“They’re”—Faith circled a finger in the air—“threatening.”
“They are not!”
“Okay, how about I don’t want you stomping on anyone’s foot tonight. Come early, I’ll lend you some stuff. We’ll discuss boat designs, and I’ll see if I can find Noah’s and copy them.”
Like Mikey, she waved, and then she was gone, and Hope looked at the ground, focusing on the dirt, and leaves, the tree roots fighting their way to the surface. Long, thick vines crisscrossed the path before her.
“This place,” she muttered. In a few days, she’d said she would do a photo shoot for a spring catalogue, pictures for Mac for his website, and was building a boat. Add to that working in the Howler, and she was suddenly in employment for at least a week, maybe two. Could she stay and do it with Wildlife so close?
“You can’t keep running forever, Hope,” she said to a large redwood.
She’d stay and make a plan, and then with the money she got from her jobs she’d work out her next move. Her mother would be happy if she hung around, so she’d give her a couple of weeks, and some of her wages, then get out of town and start her life all over again someplace else.
The Howler was quiet when Hope let herself in at 5:45 p.m. Her mother had forced her to eat a lentil casserole that was still giving her issues, and had formed a solid mass in her stomach. Cooking was not her mother’s strong suit. She’d told her not to wait up. Millicent had nodded her approval that Hope was working, handed her a key, and that was pretty much that. She got her conversational skills from her mother.
“Hey there, Hope.”
Noah Harris was a bigger version of his sister. Broad, with short dark hair, he had the face of a warrior, and wore his heritage in every line. Handsome, like many who lived in Howling, she had grown up with him. In fact, Noah and Faith were probably the closest thing to friends Hope had ever had.
She accepted his hug and tried not to stiffen up too much when he kissed her cheek.
“Nice to see you’re still all warm and cuddly.”
She snorted as he released her. “This town and its need to hug and kiss is really off-putting.”
He gave her a wide smile that flashed a mouthful of white teeth.
“So I hear you’re doing the shoot for Macy. Should be fun, all them modelling for the day. And that you’ve signed up to help Mikey and Faith build a boat that will sink.”
“Why will it sink?” Hope accepted the arm he slung around her shoulder as he led her through reception and into the bar.
A big stone fireplace had a wide hearth that people sat on in the winter. Rustic like the rest of Howling, the walls hung with history and Packers stuff. The Harris family had owned it forever, and it was now run by the twins.
“Come on, are you kidding me? There’s no way in hell you three could build a boat. Faith’s honed skill is shopping, and yours is taking pictures. I’m sure Mikey will have some ideas, but not sure you’ll be able to actually build a boat. If you do manage to get something to stay afloat, it will have to be you and Mikey paddling it, as Faith hates water. And we’ll be stronger, so you’ll lose.”
“Feeling threatened already, Noah?”
Hope found Faith behind the bar, long hair now in a braid that hung over her left shoulder, a red bandana around her head. She came around the bar, glaring at Noah. Like him she wore a short-sleeved white shirt that had The Howler printed in red over the left pocket. Her denim skirt was short and showed miles of leg. On her feet were sneakers.
He scoffed at his sister’s words. “I just don’t want you to humiliate yourself.”
Faith rolled her eyes, but said nothing further. Grabbing Hope’s wrist, she dragged her to the stairs. They then climbed to where the siblings had their rooms.
“See, we have to beat him, Hope.”
“I forgot how competitive you two are.”
“It’s a twin thing,” Faith said, entering her room.
“Wow, this place is a mess.” Hope stood in the middle and did a turn. There were clothes, shoes, and makeup everywhere. Every available surface was covered in something. Beside the bed, books were piled four feet high. Drawers were open and more clothes spilled out. Color was everywhere. Hope had never owned enough clothes to fill a suitcase, let alone an entire room.
“Yup, just how I like it.” Grabbing a pile off her bed, she handed them to Hope. “I think these will fit.”
“I was going to bring my sneakers, but they’re a bit worn.”
“You do surprise me.”
“Not everyone’s main focus in life is fashion, Faith.”
