Tattered Stars

by Catherine Cowles

  Allen clamped a hand on Ian’s shoulder. “We’ve given you what you asked for. Now, leave.”

  I tipped my head to the women on the porch. “If you ever need anything, the department is always open to you.”

  Allen stepped into my line of sight again as if he could block my words from reaching their target. “They don’t need anything from you. We provide for them. Protect them. And they know that.”

  Cybil wore outrage carved into the lines of her face. But Addie? She had bone-deep sorrow in her eyes. I forced my hands to stay relaxed, but I clocked every movement around me. “That offer isn’t just for them. It’s for any of you. If you need help, my door is always open.”

  One of the men who’d been hanging back scoffed. “Don’t need no pig-help. Rather be set on fire.”

  “That’s your choice.” I inclined my head to the SUV, and Young and I headed back to it. It was a conscious decision to turn my back to the men. It could’ve been a costly one. I counted that four of the six were armed. But I also couldn’t show weakness. Instead, I watched the shadows on the ground, watching for even minor movement. But there was none.

  I started the engine and headed down the drive. It wasn’t until we hit the pavement that Young let out a whoosh of air. “That was…”

  “Messed the hell up?”

  “I was going to use even stronger language, but that works, too.” Young glanced over her shoulder at the disappearing ranch. “Addie might break rank. She sometimes has a stall at the farmer’s market in town. Sells jams and stuff. She’s kind and seems interested in the world around her, not full of hate like the rest of them.”

  I knew Addie could be the one to turn. But what would it cost her if she did?

  17

  Everly

  I kicked at a charred piece of wood. Everything smelled as if I’d been living in a large bonfire—I guessed I was. And it wasn’t only the barn. Three trees had to come down, as well. Thankfully, the cabin hadn’t gone up, but I kind of wished the main house had. I still hadn’t been able to venture inside. My gaze traveled back to the destruction. I’d need to order a dumpster and buy a chainsaw.

  I didn’t want to even think about how long it would take me to clear away all of the debris. Since I only had nights and weekends, it would likely take me at least a month. That put me even more behind schedule. Not to mention that I had no idea how to cover the cost of building a brand-new barn. And I needed one to house some of the animals I wanted to give homes to.

  Tears stung the corners of my eyes. And the fact that they did only made me angrier. Angry that my family hated me this much. Angry that I cared. So damn rageful that it still ate me up inside.

  I wanted to let it all go but I couldn’t even do that. I was back here on the land I grew up on, trying to make it right again. To somehow find some peace. But it was nowhere to be found.

  Someone let out a low whistle behind me, and I whirled, my hand going to my waistband where my holster usually sat. I hadn’t even armed myself before coming out here, that’s how messed-up my mind was. But instead of my brother or Allen, I found Shiloh.

  Her gaze traveled over the destruction before landing on my face. “Shit. You’re crying. I-I’m not good with tears.”

  Her panic matched mine, and I couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m not good with them either—having them, anyway.”

  She nodded, shifting on her feet.

  “I didn’t hear you come up.”

  Shiloh inclined her head to the tree line where a horse was tied off. “I took Trick. Needed a good ride.”

  It was more than good. It would’ve taken her hours to make it over here. “I think we’ll be on hold for a bit when it comes to work. I need to order a dumpster and get all of this debris cleaned up.”

  “Do you know who did it?”

  “The fire investigator and your brother haven’t said anything, but I think it’s still pretty early.”

  “Do you know?” Her gaze bored into mine, cutting through all the noise and carefully couched statements.

  I backed out of the rubble and sat on a stump. “Probably my brother. If my uncle did it, he would’ve gone for the building I was sleeping in. Ian is more of a reactor. He probably got pissed off and decided to do something to soothe that anger.”

  Shiloh leaned against the fence. “He could’ve killed you.”

  “That would’ve been a bonus for him.” But as I thought about it in the silence that Shiloh let linger, I knew that wasn’t true. Ian would want me to hurt. To fear. And if I were dead, he wouldn’t get that pleasure.

