The Wolven of Hunters Holler Page 3

  “Well, you are better off not knowing me.”

  “See what I mean?” She gave him a pointed look.

  He opened his mouth to reply, but then shut it again and stared at the road ahead. They drove another half a block in silence.

  “That’s a lot of groceries,” she said, glancing back at the bed of the truck. “How many people are you feeding up there?”

  He shrugged his shoulders. “A few.”

  “A few?” She stared at him. “Are you trying to be mysterious?”

  “We’re very private people.”

  “I can understand that.” She shifted on the seat. “But it’s not like it’s a national secret how many brothers and sisters you have, is it?”

  He chuckled. “No, of course not.” Taking a deep breath, he said, “My family is just very particular about letting anyone know our business.”

  “That’s probably why people made up all those rumors,” Jessie said. “Maybe if you opened up, there wouldn’t be so much friction.”

  “You may be right, but that’s the way we’ve done things for generations, and it’s not my place to go against our traditions. My family thinks is better for people to believe the wild stories than to have them stick their nose in our affairs.”

  “Really? You want people to believe they’ll be killed if they trespass on your property?”

  “It keeps them away,” he said with a tilt of his head.

  Once again, Jessie wondered if she’d made a mistake inviting Adam to dinner. It wasn’t because she was afraid he was going to do her any harm. If his family was so reclusive, what did she think she was going to accomplish by getting to know him?

  Still, he was nothing like anyone else she’d ever met. Maybe it was that, and the mystery surrounding him, that made her gravitate to him.

  Hoping she didn’t seem too forward, she asked, “What happens when you meet someone you like? Does your family have rules against spending time with somebody.”

  “We do,” he replied.

  The answer shocked her.

  He continued, “We have rules for everything, but especially about spending time with anyone local.”

  She turned her head and studied his profile against the backdrop of the darkening sky. He was very good-looking, but it was the quiet confidence in his manner that struck her.

  She asked, “What rules?”

  “It’s not allowed.”

  “By local, do you mean just from Woodale, or from the whole county?”

  As if he were uncomfortable replying, he shifted in his seat. “Pretty much the whole county.”

  “But why?” she asked. “Surely, your family doesn’t expect you to be single for the rest of your life? Don’t they want you to meet someone, get married?”

  “They want that,” he said, “but not with anyone from around here.”

  Jessie frowned and turned away from him. “What? Are we not good enough?”

  “It’s not that. It’s just … the rules.”

  “Rules.” Jessie huffed. “It sounds like your family has something against us. What is it?”

  “I…” he started to say, but then pressed his lips together. Finally, he said, “It’s just been that way for as long back as I can remember. We avoid locals, and the locals avoid us.”

  “It’s not like we have a ‘rule’ about it,” Jessie said.

  “It’s an unwritten rule.” Adam glanced at her. “I heard your friend, Rose, tell you to stay away from me.”

  Jessie froze. “When did you hear her say that?”

  “After the fight,” he replied. “She said I was dangerous, and you were nuts for wanting to thank me.”

  Jessie blushed. “She didn’t mean anything by that.”

  He waved his hand. “Of course she did. The folks of Woodale have a social code that says to stay away from us. According to your friend, you’re not following those rules.”

  “Well, neither are you.” She asked, “If you’re not allowed to spend time with locals, why’d you agree to have dinner with me?”

  He smiled at her. “Like you, I guess I don’t know what’s good for me.”

  Chapter Five

  When they arrived at her house, Adam said, “You live here?”

  She nodded. “It was my foster mother’s house.”

  “Was?”

  “Cancer.” Jessie had to concentrate to keep from choking up. “It happened a few months ago.”

  “I’m sorry,” he said.

  She gave him a disarming smile and hopped out of the truck. “Let’s go in.”

  They walked up the steps to the porch, and Jessie held the door open for him.

  “Very nice,” he said when he went inside and took a quick look around.

  “It’s okay, I guess.” She flicked on the hall light. “Sometimes I feel like a stranger here. It was Nana B’s home, but I’m not sure I’ll ever be comfortable living in it. Still, it keeps the rain off.”

  “Can’t ask for more than that,” he replied.

  “I sure can ask for a lot more than that,” Jessie said with a laugh, “but since I can’t afford a mansion with a dozen bedrooms and an indoor swimming pool, this will have to do.”

  “Is that what you want?” Adam asked, and there was an odd note in his voice. “A mansion with an indoor swimming pool? A dozen rooms?”

  “Not really. I was just trying to be funny.”

  “Ah,” he said and smiled dutifully.

  She led him into the living room. “Do you want something to drink?”

  “Sure, whatever you’re having.”

  “Wine?” she said.

  He nodded. She motioned to the couch. “Make yourself comfortable. I’ll be right back.”

  As quickly as she could, she went to the kitchen and opened a bottle of merlot, then poured two glasses.

  When she came back, she handed one of the drinks to Adam, then sat on the other end of the couch.

  “What about you?” she asked. “What’s your place like?”

  “Actually, it is a mansion with a dozen rooms,” he said. “Unfortunately, no swimming pool, but we’re working on it.”

