Page 35 of Chasing Shelter (Sparrow Falls #5)

ELLIE

I sat in my car, staring at the side of Haven, wondering what the hell had just happened. I was pretty sure I was having some sort of orgasm-induced break with reality, but as I looked down at my sneaker, seeing the bow that Trace had re-tied, I knew it was all real.

The heat of his lips still hummed on mine—the feel of the words he’d spoken against them. “Text me when you’re home so I know you got there safe.”

Why did something as simple as that feel like such a balm? Because it was so much more.

I stared at the wall in front of me and took in the way Haven had been splashed in another beautiful mural. Kye had painted all sorts of flowers and creatures found in the area around the word. Sparrows, hummingbirds, and butterflies floated atop the gym name.

For the first time in forever, I felt lighter. Freer. Like all those creatures there. The corners of my mouth tipped up as I admired Kye’s artistry, how he’d created something that fit in with its surroundings but was his style .

Maybe that was it. Maybe it was me finding the wildness with Trace. When I started my SUV, I didn’t head for home. I drove toward the hardware store on the outskirts of town as an idea began coming together in my mind. One that might be over-the-top for most, but I didn’t care. Because it was me.

Parking in a spot at the end of the row with plenty of space, I headed inside.

The shop wasn’t crowded since it was the end of the day.

A pretty blonde a little older than me waved from where she was restocking a shelf.

“Welcome. Just holler if you need help or to check out. I’m just trying to get tomorrow’s work done today. ”

I grinned. “Good luck with that. And thanks.”

“Name’s Mara if you need me.”

“Thanks, Mara. I’ll be hitting you up for some paint in a bit.”

“I’ve got you covered,” she called as I headed down one of the aisles.

I stopped in front of a display of paint swatches. There were what seemed like endless options. Given how small Sparrow Falls was, the variety had me pleasantly surprised.

Closing my eyes for a moment, I saw the image I wanted to create in my mind.

Plucking out specific colors in my head, I opened my eyes again, then grabbed swatches covering just about every color in the rainbow—and a few more for good measure.

I compared tones and pigments and finally decided on my choices.

That was when I felt it. The telltale sensation of eyes on me. I couldn’t help the stiffening in my muscles as memories of Kye’s recent instructions filled my mind. Glancing up, cold hazel eyes met mine—ones narrowed in my direction.

The man was big and broad, wearing jeans that had seen better days and a flannel with a sprinkling of sawdust on it. He had at least fifteen years and a hundred pounds on me and didn’t seem especially friendly.

“You’re that rich bitch whose daddy killed all those people and stole their money, ain’t you?”

My muscles turned to granite. That wasn’t exactly what had happened, but the details didn’t matter in a situation like this. Taking a deep breath, I turned to face him.

No more running.

“That’s me,” I said, not looking away.

The man sneered at me. “And you think you can just live off all his blood money and get off scot-free? You should be hung right along with the bastard. Maybe you need a little local justice.”

He took two long steps toward me before someone rounded the corner and moved in front of him. “Now, Jimmy, that sounds a hell of a lot like a threat to me. I might not be on duty, but I still have a responsibility to uphold the law.”

I didn’t think I’d ever seen Harrison out of uniform. He looked boyishly handsome in jeans, a tee, and a ballcap. Like he was getting ready for a baseball game or, more likely, to do a little yard work.

The man, who was apparently named Jimmy, scowled at Harrison. “None of your business, boy.”

“You made it my business. And because our team was part of that case, I can tell you that Ellie had nothing to do with it other than trying to help bring her father to justice. So spread that around,” Harrison said, his voice hardening.

Jimmy’s jaw worked back and forth before he scowled at me and stalked off. “I don’t got time for this bullshit.”

The air left my lungs in a whoosh, and I realized I’d crumpled the paint swatches in my hand. I tried my best to smooth them out as Harrison turned around.

“I’m so sorry about that.”

I shook my head and focused on the paint chips. “Not your fault.”

He frowned at me. “That happen a lot?”

I shrugged. “It’s not uncommon.”