  The sound of an engine working a bit harder than normal cut through the air. I pushed to my feet, stepping between Shiloh and whoever was coming up that hill. A hand landed on my shoulder, giving an awkward pat. “It’s just Dad.”

  Gabe’s truck appeared, along with the reason for the extra noise—a massive dumpster towed behind him. My nose began to sting. “What’s he doing here?”

  “You needed help. We’re good with help.”

  She said it so simply. As if it were the easiest thing in the world. And maybe for the Easton family, it was. Gabe pulled alongside the burned remains of the barn, lining the dumpster up perfectly. Julia waved from the truck’s cab, but they weren’t alone.

  Hayes’ SUV appeared next, followed by another, and a truck I didn’t recognize. I turned to Shiloh. “Why?”

  She shrugged. “You need us.”

  Julia appeared with another wave and moved to wrap an arm around Shiloh, which she quickly ducked out of. “How are you holding up?”

  “I, uh, I’m okay.”

  “Sorry for just barging in without calling, but I had a feeling you’d only blow us off if we did.”

  The corners of my mouth curved up. “You might be right.”

  “Gabe was able to get this bad boy today, so why not get a jump start?”

  I glanced at my watch. “It’s after four.”

  “Good thing we’ve got that late light. We’ll work until the sun starts to set, and then I brought sandwiches for everyone. It’s not fancy, but it’ll fill your belly.”

  Those tears burned my eyes again, trying to break free. “Thank you.”

  She patted my shoulder in a move that came easily, as opposed to Shiloh’s awkward one. “This community comes together when the chips are down.”

  I’d never experienced that before. My family had been too busy looking at everyone in Wolf Gap with suspicion as if they were out to get them. I’d missed out on this experience. Emotions warred and flooded. Anger that I’d never had this before, and gratitude that I was receiving it now—all of it tossed in with a heavy dose of awkwardness. “I don’t know what to say.”

  Julia turned me to face the approaching crowd. “Just say ‘Thank you’ and meet the rest of our ragtag crew.”

  I recognized the firefighter from two nights ago, Calder. He held the hand of a little girl, one who looked to be about eight or nine, and gave me a shy smile. Another woman followed him with a little girl on her back who had to be the first girl’s twin.

  And behind them, Hayes. My throat went dry as our gazes met. He was out of uniform, clad in dark-washed denim and a t-shirt that might as well have been made for him. I forced my eyes away and back to the first group. “Hi,” I croaked.

  “Hey,” Calder greeted. “It’s good to see you again.”

  “You, too.” I looked at the little girl holding his hand. She ducked her head slightly. “And who’s this?”

  She didn’t answer, but the little girl on the woman’s back did. “She’s Sage, and I’m Birdie. You’re Everly, right? Dad said you’re going to build a home for animals here. That’s cool.”

  The smile that came was as natural as breathing. Something about the excitement of little ones. “I am. Think you’ll come visit when I’m done?”

  “Duh.”

  “Birdie…” Calder warned.

  “I mean, yes. I’m definitely coming.”

  I chuckled and extended
a hand to the woman as Birdie slid off her back. “I’m Everly. You must be Calder’s wife.”

  She barked out a laugh. “Oh, God, no. We’d murder each other. I’m Hadley, Hayes and Shy’s sister.”

  My cheeks heated. “Sorry, I just—”

  She waved me off. “No big. Birds and Sage are just my best pals. It’s really nice to finally meet you.”

  “You, too.”

  Hayes came to a stop in front of me. “Hey, Ev.”

  Ev. It wasn’t a nickname anyone had ever called me before, yet it fell from his lips as if he’d been using it all his life. I couldn’t stop looking at his mouth, wanting him to form the single syllable again. “Hi.”

  I couldn’t come up with anything else to say. I was on people and emotion overload. Hadley seemed to sense this and hooked her arm through mine. “Come on, show me where we’re getting this party started.”

