The Simple Wild (Wild 1)

I feel Agnes’s watchful gaze on me as I scroll through the rest of the cabin trip pictures, and I’m pretty sure the shrewd little woman somehow heard that. But, as always, she keeps those thoughts—and all thoughts about Jonah and me and whatever is going on between us—to herself.

“Listen, I was hoping you could help me and Mabel. Sharon and Max are leaving next week and we’ve been talking about throwing a little party for them at Wild.”

“A party?”

“Yeah. Sort of a combo baby shower and farewell.”

I hesitate. “I just . . . Do you think it’s right to throw a party now?” I drop my voice. “With everything that’s going on?” I mean, my dad’s got a meeting with the guys from Aro later this week, to start the sale process. And he just got out of the hospital. It’s going to take time for him to recover from that complication.

Plus, I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s in shock over his news.

“If not now, then when?” Her black gaze drifts out to the wide expanse, to a regional airline descending from the sky. “They’ll be long gone by the time Wren . . .” Her voice fades. She swallows. “Life will keep moving and changing, whether we want it to or not, Calla. There will be days to mourn, when it’s time. But Sharon and Max are leaving us, and their baby will be born, and we need to celebrate the time we have with them while we have them here. That’s all we can do with anyone.” Her face slowly splits into a wide smile, even as her eyes shimmer. “Besides, it’ll make Wren happy, to see everyone come together like that. He’s always liked a good party.”

I sigh. She’s right. “Of course I’ll help.”

“Good. I ordered a bunch of cake mixes and some decorations and things a while back. They should be here any day now.”

“I guess there’s no such thing as Amazon Prime around here?” I say, wryly.

She gives me a look. “That is Amazon Prime.”

We share a soft laugh.

But then her brow pulls tight. “I don’t think I ever thanked you for coming.” She reaches forward to clasp my forearm. “It feels right, having you here with us. I can’t imagine doing it any other way.”

My throat begins to prickle for the tiny woman, whose own heart has, however unintentionally, also been broken by my father in the past. And still she stands stoically beside him, offering her friendship and unrequited love.

How many hearts have been pained or broken because my dad decided to sit down next to my mom at the bar that night? I wonder. Would knowing what the future held have made either of them stand and walk out?

Something tells me no.

“I don’t think I ever thanked you for calling me,” I respond softly, thinking back to that night on the porch steps, wearing one shoe with Simon sitting next to me. It feels like a lifetime ago.

She inhales sharply. “You know, next to phoning Derek’s parents to tell them about the crash, that was the hardest call I’ve ever had to make.”

And all I heard was a stranger’s voice. Some woman who was in my dad’s life while I was not. Funny enough, she feels like the farthest thing from a stranger to me now. “Are you angry with him?”

Her lips wobble a little before she presses them firmly together, cutting off the rare show of emotion. “I love him and I’m here for him. That’s all that matters.”

The ever-patient Agnes. She would have been perfect for my dad. She is perfect for him.

The sliding door creaks open then, and Jonah steps out with a heaping plate of food. My heart instantly leaps.

“This looks good, Aggie.”

With a gentle pat on my forearm, she collects my dinner plate and moves from the seat. “You’re later than I expected.”

“Lost a rudder coming home.” He squeezes her slender shoulder on his way past, and then settles into the spot she just left, filling the space, his big, warm body pressing against me. He cuts into his chicken with a soft, “Hey.”

I haven’t kissed him since this morning. I feel an overwhelming urge to lean in and do it now, but I hold myself back. That’s something you do when you’re dating, and that’s not what we are.

What the hell are we, though, besides two people finding comfort in each other while we watch a man we both love die?

Maybe that in itself is enough.

“So you lost a rudder?” I finally ask.

“Yup. Must have busted on the gravel bar I had to land on to drop off supplies,” he mumbles.