He waved a massive hand in the air. “You understand the rules?”
I folded my arms over my chest, nodding slowly. “Yeah, I understand. I have a few rules too.”
He blinked, his brows shooting up into his hairline. “You have rules?” The question came out so incredulous it was hard not to be offended.
“I do.” I met his gaze head on. “You treat me with respect, and you don’t yell at Zoya in front of me, for any reason. Let me do my job without micromanaging as long as Zoya is safe. And if you want me to reportsuspicious activity, you need to define what that means more clearly.”
One dark brow arched and maybe it was just me, but I was pretty sure his eyes grew darker. “You’ve got a mouth on you.”
“That’s what mymamitells me. I’m here to help Zoya, Mr. Kerris, so anything that will help me get to know her and your concerns is essential. It’s not just me being nosy.”
Something flickered in his eyes, possibly amusement or maybe annoyance, but his lips twitched, just enough to notice but it was gone before I could confirm.
“Okay, let’s meet Zoya,” he said finally, like he was issuing a challenge. “See how you get along.” I knew a challenge when I heard one.
Challenge accepted.
Sledge led me down a short hallway to a bedroom with lots of natural light. The soft lavender walls told me he’d tried to make this space special for her despite his own lack of décor. There was a small bed with a unicorn comforter, and shelves lined with books and toys. A little girl sat cross-legged on a beanbag chair, clutching a stuffed rabbit that had seen better days.
She was tiny with delicate features, a tumble of blonde curls, and those same hazel eyes as her father. She looked up at me like I was an intruder. Fear and instant mistrust swam in her eyes.
“Zoya,” Sledge said in a much softer tone. His whole voice changed, it was lower, careful, and protective. “This is Eliana. She’s here to talk about helping out while Gina’s healing.”
Her grip on the rabbit tightened to a stranglehold. Still, she said nothing.
I crouched down to her level with a gentle smile. “Hey, Zoya. My name is Eliana.” I held out my hand, palm up. “It’s nice to meet you.”
She hesitated before reaching out, her small fingers brushing mine for a heartbeat before she pulled back. Progress.
“It’s okay,” I said quietly. “I get nervous meeting new people too.”
Her eyes went wide as she studied me, not sure what to make of me. She wasn’t scared now, just curious.
I pointed to her rabbit. “And who’s your friend? He looks like a Floofy. Or maybe a Floppy, because of the ears?”
The corner of her mouth twitched. A ghost of a smile.
“Well, whatever his or her name is, they are adorable.” I whispered the words like it was a shared secret between us.
She didn’t say anything, but she didn’t turn away and she didn’t cower behind her father, which I counted as a win.
I kept my voice soft and casual, talking without making her feel like she needed to join in. “I love to draw and to paint,but I’m much better with pencils and crayons. I like watching movies. I love to read and my favorite food of all time? Tacos.” She gave me nothing, so I just smiled. “What do you like?”
Another silence met me, but it wasn’t quite as tense.
“She doesn’t talk to strangers,” Sledge grunted.
I smiled, my gaze still fixed on Zoya. “That’s okay, mymamitells me I talk enough to carry the conversation for five people,” I said. “Besides, I can ask questions, right? A girl can always change her mind if she sees fit. That’s the beauty of being a girl.” I winked. “Right?”
She gave me another smile and already this little girl had claimed a piece of my heart.
I pulled a sketchbook and pencils from my bag of goodies and flipped to a blank page. “Sometimes when I don’t feel like talking, I just draw. I’ve been doing that since I was about your age. It’s like a journal, but prettier.”
I sat cross-legged on the floor with my book on my lap before pulling out another one for her. I started to sketch, nothing in particular, just something to do while I talked to Zoya.
For a few long minutes, nothing happened. Then slowly, Zoya set her rabbit friend down and picked up the pencil.
My heart did a little dance, but I didn’t let it show.