  I could’ve kissed her. She got me moving and gave me direction. Soon, we were all piling the debris into the dumpster. Even the girls helped by putting smaller pieces into a wheelbarrow. As we worked, I could see the dynamics of the family come into play. The way Shiloh worked away from everyone else. How Hadley and Julia butted heads more times than I could count. The way Hayes or his father always stepped in to play peacekeeper in any sort of dustup.

  It wasn’t perfect, but it was more than I’d ever had. Love and care poured out of all of them—even when they fought.

  Hadley climbed up the ladder on the side of the dumpster. “Here, I can take the end of that board.”

  “Hads, get down. Let me do that,” Calder said as he crossed to the dumpster.

  “I’m fine, Officer Safety. Just help Dad hand me that piece. I’ll tip it in.”

  “You could fall.”

  “So could you.”

  Calder swiped his hat off his head. “I have training for this kind of thing.”

  “I had ten years of gymnastics. I think my balance is better.”

  A shadow moved across the ground, and I looked up to see Hayes. “Are they always like this?”

  He rolled his eyes heavenward. “They fight like cats and dogs. I mean, don’t get me wrong, they would do anything for each other, but it’s a battle of wills every time they’re in the same room.”

  “Hadley,” Calder growled as she did some sort of pirouette thing on the lip of the dumpster.

  “Don’t mess around up there. You could hurt yourself,” Julia called.

  Hadley’s expression tightened. “I guess I’ll just get down, then.” Instead of heading back for the ladder, she moved to the far end of the dumpster.

  “What the hell—?”

  Calder’s words cut off as Hadley hurled herself into the air, tucking neatly into a backflip. The air froze in my lungs as she rotated. She landed with a thud. But it wasn’t exactly clean, and she went from feet to butt pretty quickly, laughing.

  “Are you kidding me right now?” Calder hurried over to her, but she waved him off.

  “I’m fine. But I gotta work on that landing.”

  Birdie rushed over. “I wanna try.”

  Calder sent a look in Hadley’s direction that could’ve melted ice in Antarctica. But she wasn’t cowed. She simply got to her feet and took Birdie’s hand. “Why don’t we start with cartwheels?”

  Calder’s glare didn’t leave Hadley’s back as he watched her walk away with his daughter in tow. Julia squeezed his shoulder. “I’m sorry. I’ll have a word. She really shouldn’t be doing that kind of thing in front of the girls. Or at all.”

  “Mom,” Hayes warned, “leave it.”

  I watched as Hadley led Birdie over to a patch of grass that looked a little worse for wear. She demonstrated a cartwheel and then walked Birdie through it, spotting her as she went.

  The sound of the girl’s giggle, carefree and light on the air, took me back.

  “I can balance longer,” Addie said, her hair flipping upside down as she balanced on her hands.

  “Nuh-uh. I can.” I kicked up into a handstand but wobbled until I fell over.

  Addie collapsed next to me in a fit of giggles. “Told you.”

  “I’m going again.” I kicked up harder this time, but my force was too great, and I went cascading into the fence. I cried out in pain as I crashed.

  Addie rushed over. “What is it? What’d you hurt?”

  I gripped my forearm. Pain sliced through it in hot waves as tears filled my eyes. “My arm.”

  Mom appeared on the porch. “What’s going on, girls?”

  “Evie hurt her arm,” Addie called, louder than she would’ve normally.

  Mom started down the steps, hurrying across the drive. “Oh, baby girl. Show me where.”

  I held up my arm, but as I lifted it, I cried out in pain.

  “That’s okay. Try not to move it too much. I’m going to help you up, all right?”

  I nodded, tears streaming down my face.

  On the count of three, Mom helped me to my feet. The tears came faster and harder as we walked to the house. The steps groaned as we walked up them, and my mom hurried to hold the door.

  “Howard,” she called as she moved inside.

  “Kitchen,” my dad called back.

  He turned as we made our way towards the space. “Now what’s with all the tears?” He crouched to make it to my level.

  “I-I hurt my arm.”

  “Let me see.”

  I held out my arm for his inspection. His finger moved lightly over a scrape, but when his hand wrapped around the limb to feel for injury, I howled in pain.

