Chapter 17
“Where have you two been?” Garnet rushed over when she saw Will and I approach the large tent that the men were setting up. Her father and Rudy looked up when they heard the commotion. Mr. Perkins eyed us suspiciously. Garnet’s father had taken a disliking to me for reasons I couldn’t fathom, but even now, his glare pierced through me. The wolves barked a greeting as they trotted over. They wiggled and wagged until I patted them both soundly.
“I wanted to show Will around the city,” I said.
“Oh.” The steam let out of her sails, Garnet shrugged. “Well, maybe later we can all go over to the entertainment district and see a show.”
“I told you before, Garnet. We’re here to take care of business. We won’t have time for entertainment, and funds are kind of limited, you know?” Of course she didn’t know, because she had no clue what it was like to not have money. Not that it made all your problems go away, but having coin to trade made a person less nervous about their next meal, a concept Garnet didn’t seem to understand. “Will and I need to help set up camp and then get something to eat.”
Will had been silent until then, but he perked up at the mention of food. “We’ll catch up with you later, Garnet.” He took my hand in a possessive gesture that made my stomach pitch and my heart swell.
Garnet arched a dark eyebrow and retreated, calling back over her shoulder. “You guys are going to miss all the fun.”
After a quick lunch of cold chicken and dried fruit, Will and I set up our two small tents side by side, away from the main tent, which would be used for general housing and community meals.
The park was teeming with families from all over the
Northeast, rows of tents and campers of various sizes lined up around the perimeter of Washington Park’s center. The annual tulip festival was this week and the tulips bloomed in magnificent splendor, every color under the sun clumped together in intricate patterns throughout the vast gardens. Huge old oaks and maples lined the perimeter and tents dotted the grounds in every direction.
Will and I worked quickly together to put up our shelters. Josh and Luke had kept their distance so far, but I caught Josh eyeing me occasionally and my skin crawled with the look on his face. I tried to ignore the sensation, but Will caught me staring.
“What is that guy’s problem?”
“He can’t take no for an answer, for starters,” I said, stuffing my bedroll into my tent.
“”What do you think he meant when he said you didn’t want to see what he could do?”
It surprised me that Will had overheard our conversation back at the rest stop. I wasn’t sure how much I should say or how much I even really knew. “He’s been acting weird for a while.” I let it go, wondering what talent or gift Josh had developed. According to my mother’s medical journal, Josh’s mother had been a drug addict as well as a prostitute. Back when the genetic alteration experiments had first started in order to make fetuses immune to the viral infections that were spreading through the population so quickly, prostitutes and street people volunteered to be test subjects in exchange for food and housing. Mr. Johnson had taken advantage of the unfortunate women and found himself with three sons in three years from all different mothers, each child immune to the virus, but with no idea what other genetic anomalies might present in time. All three mothers had died in childbirth, and knowing Zeph’s abilities, I shuddered at the thought of what Josh and his brothers might be capable of.
By the time camp was set up and we had taken inventory of our cargo once again, daylight was fading and the air had taken on a chill. I wrapped a blanket around my shoulders and joined the congregating crowd around a large bonfire.
People from all over were telling stories and singing songs, and the smell of roasting pork filled the air. The warmth from the fire penetrated the chill and I felt a sense of peace settle over me as I sat down on the grass beside Will and gazed into the fire. A spark of hope tentatively edged its way into my heart. By coming on this trip, I was finally on my own and doing something important—something that might make a real difference for Sam.
“It looks like somebody’s having fun,” Will said, catching sight of Garnet dancing with several girls and boys from the New Hampshire contingent. She laughed loudly and flipped her hair over her shoulder.
“You can go join them if you like. You don’t have to stay here and babysit me,” I said, scratching behind Bo’s ear as he gnawed on one end of a huge bone, supplied by Rudy who wouldn’t admit it, but loved spoiling the wolves. Pappy lay panting a few feet away, having just finished his, and now alternately licking his paws.
Will glanced over at me, his eyes bright in the firelight. “I’m happy where I am, thanks, unless you want some time alone?”
“No,” I said too quickly, and felt my cheeks flush. “I just thought…well, Garnet is awfully pretty.” I watched her dance and laugh, her gypsy skirt swirling around her bare feet, her long dark hair fanning out around her shoulders. She looked so comfortable in her skin, aware that all eyes were on her, and loving it.
“I hadn’t really noticed,” Will said.
I snapped my head toward him and realized he was staring…at me. I cleared my throat and sat up straighter. “Maybe we should talk about our plan for finding your dad.”
