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CHAPTER TWELVE
Silas proved an excellent walking partner. When Vi mentioned Rory’s edict about not being on the property by herself, Silas nodded as if privy to information she didn’t possess. His appearance begged for closer scrutiny. Shoulder-length hair, scarred face, and unreadable expression gave off a rough impression, but Jesse would have objected if he had reason to doubt Silas’s character.
Vi strolled ahead of Silas on the trail. He didn’t offer much in the way of conversation, yet he answered readily enough when she asked him a question. Mostly, he seemed grateful for the company. A fellow sojourner in a lonely world.
Once, she had glimpsed a flash of pain behind the stoicism, but he’d covered quickly and shown her another cat video on his phone. The man adored the silly antics of cats. Fitting. Silas’s stealth and quick reflexes reminded her of a feline. Tiny shivers curled through her arms. The air of mystery surrounding him suggested danger, but Vi refused to pry. She had enough secrets of her own.
Harry waddled toward them with loud, rusty honks. The screeching and flapping of his wings didn’t faze Silas. He held out his hand for the bird to inspect. Harry sniffed Silas’s hand with curiosity but made no attempt to peck it or any other part of Silas’s body. Vi clamped her mouth shut when she realized it hung open. Silently, she added goose-whisperer to his interesting skill set.
After a couple of laps around the lake, Vi’s roiling emotions had calmed down, replaced by curiosity about Daddy’s tablet. She and Silas climbed the sidewalk’s slight grade to their cars.
Silas looked at her, his expression inscrutable. “You okay?”
“Yeah. I’m better now. Thanks.” Vi didn’t know what else to say.
Eyes alert, he gazed around the area. “It’s nice out here. Let me know if you need a walking buddy.”
Silas stood there without a word until Vi got in her car. Only then did he head toward his gray truck.
Back at Paige’s, Jesse and Brenna were saying goodnight. Vi shrugged the sour thoughts away. Those two deserved a happy ending.
When Jesse made eye contact, Vi gave him a nod, then slipped into her room. Dropping her purse on the bed, she quickly changed into pajamas. As she climbed onto her bed with Daddy’s tablet, Paige’s stilettos tapped on the wooden floor. The housemates usually gathered in the kitchen to debrief about the day. Tonight, however, Vi had no desire to participate. No desire to hear about Paige’s date with Rory. Instead, she propped her pillows against the headboard and snuggled under the bedcovers. What words or numbers might Daddy use as a password?
Her phone chimed with a text.
Whatcha doin’?
Rory. Lightness lifted her heavy thoughts, then consternation rushed in to fill the vacuum. Vi bit her lip, thinking. The desire to hear from him won out.
How was your date?
Satisfied, she leaned deeper into the pillows. She could do friendship. Friends counted on the plus side.
Not a date. Business.
Hmm. Not a date? Her phone rang with an incoming call from him. She picked up, pushing past her tight throat. “Hey.”
“Hey, yourself.” Rory’s deep voice had an extra layer of gravel. “It’s late, but I wanted to hear about your dad’s tablet. Did it require a password?”
His lack of sensitivity robbed Vi’s speech. For heaven’s sake, the man had been partying with her housemate this evening. “Uh, no. No … yes, it needs a password. I’m working on it now.”
“Have you tried your birthday?”
“My birthday? Why would Daddy use my birthday?”
His deep rumbly chuckle warmed her insides despite the confusion swirling around in her mind. “I’m guessing, Red, it ranked as one of the best days of his life.”
She stiffened. Any oxygen in her lungs vanished.
“What’s wrong?”
“Daddy called me Red.”
He chuckled again, this time smothered by a yawn. “Well, it suits you. Wish I’d known him.”
For the first time, the reminder of Daddy brought contentment instead of grief. “Yeah, he was the best dad ever. I’ll try birthday combinations. See if any of those open it.”
“You’ll figure it out, Red.”
