Chapter 5
Anika
I can’t compete with those nine cuties.
I’m still smiling when I walk into the salon. Those little pink squirmy babies are adorable.
Waking up to Hog’s message this morning was a surprise. I have to admit, the fact he was up in the middle of the night thinking of me—after what looks to have been an exciting evening on the farm—may be part of the reason for that smile.
I always knew he liked me, which is why it hurt a bit when he seemed to suddenly avoid me, but I always thought he saw me as no more than his friend’s little sister. Although, there had been times when I intercepted looks that I couldn’t quite place, but quickly dismissed those.
After yesterday, I’m not so sure he likes me because I’m Bodhi’s sister. In fact, I wonder if he may like me despite it.
“Everything okay?” Kim asks as she walks out of the supply room with a stack of towels.
Her eyes are fixed on the front window.
“It’s fine. He’s in jail, Kim,” I assure her. “Don’t tell me you spent all night worrying about him making another appearance.”
She shakes her head. “No, not really. It’s just…I talked to my mother earlier and she’s concerned. Upset, mostly because she wants to help but she’s in a nursing home and there isn’t a lot she can do. I promised her I was safe here.”
I put a hand on her arm. “You are safe here. Probably safer than anywhere else. You’ve got a good security system, and during the day you’re never alone. Besides, Detective Evans said the judge would sign a restraining order and Chris won’t be able to get close to you, or the salon.”
“I guess. I’m trying to wrap my head around it, you know? It’s a lot. I don’t really know where to go from here, what the next step is. I don’t even have any of my things.”
Christ, I should’ve asked her yesterday, but the day got so crazy. Of course, she needs her stuff.
“Okay, let’s make a list, but first I need coffee.”
I walk into my office and toss my purse in the bottom drawer of my desk before tackling the espresso machine. Then I take my cup and wave Kim into my office.
“First of all, you’re going to need to talk to a lawyer,” I tell her when she sits down across from me, a pad and paper in hand. “You’ve met my friend, Lindsey, who had the baby, right? Her mom, Mel, is a lawyer. She’s not actively practicing anymore, but I’m sure she’ll be able to point you in the right direction.”
“I’m not sure I can afford one.”
It’s on my lips to tell her not to worry about that, but I hold back. My natural instinct is to jump in and rescue her, but I recognize in this case it’s probably better to curb it. In the long run it’ll likely benefit Kim to rescue herself.
“Talk to her. I’m sure there are options out there.”
I pull up Mel’s number and recite it to her. Once I’ve convinced her she shouldn’t wait to contact her, we move on to the logistics of getting her some of her things so she can get by.
“Is there someone who could go with you to the house? A friend?”
She shrugs her shoulders. “I guess Carrie could help. She lives a few houses down from us. She could meet me there.”
“That sounds good. You have how many appointments this morning?”
Saturdays we try to close up shop at two and we don’t open until noon on Mondays.
“Only two, but I was going to do walk-ins after.”
“Forget about walk-ins. If there is stuff you want done, especially in the house, this weekend would be the time to do it,” I point out as I get to my feet. “Use my office to make your phone calls. I’ll get Molly to get your first customer washed when they get here.”
I pull the door shut behind me and almost bump into Monique.
“I was just coming to look for you,” she states. Then she nods at the closed door. “Kim?”
“Making a few phone calls. She’s got some stuff to do this afternoon.”
After yesterday, everyone is fully aware of Kim’s situation, not that I think it went unnoticed before.
“Is there anything I can do?”
“I’m not sure there’s much any of us can do, to be honest. It’s going to be a tough road for her regardless.”
Monique hip-bumps me. “Then you and I can show her how to have a good time. It’s been too long since we’ve had a girls’ night out anyway.”
“Ooh! Did I hear girls’ night out?” Landon pipes up as he joins us. “Tell me when. I’m ready for a night of fun.”
“What happened to Neil, your handsome eye doctor?” Monique inquires.
Landon started seeing an optometrist late last year. A nice guy, a little older than Landon and definitely more conventional, who popped into the salon a few times. Not exactly the type I would’ve imagined him with, but they seemed to be into each other.
