“What brought you home now?” I ask the million-dollar question. July has asked and got the story that she wanted to raise Mari here, but I know that’s not the real reason.
She rolls to her side and stands, a motion that doesn’t put much strain on her leg. I watch her limp for a moment. “What’s wrong with your leg, spitfire?”
She looks back at me and I watch her eyes shutter. “On my last assignment I was in an accident, my ankle was hurt. Sometimes it still bothers me.” She brushes it off.
“What did you do in Africa? I’ve heard you say you’ve been on conservation teams, but what does that mean?” I stand up and move toward her, but she moves off.
“I was with several scientists filming and studying elephants and rhinos on my last assignment. Before that I did the same but travelled a bit. I’ve been to Alaska. That’s where I met my friend Lydia. She helped me get the job at the Nashville Zoo,” she explains, but I see the pause and wait for her to continue. “Helping rhinos and elephants is all I’ve wanted to do since the first moment I saw them in the wild. The first time I saw the slaughter of their lives, I cried for days.”
I can’t take the space between us and move to her body. I wrap myself around her back. Her head drops forward and I feel a tear hit my hand. I turn her toward me.
“Spitfire, what you do does help and educates people.” I look down into her eyes that are now as green as the grass in this field in the spring.
“But is it enough? Is it ever enough?” Her voice quivers.
“What more is there?”
“My life,” she says quietly.
“No, Sydney, you have Mari and me to live for. You can’t give us up too.” She faceplants into my chest, her arms still at her sides.
“I’m ready to go home, Tucker.” I can barely hear the words.
“Okay.” I turn and walk away from her, digesting the words she said. I didn’t even get to show her the lake beyond the tree line. I wanted her to explore the area with me more, but I can tell she’s in her head. She’d give her life up for animals, but would she for me? Maybe someday. I clean up the picnic and take down the canopy. Walking over to the edge of the woods, I slip everything inside the large tote I brought out yesterday. I’ll be back later with my truck to pick it up.
When I get back to my bike, she’s already got her helmet on. I know that she’s pushing me away, and I’m not going to let her do that. I climb on my bike and she climbs on behind me. Again, she starts off giving us space, and when I accelerate once we are on the main road, she slides more against my body. I can feel her letting go once more. Maybe I should just keep her on my bike. I could find creative ways to kiss her and get close to her on it. I chuckle into my helmet.
I pull up to her house and see a brand-new Mercedes SUV in the driveway. She gets off and pulls off her helmet. I turn off the bike and stand before her to help her.
Nodding to the car, I ask, “You have company?”
“It’s my mother bringing Mari home. I texted her before we headed this way to let her know I was on my way home.” She hands me the helmet along with the leather wrap from her hair. I want to hold it to my nose and smell her vanilla scent that has been teasing me all day. “Thank you. I had a lovely time.” She turns to walk away, but I reach out and stop her.
“First, these are a gift. We are going to be riding more, so you’ll need them. Second, I’d like to take you out again on Friday. We have a big project we are trying to finish this week or I’d come over sooner.”
“I can’t accept these because I’m not really ready to be in a relationship.” She tries to shake my grip off her arm. I give her arm a gentle pull and she falls into me. I hold her with one arm around her body.
“Too late, spitfire. I want to be in a relationship with you.”
She tips her head back to look up at me. “Mari is my focus, not starting a relationship.”
I pull her tighter against my body and lean down to her. “Good thing she’s my focus too. We can go to a family restaurant.”
“I don’t know. My life is still so complicated.”
“I can help you, Sydney.” I’m about to take her lips again when we’re interrupted.
“Hello,” a voice says from the porch.
I look up while keeping Sydney in my arms and see a woman with dark brown hair holding Mari. She’s taller than Sydney but has the same smile and chin.
“I’m Sharon.” She walks over and reaches out a hand to me. She takes in me holding her daughter. I let Sydney go and shake her mother’s hand. Sydney reaches for Mari, who coos at me.
“Hello. Tucker,” I say, then look at Mari. “Hello, little bean.” I smile at her and rub a finger down the side of her face. She reaches up and latches on to my finger.
“She likes you,” Sharon says as she smiles slyly at Sydney.
“I like her too. Well, I better get going. Sydney, I’ll be in touch about Friday.” I hand the helmet to her again, and this time Sharon takes it.