worked their asses off getting permits and licenses before finally being able to remodel the sewing factory. Moving in today felt like a victory. A hard fought one at that. Between the BRR breaking windows, the builders and town council, they’d been playing games around this property for months. The BRR had finally stopped breaking things once the wrought iron fence had been installed.
Gaige and Sophie Vickers, Tate’s parents, helped them so much. Sophie acted as their project manager, since after all, GHOST was picking up the tab on it all. But, she’d done a spectacular job. Yesterday they’d installed all the remaining security cameras needed. Tonight, hopefully, they’d all sleep better than they had been. The BRR kept them on their toes running up and down the streets at night. Causing trouble at the base. And generally being pains in the ass. With the fencing came large iron gates that opened once a security card was scanned. The BRR could try to climb over the eight-foot-high fence, but they’d be on camera the entire time and then they’d go to jail.
As he stepped into the dining room at the bottom of the steps, Spencer and Maya were finishing up on their computers.
“Everything okay?”
Maya nodded, her ponytail swishing. “Yep. All good. Spencer has all the camera feeds loaded up on all of our computers and all of them are working.”
