Trish and Dez crammed into the back of the mystery woman's tiny car while the woman drummed her fingers on the steering wheel.
"One of you could get in the front seat, you know. It's a little more spacious."
Trish raised her eyebrow and said, "The only reason that I'm in this car, Alex Boom, is because you saved my butt in the forest. I still have no idea who you are or what you're doing here."
Dez patted the woman on the shoulder and added, "You seem super nice though."
The driver started the engine and drove out of the parking lot. The tires made a crunching sound as she pulled onto a dirt road. "Thanks, Dez. And it's Ally Moon, Trish."
"How do you know our names?" The teens in the back asked.
"I'm your caretaker, of course. You two will be staying with us until this thing with your dads is cleared up."
"You know what happened to my dad?" Dez asked, squeezing Ally's shoulder.
"Ow!"
"Sorry," he said, loosening his grip, "I'm kind of freaked out."
Ally patted his hand gently and said softly, "Mr. Wade is fine. And so is Mr. De la Rosa. But everything else is still classified, so I'm not really useful for any other questions."
Trish yanked Dez back from Ally.
"No offense, but you seem puny for a bodyguard."
"And you seem alive for someone who had a gun to her face," Ally replied.
Dez chuckled, but cleared his throat when Trish gave him a threatening look.
"Besides, I'm not a bodyguard. Where I live is kind of the top spot for never being found. The government helps us financially while we hide members of the witness protection program."
"The government is involved?" Trish asked.
"Us?" Dez mused.
Trish waved her hands and shook her head in confusion. "Wait a second, if you're my caretaker, then why is Dez here?"
"You're paired together. Didn't you know that?"
"Just for travel purposes," Trish insisted.
"No, you're paired together until this is all over. We're supposed to take care of both of you," Ally explained.
"You said 'us' and 'we'," Dez used finger quotes, "do you have like a partner or something?"
"The best partner," Ally chuckled.
"Sounds good," Dez nodded. He climbed out of the back and sat in the passenger's seat.
"What are you doing," Trish yelled. Dez ignored her and clicked on his seatbelt.
"This is a sweet ride." He pressed his fingertips to the fabric above his hair. "My head touches the ceiling, but that's okay."
Ally giggled.
"You were in a limited edition Porsche earlier," Trish argued from the rear.
Dez grinned wide at Ally. "You laugh a lot," Dez said.
"You're funny," Ally replied with a shrug.
"I'm going to sleep! Wake me when we get there. Or not. I really don't care," Trish huffed. She waited for a response, but when none came, she sprawled across the backseat and shut her eyes.
After waiting until he heard soft snores to speak, Dez explained, "Sleeping is her way of handling stress." He rubbed his chest and added, "I learned that the hard way."
"You two have been through a lot today." Ally glanced at the rearview mirror to see Trish. "She'll be okay."
A pitiful breeze blew into the opened bedroom window, though it didn't do much to cool off the room. Trish kicked a blue, cotton blanket off her legs and snored. Around the room, plush dolphin toys watched the young woman sleep. From the top of the chestnut wardrobe to the yellow, chipped windowsill, their black eyes were fixed on her.
"Knock, knock," a voice called from the opposite side of the closed door. "Breakfast time! I made pancakes!"
Trish yawned with her eyes still closed. "I had the worst nightmare." She sat up and blinked. Twenty sets of dull eyes stared at her. She screamed so loud that animals outside her window went crazy: dogs howled, birds squawked and horses grunted, which only caused her to scream louder.
The door swung open and a young man rushed into the room. He knelt down and gently held Trish by the arms.
"Calm down. You're okay," he said.
Trish's breaths were short and strained, but as she locked eyes with the guy in front of her, they became steady. Warm brown eyes and dusty blond hair made her relax.
"Better?" he asked.
She poked his well-defined arm. "I am now."
"Good!" He let go of her arms and offered his hand for her to shake. "Sup, I'm Austin Moon."
Trish dropped her smirk and folded her arms. "Moon. Are you serious?" She fell back against the pillows. "Wait. But it's just a last name." She sprang back up and gave his bicep a flirty squeeze. "Do you, maybe, have a sister?"
"Weird question, but nope. Only child," Austin replied.
Trish groaned. "Fine, just making sure."
"Okay..." He stood up and pointed his thumb over his shoulder. "Well, the pancakes are ready. I'll make sure you get the hottest ones," Austin said kindly before walking out of the room and leaving the door open.
"Alex already did that," Trish mumbled from the bed.
"It's Ally," Dez said as he walked past her door in the hallway.
