Page 66 of Won't Back Down
I was aware of Gabi watching me as she, Bree, and I tossed around dates. No doubt she hadn’t forgotten my behavior the other day. The memory of it made me ill at ease. Gabi wouldn’t push for answers yet. Not in front of all these people. But I could tell she was worried about me. I appreciated it. I just wished it didn’t mean I had to open up about the most painful part of my past.
After we’d settled on some plans for the next week, Caroline began prepping the corn for roasting over the fire. “How’s everything going with the inheritance, Willa? What are your plans for the property, once everything is out of probate? There’s been lots of talk in town, lots of questions, but nobody seems to know.”
I hadn’t talked about this with anybody but Sawyer. Relaxing back into the curve of his arm, I admitted, “Honestly, I’d like to turn it into a wildlife sanctuary.”
“Really?” Caroline looked intrigued. “I mean, not that it’s a bad idea, but why?”
I took a breath. “Well, the horses saved me, so it seems only fair I do what I can to protect them.”
“Saved you how?” Hoyt asked.
I’d never told anyone this story.
“When I was little—maybe six or so?—Jace and his friends had gone tromping into the woods on some adventure or other. I got mad they left me behind, so I followed. I guess technically I got lost, but I wasn’t worried about that since the island just isn’t that big. But it was high summer and in the course of all my tromping, I stumbled on a few of the horses grazing. It was the closest I’d ever been to them, and I was fascinated. I wanted to get closer, to try to pet them, even though I’d been warned they were wild animals. I was so focused on the horses that I didn’t look where I was stepping, and I startled a copperhead. I was only inches away from stepping right on it. But before it could strike, Triton—he’s the stallion that’s been leading the herd for years now—came barreling out of the trees and trampled it. Without trampling me.”
Jace had gone a little pale. “Holy shit. You never told me that.”
I jerked my shoulders. “I didn’t want to get into trouble. After the snake, he sort of herded me back toward where y’all had gotten off to, and that was the end of it.”
He scrubbed a hand down his face. “If anything had happened to you, Mom and Dad would’ve murdered me.”
“It was fine. I was more careful after that.”
“After that?” My brother’s voice rose half an octave.
“I made friends with them.”
“She’s a freaking horse whisperer.” Sawyer looked over at me, awe in his eyes. “One of the most incredible things I’ve ever seen.”
“I see them on their terms. Which is mostly from a distance. But we understand each other. Because of that, it’s always been important to me to make sure the horses are protected. And beyond all of that, it’s a unique ecological system that’s worth preserving.”
“Oh, that makes a lot of sense,” Caroline beamed. “Totally fits you.”
“How would that work?” Gabi asked.
“Well, it’s an incredibly long-term project. Like… years long. The property has to be surveyed and assessed to document existing habitats, species, resources, geographical features and such, to establish a baseline.” Warming to my subject, I continued. “Then a habitat management plan has to be developed, any habitat enhancements done, boundaries delineated… and that’s all on top of writing up management policies, establishing oversight of the sanctuary, and getting actual legal designation as a sanctuary.” I ticked each point off on my fingers. “Plus fundraising. So much fundraising. Just thinking of the peopling involved in that part makes me tired.”
Bree popped open a fresh beer. “There’s going to be some folks who are hacked off about that. Plenty of people want to see this property developed.”
I shrugged. “I’m no stranger to people being upset with me.” That had been all my youth with my parents. The idea of dealing with a grumpy public was easier to handle with Sawyer by my side. Even now, he was reaching up, lightly rubbing at my shoulders. “I’ll just have to contribute to the island in other ways, like I have been all along. Which, unfortunately, includes Founder’s Day.”
Jace dipped up more guac. “How’d you get roped into that?”
I flung out my arms wide and made a mocking bow. “I am the last Sutter on-island. Thus is my honor. Our esteemed mayor made a lot of noise about my role as a descendant of one of the original founding families and the importance of participation. Miles has always been about looks. You know that.”
“Do you actually want to do it?”
“I mean, no. All of it sounds like the third circle of my own personal hell. But he’s not wrong. And maybe this will help mitigate the news that I have no intention of developing the property.”
It was a moot point to get into any of it until the lawsuit was settled. But the rest of them didn’t need to know about that.
Determined to change the subject, I reached for the roasting sticks. “Who’s ready for hot dogs?”
CHAPTER 30
SAWYER
“Ihate to leave good company, but this baby means I turn into a pumpkin when the sun sets.” Caroline rubbed at the belly bump that I’d swear was bigger than when we’d seen her on moving day when we’d dropped some furniture off at Beachcomber Bargains for consignment.