Page 2 of Forever Wild
While breathing a sigh of relief that I’m one road closer to home, movement catches my attention off to the left side just beyond the tree line. Tensing reactively, my grip tightens on the steering wheel but that’s all I manage to do before the buck sprints in front of my vehicle.
Shit.
I slam on the brakes and cut the wheel to the right. Things I know aren’t ideal in these conditions, but neither is crashing into the big animal darting inches from my front fender.
The deer manages to escape unscathed, but my relief is short-lived as the back end of my SUV spins around and I slide quickly toward the tree-lined landscape beyond the paved road. I try helplessly toslow down and veer back on course, but it’s no use. My SUV heads straight for the rough forest area, soaring like it’s on skates. Panic surges through me as I fight for control.
“No,” I plead to no one and anyone. The only answer is the sound of my tires bumping across the rocky terrain as they finally find purchase and then the slam of the front of my vehicle against a tree. White hot pain splinters through me as the crash echoes in the quiet forest.
Then, silence.
1
STOP TALKING IF YOU WANT TO SURVIVE
EVERLY
“I’m going to miss you so much,” I say to my favorite person in the world in a sweet tone I reserve only for her.
Charlotte smiles up at me from where she lies on her changing table and bats at the loose strands of hair hanging in my face. One tiny hand gets a death grip on my blonde locks and I laugh even as I wince and unclench her fist to free (most) of my hair.
I pick her up, then lift her above my head like she’s flying. Her grin widens and my heart feels like it might burst. She has my brother’s smile and Piper’s dark hair and blue eyes. She’s a shy baby with strangers or people she doesn’t trust, but she’s such a lovebug with those she does.
Pulling her down against my hip, I breathe her in. She smells like lavender and baby powder. I love the feel of her little body nuzzled up to me.
“I think she’s going to miss you too.” Piper leans in and kissesCharlotte’s soft cheek. She looks at her daughter with so much love and adoration that it makes my chest hurt. Her love for Charlotte is so big. It’s the kind of pure maternal affection that most people take for granted. But not me. “We all will. Are you sure you don’t want to come with us?”
“No.” I shake my head, not even having to think about it. “But maybe you could just leave her here with me.” I sit on the pink chair in the nursery with Charlotte while Piper continues packing for their upcoming vacation.
I want to soak up all my niece’s little laughs and kisses before they leave. Hockey season is over, and my brother and his teammates are all taking some much-needed time off. Tyler and Piper are headed east. They rented a place on the beach where Charlotte can play in the sand and dip her toes into the ocean. It does sound nice, but with college just ending and real life hovering on the horizon, my ideal summer is staying here, sleeping in, lounging by the pool, and pretending that nothing has changed.
“I think you’d be ready for a break after a day or two. She’s cute until she wakes you up at two in the morning.”
That does sound exhausting. “I don’t know how you do it.”
“She has me.” Tyler walks into the nursery and shoots his wife a wink before settling his gaze on me and Charlotte. “How are all my favorite girls?”
“We’re great,” I say reverting back to baby talk. I don’t know what it is about a tiny little human that makes us all coo and talk weird, but I am not immune to it. Especially when it makes Charlotte smile at me like I’m the coolest person alive. As she should.
“Stressed.” Piper adds another outfit to the suitcase. “I’m running out of room. Do you have another bag?”
Tyler’s brows rise as he takes in the very large, very full bag on the floor. “You know there’s a washer and dryer at the beach house, right? You don’t have to bring every scrap of clothing she owns.”
I clear my throat and give Ty our secret sibling look, which isn’t really that secret. Wide eyes, shake of the head. It’s a clear “stop talking if you want to survive” look that we’ve perfected over the years.
He trails off and then flashes Piper a smile. “I’ll go see if I can find another bag.”
“Thank you.” Piper’s shoulders sag in relief. Ty brushes his lips over hers before disappearing out of the door he entered only seconds ago.
When he’s gone she glances at me. “And thank you.”
“No problem,” I say with a laugh. “My niece wants to be the best-dressed baby on all the beaches.”
Piper takes a break from packing and sits on the floor next to the suitcase. “So, what about you? You’re really just going to hang around here all summer?”
“I’m sure I’ll take a few weekend trips here and there, but with the long list of things everyone left me to check on, I think I’ll stay pretty busy.”
Nearly all the Wildcat guys leave in the off-season. Some go back to wherever they’re from, others travel. And while they’re gone, they need someone to check in on their houses, get the mail, water plants, and one guy even asked me to check in on his elderly neighbor once a week. It’s not the most glamorous job, being their house sitter/errand runner, but it saves me from getting a real job for a few more months. Plus, most of them have pools that they’ve agreed I can use.
