Page 22 of Claws and Feathers

Cooper had intended on approaching her – saying hello and filling her in on the new developments. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t bear to tarnish this moment for her. Because right now she was an untouchable woman, glowing and bright, skipping along the blades of grass with her camera clutched tightly in her grip. If he interceded, she would forget. She would forget that forright now, just for a few more glorious seconds, everything was okay. His presence would only remind her of her grim reality. Her ghosts were waiting on the sidelines, eager to swallow her back up and regain their inherent hold.

No, Cooper couldn’t risk that. Instead, he leaned back against the hood of his car and folded his arms across his chest. He watched her from the side of the street. The breeze picked up, billowing the branches of the willow, and persuading them to move and sway like a magnificent dance. Abby’s long, ashy hair skimmed across her face in a similar fashion. As a new gust of wind wafted around her, she stilled her movements and turned to look at him. Maybe there was something in that particular draft that gave her pause – drew her to him. Maybe whatever was calling to him was also calling to her.

Their eyes met and his heart sped up. Cooper thought her light would dim when she spotted him. He thought, surely, her ghosts would sink their teeth right back into her and pull her under.

But she didn’t falter. She didn’t fade. She didn’t forget.

She only smiled.

And in that moment, a new dance had begun.

Chapter seven

A week had gone by, and Abby was on the hunt for a house. While she enjoyed her late nights staying up with her best friend, gorging on Chinese takeout and binging Netflix, Abby was ready to spread her wings. Daphne deserved her privacy and Abby was craving a bit of independence. A property just down the road had gone up for sale. It was a fixer-upper, which meant she’d be getting a great deal, but she was also setting herself up for a ton of work. Some days she’d wake up tired and unmotivated, and the idea of fixing up a house sounded impossibly hard. Then there were days where she desperately needed the distraction. She needed something to keep her focused. She needed a purpose.

A house renovation would never run out of projects, so it seemed like a worthwhile investment – both financially and emotionally.

Abby stood at the edge of the overgrown yard, scuffing her sandal against the gravel. She snapped a few pictures of the cozy cottage, turning her camera a variety of different angles. It sat quietly amongst tall weeds and an endless array of dandelions. She already knew she was going to paint it yellow. Yellow was the happiest color.

It was her mother’s favorite color.

She closed her eyes, relishing in the warm air coasting across her face. She could smell the fragrant lilac bushes. She could hear the robins singing. This felt right. Abby decided she was going to put an offer in on the three-bedroom cottage on Bluebird Trail. She would lay roots in The Crow.

Abby captured a few more photos before turning to see a familiar patrol car driving down the secluded dirt road. She couldn’t help but smile. Cooper pulled off to the side of the street, exiting his vehicle with a whimsical look on his face.

“Looking to get your own HGTV show?” He quirked a grin as he leaned forward against the car, folding his hands over the hood.

Abby tucked her hair behind her ear and pulled her camera strap over her shoulder. She stepped towards him, mimicking his playful expression. “Actually, I was looking to buy it.”

Cooper raised a speculative eyebrow as he glanced between her and the dilapidated house. “Ambitious,” he noted. His eyes sparkled as they settled on her. “You sure you’re up for something like that?”

She looked back at the house over her shoulder. “Not even a little. But that’s sort of what makes it exciting.”

Exciting. Terrifying. Same difference.

Cooper nodded his head with impressive interest. “Well, speaking of exciting… I was on my way to go sit in your driveway for an unknown number of hours.”

“Compelling stuff,” she laughed.

Oh, Cooper.He had been dedicated to her safety to say the least. Some of the other officers still kept watch over her, but it wasn’t quite the same. She always seemed to feel a little lighter – a little less on edge – when it was Cooper McAllister parked outside Daphne’s house. He had taken it upon himself to even come by when he was off the clock. There was something incredibly heartening about his commitment to her. It warmed her.

There were times over the past week where she’d been left without security detail. Abby knew there was not enough manpower in the small town of Crow’s Peak to keep watch over her twenty-four hours a day. Cooper had other work commitments. He needed to sleep, despite his resistance. Weeks had passed since her abduction, and the dust was settling day by day. Abby finally felt like she could breathe again.

“Want a ride back?” Cooper asked, tilting his head to the side.

“I’ll walk,” she replied. “I’m almost done here.”

“I’ll see you there.”

She nodded as he hopped back into the car. Abby finished her photo session after Cooper pulled away, her heart beating quickly with the anticipation of a potential new real estate journey. Nana Cecily had left Abby with her entire savings, which wasmillions. Abby had consulted with an accountant before leaving Illinois and had made sure her finances were in order. Abby was a frugal spender, so she knew the money could ultimately last her for most of her life. But Abby wasn’t the kind of girl who coasted by on someone else’s dime. She took great pride in paving her own way for herself. That was another reason why she was so excited about this quaint house – the two-car garage could easily be transformed into a photography studio.

Nana had also left Abby with her estate. Luckily for her brother, Abby had no interest in the sprawling mansion, so she’d handed it over to Ryan. He had a seven-thousand square foot property to call his very own. Or a huge chunk of change to feed his heroin addiction. Abby didn’t think for a moment he was even remotely grateful, but that was neither here nor there.

She walked along the quiet street, absorbing the sights and sounds along the way. There was something strangely charming about the way her feet crunched against the pebbles and small rocks. The Crow was so different from the ritzy suburbs she was accustomed to.

It was a welcome change. And that, at the end of the day, was what Abby had always wanted –change.

It was a mere five-minute walk back to Daphne’s house. Abby was about to head inside when something stopped her. Cooper was parked in his usual place in the driveway, his window rolled down and his foot propped up on the dashboard. An unfamiliar song trickled out through the window. It drew her over to the patrol car like a magnet.

---