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"Brit thinks I have an affinity for animals. Her grandmother, my great aunt, was a practitioner of folk magic and a healer. Brit thinks I inherited some of her magic."
"You're a witch." That makes so much sense. "Are your danishes charmed?" I would love for a spell to be the answer to what I'm feeling for this strange, adorable woman.
"I don't think you meant that in a nice way, but I'm going to take it as a compliment because I like the sound of it. The witch of Sanctuary Farm."
"And now you've got a plan. A plan that's a bigger job than you realize."
"You think I'm not up to it?" Her shoulders go rigid. Even from behind, I can see the jut of her chin.
Aw, shit. She's one of those kinds of people.
"Of course you can do it." I'm a terrible liar and she flinches like she knows it. "It's just a huge job. It's a ton of dirty, messy, heartbreaking work."
"Which you think I can't do. Because I couldn't pay my camping fee, I must be a fuckup. Because I'm petite, I'm weak and don't know how to work hard. You think because I'm a woman, I won't like to get dirty."
"I think you're terrible about asking for help, and if you're going to run a sanctuary farm, you're going to need a ton of help."
"Great. Thank you for volunteering. We accept physical labor or money, cash or check."
My laugh surprises me as much as it surprises Mari, who stops in her tracks.
"You need to apologize," Dani says.
I snort and pull on the rope, but Mari won't move. "I'm sorry I laughed so loudly."
Mari huffs and takes a couple of steps back.
"Apologize for laughing at me and suggesting I can't be the best sanctuary farm owner in five states. Maybe I'll get licensed as a wildlife rehabilitator, too."
I roll my eyes, but Mari isn't moving, and the sun is dipping behind the mountains. "I'm sorry for underestimating and laughing at you, Dandelion Greens Weston."
Mari nods her big head and trots toward me so fast Dani and I have to jog ahead to keep from getting run over.
"See," Dani says, far too self-satisfied.
"Coincidence."
"Sure, Ranger. You keep telling yourself that."
And I do, all the way back to Dani's house, because if this woman really is a witch, I'm dangerously close to being completely under her spell.
***
"This is the barn?" The small building isn't much bigger than an average three-car garage. There are three pottery wheels in the main aisle, a large oven-like device I suspect is a kiln, and two tables filled with pottery and various supplies.
Dani blinks, expression weary, eyelids drooping with fatigue. "I haven't been out here since I moved in. I didn't realize how much space Honey's taking up."
"You said there's a stall?"
There needs to be a stall, because there's no fence around the property.
Unfortunately, I have no better idea where I can leave the cow, who's slowly sinking toward the floor.
"They're over here." Dani leads me to the far corner of the 'barn,' where there are indeed two stalls, one filled with art supplies and one with a bare cement floor.
Dani doesn't say a word, but she doesn't have to. I know exactly how she's feeling when her shoulders droop. I can see it on her face in the way her lips turn down and she blinks hard, like she's holding back tears.
I've been where she is, exhausted and wanting to do one nice thing for someone and coming up short.
