“Trust me, I understand that sentiment more than you know. But enough shoptalk—let’s hit the trails.” She grabbed her backpack from the passenger seat and shoved aside all thoughts of creepy wooden carvings and the men who made them.
“Yeah. Hit it!” Suzy beamed up at them then darted past the oversize board at the beginning of the trail that highlighted all the flora and fauna waiting to be explored.
“Slow down there, sister.” Eve jogged to reach the little spark plug before placing her hands on the girl’s shoulders and bringing her to a slower pace. “You have to stay close. We don’t want to lose you.”
Suzy giggled. “No lose me.”
Eve gave her goddaughter her best don’t-test-me look, and Suzy returned to skipping casually along the tree-lined path.
Lily fell into a comfortable step beside her. Silence lingered between them, only the rustle of leaves and morning birdsongs combining with Suzy’s giggles to keep them company.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Lily finally asked.
The question tensed all the muscles in Eve’s body. “Did Madden tell you?”
Lily winced. “I overhead him on the phone. Reid called to fill him in. Once I realized what they were discussing, I left the room. But not before I understood what had happened. I’m so sorry.”
Eve blew out a long, shaky breath. She wasn’t upset that Lily had found out about the attack, but it cemented something she’d been dreading: Everyone in town would soon know. It was the nature of life in a small community. And Lily was only offering her support, not much different than what Eve had done for Lily not that long ago.
“I’ve gone over things a thousand times in my head. I can’t stop picturing it—picturing him.” A chill slid down her spine. “I don’t know how to stop replaying it. That’s why I wanted to spend time with Suzy and bring her here. She always makes me forget my problems.” She smiled as she watched the little girl study a black-and-orange butterfly resting on a purple flower petal.
“Trust me, I understand. This kind of trauma grabs you by the throat and refuses to let go. Threatens to suffocate you. Everyone has their own way of dealing. You’ll figure out what works for you. Just know I’m here.”
Gratitude trickled through her like a calming stream. She and Lily had always been casual friends, but their bond had grown deeper in the last few months. Something she’d be forever grateful for.
“What made you want to come here?” Lily asked, picking up the threads of their conversation.
Eve couldn’t help but smile. “My dad brought me to this park, to this trail. I loved the evergreens that caged me in like I was walking through a magical tunnel. One that led somewhere special.” She nodded toward the opening ahead.
Lily gave her a curious look then lengthened her strides to keep up with a jogging Suzy.
Eve lingered behind, enjoying the gentle breeze on her skin and the moist smell of dirt and trees. Jagged peaks of the mountaintop loomed tall. As much as she loved the tougher trails, those weren’t an option with Suzy. Besides, she needed the magic her father had shared with her now more than ever.
Shrill laughter lifted her lips, and she hurried to catch up with Lily and Suzy. An awning of leaves gave way to the giant, blue sky. The wide stream gurgled in the distance, and a field of wildflowers erupted like fireworks as far as the eye could see.
Suzy gasped. “Pretty!”
She took Suzy’s hand and led her to a cluster of red flowers that lined the trail. “Do you know what this is?”
Suzy shook her head, and her pigtails bounced with the exaggerated motion.
“This flower is called Indian paintbrush. It’s the state flower. And you see the fuzz on the petals?”
Squinting, Suzy pushed her face as close to the flowers as she could. “Uh-huh.”
“Do you know what that fuzz is good for?”
“What?” the girl asked, not taking her attention off the flowers.
Eve grabbed the stem and wiggled the petal against Suzy’s cheek. “Tickling!”
Suzy giggled. “Again!”
Eve obliged, and pure joy filled her.
“It’s beautiful. I can’t believe I’ve never been here,” Lily said. “But then, the ranch has enough space and land to explore.There was never much need to venture far. Your dad brought you?”
“Yeah. He spent hours telling me the names of all the flowers. He owned a bar, but the man was born to be a gardener. He passed that passion to me, and whenever I want to feel closer to him and my mom, I come here. This spot is different than most others because the town owns this patch of land within the park. People are continuously planting seeds so we can actually pick the flowers without destroying what makes it so special. It always calms my nerves and reminds me of the magic of nature.”