That had a vein straining in Harrison’s neck. “You have a run-in, call me. I’ll have a word.”

I thought about arguing, but it wasn’t worth the battle. I didn’t want to explain to him that the thing I needed most right now was to stand on my own two feet. “All right.”

Harrison sighed. “You’re not going to call, are you? ”

I grinned, even though it was strained. “What I’m going to do right now is paint a mural.”

My early 2000s pop playlist blasted through my portable speaker as I moved my pencil across the massive white wall.

I’d moved all the furniture into the center of the room and covered it with plastic drop cloths.

I’d even taken time to tape off the molding despite it being the most mind-numbing task. But *NSYNC helped get me through.

Gremlin barked from his bed in the corner, moving toward the door. I frowned. I hadn’t heard anything, but I moved in that direction anyway. A pounding let loose on my front door, and Gremlin began barking his head off.

“Blaze, restrain that feral beast because I’m coming in.”

“Hold your horses, Chief.” Picking up Grem and unlocking the deadbolt, I opened the door to a very grumpy-looking Trace. “Who pissed in your Cheerios?”

His scowl deepened. “You didn’t text.”

I winced. “Sorry. I got distracted.”

“I texted you, and you didn’t answer.”

I mumbled a curse. “I forgot to tell you. I changed my number to a Sparrow Falls one.”

Trace’s green eyes darkened, that astute quality taking over. “You changed your number.”

“Yeah. I mean, I don’t need a New York one anymore, right?” It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the whole truth either. And given how on edge Trace had been at the gym, I didn’t want him worrying any more than he already was.

Trace’s gaze roamed over me from head to toe as if looking for answers. Instead, he likely got only paint-splattered coveralls and hair in a rat’s nest bun atop my head. “What are you wearing?”

I beamed up at him, relief rushing through me at the change in subject. “My painting outfit. ”

“Your…painting outfit.”

“Yup.”

Trace reached out, his fingers moving to a strand of hair that had fallen out of my bun. “You’ve got pink paint in your hair. And some green.” He pulled his hand back to show me, but Gremlin took that opportunity to snap and snarl, nipping at Trace.

He snatched his hand back, glaring at my dog. “Jesus. Are you sure that thing doesn’t have rabies?”

“Don’t talk about my soulmate like that,” I clipped. “And I took Grem to the vet. He’s a hundred percent healthy, even though he’s a little underweight.”

Trace’s mouth twisted into a grin. “Soulmate, huh? Fits. You did leave claw marks on my shoulder.”

I gaped at him. “I didn’t.”

He only grinned wider. “You did. Don’t worry, I wear your marks with pride.”

My cheeks heated, and I couldn’t hold his gaze. “Sorry about that. I, um, might’ve gotten carried away. I haven’t—I mean—I’m not used to?—”

Trace moved in, ignoring Grem’s snarls. His fingers went to my chin to tip it up, so I had nowhere to look but his face. Trace’s expression had gone a little stormy, the dark green of his eyes looking almost black now. “You haven’t had someone go down on you before?”

I swallowed hard, searching for the right words to explain. “I haven’t dated a ton. My dad pushed me in Bradley’s direction the second I graduated high school, and he, um, didn’t like that.”

Trace’s eyes turned pure shadow and storm. “Means something, you trusting me with that. And I won’t lie; I love knowing I got to give you that for the first time.”

“Oh.”

“So damn cute,” Trace muttered, a little of the storm easing.

The sound of car doors slamming pulled us from the moment, and Trace moved back out to my front porch. “Over here, Keels.”

At the sound of his favorite person’s name, Gremlin started wiggling and yipping. I followed Trace out and down the steps to see Keely running across the front yard toward us, backpack smacking against her body as she flew.

Grem’s wiggling intensified, and I laughed as I set him down. He went straight for his girl, and Keely squealed as he leapt in the air. She instantly sat, welcoming all the doggy kisses and cuddles.

“I’m pretty sure I’ve been replaced as bestie,” I mumbled.

