Page 28 of A Curse On Black Lake
I rub my chin and glance at her. “I’m sorry, you know … I should have taken you home.”
“I didn’t ask,” she says.
I smile down at my boots, and we sit there for a moment.
“Okey-dokey, clearly you’rebusy. I came to tell you I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“You didn’t scare me,” I snap, sitting down on the wood stairs.
She huffs and levels me with a silver-blue stare. “You had me fooled.”
My mouth moves before my brain shuts it down because I have to know. “What did you mean? Who’s coming, or already here?”
She smiles sadly and kicks dirt off the step. “If you remember correctly, I told you I don’t know. All I know is that … he’s coming, and I’m supposed to help you with all of it,” she says, gesturing out.
I lean forward on my knees and process her words because I’m pretty sure they make absolutely no sense, but maybe I’m missing something.
“See? Scared,” she sighs.
How does someone respond to that other than; Are you crazy? She doesn’t seem crazy. She seems … overwhelmed, and her body language might say differently, but I can sense the desperation rolling off of her.
I know grief. It’s an old, constant companion slowly draining me of life. Grief can kill if you let it, and I have been.
“Look, I know you need help on this ranch. I don’t know how you’re even alive right now. You’re probably working yourself to the bone. I will be your ranch hand if you help me too.”
Tilting my head, I study her carefully. She doesn’t look like she could lift a bale of hay. She’s beautiful — I’ll give her that. Anywhere else, I’m sure men would be drooling after her. But I need someone strong, someone who knows what they’re doing.
“What kind of help do you need?”I shouldn’t be considering this at all.
“I own Greer’s Apothecary now. It’s just me. I grow and make everything that’s sold. I have livestock, a massive garden, and a greenhouse to maintain. I’ve been doing it by myself since…” she trails off and takes a long deep breath to steady herself. “I’ve been doing it myself for too long. The only way it worked with my Grams was because she made all the products we sold. I can’t do both, and even if I tried to hire someone, no one would apply.”
I take my hat off, dragging my hand through my sweaty hair and rest it on my knee.
“What makes you think I know how to do any of that?”
She rolls her eyes and groans. “Are you always so … combative?” she snaps.
“Are you always so catty?” I ask her.
“Yes,” she snaps.
“You’ve made that blatantly undeniable,” I drawl.
“Why was the Sheriff here? An old friend of yours?” she asks. Her expression tells me she knows it wasn’t, but she wants me to explain.
“I’m not sure how you don’t already know. Gossip spreads like wildfire in this town.”
“I don’t pay attention to what people say; there’s too much going on in my own head. I’m surprised you didn’t leave me in the ditch. I don’t exactly have a stellar reputation in Black Lake either,” she mutters.
“Why wouldn’t I help you out of a ditch?” I ask her.
“Because I’m crazy and a witch,” she says with attitude.
“I mean, you can’t blame me for being a little weirded out, but I don’t see how that constitutes you as crazy or a … witch.”
“Yeah, well, you would be the only one in this town who believes that now.”
“Who gives a shit what people think about you?” I ask her.