  She was unable to tell if he was bantering, or making fun of her.

  As if sensing her uncertainty, he said, “Sorry. I was trying to make a joke again. ”

  “Really?” she said. “I guess neither of us has a future in stand-up comedy.”

  He laughed, and for the first time, Jessie saw a hint of the true man behind the mask that he put on for the outside world. Several words and phrases floated through her mind: good-looking, mysterious, dangerous, and a man of hidden depths. She’d never been quite so fascinated by someone before.

  Jessie put her hand on his shoulder. She looked into his eyes. He didn’t flinch from her gaze.

  “I’ll tell you what I’m looking for,” she said. “Something different.” When he frowned, as if not understanding her meaning, she continued. “You’re different from anyone I’ve ever met. I’d like to get to know you better. A little wine, a little dinner, a little conversation. Is that okay?”

  He nodded. “I’m sorry about being brusque before. It was very nice of you to invite me over. I’m just not used to being around outsiders.”

  “Just be you,” Jessie said, and took a sip of her wine. “That’s all.”

  “Sometimes, that’s not as easy as it sounds.” Then he smiled. “For what it’s worth, I think you’re pretty different, too.”

  “Really?” Again, she had to pause before misinterpreting what he was trying to say.

  “Not too many people would jump in front of a truck just to ask someone to dinner.”

  “Rose keeps saying I’m crazy.” She stood up. “Maybe I am, a little bit.” Putting her glass down on the coffee table, she started walking back to the kitchen. “I’ll get those steaks out.”

  “Anything I can do to help?” he asked.

  She waved her hand in the air without looking back. “I’ve got it under control.”

  “I can light the barbeque, if you’d like.”

  “Sure,” she called out from the other room. “That would be great. It’s out back, through the dining room.”

  Adam got up and made his way to the patio.

  Jessie set about thawing the steaks in the microwave and preparing the potatoes and corn.

  While she worked, she thought about the groceries Adam had purchased. Flour, rice, beans, grains, and oats as well as canned soups, vegetables, and fruits. Simple food. Staples of any kitchen cupboard.

  She strode over through the dining room and poked her head out of the patio door.

  Adam had gotten the barbeque going. He was already scrubbing the grill with a brush. He looked up at her. “Everything okay?”

  Jessie said, “You know, we sell beef, pork, chicken, and even fish at the Shop ‘n’ Go.”

  “We don’t need to buy meat,” he said. “We’ve got enough in the holler.”

  She said, “You ranch or something up there?”

  “Some,” he said. “Mostly, we hunt.”

  “I guess your last name says it all,” Jessie said with a laugh. “What do you hunt?”

  “Lots of deer in the hills. We go after the occasional pig and goat, too, but it’s mostly deer. The meat’s better than what you can get at a market.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t know anything about hunting. I spent most of my life in Louisville.”

  “It’s great,” he told her. “Hunting. You should try it sometime.”

  “I’d like to, but I’m afraid of guns.”

  “So am I.” He laughed, then pointed at the clean grill. “We’re ready for the steaks.”

  * * *

  They sat at the dining room table to eat. Jessie lit two candles and put on some soft music in the background.

  “So, you’re the only one who comes down from the holler for supplies?” Jessie asked between mouthfuls of food.

  “Someone’s got to do it. Might as well be me.”

  “You make it sound like a chore.” Jessie raised one eyebrow in question. “You don’t like getting out once in a while, seeing the outside world?”

  He sighed, but his voice was light when he said, “You’ve seen how well I do in the outside world.”

  “Have you thought about setting up an account with the store?” Jessie asked. “We don’t normally deliver outside Woodale, but maybe I can make an exception.”

  Adam swallowed the piece of steak he was chewing. “I’d have to check with the family.” There was an apologetic look in his eyes. “I wouldn’t count on it, though.”

  “It’s just a suggestion,” she said.

  He gave her a smile. “I appreciate it. If I had my way, I’d do it, but my family is very particular about how they deal with the outside world.”

  Jessie said, “Do you guys have technology up there? Phones, television, computers?”

  He lowered his eyes. “We have a satellite phone—but we hardly ever use it. It’s just for emergencies. We don’t have electricity, so what’s the use of electronics?”

  A thought struck Jessie. “Is your family Amish?” She put up her hands. “Not that there’s anything wrong with that.”

  Adam looked back up at her and shook his head. “No. Nothing like that. We’re not really religious, at least, not in the way you might think. We’re more…” He gave a terse shake of his head and shrugged his shoulders. “What about you?”

  Jessie said, “My foster parents went to church every Sunday, but they never made me go. I went once, but I felt claustrophobic sitting there among all those people.”

  “Do you have any other family? Any other foster kids you keep in touch with?”

  “No. Nana B only took in one of us at a time; I only know the others from pictures and such. Rose—she’s the other clerk at the Shop ‘n’ Go—is pretty much my only friend.”

  “Really?” he said.

  “Oh, everyone in Woodale is nice enough, but I just don’t think I’m fitting in.”

