Page 36 of Wild Love
Cora nods and captures her tongue between her lips in concentration. It seems like a simple enough thing, using a lighter. I think back to her sitting in the kitchen earlier, reading her book, staying out of the way, being perfectly agreeable, and I realize she’s adapted to be amenable toanythingjust to make things easier on her parents.
“There! It’s lit! It’s going!” She squeals in excitement while I find the bridge of my nose stinging as I watch her get excited over a simple flame.
“Okay, easy now,” I say as she holds the flame to the crumpled newspaper. “You’re going to blow on it gently.”
“Won’t that put it out?”
“No, just gently enough to spread the flame.”
She doesn’t look at me, but she hands over the lighter and then places her palms on the bricks surrounding the pit, blowing gently. When the flames brighten, so do her eyes. So does everything about her, and Ifinallyfeel like I’m doing something for this girl other than just being her legal guardian.
I find myself smiling too. But I’m not watching the flames.
I’m watching Cora.
And when I glance up, Rosie’s eyes are also alight. Except she’s watchingme.
CHAPTER TWELVE
ROSIE
I can’t ignorethe burning urge I feel the minute Ford walks away to get Cora settled in for the night. My hand dives into my pocket and I pull my phone out immediately and fire off a text to Ryan.
Rosie:
Hey, I know you’re probably at work right now. Wondering if your schedule is still looking as full or if something has opened up. I feel like we need to talk. This weekend maybe?
I stare at the lit screen of the phone, and within a minute, I see three gray dots start to roll. They start. And they stop. Several seconds pass and then they start up again. This pattern continues for much longer than is necessary for a simple answer. But I find myself sitting there waiting for words to pop up all the same.
Ryan:
Hey babe! Wish I could. Heading out on the road to do some sight visits so I’m not even gonna be in town. Busy right now. Call you when I get home tonight.
I have a momentary urge to tell him that it’ssite visitnotsight visit. But that urge is overrun by my absolute indifference. I don’t bother responding. Instead, I shove my phone back into my pocket with an eyeroll and go back to enjoying the crackling heat of the fire in front of me.
I’m entirely lost in watching the flames dance when Ford settles on the stump next to mine. “Here,” he says gruffly as he wraps a blanket around my shoulders. It catches me off guard that he brought a blanket down from his house just for me.
But I opt not to pester him about it. The food coma has me feeling more mellow than usual.
“That was fun. Thanks for inviting me.” He’s tall enough and the stumps are close enough that our legs line up and press against each other.
But I decide it’s better if I don’t fixate on that.
He chuckles, low and raspy, while we stare at the roaring fire. The lake shimmers in the dark beyond us, and an owl hoots somewhere in the trees over the crackling logs.
“I didn’t invite you. I asked to borrow ingredients, and you invited yourself.”
I smile at that. “Hey, at least I brought beer.”
He reaches for his and takes a deep swig. Somehow, the sound of him swallowing is hyper-masculine. “You couldhave shown up empty-handed, and we’d have been happy to see you.”
“You mean Cora would have been happy to see me.” I nudge him with my elbow, trying to steer this moment back into playful territory. Because there’s something different about Ford now.
Ten years ago, his intensity was awkward. Kind of endearing, really. Now that intensity is… I don’t know. It makes me squirmy, like I can’t handle having his full attention on me without my skin itching.
“No. I’d have been happy to see you too.”
It’s my turn to take a deep swig of the pale ale I brought from the brewery in town. It’s not especially cold anymore. The heat from the flames has warmed the can, and it’s lost a bit of its fizz. But I swallow that shit like I’m parched in the desert.