Will’s eyes lost their sparkle and his face went serious. “I appreciate your wanting to help me, but this is something I need to do alone, Lily.”
“But I know the city. And you haven’t a clue as to where to start looking. I have to go down to the warehouse district tomorrow anyway. It will be no trouble at all to ask around about…”
Will cut me off and leaned in closer, a harsh tone to his voice that sent my heart skipping. “I promised your uncle I would leave you out of it, and I meant it. I’ll manage on my own.” He pinned me with a look that meant the argument was over as far as he was concerned, so I let it go and changed the subject, unwilling to spend what little time we might have arguing needlessly. It wasn’t like he could stop me from asking around on his behalf.
“Fine. Go off by yourself, then. I’ve got business of my own.” I folded my arms across my belly and chewed my lip, irritated.
“I mean it, Lily. Stay out of this.” Will looked across the camp fire at Josh and his brother who had their heads together and were looking our way. “It’s not like I haven’t caused enough trouble just by coming along on this trip.”
“Trust me,” I said, “you aren’t the problem.” Josh narrowed his gaze across the fire and honed in on me, which gave me another chill…and an idea. I wasn’t sure if it would make things better or worse, but I wanted to let Josh know in no uncertain terms that I was simply not interested in him. The thought also occurred that if I chickened out now, I might never get another chance to do what I had been thinking about for the past three days. I mustered my courage, ignored the pounding of my pulse, and took advantage of Will’s proximity. I leaned over and planted a kiss on his cheek, his light scruff tickly against my lips. I lingered there a moment, closed my eyes, and breathed in his scent, a mix of sweat and oat grass.
He pulled back and furrowed his brows. “What was that for?”
Not exactly the reaction I’d been hoping for. Heat rushed to my ears. “I…I wanted to thank you for…thinking of me and my safety. It’s very sweet of you, but you really don’t have to worry about me. I can take care of myself.”
“So I keep hearing.” He looked skeptical. As if I hadn’t already proven myself.
“I wish people would stop treating me like a child.” A cold knot settled in my stomach as he pulled away.
“I’d like to say I know what you mean.” Will gazed into the fire. “It’s been so long since I’ve had anyone looking out for me…sometimes I wish I had someone telling me to “be careful,” “stay safe,” or “come home as soon as you can.”
My complaints suddenly sounded petty. The life I had with Sam and Zeph wasn’t perfect, but it was home, and it was safe??
?at least for now.
Will nudged my shoulder with his. “It’s been really great getting to know you and your family. You’re lucky to have each other.”
“I know.” I fiddled with a blade of grass in front of me. “Believe me, I’m grateful. But it just seems like people don’t take me seriously. They think I’m just a kid. When I’ve been taking care of Zeph almost his whole life and now Sam…” I felt the tears force their way to the surface. The last thing I wanted to do was cry in front of Will.
He rested an arm around my shoulder and pulled me in close. “Boy, aren’t we a couple of sad sacks.”
A giggle escaped between sniffles and warmth spread through me. But my smile faded when I realized again that Will was leaving and I’d probably never see him again. I moved away and his arm dropped, as if he realized that it was time to let go, too. An ache settled over my heart followed by a firm resolve to be strong.
Will climbed to his feet. “I’d better get to sleep. I want to get started early tomorrow.”
I stood and faced him, wishing I hadn’t just made an idiot of myself, first by kissing him, and then by pouring my heart out like a baby. “I’m sorry…if I overstepped…I…”
Will took my hand. “If I don’t see you in the morning, thanks for everything.” His eyes shimmered in the firelight and the full moon cast a brilliant glow over his hard edged features, his nose straight and long in shadow. His voice dropped low as his focus moved from my eyes to my mouth. “I guess we should say goodbye now.”
The warmth and strength of his hand around mine sent a spike of longing and an aching sadness to my heart. “You don’t have to do this alone,” I said softly, knowing I wouldn’t convince him to go against his instinct to protect me any more than he could convince me to go against mine to help him.
“What I’m doing is dangerous and I don’t want you involved. Maybe after I find my dad, you and I can meet up again.” We both knew him finding his father was a long shot. My heart sank as he let go of my hand. “Goodbye, Lily. I’ll never forget all you’ve done for me.”
His fingers, warm and strong, brushed my cheek, but as he looked into my eyes, I could see the tortured expression on his face. Then he leaned in and kissed me, his lips soft against mine. My breath caught and my heart jumped as I moved into the kiss, my hands coming to rest on his chest. Our lips pressed together, gliding in a smooth rhythm that made my toes curl and my mind scatter.