Trace chuckled and patted me on the back. “I’ve been there. Brutal.”

As I looked up, I saw an unfamiliar woman crossing slowly toward us.

She was beautiful, her blond hair cut in a stylish bob that hit just below her chin.

Her outfit didn’t tell me much, mostly pulled-together business neutrals, but there was a little flare in the form of her belt.

The clasp was gold and formed a delicate array of flowers.

But when I reached the woman’s face, her expression was wary, and there was more than a little uncertainty in her eyes.

This had to be Trace’s ex and Keely’s mom. And, of course , I was meeting her in paint-splattered coveralls and tangled hair. Awesome.

“Ellie, what’re you doing?” Keely asked, giggling as Grem licked her cheek.

“I’m painting a rainbow on my living room wall,” I told her with a smile.

That had Trace’s ex pulling up short, genuine confusion spreading across her face. “You’re painting a…rainbow…on your living room wall?”

Trace tried to cover a laugh with a cough. “Leah, this is our neighbor, Ellie. Ellie, this is Keely’s mom, Leah.”

I noticed that he didn’t voice what either of us were to him . And I wasn’t exactly sure how I felt about that. But what did I expect? “Leah, this is my neighbor, Ellie. I had my fingers buried in her a few hours ago and made her come so hard she thought she was having a stroke.”

I needed to pull it together. “It’s nice to meet you, Leah.”

“You, uh, too,” Leah said.

Keely looked up at me as she cradled Grem in her arms. “Can I help you paint?”

I looked quickly around the group, trying to survey the temperature and not wanting to step on any toes. “I’m not sure what you’ve got planned with your parents, but if it’s okay with them, it’s okay with me.”

“One hour,” Trace said. “Then we’ve got our dinner and bedtime routine.”

“Yay!” Keely cheered, pushing to her feet and charging toward the house. “Bestie paint party!”

I laughed, ushering her inside, but not before glancing over my shoulder. Trace and Leah looked like they were in some sort of tense standoff. I had to force myself to turn back around and focus on the task at hand. “Not my circus, not my monkeys,” I muttered.

“Are you getting a monkey next?” Keely asked, wide-eyed.

I grinned and shook my head at her. “I think I’ve got my hands full with Grem and our friend Goaty. Who you still have to help me name.”

“Oh, oh, oh,” Keely cheered as she set Gremlin down. “I thought of the perfect one.”

“Lay it on me, bestie. I need to know.”

“Bumper. Because she’s always bumping into things.”

A laugh bubbled out of me. “That is perfect. You are a creative genius. What do you say? Want to lend me that genius by helping me with this wall?”

Keely gazed up at my creation. It was mostly a pencil drawing at this stage, with a few paint swatches in places to make sure the tones were right. “Whoa. This is soooooo pretty.”

“Thank you. I think it’s going to bring a lot of happy.”

Kye’s murals had given me the idea, but this was my spin on it.

A stylized rainbow with all sorts of flying creatures around it.

Fireflies to light my way. Sparrows to represent my new home.

Dragonflies to bring me luck. Bees to tend the home I was building.

Hummingbirds to remind me to be fierce. And butterflies as my symbol of transformation. My favorite of all.

“My mom would never let me do this,” Keely mumbled.

Tension wound around me as memories of my father filled my mind. “This might not be everyone’s thing, and that’s okay. They might have their own thing.”

Keely scowled at the floor. “Her thing is homework and nine million lessons.”

I fought the wince that wanted to surface. “Maybe you guys just need to find your thing together.”

“Maybe,” Keely said, scuffing at the floor with the toe of her shoe.

I hated to see her so dejected. “For now, how about you help me make this wall sing?”

A little of Keely’s smile returned. “Let’s do it!”

I held out my hand for a high five, and Keely slapped my palm.

As we got her covered in one of my old tees, I couldn’t help but worry about Keely and her mom—and all the ways I’d never felt free to be who I truly was.

I didn’t want that for Keely. But the only thing I could do was make sure she felt safe to be who she was with me.

And I’d let her paint my whole damn house to do that.