Chapter 8
EIGHT
Maren stretched and listened to her back popping as she stood in the safehouses’s master bathroom.
The long drive had just about done in her back, and she hoped a long, hot shower would help.
Juni was in the other room with their two new bodyguards, going on about Pretzel and all the other puppies.
Her mind flashed to earlier in the day, the look on Juni’s face when Jodie brought them into the room holding the three new puppies. Juni gravitated toward the biggest one.
“I’m going to call him Pretzel.” She smiled up at Maren.
“Oh, like from Bluey?”
“Yeah.”
Maren had to admit, the puppy did look like the cartoon character, even if he was a Malinois puppy and not a chihuahua. Ugh, Bluey though. Juni loved that show, and yes, Maren liked it too, but at the same time, Bluey’s dad made Maren feel like she wasn’t doing enough to be a good parent.
For example, most parents don’t end up in safehouses with people they’ve never met.
Stop it. You got her to safety as quickly as you could. And these are good people. They’re helping you.
Even if they don’t trust you yet.
That was easy enough to pick up on.
Maren stripped down, vowing never to wear those clothes again, turned on the shower, and stepped in.
The hot water felt amazing streaming down her back and she just stood there for several minutes before picking up the shampoo.
She opened the top without reading the bottle, and the shower was filled with the scent of coconuts.
As Maren lathered up her hair, her mind played over the rest of the surreal day, starting with their arrival at the safehouse just up the road from Watchdog, like Kyle had said.
It looked like an older farmhouse, but fixed up nicely.
Arden had gone back home, but Kyle gave them a tour of the house, including the panic room in the basement.
Maybe that was the strangest part of this already strange day.
It felt like a scene straight out of a movie, complete with handsome bodyguards.
The most attractive bodyguard was Colin Hale.
When she’d seen him at the gate, she’d been too scared to really notice him beyond ‘large man who holds my fate in his hands.’ But seeing him across the kennel yard, at ease and talking to Mac, her body responded in a way she hadn’t felt since becoming Juni’s guardian. She put it off on adrenaline.
But sitting beside him in the conference room, watching him watch her, taking note of his every expression…
it felt like he trusted her, even if no one else in the room did, except Arden.
Well, and maybe Mac, but he seemed reflexively friendly.
Maren detected a slight accent that put him in Wisconsin, Northern Illinois, or Minnesota—home of Midwest Nice.
Maren grinned. Juni was having none of it, and it seemed to bother the big guy. Almost as much as Juni’s attention bothered Colin.
That’s a shame.
And besides, you shouldn’t care. You’ve got Juni to worry about.
Once the hot water started to run out, Maren turned off the shower and toweled herself off.
She was surprised to see she’d been in the shower for over half an hour.
Colin had left her suitcase beside the bed, after insisting on unloading it and Juni’s and bringing them inside, which was very sweet of him.
And just part of his job.
Maren got out a change of clothes and got dressed. The mirror in the bathroom was fogged over so she looked at herself in the one over the dresser and immediately wished it were fogged over, too.
Colin would have broken his back if he’d tried bringing in the gigantic bags under my eyes.
But, at least she was clean now and didn’t smell like the road. She’d give Juni a bath before bed, just like their usual routine. Maren thought it best to try and keep to some sort of normalcy.
I’ve got to fix up Mr. Kibble today, before she goes to bed. And the Blue Fairy, if I can.
The burner sitting on the dresser buzzed, making Maren jump.
The only people who had the number were her supervisor, Kyle, Colin, Mac, and Arden.
She’d talked to her supervisor from the road, who had already locked down Maren’s account and told her not to worry.
She was a good employee and followed protocol, so there shouldn’t be a problem, which relieved Maren to no end.
She was also understanding when Maren told her she would be taking a few days off to help Juni process what had happened. She had that going for her, at least.
The number was a Colorado area code. Maren answered, disturbed at how her hand trembled, half-expecting another horrible phone message.
“Hello?”
“Maren, hi, it’s Arden. I just wanted to check in. Are you settling in okay?”
Maren smiled, calm settling over her. “Between the coconut cream shampoo and the pineapple shower gel, I smell like a Hawaiian vacation. Which, I wish I was on right now.” She clapped her hand over her mouth. “I’m sorry. That was so rude. I’m really thankful for everything you’re doing for us.”
Arden laughed. “You don’t need to apologize. I don’t blame you.”
Maren chuckled, surprising herself.
“How’s Juni doing?” Arden asked.
Maren put her ear to the bedroom door. “Sounds like she’s currently telling Colin and Mac about every puppy she’s ever met. They’re being very patient.”
