Page 46 of These Rough Waters

And while Vanessa is distracted from her line of questioning to me, Ana is staring at me like I’ve posed some sort of challenge.

I stay at the stall with them and Harper for the rest of the day, helping where I could if only to avoid going on home and when evening falls, a fire is lit in the town square, most of the stalls now closed for the evening except those offering light food and drinks. Shawn has taken over the diner’s stall so Imogen can spend time with her sister.

We sit on logs that had been dragged from the surrounding forest and drink the beer offered from the stalls while everyone chats. I sit there silent mostly, Harper between my legs while she plays with another little girl she had met at school.

“Vanessa is studying medicine,” Imogen tells me in a break of conversation, “she had to take a few years before she could go to college.”

“I swear I know you from somewhere,” Ana cuts in, planting herself next to me.

Swallowing, I glance to the girl, “I don’t think so.”

“No, I do, I just don’t know where,” She huffs. “Do you know, Vanessa?”

Vanessa frowns, “Sorry, no.”

“No, I definitely know you from somewhere!”

“Perhaps just a coincidence,” I shrug.

“Are you dating Torin?” Vanessa asks me abruptly.

My eyes widen as Imogen scolds her sister for the abrupt question, but I feel Ana’s eyes burning into the side of my face.

“No,” I answer, “I’m not.”

“Are you sure he knows that?” Vanessa says. “Because the way he was all up in you,” she waves her hand in my general direction, “seemed like you were together.”

“Well, I for one, am glad that man is single.” Ana chirps, and rubs her hands together, “A guy in a flannel just does it, ya know?”

“Torin won’t like you,” Harper suddenly says, “He likes momma.”

“Well according to your momma, he’s free game.”

“Jesus Christ,” Vanessa hisses, “He’s a human being not a toy.”

Ana rolls her eyes, “Whatever, he’s single so not off limits.”

I squirm uncomfortably, twirling my daughters hair around my finger as they continue to talk between themselves, Torin’s name being spoken more than once. And even though we were sat by the fire, I could feel the chill falling over us, and decide to call it a night to the tune of Ana singing Torin’s praises – or his looks at least. She tries to tell me once again she was sure she knew me and between that and the way she was talking about a man I had no claim on, made me incredibly uncomfortable. Harper gives Imogen a hug before we depart and we’re just walking away when someone touches my shoulder.

“Vanessa?” I question, looking over her shoulder to where everyone still sits.

“I’m sorry about Ana, she wasn’t even supposed to come.”

I shake my head, “No it’s fine. Really.”

“But Torin,” Vanessa shakes her head, “I know you said you weren’t dating but I know the Avery brothers, they’re all the same and they’re all dangerous.”

I snag that bit of information about brothers and store it away, “Dangerous?”

“Yes,” She glances to Harper, softening at the sight of my daughter, “Just be careful, okay?”

“Yeah, okay,” I agree.

With a small smile, she departs and leaves us to walk the rest of the way home to the cabin.

I play over every interaction I’ve had with Torin, every little bit of information I’ve found out and it wasn’t much. Torin being dangerous wasn’t all that surprising, not really, but what exactly did Vanessa know?

I wanted her warning to be enough. Enough to stop these swarming thoughts and jumbled knots in my stomach and yet my mind still reels back to what if?

---