Trish rolled her eyes and pressed herself off the bed. She ran her fingers through her curls as she inspected to room. The twin-sized bed was a quarter of the size of her own mattress back home. And it was not decorated with nearly enough pillows. The curtains on the window were thin and did nothing to block out the sunshine. The sound of footsteps made her turn towards the door.
Ally walked in and smiled. "What do you think of your room?"
"It looks like your grandma, who doesn't like you, decorated after she lost her glasses and then stuffed-dolphin demons spawned in it," Trish replied.
"So you like it."
"It proves your life is very sad."
"I heard you in the woods. The last guy that I kissed, loves me. I don't think my life is sad at all." With that said, Ally turned on her heels and left Trish bewildered.
"Who has this many dolphins!"
Trish trudged down the wooden stairs. The first room she entered was a large den. Two navy blue loveseats, a white sofa, and a white arm chair were neatly arranged and navy and white polka-dotted ottomans spotted the room. A large flat screen television was positioned on the wall, and an electric fireplace was on the opposite side of the room.
"Awesome!" Austin shouted from somewhere in the house.
Trish followed the shout down another hall. She passed framed pictures of Austin and Ally and a few of a tall blond woman and a tall handsome man, who she assumed were Austin's parents. At the end of the hall, she found found Ally, Dez, and Austin in the kitchen. In front of wide open French doors, Ally sipped on a cup of tea and reclined at a round kitchen table. Dez and Austin were seated on stools opposite each other around a wooden countertop.
"Do it again!" Austin cheered.
Dez picked up a pancake from the stack on the plate in front of him and tossed it at Austin while Austin tossed a pancake at Dez. They caught the cakes in their mouths then chugged a bottle of maple syrup.
"We should do the same with bacon," Dez squealed, syrup dripping down his chin.
"You're the coolest dude ever, Dez," Austin said, shaking his fork at the red-head. "You have got to hang out with me today."
Dez tried – failing miserably – to fight back a grin.
"The first and last time those words are heard," Trish said sarcastically.
Dez's good mood deflated and he frowned down at his breakfast.
"Really," Austin said, giving Trish a disapproving look. "Don't listen to her, dude." He grinned. "Hey, I have a bacon guy."
"You do not have a bacon guy, Austin. You buy it from the market. All you do at Nelson's is play with his piglets," Ally said from the table.
"Quiet woman," Austin said playfully. "Come on, Dez. Let's go be men."
"Wash the dishes," Ally instructed before sipping her tea.
"Let's wash the dishes like men," Austin said as he and Dez gathered their plates and moved to the sink.
Ally looked directly into Trish's eyes. "Let's take a walk," Ally said, no room for argument present in her voice. She delicately put down her cup and exited out the French doors.
Trish followed and tried to fall in-step with Ally, who strolled gracefully down the stone path. Flowers sprawled lazily over the path and blossomed plants spilled out of their hanging pots. Trish sashayed beside Ally. Honestly, she felt awkward walking beside Ally. Girls at Marino High sashayed; they wore designer heels and trendy clothes and made a show of walking in public with each other. Ally just walked.
"You walk weird," Trish said, "It's annoying."
Ally stopped, causing Trish to walk past her. Trish turned and looked at Ally expectantly. "I thought we were going somewhere?"
Not many things made Trish nervous, but the stern look on Ally's face definitely made her uncomfortable: Ally's brows were raised high and her lips were stretched thin.
She looks like a younger, paler version of my mom Trish thought.
"I will not allow you to bully Dez while you're here," Ally said.
"Excuse me? Did you say 'allow' me? Who do you think you are?"
"I'm the one who saved your butt, drove you to my home and gave you a place to stay during your time of need. Your father created technology that every major international threat on the planet is after."
"That's not my fault," Trish snapped.
"Do you realize the project's benefactors want Mr. De la Rosa and his family dead? Your father refused to educate dangerous criminals on the technology's operation. Very rich and powerful individuals, Trish. Mr. De la Rosa and Mr. Wade are heroes. And you don't even respect them enough to get along with your partner."
Trish bit the inside of her cheek and glared at Ally. "Yes ma'am. Now are you going to ground me and make me wash dishes, or may I go back to that awful excuse for a bedroom."
Ally stepped to the side and motioned at the stone path. Trish stomped away, making sure to knock into Ally's shoulder as she went by.
"Jerks!"
Trish slammed her bedroom door and pressed the back of her head against the wood. She eyed the largest blue dolphin piled in the wastebasket and ran over to it. She snatched up the poor toy and threw it across the room. "I hate this place!"
