Talking to Thario felt good. He made her laugh, which was a wonderful thing. “It has been a long time since I’ve laughed. Thank you.”
Thario nodded. “I remember not laughing for months after. I didn’t think there was much to be thankful for. I’ve learned a lot in the years since.”
She reached out and touched his arm. She almost pulled back, but instead of pulling away, she squeezed. “I’m sorry people didn’t treat you kindly after the accident. You deserve so much more.”
He turned to face her, and the urge to hug him grew. Before their parents had died, she'd had a boyfriend. Of course, back then they'd been young, and it had been relatively innocent, but she remembered the feeling of hugging him, and she wanted that with Thario.
“You’re being very kind.”
She shook her head. “No, I’m speaking the truth. You are a good person.”
He ducked his head, shaking it slightly. “I wasn’t for a long time. I’m not sure I deserve to be treated well.”
“Maybe we can work together to heal.”
His gaze rose, and she wanted to fall into his brown eyes and never look away. If he asked, she would kiss him. She knew this was way too fast, but it was like it was meant to be.
Maybe a few days apart would do her some good. She needed time to think, and being with Thario made her insides twist with desire. Could this all be real, or was it her mind playing tricks on her?
Chapter 19
Calla woke feeling absolutely refreshed.She felt totally safe as she sat up and saw that the door to the hall was still cracked open, and she wasn't locked in. When would she be able to sleep with the door shut? No clue, but it wasn't going to be any time soon.
The sound of someone in the kitchen made her freeze, and then she heard Elowen talking to Knuckles. A smile spread over her face. The dog made her laugh. She'd come over and curled up on Calla's lap the night before. It had been totally sweet, and exactly what she needed.
She wished Thario had been here, but it really was better for her to be on her own. Getting used to the idea of freedom was overwhelming.
When she stepped into the hall, Knuckles came running for her. The dog stopped short and then wiggled and bounced around.
“Are you a lively one this morning?”
The dog let out a low bark, and she laughed. After giving the dog a scratch on the head, she stepped into the bathroom andstared at herself in the mirror. The person looking back at her looked refreshed. Being here would make a difference.
In the kitchen, she found Elowen making breakfast. "Griz went out earlier and picked some blackberries., so I made some blackberry pancakes."
“Wow. Blackberry pancakes. I don’t think I’ve ever had anything like that.”
“The berries were sweet, so I decided to put them in the batter. Sometimes, the berries are a little sour, and I end up doing pies with them.”
“Can I help you with anything?”
“You can make yourself some coffee. The food is almost done. Oh, could you go to the back door and call in Griz and Knuckles? He took her out to get some exercise after she greeted you in the hall.”
“Sure.” She moved to the door and opened it. The sun was barely above the trees and bathed the area in golden light.
Knuckles saw her and immediately raced over. The dog had already seen her once today, but was still excited to see her again. She laughed as she petted the dog on her head.
“Good morning,” Griz said.
“Good morning. Elowen said breakfast was ready.”
“Thank you.” Griz picked up one of the dog’s toys and came over to the patio. Knuckles spun around in a circle, looking happier than she’d seen her.
“That dog is so happy.”
"She's a good dog. I like having her around. Before I moved up here full-time, it was for Elowen's safety. Now I just like having a happy dog around."
“When we were younger, I wanted a pet. My older sister, Abigail, brought home a kitten. We found it dead two days later.”
