Page 94 of Stay With Me
My eyebrows pinch together, and I look around to see if something could have unnerved her. “Yeah, you can do it when you get home, but you’re sure you’re okay?”
She looks down at the ground and pets Penny. “Yeah, I just really like the book I’m reading.”
I look at the girls, but they’re looking in the direction Jess was. Am shakes her head when she looks back at me to confirm she doesn’t see anything either.
“Okay. Can you please help us tear down so we can head home soon?”
“Yeah, I’m sad the market is already over.”
“I know, but you can help as often as you want,” Am says, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
“Really?” Jess asks and looks at me.
I shrug. “As long as we have nothing going on. Yeah, you can help.”
“Woooo.” She pumps her fist in the air and cheers.
I notice she glances across the parking lot, and I follow her line of sight, but I don’t see anything.
Together, we make quick of tearing down the booth and packing the van up. We say our goodbyes to Pam and Abs, and we help Am take everything back to the farm since Kristen?left a little early with all the help.
As we drop the van off and unload it, I file away what happened at the market with Jess to talk about with Noah.
FORTY-TWO
Luna
Withasigh,Itap my fingers on the counter as I study Jess’s supply list for school. I’m going to have to ask Ann if I can pick up a couple more shifts because Jess will also need clothes.
I never realized how expensive school was, not to mention how expensive clothes are, but school will be good for her. Being around people outside of The Family is already doing good things for her. Slowly, I’m starting to see her act like a kid, something we couldn’t do back home.
We were forced to grow up too fast.
There was always something to do, whether it was tending to the animals, working in the gardens, cooking, cleaning, or helping care for the younger children.
I look over my shoulder as I hear tires on the gravel driveway, and my heart flutters as my smile grows, knowing that Noah is home.
I need to talk to him and let him know where I want to contribute more, like the girls said, but I’m afraid I’m going to ruin what we have. I know he’s going to take a look at this listand just start buying some things online before I can, but I want him to realize I can help.
I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time, and I can take care of Jess. I hate that I feel like one day, he’ll think I’m using him when I’m not.
I need to just have this conversation with him. It won’t be that hard.
Will he tell us to leave for even bringing this up? I shake my head. No, he won’t do that. Noah is the best person I know. He’s patient and understanding, but still, I’m nervous about how he’ll take it.
“Hey, baby, how was your day?” he asks after coming inside, bending over to take his shoes off and setting them next to the door.
“Good, we’re starting to get the Halloween bookings at the bed-and-breakfast, so it was a busy one. How about you?”
He stows his gun and Taser in the wall safe before walking back toward me. “It was slow. We’ve been trying to find the squatters since we found more evidence of them around town, and we’ve been investigating vandalized buildings, but I can’t help but feel like we’re missing something.” He drops a kiss to the top of my head. “What are you looking at?” he asks as he puts his walkie on the charger.
“Just thinking and looking over the list of school supplies I have to get Jess.”
I discreetly check him out while his back is to me. I never thought I would be drawn to a man in a uniform, but he makes it look so good. As I get to his face, I realize he’s looking over his shoulder at me. My cheeks heat, knowing I was caught, and I just shrug.
“It’s okay, Luna. I check you out too.” He smirks. “What’s on the list?” he asks, walking toward me.
I unlock my phone and scan the list. “A backpack, five notebooks—specifically, one of each color, six if she takes a language class—glue sticks, pencils, and binders. And that’s just part of the list. Why do they need all this stuff? Schools don’t supply a lot of it?” I ask as he brackets his arms around me and his warmth surrounds me, calming me down.
