Page 37 of The County Line
She snorts. “So how are things going? Did you work at the distillery today?”
“No. I have the weekend off. My weekend crew typically handles things and calls me if there are questions or any emergencies. Though these days I don’t do much but work on the house, so I usually end up down there anyhow.”
She nods and smiles. “Now, if you had a hobby, you could be practicing that instead.”
“Is my parole officer here right now?”
She grins, “No. Sorry, habit.”
“Hm.” I grab the open bag of Cheetos and drop into the seat beside her, kicking my work boots up on the edge of the firepit. Ipop a few into my mouth, chewing thoughtfully before glancing her way.
“You coming with me to volunteer again next Wednesday? Maybe this time, we skip happy hour after.”
“Yes, I told Lydia I’ll try to make it on time next week.”
I think for a moment, rubbing my jaw before popping two of the Cheetos into my mouth. “You know, maybe you should be Jenni’sbiggoing forward.”
She raises a brow before snatching the bag from me and pouring a few into her lap. “Why’s that?”
“Not sure it’s a good idea for me to be paired up with her.”
“That elicits another dramatic eyebrow raise. “Did something happen last week?”
“No, but I think I might have a problem.”
She blinks again, her brows dropping, “What do you mean?”
I hesitate, letting my gaze drift to the creek. It’s swollen from the spring rains, rushing past the edge of our property, its path winding behind the farmstead like a loyal companion right up against the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The creek has always been a lifeline, a guide. Even as a kid, running wild out here with Regan, Mav and Molly, I knew that if we ever got lost, I could follow its flow and find my way back to this land.
This place.
This home.
I glance around, taking in the wildflowers scattered across the fields and the mountain peaks standing watch in the distance. It’s the most beautiful spot on the property, the kind of place that feels like an oasis, even when everything else is uncertain.I’ve always known I’d end up living here, no matter how far I wandered. I still don’t understand why Troy insisted on building so close to the main house when we have all this space and these views.
“I think something’s going on with the son in Jenni’s foster family,” I finally say, breaking the silence. “She told me that the family wants to adopt her, but she doesn’t want that. She said the son makes her uncomfortable.”
I steal a glance at Molly. Her lips part slightly, her expression shifting as her mind races. I can practically see the gears turning, the weight of my words hitting her.
“Colt…” she starts, her voice low but steady. “What are you suggesting?”
I exhale sharply, running a hand over my buzzed head. “I don’t think she should be adopted by that family—not if something’s going on with the brother. Hell, she probably shouldn’t even be staying there right now. He’s four years older than her, and when I ran into them at the grocery store today…” My jaw tightens at the memory. “The way he was looking at her—it wasn’t right. It gave me a bad feeling. And if she’s saying that she’s uncomfortable, then someone needs to step in before it’s too late.”
Molly’s expression hardens, her eyes narrowing slightly as she processes what I’ve said. For a moment, neither of us speaks as I watch her try to piece together the mystery behind why I’m suddenly invested in this little girl not getting adopted by this family, hardly one month out of prison.
She shakes her head. “Fuck,” she whispers, and I sit back in my chair, watching her. “Colt, you really don’t know what’s going on. It sounds like you’re making assumptions based on a single interaction. You could be reading too much into things. Shedidn’t say anything happened, just that she’s uncomfortable. She may have just been talking to fill the silence with you. Little girls sometimes just ramble.”
I shake my head in disappointment and chuckle. “Were you a little girl who just said stuff sometimes?”
She opens and closes her mouth in shock, likely stunned by my blow but I knew it’d get a reaction out of her, and I’m shocked she’s reacting this way. Molly knows how it feels to be doubted by the grown-ups in her life when she’s trying to bring attention to a serious problem in her home. Molly, of all people should know that little girls don’t usually say something to serious unless there’s some truth behind it.
“Look... I know what I saw,” I state firmly.
“Colt…as your parole officer, I have to caution you about getting involved here.”
“I’m not talking about getting involved, I’m talking about some sort of solution to stop them from adopting her. To get her out from under their care.”
