Page 4 of Love Me Steadfast
Even though I’m back in Finn River, I don’t have to see him. I’m only in town long enough to help Morgan get back on her feet. I avoided Will three years ago when Boxcar Doves played our final show at The Limelight. I can avoidhim now.
Through the tall trees flanking the mountain road, I get flashes of the Bitterroots, bare and craggy this time of year, the last of the sun’s light turning the peaks copper. Below me, the indigo surface of Bear Lake glistens. It’ll be dark soon. And I’ll be treated to a night sky studded with a jeweler’s bounty of bright stars.
I cross Miner Creek, its cold, mineral scent heavy on my tongue and the crashing of the water filling my road-weary ears. It should be soothing, but my nerves are too frayed, my anxiety too powerful.
Though I’ve already programmed Theo’s address into my phone, I idle at Morning Star Road to be sure I’m still on track, unease twisting in my gut. The Huttons’ ranch is out this way. I can picture their big barn with its red metal roof, and Galaxy, the rescue horse Will and I spoiled with carrots and extra attention. Why would Theo have a place out here? I drum my fingers on the wheel, then take the gravel road. A plume of dust rises behind me and my tires bite the uneven surface.
I turn down a driveway flanked by forest on both sides, bumping over potholes. When I pull up to a two-story blue house with a wraparound porch and detached garage, my attention is drawn to the two vehicles parked facing the fenced yard. One is Theo’s dusty black Subaru. The other is a sporty silver hatchback. My brother knew I was coming, and yet he has company?
I consider backing out of here and high-tailing it down the driveway. Finn River has a lovely old inn downtown. Maybe that would be a better option than to barge in on Theo and his guest. Of course there are vacation rentals, but even during slack season, they’d be expensive. Certainly beyond my meager musician’s budget.
With a sigh, I park and shut off my engine. It’s fine. Whoever Theo’s entertaining, I’m sure it’s fine. I don’t want to talk tonight anyway, and I’m sure Theo has very little to say. It’s not that he doesn’t care about our sister, it’s that he cares too much, and he’s looking out for his weary heart.
I slip on my battered clogs, then step down to the gravel, rolling my hips side to side to flush out a day’s worth of kinks in my joints.The cool, alpine air sinks into my lungs. It always takes a few days to get used to the altitude and the drier air. This time of year is my favorite. Crisp, cold nights. Warm, soft-focused days, the heat of summer long gone. Afternoon thunderstorms. The spicy scent of sage.
Will I still be here when the snow starts falling?
I haul my duffel bag and violin from the trunk. Tomorrow I’ll come back for the rest. The gravel crunches under my feet as I pass Theo’s car and let myself through the gate. A dog woofs from inside the house, and the porch light flicks on. Did Theo get a dog? I swallow my annoyance. Growing up, we had the occasional pet—a basset hound named Rufus, rabbits, Teddy the gerbil, even a snake. There’s no way Theo would know about the pit bull incident, because I haven’t told anyone, not even Henrik. Though my socializing days with Henrik are fading fast thanks to the disease.
Theo’s tidy yard looks well cared for, and the steps are flanked by flowering shrubs. I’m halfway up the porch steps when the front door opens and my brother rushes out. His lips hint at a smile and his hazel eyes warm.
“Hey Charlie.” He draws me into a soft hug.
I set my violin and duffle bag down so I can wrap my arms around him. I take a deep inhale of his fresh cotton scent, fighting back tears.
“Let me get that,” he says, picking up my duffel and violin just as a medium-sized fluffball slips through the screen door, tail wagging nonstop.
I jump back, my heart racing, while the dog sniffs my ankles. Her caramel-colored fur contrasts with her white paws and the white diamond on her chest. Her fluffy ears remind me of a fox’s. “Is she yours?” I ask Theo, my voice wavering.
Before he can answer, a figure darkens the doorway. “That’s Ollie,” the man says, his voice rich and steady. A voice I’d know anywhere. In this life, or the next.
I try to steal a breath, but it lodges in my throat. I don’t want to look up, but I can’t avoid it. Not without making it weird. And that’s the last thing I want.
Why didn’t I turn my car around the minute I saw Theo wasn’t alone?
William opens the screen door to welcome me in, and I straighten. Our eyes lock, and for an instant, my heart presses so firmly against my ribs, I already feel the bruises forming. Just add them to the ones that are already there. The ones that never healed.
“Hi, Charlotte,” Will says with a hint of a smile. Or is it a grimace? Is it because of Morgan, and the scars he now carries after saving her life, or something else?
“Hey,” I reply. It comes out tight, but I can’t help it.
I should look away, but drinking him in is too tempting. His faded Levi’s fit just right—low on his hips and snug around his strong thighs, and his blue T-shirt stretches across his broad chest and strains at his massive biceps. His thick dark hair looks wet, like he just showered.
Why the hell is he here?
William steps back to give me room to pass, and though I do without touching him, the space between us feels charged. Is it because the words I couldn’t say back then have lingered, trapped in time?
If that wasn’t bad enough, I catch a hint of his peppery scent as I enter the room. I shake my head like it’ll clear it from my senses.
After that summer, I slept with one of William’s T-shirts clutched to my chest until it no longer smelled like him.
To the left is an open living area featuring a woodstove and couch, with the kitchen area behind it. A big window over the sink offers a view of the dark yard, and a sliding glass door opens to the back porch. On the right, a staircase leads to the second floor. Ollie trots to her bed near the woodstove and starts chewing on a bone. Relief ebbs inside me.
“We set you up in the guest room,” Theo says, drawing my attention to the hallway. “Down here.”
I look over my shoulder to give Will a questioning glance.We?
His deep blue eyes and stoic face don’t give anything away. But my sluggish brain has made the connection already. Theo and Williambothlive here. It makes sense due to their longstanding friendship and demanding work schedules, and yet, why didn’t I think to ask?