  “Because of that guy, Owen?”

  She nodded. “Partly, yeah. His father runs one of the coal mines around here. Owen thinks he can do anything he wants and get away with it. You know the type. He’s such a jerk.”

  When she saw a dark look come over Adam’s face, she asked, “What is it?”

  He took a long time to speak. Finally, he said, “It’s none of my business.”

  Jessie knew he wanted to ask why Owen had attacked her. She didn’t want their conversation to get heavy so quickly, but she also didn’t want Adam to think she was holding back. It wasn’t a secret, anyway.

  She took a sip of wine, and then told him about the accident she’d witnessed.

  “He’s right,” she said when she finished the tale. “His lawyers will probably bury the family’s lawyers in paperwork. There’s no proof, and his father probably plays golf with every judge in Kentucky. He’s going to get away with it.”

  All through the story, Adam didn’t say anything. If he had an opinion, he was keeping it to himself.

  To prevent an awkward silence, Jessie pointed at his plate. “Was it all right?”

  There was only one piece of steak left on the dish. Adam stabbed his fork into it and popped it in his mouth. “Delicious,” he said.

  “I’m glad you came over.” She took another sip of wine and leaned back in her chair. “You don’t realize how lonely you get living by yourself until you have some company.”

  “I like solitude,” he said. “But there’s not much chance of being lonely in the holler.”

  “Big family?”

  He nodded. “There’s always someone around.”

  Adam looked out the window at the darkening sky. “Don’t get me wrong; I love my family. I would do anything for them. It’s just…”

  “What?”

  “This might sound odd to you, but you can be lonely even when you’re surrounded by other people.”

  “I never thought about that before,” she said.

  “Why would you? No one would until they actually got into that situation themselves. In some ways, it’s worse than being by yourself, because you can’t talk to the people who are right in front of you. They’re supposed to be your family and your own flesh and blood, but sometimes it seems like they’re strangers.” He paused, and Jessie stared at him. “Or maybe I’m the stranger and they’re the normal ones.”

  What was he talking about? “I’m sorry.”

  “No, I’m sorry.” He shook his head. “I shouldn’t be talking to you about this.”

  She crooked her head. “If you can’t talk to your family about whatever is bothering you,” she said, “sometimes it’s easier to talk to someone else. You know, you can’t keep these things bottled up. You could wind up exploding or something.”

  He picked up his wine glass and sniffed at it. “Talk to who?”

  “I don’t know,” she said. “There are professionals.”

  “A shrink?” He made a face.

  “What’s wrong with that?”

  He pursed his lips. “They ask too many questions. I wouldn’t want them to start sticking their nose in family business.”

  They fell silent for a while. Jessie wondered if she should end the evening. She felt like everything she said was crossing some invisible boundary. If it was this hard to get to know him, was it worth it? Just when he started to relax, he clammed right back up again.

  She asked, “Did you want something for dessert? Maybe a coffee?”

  He set his wine glass down. “No, thanks.”

  Finally, Jessie said, “You know, I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  Adam sat up straighter in the chair. “I’m being a very poor guest, aren’t I. I didn’t meant to get all serious on you like that.”

  “Not at all. We could talk about something else. Like you, I don’t have a lot of people to talk to.”

  Abruptly, he asked, “Did you want to go for a walk?”

  “Are you serious?” She looked out the window. “It’s pitch black out there.”

  “I love walking at night. It’s so peaceful. I think there’s a creek just beyond those woods behind your house.”

  Jessie frowned. How did he know that?

  “And the moon will rise soon,” he said, “so it won’t be all that dark.”

  “It will?” That surprised her at first, but then she realized that, being the outdoorsy type, he would pay attention to things like that. Maybe he had an almanac or something.

  All through the dinner, he’d been polite, but Jessie sensed it was forced, almost as if he were uncomfortable being with her. She could have sworn the evening was a disaster in the making.

  But then, he could have said he wanted to go home now that dinner was finished; instead, he’d proposed that she go on a walk with him. Maybe he did like her, after all. She decided she would stick it out for a little while longer.

  “A walk sounds great,” she said.

  He stood up. “I’ll help you clear the table, first.”

  Jessie waved her hand at the plates. “Leave them. I’ll get to it later. Let’s just go.”

  Chapter Six

  As Adam had promised, the moon did rise, and it lit up the countryside behind her house.

  Jessie strolled along the creek with Adam at her side. She peered at his face in the dim light. He turned his head at every sound, and his eyes constantly scanned the area.

  She asked, “Is everything all right?”

  “Sure,” he replied. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

  “I don’t know,” she said. “You’re not saying much.”

  “I’m just enjoying the evening.” He flashed a smile at her.

  Still, Jessie got the sense that he was being cautious about something.

  “There’s no one here,” she said. “We’re alone.”

  He nodded. “I know.” Looking around, he said, “It’s nice here.”

  “I’ve been coming here quite often over the past few weeks,” she told him.

  “At night?” he asked, looking surprised.

  “No. Mostly in the mornings, before work. It’s so peaceful and quiet.”