Page 44 of Mountain Defender

At first, I think Rory’s going to brush it off. She even takes a step towards the kitchen, like she’s ready to put her sister in the past and move on to breakfast.

But her foot falters. Then she turns and heads to the couch, flopping onto it with a little sigh. “My sister doesn’t get me. She never has.”

I hurry to her side, taking a seat on the couch next to her. “What do you mean?”

“Well.” Rory sighs again. “You know we aren’t close. At least, I’m sure you’ve figured it out.”

“I got the feeling you weren’t.”

“She’s older than me by five years. So I think the age difference didn’t help. But she’s always been into different things than me. Being friends with the right people. Designer clothes. Always working towards the next promotion. Even when we were kids, she was busy with cheerleading and parties while I was happier staying home, reading or spending time with our pets.”

I put my coffee down so I can focus on Rory. This is the first time she’s come close to opening up about her childhood, and I want to give her my full attention.

And possibly be ready to hug her if she needs.

“Anyway, Emily doesn’t approve of my career choice. She thinks running a dog rescue isn’t arealjob. She thinks I’m wasting my life.” Rory pauses, and her voice lilts up in imitation, “You have a good degree, Rory. Why don’t you use it? Get an actual job and move to the city instead of living in the middle of nowhere.”

Irritation flares. “Running the shelterisa real job.”

A ghost of a smile crosses her face. “That’s what I always say. And Ilikeliving here.” Pausing, she folds her legs pretzel-style and faces me. “Did I tell you I got my degree in computer science?”

“No.” She told me she met Isla at the University of New Hampshire, but she never mentioned the degree she got there. And now that I’m thinking about it, I feel like an ass for never asking.

“Back then, it seemed like a good idea. I’d always been good with computers, and I thought… Well. I thought it would be a good fit. I even took a job in Burlington doing programming for a few years. But I hated it. It felt… empty. Then I started volunteering at the local shelter, and something just clicked.”

“So you moved here to start Barks n’ Bliss.”

“I looked around for places in Vermont that didn’t have shelters nearby. And for a location that fit my needs—lots of property, a building to turn into a kennel, not too expensive… and I found it here. In Bliss.”

My heart lurches as I think about how easily Rory could have moved someplace else. She could have ended up in some other town, and I’d never have met her. “But your sister doesn’t approve?”

With a rueful smile, Rory replies, “No. Not at all. And I’m used to it. But today… I had to tell her about what happened. We might not be close, but she’s still my sister.”

“Of course.” I can’t resist touching her knee, a small but hopefully acceptable gesture of support.

Her gaze flickers to my hand. Then she shifts a few inches closer to me. “Well, she really got on a roll this morning. Saying how I should sell, close the shelter, move to the city so I can live in a fancy apartment with a doorman and lots of security. And when I told her I’m staying in Bliss, she…”

Trailing off, Rory’s gaze drops to her lap. “She said I’m wasting my money. Wasting my life. That our parents would be disappointed in me.”

“What?”Forget the unanswered questions spinning in my head, like what happened to her parents and how much money she’s talking about. “No one would be disappointed in you, Ror. It’s not possible.”

“I don’t think she’s right. I know she isn’t. But it’s still… Once we get onto the topic of money, it always goes downhill from there. Emily… she’s not a bad person. But…”

“What, Ror?”

Rory lifts her head to meet my gaze. Indecision wars in her eyes.

Then she exhales. “I haven’t told you how my parents died.”

Everything in my body stills. “You don’t have to tell me. If you don’t want to.”

“No, it’s time. I mean—” She touches the scar on her jaw. “You must be curious. How I got these.”

“Not curious. If you want to tell me, that’s one thing. But I don’t think about it.”

She lets out a little laugh. “Everyone wonders. Some even come right out and ask.”

My jaw clenches. “They have no right.”

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