Honestly, Cooper couldn’t blame her. That didn’t mean they could continue pretending that they weren’t living in the same world. They would have to come to a truce if they expected to continue working together.
“How are you feeling?”
The question was simple enough but it caused Becky to frown. “I’m fine. I wish people would stop asking that.”
“Given what happened, it’s a natural curiosity. You shouldn’t take it personally. People care. That’s why they ask.”
“Yes, well ... thanks for caring. I mean ... I guess.” She pasted a fake smile on her face. “Do you need anything else?”
He wanted to admonish her for the attitude, but he couldn’t. She was embarrassed about owning up to her feelings and not having them reciprocated. Her feelings of inadequacy were compounded by what happened with the possessing creature. When you added to it the fact that Hannah had been the one to save her, well, Becky’s life wasn’t exactly rosy these days. He couldn’t fix what was broken inside her, though, and he didn’t have the energy to try.
“I’m glad you’re feeling better,” he said finally. “Your color is back, which is good, and you look as if you’re back to one hundred percent.”
“I don’t know if I would go that far, but I’m well on my way.”
“That’s ... good.”
“Right.” Becky shifted from one foot to the other, clearly uncomfortable. “Is that all? If so, I need to get back to Danielle. She’s expecting me.”
“Oh, sure.” Cooper moved out of her way. “I’m about to head out and collect Hannah anyway. I’m betting she’s down by the creek, even though she said she just wanted to go for a short walk. I should’ve known she would head down there. That’s where she always ends up.”
“I really don’t care,” Becky noted. “Your relationship is between the two of you. I don’t want to hear, talk about, or see it.”
She was still bitter, Cooper realized. She was doing her best to put on a happy face, though. He had to allow her to grieve whatever it is she’d thought she’d lost in her own time. “Fair enough. I’ll head out. I really am glad you’re feeling better, though.”
“So you’ve said. Thank you for the sentiment.” With those words, Becky turned on her heel and headed toward the buildings on the other side of the road. She didn’t as much as glance over her shoulder.
Even though Cooper found the interaction cold, it was a relief compared to how she’d been acting weeks before.
Small steps, he told himself. Something was better than nothing. Now he had to find Hannah. He was done waiting. His anxiety wouldn’t allow him to sit back and do nothing for another second.
8
Eight
True to her word, Hannah crested the hill returning to Casper Creek five minutes before the end of her hour. Boone and Tyler stopped Cooper before he could go after her, so he was pacing a well-worn groove in the paddock, the goats chasing him like it was a game, when she popped into view.
“See,” Boone offered in something less than a soothing voice. “I told you she was fine.”
Cooper shot him a dirty look. “I don’t need to hear ‘I told you so’ right now.”
“Whenever you’re ready to hear it, tell me,” Boone shot back, blasé. “I’ll be ready to deliver it again.”
“You think you’re so funny,” Cooper grumbled under his breath, although he pasted a welcoming smile on his face as Jinx roared into the paddock and immediately started after the goats. He seemed to be rejuvenated. Instinctively, Cooper reached out to stroke the dog’s fur. He wasn’t surprised in the least to find it wet. “You went to the creek.”
Hannah expected some pushback on her decision and was prepared for it. “I did. The water is nice. I soaked my feet.” She plopped down on the picnic table bench. “We should go down there and have a picnic one day or something. It’s really nice.”
Cooper’s expression was hard to read. “A picnic sounds nice,” he said finally.
“Good boy,” Boone muttered under his breath, nodding encouragingly.
Cooper scalded him with a look and then sucked in a breath before sitting on the opposite side of the table from Hannah. Truth be told, he was angry. No matter how many times he told himself that she was an adult, he didn’t like the idea of her wandering around on her own when there was an unknown threat darkening their doorstep.
“I ran into Astra,” Hannah offered, seeing no reason to drag out the truth. He was already angry, she rationalized. She might as well lay it all out there and let him freak about multiple things at once.
“Oh, I knew it!” Cooper threw his hands in the air and looked to the sky, as if expecting some higher power to reach down and pat him on the shoulder, perhaps offer him a treat for being right.
Tyler’s lips quirked as he settled next to Hannah. He’d considered trying to rein in Jinx, but the dog was too boisterous and, honestly, the goats seemed to love it when the dog chased them. “She still spends a lot of time at the creek from what I can tell. She usually goes there alone.”
“That doesn’t make it okay,” Cooper argued. “Astra is dangerous.”
“She wasn’t in the mood to fight today,” Hannah supplied. “Well, I mean more than usual. She was snarky but seemed distracted. I think that new witch she’s having all the trouble with — that Stormy woman — is giving her fits. She practically said as much and it’s not like her to admit when she’s having problems.”
Boone narrowed his eyes. “I’ve
