Page 32 of Bound in Ashes

I laughed. “What are you talking about, Uncle Levi?”

“You can’t take three steps without that boy knowing it, and I dare him to try to take four without you,” he said.

I scratched at an imaginary itch, fighting to stifle the heat that creeped into my face. Hated that Uncle Levi could so clearly see things I couldn’t even acknowledge in my mind.

“I know there’s not much on TV, but you got to do something else with that wild imagination,” I said, a brittle smile pasted on my lips.

“Yeah, yeah. When you see him, tell him to come find me,” he said.

I looked at Uncle Levi, frowning, hearing something in his voice that had my ears perched.

“What do you need to talk to him about?”

“Mind your business, Asia,” he said.

He walked away, and I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Uncle Levi is looking for you,” I said to Jack about ten minutes later.

“Yeah. Probably wants to talk about the perimeter,” Jack said, still focused.

I was again reminded of the maniacal way he had thrown himself into fortifying the farm.

I appreciated it, knew that it was essential, but also felt a sadness that I didn’t want to acknowledge, not even to myself.

Because as soon as this place was in a condition that Jack accepted, he was gone.

I wasn’t ready for that day, but knew I couldn’t ask anything else of him.

So I’d have to get used to it. Just like I got used to everything else.

“I don’t think that’s it,” I said.

“Well, I’ll see.” He looked at me, his head tilted. “You all right?”

“I’m fine,” I said, but the words came out brittle, and I cursed when I pulled away from the wire and ripped a hole in my glove.

“Fine, huh?”

“The fence is getting fixed. That’s the mission, right?” I snapped, still refusing to look at him.

But I felt his gaze on me as I tried to fight back the tears.

Then I looked at him.

Let him see.

Wondered what he would do.

Something flickered in his gaze, guilt, something else I wouldn’t try to name. He shut it down so fast, I was halfway convinced I imagined it.

Then he studied me for a long moment. “All right.”

He walked away, headed toward Uncle Levi.

He didn’t look back, didn’t miss a stride.

I thinned my lips as I watched him go. I’d done what I’d sworn I never would. I pushed him, and he’d gone cold.