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Rory opened a cooler and pointed to foil-wrapped packages. “A little bird told me shrimp is one of your favorites, so I tapped Tavo’s brain for grilling instructions. Spiced shrimp in one. Garlic bread in the other.”
“Salad, dressing, and what’s this?” Vi pulled out a carton of store-bought lemon bars. “Oh, yum! My favorite. A little bird knows me well.” She hugged the box. “Can we eat one now?”
Rory rubbed his hands together. A kid on Christmas morning had nothing on Vi. “By all means. Want hot chocolate to go with it?”
“Yes!” She plunked into a chair, wrestling with plastic tabs while he poured the creamy liquid into sturdy paper cups. Vi handed him a lemon bar, then licked the sugar off her fingers. Rory’s pulse spiked. She didn’t possess an ounce of the artificiality he saw in so many women.
He checked the grill. “Let me get the shrimp started. While it cooks, you can tell me about your day.”
Vi melted into the chair with a broad grin. Ankles crossed, her feet swung back and forth, not quite touching the ground. Rory’s heart nearly hammered out of his chest. A real, live doll, this one.
Once they’d stuffed themselves on grilled shrimp, bread, and salad, the temperature had dropped. Vi’s comfort level rose like mercury, making Rory’s chest puff with satisfaction. They’d chatted throughout the meal, and they now sat in companionable silence.
The buttery shrimp smell hung in the air. Golden light glimmered from the setting sun, and the north star peeked out of a darkening sky.
“Wanna go for a walk?” Rory asked.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
“Awalk sounds great. You outdid yourself, Red.” Vi seemed reluctant to move. Instead, she stretched her legs, a bottle of water clasped in her hands.
Rory adored it when Vi called him Red. She never did it on purpose—it slipped out and sounded absolutely perfect.
She straightened, shaking her flaming hair off her shoulders. Rory tore his eyes away. Her resemblance to a doll crashed to a halt with her jeans curving in all the right places.
They leisurely wound their way to the lake, holding hands. The goose honked from a distance.
Vi’s steps slowed. “Cyrus would have loved this.”
“How’s he doing?” Rory steered her around an intrusive branch.
“We’re good. I’m thankful to have him, Rory.”
“Has he alerted out here?”
“Mm-hmm. A few times. He growls at the bushes. I think it’s four-legged critters he senses.”
“I’m confident he’ll protect you, but you still need to be careful.”
“I am. Every so often, Cyrus will need a practice session to keep his protection skills sharp, but having him gives me the freedom to roam.” She stopped, her gaze serious. “I can’t put a price on it, and our bond has helped both of us with the grieving process.”
Rory moved behind her, putting his hands on her waist. She leaned into his chest, looking out at the lake. Harry honked from a distance. Moonlight outlined the trees, giving them a spooky appearance.
“Rory?” She turned a bit, then resumed staring at the water. “I, um, need to tell you something … difficult.” She bit her lip. “Then it’s your turn. I want to know who decorated your townhouse.”
Wow. Rory swallowed hard. He’d wanted deep conversation, but her directness took him off guard. “Yours sounds a lot more important.” He faced her.
Vi gazed at the inky water directly below them. A turtle’s head poked the surface, creating small ripples. “You won’t want to hear this.”
“Tell me anyway.” A foreboding chill streaked down his flesh and blood leg.
Her forehead creased, and she took a deep breath. “Mom and Dad divorced the year I turned six, and Mom got custody of me.” In the darkness, only the barest hint of her eye color showed. “She remarried quickly to a man she hardly knew. It was a terrible mistake—her words. I missed Daddy terribly and despised her new husband. I acted out all the time. Hateful to his face. Disrespectful.”
Rory’s heart quaked. Oh, Vi.
“As it turned out, our feelings were mutual.” She took another deep breath. “The physical abuse started in small ways. Whenever I misbehaved, it escalated.”
A tear glistened on her cheek, but her voice remained low and steady. “At first, he beat me into submission.” Her shoulders rose and dropped. “Then, after I became truly afraid of him, he did … other things.” The last words came out in a whisper. She was trembling all over.
