Page 190 of Smoke and Fire
He studied it with a concentrated air. “Easy fix. The leg is a bit bent. I think we can replace just this leg, not all four on the whole unit.”
“That would be great. The place in Jackson City said it’d take a few weeks to order in.”
He nodded. “Yeah. I think Dagny knows some people with RV parts through her work. I’ll text her about it. She might be able to get them sooner.”
“Wow. Thanks. I can do that if you don’t want to bother.”
“No bother.”
He straightened up, brushing his hands off on a pair of jeans that fit a littletoowell. I slipped my sunglasses on to better hide my obvious perusal.
“Besides,” he murmured, “I want to make sure you can get out of here safely if you need to.”
“I’d appreciate that.”
We turned and started toward his truck.
“So,” I drawled, feeling a bit giddy at the thought of an entire day stretching before me with nothing but Bastian inside it. “What are we doing today?”
“Visiting a few people.” He peered ahead. “Running some errands in Jackson City, if you want to go. I need to check out new sole inserts for my boots, get some back up laces, and find a weather proofer for my boots.” He hesitated, then said, “It’s not really that exciting, now that I think about it. If you—”
“I’d love it. I’m up for anything. Normal life stuff is important. If you can't do everyday things with a friend, what can you do?”
He smiled. Subtle, and quiet, just like him. When we arrived at his truck, he opened the passenger door in a sweet, unexpected gesture.
“Thanks,” I said.
He closed it with a nod, and I gave into the girly squeal that bubbled up inside me as he walked around the truck.
I wassoready for this day.
AN HOURof steady chat later, we pulled to a stop outside a brick building near the outskirts of Jackson City.
The forty-five minute drive up the canyon had been undeniably easy, not to mention gorgeous, in late summer. Glimpses of the white, frothing river below sent little bursts of excitement through me. Not the ocean, but at least it was water. I’d take what I could get.
The brick building in front of us was nondescript. A small parking lot, ringed with well-manicured trees and thick green shrubs gave it a cozy feel. A sign on the far wall quietly stated,Adult Care Services.
My curiosity soared.
Bastian stared straight ahead, unblinking. Sensing a need for silence, I kept my lips together. My mind spun with possibilities. His Dad, perhaps? There were so many pictures of him in the frames. No, there had been a young woman there, too.
Finally, Bastian drew in a deep breath and looked at me. “Sorry, just . . . mentally prepping myself for what I’ll find in there.”
“Take your time.”
“My sister, Inessa, lives here.”
His gaze returned to the brick wall. Tension returned to his entire body, but it was hard to read. Was he afraid? Nervous? Didn’t want to be here? A summation of all three, maybe? I couldn’t tell.
“My parents adopted both of us. Inessa first when she was a few months old. She was born with Down’s syndrome. Her birth mother left her at a fire station because she couldn’t handle a special needs kid. Not only was Inessa born into tough circumstances, but she also had heart problems, amongst other things. She's ten years older than me.”
My eyes widened.
"Wow."
“Years later, they adopted me when I was a baby. My birth father walked away from my birth mom, leaving her alone to raise me. She was only seventeen, so she gave me up for adoption.”
“Do you know her?”
