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This was the first time the cat had approached her when she hadn’t been offering food. Now the cat backed up out of reach and looked at the jar that had held the blueberries.
“Sorry, Ginger. They’re all done. And I didn’t bring any food for either of us.” Because she’d planned on returning to the lodge the night before and being part of the welcome meal for Sam’s friend.
Flynn. Of all the people in the world, Flynn was one of the last she’d expected to show up.
She’d never allowed herself to do an online search for any of the people from her past. That was one of the rules for Wit Sec, and she’d followed it. Even private browsers weren’t really private for the experts.
So many people had helped her out after they’d saved her life. She didn’t know most of them by name because a lot of the work of creating a new identity went on in the background. Taking a silly risk to look up someone she was never supposed to see again seemed rude and dismissive of their efforts.
It had taken more than a year after she’d woken from her coma before she was healthy enough to leave the facility. They’d wanted her walking on her own steam and to be able to hold down a job before letting her out.
Her physical therapists had become the closest people to her, but she’d remained a job to them. It had taken years to build a life around the Tess persona and now it was all at risk.
She considered calling John Tynan, the Marshal in charge of her case. And rejected it again. A promise to Flynn meant a lot to her. He’d been so angry when he’d seen her. She knew much of that had been shock and hurt. And she didn’t blame him a bit. She’d lied through omission to the best friend she’d ever had. He’d probably never truly forgive her for that.
Ginger knocked over the jar and Tessa smiled. “Sorry. There’s nothing in there at all. If you come with me back to the lodge, I’ll get you some food.”
A peek at her phone showed she had enough time to do her stretches before climbing into the canoe. It was chilly in the cabin, but she didn’t bother stoking the stove. No point in wasting the fuel when she had to leave soon.
Tessa shoved off the couch and groaned as she straightened. She’d tried sleeping on the bed that rested against the southern wall of the cabin, but she hadn’t been able to stay there. Not with thoughts of Flynn joining her in the bed. The fantasies had blended with regrets and worries. And fear.
Ginger yowled again, making Tessa laugh. She started her stretching routine. “You’re stuck with me for a bit. Then we’re going to get in the canoe together. We should be early enough to get into the lodge and get some food for both of us before we meet Flynn.”
The whole time she stretched, she spoke to the cat, trying to get her used to her voice and presence. Hopefully she would let Tessa pick her up when it was time to leave.
Leaving the cat hiding in the cabin would be fine, except she’d have to head right back out after her conversation with Flynn with some food. She didn’t want to leave Ginger outdoors. It was almost December and she was afraid the tiny body would freeze.
Once her own body was loose enough to move normally, Tessa packed her few items in her backpack and slid it on. “Come on, Ginger. Time to go. We’ll get you some food at the lodge.”
Ginger didn’t appear to believe her and skittered under the bed. Tessa couldn’t get down on the floor to entice the cat. It would be too difficult to climb to her feet again and the cat would simply escape.
After twenty minutes, she moved and opened the door a crack. “Last chance, Ginger. I have to leave. I’m already late.”
She didn’t want Flynn to think she’d taken off on him. When the cat made no move to appear, she sighed. “I’ll be back with food. Don’t destroy anything.”
It was going to be a very long day.
Tessa maneuvered herself into the canoe. The water was high enough she could drop into it from the dock. She’d learned the pattern of how to get to a sitting position on the dock and then use the pilings to balance as she dropped to the canoe seat. Not in the least bit graceful, but effective.
As she untied the canoe, she looked up to see Ginger watching her from a window beside the door. “Sorry, I’m not abandoning you. I will be back. You should have come with me, silly girl.”
With a sigh, Tessa pushed off the dock and turned toward the lodge. She hadn’t checked the temperatures, but it was definitely below freezing. More ice would be forming on the lake edges today. She’d have to add the data to her app later. Stopping to do it now would make her even later.
Unless she needed to leave. Abandon her turtles and her data. And her friends. Her heart ached as it had all night with the thought of losing everything she’d gained.
The faintest tinge of dawn was brightening the eastern horizon when she rounded a bend and saw the lodge. It was early, but there were still several lights shining. Tansy didn’t follow the regular sleep patterns of most humans. When she was deep into a project, she could easily go more than a day without breaking for anything but the barest of essentials.
After one night of next to no sleep, Tessa’s brain was thick and heavy. Or maybe that was her heart.
The exercise had helped to warm her upper body, but her legs were still stiff when she was close enough to see the dock. She paddled in and brought herself to the pilings she used to tie up. She exchanged the paddle for the rope and threw it around the first piling.
“Didn’t think you were going to show.”
Tessa yelped but managed not to topple the canoe as Flynn emerged from the shadows of the dock above her. Her heart raced but she steadied her fingers and tied the rope. When she reached to tie the second rope, Flynn took it out of her hand and did it for her.
She’d hoped to be out of the canoe and on equal footing with Flynn when they spoke. The stubborn cat had cost her the time. Tessa put her backpack on the dock and rose slowly, keeping the canoe steady. She tried to ignore the strong and virile man standing above her.
With a deep breath, she placed both hands flat on the dock and bent her knees to push off the bottom of the small boat. Today, she needed to get this on the first try.
