The Staying Kind

by Cerian Hebert

  A white, blue, and pink homemade quilt covered the queen-sized bed. It looked so inviting. She longed to collapse on the mattress, but her clothes were too offensive to be on Sadie’s beautiful spread. If she laid down she might be asleep before she would be able to sit up again. A shower would surely revive her.

  Twenty minutes later, she walked out of the bedroom feeling one hundred percent better, wearing a nightgown about three sizes too big. With one hand she held the heavy flannel material up off the ground while clutching her dirty clothes in the other hand. Her short, wet hair clung to her cheeks and her feet were bare. Still, she didn’t remember the last time she’d felt so clean. There was definitely something to be said about living in a real house.

  As soon as she got to the bottom of the stairs, Sadie whipped the clothes away. While she headed to the laundry room off the kitchen, she pointed Rio toward the table.

  “Can I help you with anything?”

  “No, you can sit. You’ve done enough today,” Sadie replied from the other room.

  Rio complied, feeling a bit guilty about being waited on. Sadie had already set the kitchen table. A tall glass of milk stood by each plate. In the center of the table a platter held a loaf of bread, sliced into thick pieces, next to a dish of real honest-to-God butter. Rio longed to grab a piece but she had some manners, so she kept her hands in her lap and studied the big room.

  Again she wondered if Sadie was ever lonely, living all alone. Rio didn’t know much about Sadie’s family, except she had a nephew with a troubled daughter.

  Rio frowned. She’d been able to keep thoughts of Travis Lithgow at bay for most of the day. Now, as she waited for Sadie, her mind conjured the man. Tall and imposing yet attractive, with one of those faces that would appeal to nearly any woman. His short, light brown hair had a definite wave to it.

  He stared her down as if he could see every thought inside her head, making her want to escape. Except, she decided with a certain degree of discomfort, he was probably someone she could trust. If she were on the right side of the law.

  If she weren’t, she had no doubt he’d turn her into the cops or at least remove her from his aunt’s life. If he suspected she’d broken into the cabin, he hadn’t said anything. Perhaps he was biding his time, waiting to catch her. More reason to hike down there and retrieve her stuff.

  More reason to leave New Hampshire.

  Sadie bustled out of the laundry room and straight for the oven. Rio admired the woman’s energy and could only hope she’d be half as healthy and lively as Sadie when she hit seventy. If she hit seventy. With her current lifestyle, she’d be lucky to see fifty.

  A sobering thought and one she didn’t care to pursue. If she changed her wandering lifestyle maybe her chances of living to Sadie’s age would increase.

  Why not settle down? Not like anyone from her past would be out searching for her, waiting to swoop down, grab her, and haul her back to the hell she’d escaped from years ago. On the contrary, her mother had probably been thrilled to see her go. One less mouth to feed.

  What really frightened her, what kept her from settling, were the questions she’d have to answer about her past. She didn’t want Sadie asking, didn’t want to see the disappointment and judgment in her eyes.

  Maybe Sadie wouldn’t start asking questions, but Travis would. Soon.

  Tonight she planned to enjoy Sadie’s cooking, her company and the soft bed waiting upstairs for her, and try not to feel guilty about it.

  “Eat as much as you want, there’s plenty. Nothing frustrates me more than cooking for one. I don’t know why we don’t do this more often.”

  Rio selected a slice of the bread and two pieces of chicken, not wanting to be too greedy. Sadie returned to the oven and pulled out a casserole. She served Rio a hearty spoonful of a broccoli and cheese dish.

  “Wow,” Rio said admiringly. Had her mother ever served anything so wonderful? No. Bologna, sometimes with bread, sometimes not, macaroni and cheese, and cereal were usually on the menu in the Presley household. Since she’d been on the road she ate what she could, some of it decent, some of it bad. Very little of it home cooked.

  She dove in enthusiastically and didn’t say no when Sadie offered her seconds.

  “Now you’ve had some time to think about my offer. You ready to take me up on it?”

  Rio froze. She hadn’t exactly forgotten about Sadie’s idea for her to ride Dante. She’d pushed it to a corner of her mind, hoping she wouldn’t have to deal with it anytime soon. Unfortunately, Sadie served the topic up along with her fantastic fried chicken. Rio wasn’t that easy. She kept her attention on the slice of bread she buttered, not ready to meet Sadie’s steady gaze.

  “Now, before you decide to tell me about how you need to move on, why don’t you explain what you have to move on to.”

  Rio could’ve lied and told Sadie she had some fabulous job lined up somewhere for the winter. As she finally met the woman’s level blue stare, she knew she couldn’t. Just because she couldn’t lie outright, it didn’t mean she had to be forthcoming with everything.

  “I like to travel. I don’t like to stay anywhere for very long and I’ve already been here longer than I should.”

  “Why do you travel so much?”

  “It suits me. I like seeing different places, meeting new people.”

  Sadie stared at her hard, the sharpness of her gaze slicing through each layer of Rio’s thoughts to see what she hid underneath.

  Rio turned her eyes away first.

  “You’ve been happy here, haven’t you? You’re a hard worker, and like I said, a natural with the horses. Why not stay on and see how far you can take this?”

