Chapter 21: Chapter 21

WREN

The police seem unconcerned when Lance suggests the bear trap is not theirs and wants it bagged for evidence.

The officer is an older guy who has known the Teller family for many years (of course) while his partner is a young man who went to high school with Lance.

“Lance, how do you know it wasn’t one of your guys? How do you know it hasn’t been there for years? It looks old as shit,” the older cop says, looking at the trap on the ground in front of us.

“Barry, we use that trail all the time. Nearly every day. There’s no way a big-ass bear trap has been sitting there and not been tripped before today,” Lance says.

Everyone else went up to the hospital but Lance wanted to stay back and speak to police.

“Plus, we caught someone snooping around in the middle of the night a few days ago. Too much weird stuff has been happening for this to be a coincidence.”

My eyes snap to Lance. He never told me about anyone snooping around a few days ago.

“Well, get me the security tape and we’ll look into it,” Barry says nonchalantly. “In the meantime, I took photos of the trap.”

Lance sighs. “All right, I’ll send it over. Thanks, guys,” he says.

After the cops pull away, Lance calls Meredith to give her an update on the police report and ask how Jeremy is doing. When he hangs up, he turns to me.

“How is Jeremy?” I ask.

“He’s...lucky. Hairline fracture and lots of bruising but no harm to his tendons or ligaments. He has to wear a boot for a month. They’ll be home soon.”

“Oh, I’m glad it wasn’t more serious,” I say. “Should we make dinner? I’m sure it won’t be the extravagant meal Meredith had planned but I think everyone will be hungry.”

Suddenly, Lance slides his arms around my waist and pulls me into him tightly.

“Thank you,” he says.

***

Everyone comes filing in around seven-thirty—Meredith, Leonard, Chris, Devin, Grant, and Jeremy, hobbling in with a boot on his leg.

Meredith spots Lance and me in the kitchen.

“Wow, it smells good in here,” she says. She looks tired but relieved.

“Chicken and dumplings, and a salad,” Lance says while stirring a pot.

“Oh thank you so much!” she says as she hugs Lance, then she turns to me. “And you—I’ll never be able to thank you enough.”

Meredith wraps me in a big hug. Leonard claps me on the back.

“Oh, it was really nothing, I’m so glad he’s mostly okay,” I say.

“Ya know, some of us helped and never even got thanked,” Chris says sarcastically, and everyone laughs.

We don’t sit around the table that night. We all just post up in random spots around the kitchen island and bar, eating dumplings and rehashing the afternoon’s events.

For the first time in a long time, I feel the knot in my stomach relax.

***

The rest of the week goes by relatively smoothly. Every night with the exception of one, Lance and I stay either in his bed or mine.

I’m sure most of the farm knows about us by now, as we don’t exactly hide how much time we spend together, but I’m too happy to care.

On Friday, Lance and I are finishing up some maintenance on a livestock trailer when I hear the shop door open.

Light floods in around a silhouette and it takes my eyes a moment to adjust enough to see who it is. Puck starts barking and runs toward them.

“Hey, Pucky boy. Wren?”

“Oh my god, Penelope, is that you?!”

I run up and wrap my arms around my sister, picking her up off the ground as she screams in excitement.

“What are you doing here?!” I scream.

“I just wanted to come see you!” she says.

I turn around and see Lance smiling with his arms crossed. He moves forward to shake Penelope’s hand.

“Penelope, it’s nice to meet you in person,” he says.

“Wait, did you plan this?!” I ask.

“He called me last weekend and said I should come visit. I asked Mom to stay with Joel and the kids and he booked my flight immediately! Happy almost-birthday, Wren,” she says.

My heart absolutely soars. I had forgotten I mentioned my birthday to Lance and I can’t believe he planned all this.

Even though we talk regularly, it’s been months since I’ve seen my sister, and it doesn’t seem real that she’s here at the farm.

I immediately wrap my arms around Lance’s neck and he squeezes me back.

“Thank you,” I whisper in his ear.

***

“This place is so cute!” Penelope says as she looks around the little apartment.

“I love it, I really do. It definitely beats being in the bunkhouse.”

“Or Lance’s house?” she asks as she looks out the window. I look up at her and she wiggles her eyebrows at me. “Come on, you’ve been vague on the phone. Spill it.”

I blush. “I don’t really know what to say. We’ve been working together since I got here, but lately it’s definitely something more. A lot more.”

I continue straightening up my apartment and avoid Penelope’s stare.

“Wren Elizabeth, do you have a boyfriend?!”

“Oh my god, what are we, 12?”

“But seriously, you’re, like, dating this guy.”

I shrug. “Yeah, I guess?”

“What’s he like? Other than fucking gorgeous.” I raise an eyebrow at her. “Yeah, I’m married, not blind, Wren.”

“He’s...guarded, smart, independent, loves his family,” I say. “He’s had a rough couple of years.”

“You literally just described yourself, you know that?” she asks, and I laugh. “Well, I’m so happy for you. He seems like a good guy.”

“You don’t think it’s—too soon?” I ask.

Penelope tilts her head to the side and looks at me with sympathy in her eyes.

“What are you supposed to do? Wear black for three to five years and never experience joy again? Max wouldn’t want that for you, Wren.

“There’s no rulebook for young widows. It’s been nearly two years.”

I sigh. “Believe me, I know.”