Page 23 of These Rough Waters

Everyone.

“Torin?” His name comes out before I can seal my lips.

Imogen’s brows draw down, “Not usually. He’s a recluse.”

I nod. Yeah, I got that vibe from him. Except he wasn’t exactly being invisible with me. Not with the roof and then the logs this morning, although that note left a lot to be desired.

I still had it in my pocket, and it was certainly burning through the material of my pants.

I’m sure I don’t need to tell you how to start a fire. You’re welcome.

As if I was incapable of doing it myself, sure I might not have been able to chop it myself, but I would have found a way to make it work.

“Is everything okay?” Imogen presses.

“Oh yeah,” I lie, “fine.” Opting not to discuss the fact that the man had broke into the cabin and found me in the tub or that he then pressed me against the wall.

Torin gives me whiplash and with my past, I should stay far, far away from him.

“Is he giving you trouble?”

“No!” I blurt, “Why would he give me trouble!?”

She purses her lips, “Okay, but you’d tell me, right?”

I frown, would I? I didn’t know Imogen well enough to decide if I couldtalkto her. She was nice enough, sure, had helped me a lot but she was still ultimately a stranger.

When the silence stretches, she sighs and smiles, “It’s okay, Maya. Really. Hey! Have you checked out the trails yet?”

“Trails?”

“Yeah, hiking trails. There are so many around here! I can take you on one if you like.”

“Actually, yeah,” I agree, grateful of the change of subject, “Yeah I’d like that.”

And maybe I’d even check out one by myself.

“We just have to make sure the weather is good! Wouldn’t want to get stuck on the peak in a storm.”

We finish up our food and say our goodbyes to Imogen before heading back to the cabin. I’d managed to grab a few things from the store today, just a couple little trinkets to make the place more homely but there wasn’t much here, a couple of antique stores that smelled of dust and age, a simple hiking store which I’d need to visit before I go for that hike and then the grocery store and the diner.

But one thing I knew for certain, everyone was friendly. There weren’t many kids, but I’d been greeted by the other moms with smiles and welcomes and Harper had had a good day at the school.

It was the right step towards a routine. The right direction.

Harper runs off to do schoolwork when we get back and I drag in some logs from the shelter, arranging them in the hearth with some kindling and grab the lighter to start the fire.

It takes me a while, but it eventually lights, and I jump up, excited I’d managed to do it! It’s not an incapability but I’d been so restricted that these types of things were new for me.

And it’s pride I feel staring at the glowing flames that crackle and pop, warming the small space around me.

Leaving the fire to burn, I head towards the windows, peeking out past the curtains. His truck was parked at the front of his house, the lights on inside. I didn’t know what it was about Torin that intrigued me, but there was something. He got my hackles up more often than not, was rude, arrogant, and a little scary but he was interesting. His presence seemed much too big for such a small little town, and I wondered just why he was such a recluse. Why did he prefer isolation when this town appears to be incredibly close knit?

I had questions, a lot of them, but I needed to stay away from him.

From men in general actually.

There was no way I was ready to even look at the opposite sex yet, especially since I was still sporting the marks left by the last one and mentally, those scars would never heal.

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