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Mom hadn’t wanted to leave back in the day when Dad’s job as an architect took us elsewhere. She’d fought tooth and nail to stay, but we’d ended up in Seattle, and she never mentioned Hot Springs again. At least, she’d never mentioned it to me.
I rose from my chair, stretching my arms above my head and shivering slightly as the chill in the air touched my skin. Day was falling asleep, so I staunched the fire and stuffed our trash in the grocery bag I’d carried our snacks in.
“We’ll leave the chairs for tomorrow’s smore date,” I whispered to him, kneeling down so he could climb on my back with his arms roped around my neck. “Hold on tight.”
I carried him piggyback-style back to the bunkhouse, passing by the darkened warehouses on our way into the trees.
I heard Grant’s voice, though, and suddenly he appeared with George, his head rancher. George tipped his hat to me in passing before waving a hand at Grant, who nodded at him in farewell before George climbed into his truck and started it up.
“Hey,” Grant said, tipping his hat.
“Hey,” I said, pretending to tip a hat I wasn’t wearing at him, which made him smile.
Day was passed out now, his chin pressing into my shoulder and head beginning to loll.
“Need any help?”
“No, but thank you.” I smiled, adjusting Day’s weight. He was getting heavier and heavier by the day.
“I’ll see you in the morning, then?” Grant asked, his face half cast in shadow. He looked like a fucking dream right now, dusty and slightly damp from an evening ride, bathed in moonlight.
I wondered what he thought of me.
“Of course,” I replied, giving him a soft smile before I started walking away again. I felt his gaze on my back until I broke through the trees and onto the path leading to the bunkhouse, where I nudged the screen door open with the toe of my shoe and backed inside.
I dumped Day in his bed, removing his shoes and pulling the blanket up to his chin.
“You can brush your stinky teeth in the morning,” I whispered, kissing his forehead. He didn’t even stir.
I walked back out onto the front porch after readying for bed and walked around the entire house, making sure I couldn’t get the windows open, even though I’d already locked them from the inside and triple-checked the locks.
I did that everywhere we lived, everywhere we’d ever stayed the night.
I couldn’t help myself, and I couldn’t sleep without knowing we were totally, completely safe.
It was a calm night, the stars out in full and shining brighter than I’d ever seen them before. I hadn’t seen a sky like that since I lived here as a kid, honestly, and I found myself perched on the front steps, just watching the sky for at least an hour.
But I jumped to my feet at the sound of footsteps on the gravel path only yards away from the bunkhouse. A darkened figure passed by carrying a flashlight, then stopped, shining the flashlight at my feet.
I let out the breath I’d been holding as George’s face came into view, an apologetic look on his face as he waved his hand in greeting.
“You all right, ma’am?”
“Fine, thanks. Just enjoying the quiet.”
He looked down at my fists, which were clenched tightly at my sides. I let out my breath, flexing my hands and giving him a tight smile.
“It’s none of my business if you’re hiding from something,” he said, his eyes fixed on mine with an intensity that sent a chill up my spine. “But know that no one will be messing with you or that boy at this ranch.”
“Okay,” I replied shakily. “Thank you.”
George nodded, tipping his hat in the usual fashion before walking away. I hurried down the steps, watching the light of his flashlight skim across the ground, then up along the walls of the warehouses as he made what had to be his “rounds.”
So, the ranch had a bodyguard. Noted.
I hugged myself as I turned and walked back into the bunkhouse, locking the door behind me.
I paused in the doorway to my room, then turned on my heel and crawled into bed beside Day.