  “I don’t know. Winter is almost here. I’m usually down south by now.”

  “What’s so great about the south in the winter? Have you ever been up here in wintertime? It’s glorious.”

  Rio had been raised in the Buffalo area of western New York. She remembered the winters all too well.

  “Let me finish,” Sadie continued when Rio didn’t answer. “Dante needs a worthy rider.”

  “That sure isn’t me.”

  “You could be excellent with work. Dante is the horse for you. Give me the winter, one winter, to change your mind.”

  “Sadie—”

  “One winter and if it doesn’t work out, then come spring I’ll buy you a plane ticket to wherever in the country you want to go and give you enough spending money to keep you going for a while.”

  Emotion caught in her throat and Rio swallowed hard at it. “You’re being too good to me. You hardly know me at all and you’ve opened up your home to me. It’s more than I’m used to.”

  Sadie extended her hand and placed it over Rio’s. “I know, dear. Every time I look at you I see a scared rabbit about to run. Something tells me you’re tired of running.”

  Chapter 4

  Damn, I’m going to cry.

  She hadn’t cried in so long and she didn’t want to start now. Rio willed the tears not to fall.

  “I promise I’ll think about it.”

  In fact, she spent half the night thinking about it. The last time she recalled watching the clock on the table next to the bed, it was nearly two in the morning. She’d been mulling over the pros and cons of remaining at Cobble Creek for the entire winter. The con list was much longer, and made a lot more sense, no matter how appealing the pro list appeared.

  Even with so little rest, Rio woke up more refreshed than she’d been in days. Four hours of sleep, the best four hours in years.

  Gray morning light started to bleed through the curtains. Instinct told her to snuggle under the covers for a while longer, but she things to do. She’d try to sneak down to the cabin and gather her things at lunch, then think of another place to crash. She didn’t know how l
ong she could sleep in the tack room. Not only was it uncomfortable, the weather had begun to turn colder. Maybe she’d have to rent a room somewhere in town.

  First things first. She needed her stuff. She didn’t like the idea of breaking into the cabin again, but what choice did she have? She didn’t own much, and what she did have was crammed in a backpack she’d shoved under the bed.

  Her clothes were folded neatly on the dresser in front of the mirror. Before she picked them up, she gave herself a long examination in the mirror. She wasn’t sure what she’d find in her reflection, some indication of her character, what others saw in her.

  Her clear, pale green eyes hid her past well, and certainly couldn’t mask the deep sadness dwelling there. Her full lips were set in a straight line. She could smile when happiness found her. Most of the time she was far too serious.

  When she’d been younger, her mother’s long parade of loser boyfriends had called her pretty, which made her want to be anything but, so she never fixed herself up to be noticed. No makeup, no fancy clothes.

  Quickly Rio spun away from the mirror and grabbed the clothes. She knew enough about herself. She didn’t have time to gawk and dig. She had work to do out in the barn.

  Jessa didn’t have one word for Travis from their conversation the evening before, until she climbed on the bus for school the next morning. She ate the breakfast he’d fixed for her, took the lunch he’d packed, and shuffled off to the bottom of the driveway ten minutes earlier than she had to.

  Travis wondered how long it would be before she spoke to him again. She stood alone at the end of the driveway scuffing her toe in the dirt piled along the shoulder, dejected. She’d pulled her dyed black hair into two stubby pigtails. How long until she regretted such a drastic move?

  She had a long road ahead of her and, whether she wanted it or not, he’d be there for her. She’d have to figure it out along the way, and he’d have to figure out how to be a father to a teenage girl.

  For now, he had to stop worrying about her. Today he started his new job, and it would make a lousy impression if he were late. As he headed out the door he grabbed his holster and new badge.

  Before being sent to war, Travis had been on the New Forest police force, which only consisted of four fulltime officers, including himself. Now he’d be the one in charge.

  His first day on the job didn’t offer anything more interesting than a few traffic stops and a call from a downtown storekeeper, complaining about some local teens playing hooky and loitering on the sidewalks. A typical day in the life of a small town police chief.

  His mind remained fully on Jessa, so it was a good thing the day didn’t offer any crises. Worrying about her wasn’t new. He’d worried every day, from the moment he’d left her with his sister nearly two years ago. Now they were together again, a little family unit, and he had to be responsible for her wellbeing, both mental and physical.

  He’d told her he’d pick her up after school and bring her over to his Aunt Sadie’s for her first day of work. She’d be there for three hours and then home for dinner and homework. He hoped it would direct her mind in a better direction. Sadie would be a wonderful influence. She always brought out the best in people, no matter what the circumstances.

  At the school he parked the police SUV in line with all the other parents waiting to pick up their teens. As soon as school let out, a stream of kids came out the door. Jessa wasn’t amongst the first wave and nearly ten minutes passed before she trudged out of the school, head down, by herself. The lonely figure broke Travis’s heart. He wanted to gather her up in a hug, but the gesture wouldn’t be welcomed at the moment.

  When she finally glanced up and saw him her face fell even further, her brows furrowed in a frown. Her step slowed and she looked around as if searching for an escape route.

