Chapter 27
“You’re not so scary,” I told the danger birds as I put grain into their feeder after work the following Thursday. The birds were kind of sweet, actually, with the way they clucked at each other. And the other day, I’d watched a YouTube video about different ways to cook eggs and scrambled some for breakfast.
Cy had also explained the different settings on my oven, and I’d successfully cooked a few different meals, not just for myself, but for him and Gemma too. In addition to frozen pizza, I could now cook frozen burritos, frozen curry, and frozen pot pie. Hell, I was practically a pioneer woman. Or a prepper. If an apocalypse struck, I might even be one of the survivors. Who would have guessed?
I’d only just gone back into the house when Eric called. I stared at his name on my screen while my phone rang, then I gave a satisfied smile as it went to voicemail.
He’d been calling a lot the last few days, not that I ever picked up. He’d left several groveling voicemails, telling me he missed me, and was sorry,and couldn’t I give him another chance. I’d started deleting his messages without listening to them. Now Spike couldn’t hurt me anymore, I never had to talk to Eric again. That was something to smile about.
“Zeppelin!” I called. He was sniffing around Carla’s garden beds, but when I yelled his name, he came running.
I followed him back inside and into the living room, then flopped onto the couch. Today had been a busy day at the bakery, but I knew so many of our customers now, it felt like I’d spent all day chatting to friends. My feet didn’t get sore anymore. And pretty soon, I’d head over to Cy’s place to have dinner with him and Gemma. I might even end up in his bed again, even though I had to go to work in the morning, and that would mean getting very little sleep.
I grinned at the thought, a delicious shiver of anticipation running through me.
Zeppelin jumped onto the couch next to me and put his head on my lap. He looked up at me through his hairy bangs, and it was such a cute look I had to laugh. “I guess we’re both getting comfortable here, huh?” I said out loud.
Ironically, the realization of how true that was made me feel a whole lot less comfortable.
I’d been messaging Carla every couple of days to check her treatment was going okay, but I hadn’t spoken on the phone to her in ages, and I hadn’t told her about Cy yet. It was way past time I gave her a call.
Carla took a while to answer my call, and when her face came on the screen, she was in a stark white room. She was propped up on a bed with pillows behind her.
“Hey, brat,” she said with a smile. “How’s everything?’
I frowned, studying as much of the room as I could see. Part of a machine was visible, and it looked like a heart monitor. “Are you in the hospital?”
“Just having some tests.” She wrinkled her nose. “It’s part of the trial. I have to get tested every few days. Noah’s right here with me for moral support.” She swiveled her phone to show me Noah in a chair. He waved and said hello, then Carla turned the phone back to herself.
“How are you feeling?” I asked, still worried.
“Good.” Her smile seemed real. “I’m not getting my hopes up, but my energy’s been a little better the last few days.”
“That’s great news!” I grinned at her, delight replacing my worry.
“I don’t want to talk about it in case I jinx it. So tell me what’s been happening there. Is Freud okay?”
“Freud sleeps and he eats. Occasionally, he farts. Do you know how much longer you’ll be there and when you’re coming home?”
Carla’s eyebrows drew down. “You want to go back to New York? It’s okay if you do, I can ask someone else to look after Freud until we get?—”
“No, nerd.” I heaved an exaggerated sigh. “I was just asking.”
“We’ll be here another couple of weeks. Seriously, do you hate it there?” She winced as though bracing herself for my answer.
“I don’t actually. Hey, I had lunch with Noah’s mother on Sunday. She’s so nice.”
Carla looked off to where Noah was sitting. “Honey, did you hear that? Mags had lunch with your mom.”
A moment later, Noah appeared on the screen next to her, craning his head to get into the camera’s field of vision. “How is my momma?”
“She’s great! Such a lovely woman.” I smiled, thinking of how we’d bonded. I’d told her all about Cy, and she’d promised to spread the word about him, and talk him up to everyone she knew.
“And by the way,” I said. “I’ve started dating someone.”
Carla’s eyes widened, her eyebrows shooting up. “You have? Who?”
“His name’s Cy Baxter.”
“Baxter?” Noah frowned.
“You know him?” I asked.
Carla frowned too, but at Noah, not me. “Have I met him?” she asked. “I don’t remember hearing his name.”
Thanks to her illness, my sister didn’t get out much. She had to be one of the few people in Green Valley who never heard any gossip.
Noah shook his head. “He left town years ago. I haven’t seen him since I was a boy, and even back then, he always kept to himself. I’d heard he was back. His family doesn’t have the best reputation.”
“Cy’s nothing like his father,” I said. “He’s a good person.”
“Okay.” Noah still sounded doubtful.
“Don’t judge him until you know him,” I said. Then I reconsidered that statement, thinking about my own past. “In fact, don’t judge him at all. I’m telling you he’s good, and you can believe me. He’s the best.”
“Well I’m happy for you.” Carla nudged Noah.
“Sure,” said Noah. “If you say he’s a good person, I believe you.” He gave me a nod, then moved back away from the camera, presumably going back to his chair.
“I wouldn’t have pictured you with someone local,” said Carla. “And I guess he doesn’t wear flannel, considering all those things you said about hating that when you found out I was dating Noah?”
“Actually, Cy was wearing flannel when I met him,” I admitted. “And you should have seen his beard.” I gestured around my face, demonstrating how full it had been when we met, and exaggerating a little because it was funny to see how Carla’s eyes were widening. “He’s got hair past his collar, and I haven’t checked, but I bet his closet is full of cowboy boots and cowboy hats.”
“Wait, wait, wait!” Carla waved both hands, laughing. “You’re dating a guy with every single one of the things you used to make fun of?”
I gave an exaggerated nod. “And he only listens to country and western music.”
“That’s so funny!”
“Yeah.” I sighed. “Only it turned out that none of that stuff matters. Cy is special. He’s way better than any guy I’ve ever dated, in every way possible. The problem is that I was only supposed to be here a few weeks. What happens when I leave?”
“He wouldn’t go with you?”
“I doubt it. He’s been building a business here, and renovating his house. He seems like he’s getting settled.”
She wrinkled her brow. “So what will you do?”
I shrugged helplessly. “I only wish I knew.”