Page 75 of The Outsider

“And there’s one other thing,” John said, and to my surprise, he suddenly looked a little shy. “They’re finally going to let me be an outrider.”

I couldn’t help throwing myself at him again, hugging the life out of him. He gasped at the air being knocked out of his lungs, then laughed breathlessly as he hugged me back.

“I’m so proud of you, darling,” I gushed, squeezing him hard. “Saving the day as always. My handsome hero.”

To my surprise, he flushed as I pulled back.

“Now you’re just embarrassing me.”

I laughed. “And I’m just getting started.”

He gave my backside a playful swat as we headed for the door. I glanced back at Kimmy and Asha, who lagged behind us, still talking in low voices. To my relief, they looked happier now, and Kimmy even arched up and kissed Asha’s cheek. It only lasted half a second, but I grinned, and when Asha saw me looking, she blushed and made a shooing motion. I’d seen the beginnings of a real smile on her face, though, and that lit me up from the inside.

There’s hope yet—for all of us.

Chapter 21

Claire

It was decided that John and Kimmy would go to Summerhurst that day, ahead of me and Asha, to start the process of opening it up again. Danny and Jenna were on their way over to Dreamspring to pick them up and lend a hand with Summerhurst.

“I’d like to help, though,” I protested, standing in the foyer with John.

“We’ll need plenty of help in the coming weeks,” John replied. “But everything’s boarded up right now, and all the furniture’s covered and packed away. I don’t want that to be your first look at it. I want you to see it how it should be. I want it to feel like home for you.”

Touched, I smoothed the front of his jacket. “Alright. But be careful. The last thing we need is for you to make it all the way home and then get crushed under a rogue beam or something.”

He grinned. “If I am, you’ll know it was Danny.”

As if summoned, there was a loud knock on the front door.

“You ready there, Johnny?” Danny called. “I’m about to freeze my balls off out here.”

“That’d be an improvement,” John said as he opened the door, “considering how often your balls have gotten you into trouble in the past.”

Framed by the doorway, Danny grinned. “Not wrong. In my defence, though, I can’t help that I’m irresistible.”

“Good to know that becoming Chief hasn’t gone completely to your head, Danny,” Kimmy retorted as she walked out of the kitchen, and John chuckled. “Now, children…there’s work to do.”

John kissed me goodbye, and the three of them headed for a horse-drawn wagon, where Jenna waited. I’d never seen horses in person before, and though they were intimidating, I was curious about them and wished they could’ve stayed.Oh well.

I sighed as I headed back to the living room alone; Asha had gone upstairs to catch up on sleep. Our sleeping bags and packs were still laid out around the hearth…only now, there were children playing with them. Jake was hiding in John’s sleeping bag from an inquisitive little girl of perhaps four years old, who kept trying to unzip it. Every time she tried, Jack would roll over, making her giggle loudly, and the game would repeat. Allie glared at them from the sofa, a book in her hands.

“I’mtryingto read,” she said irritably.

My eyes immediately went to the book she held.The Odysseyby Homer. I frowned. An eleven-year-old girl was readingThe Odyssey?

“How’s your book, Allie?” I asked, moving to take a seat next to her.

She looked at me nervously, clearly unsure how to interact with me.

“It’s okay, I guess,” she replied, looking down at the floor. “I mean, I don’t really get most of it.”

“I’m not surprised,” I said, and when she looked offended, I quickly clarified, “A lot of adults don’t get it. It’s a difficult book.”

She sighed heavily as the two younger children squealed with laughter again.

“Dr. Irons was making me read it before he died, and Mom says I have to finish it. But I hate reading.”

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