Landon waves his hand. “Ancient history.”
“Oh no…since when?” I want to know.
“Two weeks ago. I turned out to be more man than he could handle,” Landon jokes, but I can see the hurt in his eyes.
I exchange a look with Monique, who must’ve picked up on the same thing, because she throws her arm around his shoulders.
“His loss, Gorgeous. You should’ve told us, we could’ve done something this weekend, but now I already have plans. But next weekend? Your ass is coming to have some fun with us. Right, Anika?”
“I’m not sure I’m up to your speed of fun,” I tell her cautiously.
I don’t think I could do an entire night dancing at the Starlight Lounge or the Wild Horse Saloon anymore. I’m afraid I’d be laid up in bed for a week.
“But I’m open to do something,” I quickly add, reading the disappointment on Monique’s face. “And maybe we can convince Kim to join us.”
The sound of the chime over the door interrupts us to announce the arrival of our first customer of the day.
My chair is occupied all morning, and it’s one thirty before my final client walks out of the salon. I duck into my office with a bottle of water and drop down in my chair, kicking my shoes off. I may never get them back on, my feet are so swollen.
Digging into my purse for a bottle of ibuprofen, I bump into my phone. I guess I got so distracted, I never bothered taking it out. I glance at the screen to see what I may have missed, and at the top of my notifications is a text message from Hog.
This morning’s smile is back when I read it.
No competition, but how about a meet and greet
with the noisy nine this afternoon?
I find the pills and quickly pop two, washing them down with the bottle of water. Then I pick up my phone and start typing out a response.
“What’s the smile for?” Landon says, poking his head in the door. “Got anything big planned?”
“Nothing big, but it looks like I might have plans.” I smile up at him. “What about you?”
I realize belatedly that might not have been the most sensitive thing to ask him, so I’m thankful when he has an answer ready.
“I was actually hoping I could leave a few minutes early; I’m heading out of town to visit Mom this weekend, and I’m eager to get on the road. I have a three-hour drive ahead.”
Landon is originally from Gallup, New Mexico, where his mother still lives.
“Of course. Go on, get out of here, and have a good weekend.”
“You too.”
He blows me a kiss and disappears down the hall.
As soon as he’s out of sight, I focus on my phone screen.
Sounds like fun.
His response is almost instant.
The kids are excited too. If you’re not too tired. I’ll even feed you.
Two dinners in as many days. We’ve shared meals in the past, but it would be a pig roast at the farm and always with my brother there, or the occasional dinner at my parents’ house.
I’m trying not to read too much into it, but my fingers are trembling when I type out my message.
What time and what can I bring?
Any time after you’re done. Just bring you.
Hog
It was a spur-of-the-moment invite after I got her message this morning. One I second-guessed about ten times in the hours that followed, so I was pretty pleased when I finally got her response.
This morning Franco brought over a container of tamales he’d made with our own pork and last year’s corn and black beans. Those will be dinner, along with an easy salad. A quick check reveals I have a bottle of wine someone probably brought over at some point, because I certainly didn’t buy it. There’s plenty of beer, I filled up the water filter, and I have enough coffee and tea, should she want one of those.
I force myself to sit the hell down instead of flapping around my kitchen like a decapitated chicken. It’s not like this is the first time she’s been here, even for dinner, but I can’t deny something fundamental seems to have changed in the dynamic between us. Or maybe that’s just me, woolgathering.
Either way, I’m a forty-nine-year-old man and not a goddamn sniveling teenager.
Determined, I flip open my laptop I left sitting on the kitchen table, and force my focus on the property listings the realtor I dropped in on yesterday emailed me this morning. I told her I wanted to keep my options open, and wasn’t sure yet whether I wanted to buy or maybe rent or lease for a while first. The truth is, even though I’ve worked in Durango for coming up to twenty-five years, I’ve lived on the farm my entire life. I’m not even sure I’ll enjoy living in town so I’m leaning toward renting for now.