“Very good,” Arden said with a soft laugh. “Listen, I won’t keep you. I know you’re running on fumes. I just wanted you to have my number, and to know I’m five minutes up the road if you need anything. Anything at all. Including someone to come sit on your couch and not talk.”
Maren’s throat tightened unexpectedly. “Thank you,” she managed.
“Of course. I also make a mean pina colada when you’re ready to pretend you’re in Hawaii.”
Maren chuckled a little harder. “I’ll take you up on that when I’m not so brain dead.”
“Actually, is there anything you need tonight? I can run things over.” Arden sounded hopeful.
“Um. This may sound strange, but do you have a bag of dried beans?”
“Sure. Black or pinto?”
“Either. They’re not for cooking, they’re for repairing Juni’s beanbag doll.” Maren grimaced. “It’s one of the raggy-looking things she’s been carrying around.”
“Oh…right. Arden’s voice went soft. “I don’t understand how anyone could do that to a little girl’s dolls. I’ll bring some right over. See you in a few.”
Maren set the phone down and took a deep breath. The others may not trust her, but Arden sounded like she was eager to give Maren the benefit of the doubt.
Though, Colin did, too.
The doorbell rang about ten minutes later. By the time Maren made it to the front room, Juni had already attached herself to Arden’s leg.
“Whoa, hi, sweetie.” Arden had two grocery bags over her arm and a casserole dish in her hands. She was looking down at Juni, surprised.
“You smell like a good dinner,” Juni informed her.
“That is an excellent compliment,” Arden said, laughing. “Thank you, Junebug.”
Juni tilted her head. “Junebug?” She turned to Maren. That’s what you call me.”
“Lucky guess,” Arden told her. “It also fits you.” Arden’s gaze flicked up to Maren, then back down. “I think it’s what your dad would have called you, too.”
“He was your brother, right? Like Auntie Mer is my mommy’s sister.”
“He was, yes.”
“Then I’ll call you Aunt Arden.”
“I would love that.”
Maren blinked back sudden tears. Arden was doing the same.
Mac took the casserole dish from Arden smoothly. “I’ve got this,” he said. “Where am I taking it?”
“Kitchen,” Maren said. “Thanks, Mac.”
“Aye aye, captain.” Mac winked at Juni on the way past. Juni giggled and Mac looked happier than he had all day.
“It’s lasagna,” Arden said, handing the grocery bags to Maren. “There’s a salad in there, and bread. I figured if you’d been eating drive-through you’d want something with vegetables in it. And garlic bread, because if you don’t have garlic bread with lasagna it’s just sad.”
“Just sad,” Juni repeated, very serious.
Arden grinned at her.
“My goodness, when did you have time to make lasagna?” Maren asked.
“Oh, I had some frozen. I put it in the oven the second I got home. I wanted to make sure you had something real to eat. And,” Arden reached into the second bag, “dry beans, as requested.” She pulled out a one-pound bag of dried beans. “Pinto. I hope that’s all right.”
“Oh, thank you. They’re perfect.”
Juni’s silver-gray eyes went round. “What are those for?”
“For the Blue Fairy,” Maren said. “For her stuffing.”
Juni gasped. “You can fix her?”
“I can try. Aunt Arden brought me what I need.” Arden smiled at the title.
“Thank you.” Juni said it the way she’d said it to Maren when she first saw the doll—small, and serious, and meaning it. Then she hugged Arden’s leg again.
Arden put a hand on Juni’s head and just studied her. Maren’s throat tightened. She quickly turned to set the bags on the table.
“Are you staying for dinner, Aunt Arden?” Juni asked.
“Not tonight, kiddo.” Arden’s tone sounded light. “Aunt Maren needs to eat and then you guys need to sleep about a hundred years. But I’m really close by, and I’ll be back.”
“Promise?”
“Cross my heart.”
Juni gave her a small, satisfied nod and let go of Arden’s leg.
In the kitchen, Mac had set the casserole on a trivet he’d produced from somewhere. Colin had moved to the front window—not staring out, just a glance one way, then the other.
“Promise you’re settling in?” Arden asked Maren, her voice low enough that Juni, now in the kitchen to ‘help’ with dinner, wouldn’t catch it.
“Yes. I…” Maren stopped. Tried again. “Arden, you’ve been so kind. I don’t know how to—”
“Don’t.” Arden touched her elbow. “We’ve got time for thank-yous later. You’ve had a day. Besides, we’re family.”
Maren nodded, not trusting her voice.