The more time I spent with Danica, the more time Iwantedto spend with her.And when I wasn’t with her, she was all I thought about.
Having her there with me last night, as we said goodbye to Angel and reassured Midnight that he wasn’t alone, meant more to me than I think she realized.Could I have done it myself?Sure.I did everything else on this property on my own.But I was glad that I didn’t have to.It was nice to share the heavy weight of grief with someone else, as well as the joy of watching little Midnight rally and take his first wobbly steps.
She wasn’t pushy either.She seemed almost as unsure and hesitant about our circumstances as I did.However, like today on the porch, I saw glimpses of an unimaginable strength.The strength of a woman who left an abusive relationship, and now raised her daughter on her own.
I knew what it was like to raise a child by yourself, and it was no easy task.And to have that child be one like Sam—with anxiety, self-esteem issues, and who was being bullied—had to take a toll on Danica.
Portia nudged my chin with her snout and snorted, inching closer to me.Her warmth and the weight of her chin on my shoulder helped keep the chaotic thoughts from getting too out of control.
I really did need to eat something.I’d been so busy mucking stalls, taking care of Midnight, and then moving Angel’s body and digging her grave that I had completely forgotten to eat.As well as shower, but I’d do that later.
Still on my ass, I inched over to the fridge and yanked open the door, digging around in the crisper for an apple.I grabbed two, because no way could I eat an apple and not offer one to the princess.
My pig and I sat on the floor eating our apples, and the rush of sugar through my bloodstream helped push those last sticky strands of panic out of the corners of my mind.
“One more minute,” I told Portia, handing her my apple core.
By the time I climbed off the floor, I felt a lot better.I had a glass of water, since I also hadn’t had anything to drink today, and headed back out to the barn.Both their vehicles were still there, and I found Francesca and Sam in the same stall, brushing Monarch while Cameron was lecturing Piñata about the importance of not biting other animals’ tails.I couldn’t find Danica though.
“If you’re looking for my mom, she’s in the stall with Midnight and Raven,” Sam said, giving Monarch a kiss on his thick, gray neck.He turned around and gave her hair a lick, which made her giggle.
I nodded at her, heat filling my cheeks as I made my way to the end of the barn where, sure enough, there was Danica, sitting on the floor—just like she had last night—with Midnight on her lap.Raven seemed okay with the situation and was happily chewing on hay.Midnight’s eyes were closed, his head on her stomach, legs flopped out to one side, as she hummed softly to him and stroked the star on his forehead.
I stood there in the doorway of the stall for a moment, just watching her, taking it all in.She came here asking for my help with her kid, which I didn’t hesitate to agree to despite my immediate attraction to her.However, in such a short span of time, she’d given me more than I could ever give her.
I shifted a little, and she must have noticed me out of the corner of her eye.Glancing over her shoulder, she smiled.“Did you eat something?More than half a banana?”
“I had an apple.”
Her frown was cute.“That’s not substantial enough.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“So, I called Gabrielle, and she’s happy to take a look at any paperwork the lawyers may have given you.She’s also got some great real estate and estate lawyer referrals that she’ll give you as well.And she suggested we reach out to the Island Elders Council.Since land on the island has to be passed down to any willing family members before it can be sold, they’ll know your wife’s parents and whether your father-in-law’s sister has any claim to the land.”
I nodded again.I hated people knowing my business.I was a private person and liked it that way.It took a lot for me to even put my name in the hat for Bonn Remmen’s land, but I did because just a week before, Vincent and his mother knocked on my door and told me that if Guiseppe didn’t live here, then I had no right to.And I panicked.
A cute, crooked smile lifted her mouth.“You need to take the help that’s being offered, Tom.I know you’re a private person.Trust me, my cousins and I are too.When the truth about our pasts came out, we weren’t happy about it.We’ve flown under the radar for a while on the island, but at the end of the day, our pasts aren’t our fault, and we’re not going to be ashamed of them.The island is a tight-knit community full of people who love thy neighbor and will do whatever they can to help.”Her smile grew a little.“Let thy neighbors love you.”
That made me smirk.
“Have you evenmetyour neighbors?”
“Well, one side is Bonn Remmen, and I only met him once before he died, when Piñata first arrived and ran away from me as I tried to get him into the barn.Bonn found him eating his radishes.”
She rolled her eyes and grinned.“Of course he did.”
“And I haven’t met the others.They keep to themselves.Which I like.”
Her brows knitted.“Yeah, I don’t actually know who’s on the other side of you either, come to think of it.”
“Who’s on the other side of who?”Cameron asked, coming to stand beside me in the door of the stall.
“Do you know who’s on the other side of Tom’s property?”Danica asked.“Not Bonn’s side, obviously, but the other side?”
Cameron squinted his honey-colored eyes for a moment, thinking.“I think it’s actually Otto and Brenda Pickford.”He nodded more emphatically.“Yeah, actually, that’s right.It is Otto.”
Danica made a face like she had just bitten into a stale bomboloni.“Ugh.That asshole.”
