Chapter 14 #2
“Bear makes sure the garden beds are kept up,” Ellie said, reading her mind. “He knows it mattered to Walter. And to me. He fixed up the house, too, after it was sold to Watchdog. It’s how we met, actually.”
“Really?” Maren asked, intrigued.
Ellie nodded. “Arden told me a little about your situation, because it’s a little like mine,” she said carefully. “I hope that’s okay.”
Maren’s stomach tightened. “What did she tell you?”
“Just that you came here for protection. That you didn’t know about Sean or Juni’s family until recently.” Ellie turned to look at her. “And that you’re feeling like an outsider.”
Maren looked down at her hands. “Is it that obvious?”
“Only to someone who’s been there.” Ellie’s voice was gentle. “I showed up here about three years ago on a bike I’d stolen from my brother, with nothing but a backpack, a sleeping bag, and a gun.”
Maren’s head snapped up. “What?”
Ellie nodded. “My uncle’s attorney sent me a letter saying I’d inherited a cabin from him.
I didn’t even know Uncle Walter had died—my family was estranged from him.
I needed to get away from my dad and brothers in Illinois, so I biked south and west for three days to throw them off my trail, then took a bus from Kansas to Colorado.
I couldn’t believe the letter was real, but I had to find out. ”
Maren leaned forward, listening and trying to reconcile the tiny, gentle woman sitting next to her with someone who would travel halfway across the country on a bike with a stolen gun.
“When I got here, I saw the gatehouse and panicked. I turned into the woods, remembering an old path that led to Uncle Walter’s house.
I thought my cousin might still live here, and I could talk to her.
Bear was up on the roof doing repairs and saw me coming out of the woods onto the property.
Kyle saw me, too—on the cameras. He thought I was infiltrating Watchdog. ”
Maren covered her mouth. “Oh, geez.”
Ellie laughed. “Yeah. Not exactly a warm welcome. Kyle was suspicious, asking all these questions, verifying my identity. But Bear stood up for me from the second we met.” Her cheeks flooded with pink. “I think we were both smitten from the moment we saw each other.”
“Oh, that’s so sweet.”
“For that first day, I felt like everyone was watching me, waiting for me to screw up or prove I was trouble. Except for him.”
“But you stayed.”
“Once they figured out I wasn’t lying, and Arden remembered me from when I was a little kid who would visit in the summers, I stayed that first night at the ranch.
But then I ran away. I took my bike up to the cabin.
Bear found me there the next morning, freezing to death since there was no heat, and convinced me to come back. ”
Ellie smiled softly. “Kyle told me something I didn’t believe at the time. He said, ‘The minute we knew who you were, you became family.’”
Maren’s chest ached. “Did you believe him?”
“No. Not then.” Ellie looked at her steadily. “But he was telling the truth. And eventually I figured that out.”
“How long did it take?”
“Longer than it should have.” Ellie smiled. “I’m stubborn, too. Runs in the family.”
“You found one!” Juni squealed as Star studied something under a leaf. She crouched down to examine it. “She’s sleeping in her fuzzy sleeping bag.”
Both women laughed. “Sounds like they found a cocoon,” Ellie said.
“So, if I can pry, why were you running?” Maren asked quietly.
Ellie nodded as her jaw tightened. “My father and brothers. They’re.
..they weren’t good people. They hurt me and it was about to get a lot worse.
I finally got away, but they were looking for me.
Kyle and Bear and everyone else here, they kept me safe.
They didn’t have to. They barely knew me.
But they did it anyway. Watchdog doesn’t let threats get close.
Not to family.” Ellie’s voice went hard.
“And if threats do get close…they take care of the problem.”
Maren thought about the conference room. The questions. Gina’s careful distance. “The protectiveness feels like they don’t trust me.”
“I know.” Ellie reached over and squeezed her hand. “But it’s not that. They’ve just lost people. They’ve been betrayed by people they trust, especially Gina. They protect harder because they know what it costs not to.”
They’ve been betrayed by people they trust. Maren swallowed hard as that hit home.
“They weren’t keeping you at arm’s length because you’re dangerous,” Ellie continued.
“They did it because someone else is. But they’ll take care of it.
” She smiled, all the hardness gone from her face like it had never been there.
“They’ll take care of you. You’ll see. You’re already family, just as much as Juni is. You just don’t feel it yet.”
Maren looked at Juni, who was holding Star’s hand now, guiding her carefully through the garden.
“I want to believe that,” Maren whispered.
“You will,” Ellie said. “Give it time.”
The back door opened and Arden reappeared with Colin behind her. “Look who I found!”
Juni’s head whipped around. Her whole face brightened. “Colin’s back!”
She started to run toward him, then stopped, turned, and grabbed Star’s hand. “Come on!”
They both ran toward Colin, Star giggling like it was the best game she’d ever played.
“Colin, look!” Juni bounced on her toes. “I made a new friend. Her name is Star and she’s little but she’s good at finding fairies.”
Colin looked a bit dismayed at two small girls instead of one, both looking up at him like he’d hung the moon.
Mac chuckled from his spot by the door. “Looks like you’re moving up in the world, brother. Two fans now.”
Colin shot him a look but bent down to Juni’s level. “That’s great, Junebug. You did good showing her around.”
Juni wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. Star, not wanting to be left out, patted Colin’s shoulder.
He glanced at Ellie. “Hey, Star. You being good for your mama?”
Star nodded solemnly, then giggled.
Maren felt herself light up watching him with the girls. It was obvious both girls adored him.
How can he possibly think he’s not good with kids?
Maren and Ellie stood up from the bench and walked toward the group. Ellie touched Maren’s shoulder gently as they walked.
“Judging by your face,” Ellie said quietly, with a knowing smile, “maybe our stories are more alike than I thought.”
Maren’s cheeks warmed. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Sure you don’t.” Ellie’s smile widened. “I had that same look on my face for weeks before I figured out what it meant.”
Maren opened her mouth to protest, but Juni was calling her over to tell her what Star had found, and Colin’s eyes met hers over the girls’ heads, and her words evaporated. Her skin remembered his thumb against her cheekbone. Her lips tingled as she thought about the kiss that almost happened.
Ellie just smiled wider.