  Finding none, she finished the trek to the vehicle and pulled the door open, crawled inside, and slumped in the seat. “You had to bring this thing?”

  “I’m on a break from work,” he replied. “Buckle up.”

  Jessa complied and stared out the window as Travis pulled away from the curb. She didn’t speak until they’d left the school zone and heading toward their house.

  “Have a good day?” Travis wanted to reach her, bring her out of this funk.

  “Mmm.”

  “Lots of homework?”

  “Did most of it in study.” She barely mumbled the words, kept staring out the window.

  “Okay. Aunt Sadie is waiting for you.”

  Jessa snorted. “Do I have to go? I don’t want to hang out with a bunch of horses.”

  “You do have to go. I’m not out of work for another three hours. This will keep you occupied. Besides, you’re earning some money and that’ll come in handy.”

  “I’d rather apply for a job over at the coffee place. At least there I’d see some of my friends.”

  Which is why you’re not working there.

  “And you’re not old enough to work there. Talk to me next year. Besides, you used to love visiting your aunt. I couldn’t tear you away from those horses. And you followed Aunt Sadie around like her shadow. Remember that pony? I forget her name. Aunt Sadie taught you how to ride on her. I think you were five.”

  Jessa replied with a muttered sound he couldn’t understand and continued to stare out the window.

  “Whatever you think, honey, this is not a punishment.”

  “Yeah, I know. You’re doing it with my best interests in mind,” Jessa replied sarcastically.

  “I am. I want you to get excited in something again.” Travis realized he might not be expressing himself correctly. Desperation grabbed hold of his end of the conversation. The last thing he wanted was for his daughter to resent everything he did.

  “Like shoveling out stalls. Thanks, Dad.”

  “Then what do you want to do? You tell me what interests you and I’ll make sure you’re involved with it. Dancing? Any school sports? Please, talk to me.”

  He glanced away from the road to Jessa. Her face revealed nothing. She said nothing.

  “Jessa, please don’t cut me out.”

  She remained silent, and Travis didn’t push her any further.

  When they arrived at Cobble Creek, Jessa climbed from the SUV and stalked off. By the time he entered the barn, Jessa had disappeared. Rio stood at the cross ties with Dante, working on the horse’s coat with a brush.

  She glanced at him, warily, as if he were some predator coming for the attack. Why did she look like he’d caught her doing something she shouldn’t be doing? His thoughts returned to the cabin and the squatter. He hadn’t been down there to see if anyone had broken in again. He’d have to check it out later.

  “Is Sadie around?” he finally asked.

  “She’s in the riding ring with Fleur,” Rio replied, then returned her attention to the horse. Travis could see the tightness in her jaw. Tension hung heavy in the air. Being suspicious was part of his job description. He planned to find out more about this Rio before he’d be comfortable with having her here at Cobble Creek.

  “My aunt tells me you’re thinking of moving on.”

  Rio paused in brushing for a second. He studied the subtle changes on her face. She bit her lip, and her brows lowered. Someone who didn’t pay as much attention might have missed the expression.

  “I generally go down south for the winter,” she acknowledged, her voice low and husky. In another kind of encounter, he might think it sexy. In fact, in a different situation he would’ve shown more appreciation for this woman.

  Yesterday she’d covered her body with a bulky, unattractive sweatshirt. Because of today’s warmer temperatures, she wore jeans and a form fitting t-shirt. Though not tall, her body was lean and well curved. Even with the short hair, there was nothing boyish about her.

&nb
sp; “What?” she asked impatiently after he’d stared for a long time. “I like it down south. And in the spring I come back north.”

  “Where are you from originally?”

  “Pennsylvania,” she replied quickly. She tossed the brush into the grooming box and turned on him fully. “Listen, I’m not doing anything illegal, am I? Traveling around? I won’t leave your aunt in the lurch. I’ve given her notice and I’ll stay until she finds someone to replace me fulltime. I do have the right to leave if I want, you know.”

  Although she spoke with confidence and a bit of impatience, he still believed she was hiding something. He worried about her being at Cobble Creek. Not that he figured her to be some sociopath, but what kind of influence would she be on Jessa? And did she even care at all about Sadie? If Rio could break into his cabin, she certainly could steal from his aunt as well.

  Unfortunately, he had no solid proof of her wrongdoing. Only a whole lot of suspicion.

  “No, of course there’s nothing wrong with how you live your life,” he retorted firmly. “Plenty of people make the same choices. I don’t want my people hurt because of your decisions.”

  An angry pink blush rose in her cheeks and her green eyes darkened. She stepped away from Dante, her fists clutched at her side as she took a stride toward him.

  She’s a fighter. Brave enough to step right up to him while he wore his uniform and look directly at him.

  “There’s nothing in my lifestyle that has hurt anyone, your aunt included. You don’t know me, you don’t know my circumstances. I’m not some hoodlum or criminal and I’m not a coldhearted bitch.”

  The vehemence in her voice surprised Travis. He’d struck a nerve. A sore one. If she thought he’d back down, she had another think coming. Her fervor only served to stoke his curiosity. He’d learn her story, what had started her on this road. And then ponder where to go from there.