Something about it seemed to resonate with Andy, and he turned and went to his truck. He jumped inside and took one look at the dogs, then made a careful U-turn and drove away.
I gawked. “Did he just make sure he wouldn’t run over any of the dogs?”
“He’s not a bad guy, it’s…” Hudson sighed and relaxed visibly.
“It was hard on him, having to let go of Sally-Mae,” Theo explained. “But it isn’t right to keep a goat on a balcony.”
My brain screeched to a halt. I must’ve looked flabbergasted, because Hudson glanced at me before bursting out laughing. “Wait, you thought he was talking about a human child?”
Even Theo’s lips twitched. “Kid, as in goat kid. She’s happier with the two others we have in the last box stall on the left at the stable.”
“Jesus fucking Christ, this is a madhouse.” I turned on my heel and trudged back inside, shaking my head. What the fuck had I stumbled into?
* * * *
Theo and Hudson stayed outside to wait for the cops Sierra had called. Meanwhile, I went to find River and Rey upstairs.
I followed the sound of my friends talking and found them in the bedroom that was in the middle of the house. As soon as I walked in, it became apparent why Rey would’ve picked it.
“Oh, nice, all the tall trees are right there!” I said brightly, not pointing out that the room likely had the least light and that the trees obstructed the view of the clear blue sky above.
“And you can see the pond if you look right here,” River added, pointing through a gap in the whatever trees they were. Big tall ones at the front of the house.
“So you’re picking this one?” I asked Rey, who was sitting on the bed, looking around at the quasi-modern décor that somehow managed to mix country style with Ikea-ish stuff pretty nicely.
“Yeah, if that’s okay?” Rey asked. His eyes were wide and stressed, and he practically drowned inside my old hoodie.
I smiled. “Of course. That’s why you came up here.”
“There’s a bathroom through here, but it’s shared with that cook guy whenever he’s here.” River opened the door to show a nicely sized, neat bathroom to me.
“How about you, Riv?” Rey seemed hesitant for some reason. “Which room will you take?”
“I think I want the corner one next to yours. I liked the windows looking out to the pond, too.”
Even if River would’ve actually wanted the other corner room, he wouldn’t have taken it. River was protective of Rey and wanted to be as close as possible.
“Sounds good.” Rey was clearly relieved.
“I guess mine will be the master downstairs. The office is there as well, where she used to do her writing.” I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling it all kind of hit me all at once. “Fuck. I wish I’d known her.”
River and Rey immediately came to me and hugged me on both sides.
We heard abooffrom the yard, then car doors slamming.
“The cops, probably,” River said calmly when Rey tensed.
“Let’s go get some lunch downstairs.” I glanced at Rey. “You want to come with, or should we bring you some here?”
Rey twitched with indecision. This move was incredibly hard for him, and I wouldn’t push him to do anything at all.
“I’ll bring you a plate, okay?” River patted Rey’s shoulder. “How about you come get your last bag from the bottom of the stairs and unpack?”
“Okay.” Rey sighed with relief, the sound as familiar to me as River’s sarcastic chuckle had become over the years.
We went downstairs, and River headed to the kitchen while I lifted Rey’s bag to the middle landing, winking at the kid. Rey rolled his eyes, then dashed upstairs with his luggage.
I turned to go into the kitchen, but the office door caught my eye. Hesitantly, I stepped across the foyer and pushed it open.