The list she sent me has only three rental places. Two are apartments, one in an older building right downtown, and another on the south side near the hospital, neither of which appeals to me. The third listing is interesting; a small, single level home on 7th Avenue, which is close to the river and maybe a fifteen-to-twenty-minute walk to the fire station.
I find the house on Google Street View to get a better look, when there’s a knock at the door.
As it does every time I see Anika, I’m momentarily lost for words. She’s that stunning. Dark, sleek, long hair framing unusual amber eyes in a face that could stop traffic. And that’s just from the shoulders up.
“Should I have called?” She’s first to speak, looking a little uneasy. “I thought, when you said any time, you meant?—”
“It’s all good,” I hurry to stop her, noticing the City Market bag in her hand. “Although, you weren’t supposed to bring anything.”
“I picked up a few groceries on the way home, and they had fresh apple pie right out of the oven. I couldn’t pass it up.”
My favorite, and she remembered.
“In that case, you’re forgiven. Come in.”
I step aside to let her pass and catch a whiff of cinnamon as she brushes by. I’m not sure if it’s from the apple pie, or all Anika, but the scent has my mouth water as I follow her inside.
“You changed stuff around,” she comments, walking through the living room to the kitchen.
“I’m packing up a few things, getting rid of some old furniture. I don’t intend to take it with me, I don’t need much.”
“Take it where?” Confusion marks her face.
“I’m not sure yet,” I tell her, indicating my computer on the kitchen table. “I’m still looking.”
It wouldn’t be a bad idea to get her opinion, given she was checking out the Durango market herself last year.
“What about the farm?” she asks, bending over to check out the listing on the screen.
It’s probably not good form to stare at her ass, but how can I resist when it’s right there, aimed at me.
“Hog?”
My eyes slide up to catch her looking at me over her shoulder.
“Yeah, uhh…I’m selling it.”
She straightens up and swings around.
“What?”
Right. I haven’t really shared that information with anyone. I didn’t see the point, since it wasn’t something that was going to happen overnight. But Franco let me know last month he’d be able to get the remainder of the money together by this coming June, so that time is soon approaching.
“To Franco. Here,” I step into the mudroom and shove my feet in my boots. “Let’s go see those piglets and I’ll explain.”
She follows me outside, where I’m glad to notice she thought to put on a pair of jeans and some worn running shoes. The farm can be a muddy place and is definitely not suited for any fancy footwear.
She listens attentively as I explain the arrangement I made with Franco, until the moment we step inside the barn and she catches sight of Petunia and her offspring.
“Ohh, look at them,” she coos, sinking down on a hay bale beside the pen. “They’re so pink.”
I step over the barrier and scratch Petunia behind her ear, and she immediately grunts with pleasure.
“Gonna borrow one of your babies for a minute,” I mumble at the sow, picking up the runt of the litter.
The little one squeals, proving there’s nothing wrong with her lungs, and I carefully hand her to Anika. She immediately starts babbling nonsense at the piglet, who instantly quiets. Two minutes later it’s curled up on Anika’s lap, its eyes closed as it gets its tiny head rubbed.
Lucky damn pig.
I don’t know who’s more blissed out, Anika or the critter, and when Franco walks by a few minutes later and has a question about an order, neither of them notices me walking out with him.
By the time I return, the piglet is back in the pen nursing, and Anika has moved on to the goats who have a part-indoor, part-outdoor enclosure.
“Careful, they’ll start chewing your clothes if you give them a chance,” I caution her.
They say pigs will eat everything, but they clearly haven’t met our goats.
“Seriously?”
I nod. “Last week those damn cretins chewed the tread off a new wheelbarrow’s tire.”
Her peal of laughter is unexpected, and when she throws her long dark mane back, exposing the beautiful curve of her slender throat, the blood starts throbbing in my veins.
I faintly register the surprise in her eyes when I hook a hand behind her neck and pull her toward me. With my nose almost touching hers, I pause.
“Say no,” I whisper in a low voice.
But instead of doing that, she lifts up on her toes and presses her lush lips against mine.
Holy shit.