  Mom moved in, sweeping a hand over my head. “I think I need to take her to the emergency room.”

  Dad stood instantly, his eyes flashing. “We don’t need any doctors. That’s why you have your medical training.”

  “Midwife training and basic first-aid. I don’t have an x-ray machine or know how to set a broken bone.”

  “No doctors. We’ve been over this, Carly. Treat her here. You have your tinctures. Wrap it and put it in a sling.”

  “Howard,” she said softly. “Let me take—”

  “I said, no! Do you want her to be poisoned by their drugs? Maybe they’ll decide to take her away from us altogether. Is that what you want?!” Each word built on the last until he was screaming.

  Mom pulled me against her as Addie backed away. “Of course, not. I’ll treat her here.”

  He eyed her as if my mother had suddenly become the enemy. “Good.”

  “Come on, Evie. Let’s get you patched up.”

  “Ev.”

  My mother’s voice melded with Hayes’. I blinked a few times as I came back to myself. “Sorry, what?”

  He moved closer. “Are you okay?”

  I nodded quickly. “Fine. I just need some water.”

  I hurried away from Hayes’ prying eyes, ones that asked too many questions. I moved towards the little cabin, the spot that had always made for a good hiding place. One that didn’t hold nearly as many memories as the main house.

  Jogging up the steps, I pulled open the screen door. It slammed with a bang behind me. I moved to the small kitchen and pulled out a glass. As I went for the pitcher of water in the fridge, my wrist twinged. It, along with so many other injuries, had never healed exactly right.

  I had to use my other hand to balance the carafe. It wasn’t even that heavy, but the weight was enough that my arm trembled. Tears blurred my vision as I poured, then set the pitcher down with a thud. The tears came faster. I rubbed at my wrist and forearm as if I could erase it all—every single memory carved into my bones. But I couldn’t. And maybe coming back here wouldn’t heal them, after all. Perhaps it would only reopen old wounds.

  18

  Hayes

  I stood frozen to the spot; my feet glued to the threshold. My back to the world outside, my family; my front facing the woman who pulled at me more and more. I couldn’t have moved if a herd of wild mustangs was headed in my direction.

  She was weeping. I’d ne
ver heard a more beautiful sob—or a quieter one. Yet it tore at my insides just the same. Her body shook as she cradled her arm to her chest.

  There was so much grief there. Bone-deep sorrow. And pain. It was the pain that unglued my feet. I moved before I could even think about the wisdom of it, letting the door slap closed behind me.

  Everly jolted at the sound. She made a valiant effort to pull it together, straightening and dropping her hold on her wrist. She wiped at her face. But whatever she battled in the tiny kitchen was too much to hold back.

  By the time I reached her, she was shaking again, tears flowing down her cheeks. Instead of saying a single word or going for my mom or Hadley like I should have, I wrapped Everly in my arms.

  She seemed stunned for a moment, her body locking, but instead of pushing me away, she collapsed against my chest, the sobs coming louder. The force of them ripped through her and seeped into me, and each one spilled a little more of her pain.

  In that moment, I would’ve done anything to stop it. Because this woman didn’t deserve whatever had caused it. I knew that like I knew the sun rose in the east every morning.

  I held her tightly, not saying a word. I simply let her release some of whatever she had been holding on to for too long. If the dam needed to break, I could catch the overflow.

  Slowly, the sobs quieted, and her shaking softened. The haphazard bun her hair had been wrapped in had fallen free, and I ran a hand over the strands. Her hair often looked a little wild, but the strands felt like silk. “You’re okay.”

  “I’m not. I snotted all over someone who doesn’t even like me.”

  “We’ve been over this. I like you,” I grunted. I liked her too much.

  “I’m surprised you didn’t start yelling at me because my tears surprised you.”

  I barked out a laugh. “That’s always a risk.”

  Everly tipped back her head, and I saw that her eyes were swollen, and her face was red. But she was still so damn beautiful. The raw truth in her was undeniable. A fierceness only matched by her tightly guarded vulnerability.