Page 86 of Shadows of You

I swallowed hard. “You think it’ll work?”

I didn’t give a damn about Katelyn and her snide comments toward me. I cared about Cady. What bullying and cruelty could do to her mental health. I wanted to nip it in the bud before she got to middle school, and there were things like social media and real crushes.

Roan was quiet for a moment. “I’m gonna keep showing up. They’ll know that I’m paying attention. Gonna tell Law to do the same when he’s around. Katelyn wants in his pants, so she might shape up for that reason alone.”

I choked on a laugh. “You’re throwing your brother to the wolves?”

Roan’s gaze locked with mine. “I’d do anything for you.”

* * *

“Still and quiet, right?”Roan asked.

“Quiet like a mouse,” Cady whispered as she leaned against me.

We stood at the back of the barn. All the animals other than the ducks were out in the pastures so we could have that quiet.

Roan had the barn door open as wide as it would go. All the stalls were closed, so there was only one path to the outside.

Slowly, he opened Dory’s stall and stepped inside.

The doe eyed him suspiciously. She’d filled out with all the food she was getting here and would be in good shape for winter. She pawed the ground, keeping her distance from Roan.

He moved incredibly slowly, nothing sudden or startling. Just easing her bit by bit toward the stall’s entrance.

Dory looked from him to the open door and back. She sniffed the air, took a step, then another one. Her head poked out of the stall, and Cady squeezed my hand hard.

Dory halted, unsure if she wanted to leave her sanctuary. At least with where she was, she knew what to expect. She had no idea what was outside.

Roan simply waited, giving the deer time to get accustomed to the idea.

Her head lifted again, revealing the little patch of white on her neck. Her ears twitched, and she stepped out into the aisle. Then she froze, staring at Cady and me.

I sent her every loving kindness I could think of. Silent messages that everything would be okay. That she was healed now. Safe. That she could be free.

I swore something passed over the doe’s eyes. Then she turned and trotted down the aisle and into the early morning sunshine.

We followed after her, watching as she bounded down my drive and into a field across the street. Tears gathered in my eyes as Cady wandered down the driveway for a better view.

Roan stopped beside me, glancing down and taking in my falling tears. He lifted his hand and used his thumb to wipe away the moisture. “What are these about?”

“I just want her to be okay,” I whispered.

Roan’s hand tracked down, squeezing the back of my neck. “My Tender Heart.”

My breath hitched. At the nickname. At the claiming of sorts.

He lowered his head and pressed his lips to my forehead. “She has a fighting chance because of you.”

“Mama!” Cady yelled. “She found her friends!”

Roan released me, moving toward Cady. But it took me a beat to get my legs to work. As if the brush of those lips had short-circuited my brain. Finally, I forced myself forward.

Cady pressed into Roan’s side. “Do you see them?”

“I do,” he said gruffly.

In the field across the road, a band of six deer gathered. One nosed Dory in greeting, and a fresh wash of tears found me.

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