She stomped across the room, picked up the dolphin, and threw it with more force at the wall. "Stupid Ally! Stupid Dez!" If the toy were filled with anything other than fluffy cotton goodness, it would have bulldozed through the wall. Her shoulders heaved as she panted; hot tears rolled down her face.
"Daddy," she cried in a raspy voice. She sank to the floor and crawled over to her bag. She dumped out its contents and picked up the picture frame.
"You idiots," she whispered as she traced her fingers over her father at Mr. Wade's dinner party. "Didn't you have enough? Did you have to be so smart?" She hugged the picture to her chest and continued to cry.
Dez and Austin sat on bales of hay inside the fenced area of a bright yellow barn. Dez nursed a piglet with a baby bottle. Austin cradled two piglets in his arms.
"That Nelson guy seems pretty young to own a pig farm," Dez said.
"His dad owns the farm," Austin replied.
"Ah, that makes more sense. Hey, how old are you? You seem my age, but you're like married and a government spy."
"Eighteen. I'm not a spy - that'd be so cool - but I guess Ally and I technically work with the witness protection program, but it's like we're contractors. And they pay really well. Enough for us to keep the house and the land and the animals. But my marriage, it didn't happen in a normal way. Ally really sacrificed a lot to help me."
"So, you're married, quote not a spy unquote, and a farmer?"
"Um, the house and land and stuff used to be Moon's Lit Inn. My great-great-great grandpa bought most of the land up the mountain and all of the valley. He built the house and started the farm. My great-grandfather turned it into an inn and sold some of the land to other farmers. My grandfather inherited and renovated the inn and then my parents got it after him."
"That's a lot of history. I don't really like history, but you make it sound interesting." Dez looked down at the piglet in his arms. "Or pigs make things more fun. Anyway, on with the story. Where are your parents now? I haven't seen them, yet."
Austin gently placed his piglets on the ground. He kept his eyes on them and said, "They died. Two years ago. I was sixteen when it happened. A freight truck knocked Mom and Dad's car over the road railing on the mountain. We tumbled sixty feet down the side."
"You were in the car?"
"Yeah. God saved my life, but I guess he decided it was time for Mom and Dad to go. It sucked. It still sucks." Austin cleared his throat. He looked up and saw a teary-eyed Dez. "Oh, I'm sorry, Dez. Don't cry, man. They're in a better place."
"It's just so sad!" Dez wailed. He put down the pig before leaning over and sobbing into the hay.
"There, there," Austin said, patting his new friend's back.
"You brave soul!" Dez sat up and crushed Austin in a bear hug. "I'll do everything I can to ensure you have a cheerful day every day that I am here with you and Ally."
"You're a really nice guy, Dez. I bet you're super popular back home," Austin choked out. "Also, I can't breathe."
Dez let go of Austin and turned his reddening face to the side. "My bad, bud."
Austin inhaled deep and smiled. "Let's head back before Nelson's dad gets home. You have to keep a low profile."
"You got it, Agent Moon."
"Hey, that's got a nice ring to it."
"Ally!" Austin shouted as he and Dez walked through the pasture. Dez was mesmerized by the five horses grazing a few feet away from him. Two were chestnut brown with jet black hair; two were white with gray spots splashed across their lean forms, and one was mahogany with matching hair so bright that the red tones were amplified.
"Look! It's me!" Dez pointed at the reddish horse.
Austin chuckled until he heard Ally's voice.
"I'm over here!" Ally shouted.
He nudged Dez and walked into the barn. Inside, Ally shoveled horse manure. Her hair stuck to her forehead in the summer heat.
Dez scrunched his nose and waved his hand in front of his face. "Woo! That is not fresh."
"You get used to the smell," Austin said.
The woman shook her head. "No, you don't." She adjusted the clip on her nose then nodded toward some shovels. "Grab a shovel, boys."
Austin and Dez did as they were told and joined Ally in her disgusting but necessary task.
"I like your horses," Dez commented. "So majestic."
"My parents used to use them as an attraction for inn guests and local visitors. We would take them on trails and let kids ride around the pasture," Austin explained.
"Now, we let the town use them during the holiday season for carriage rides. It raises money for the arts program at the rec center," Ally added.
"Cool! You guys are super generous. I'm almost afraid to go to sleep tonight for fear you might actually be murderers, cause you two are crazy nice."
"Thanks. We think," Austin and Ally say at the same time.
"So where are your parents, Ally?" Dez asked. "They live around here?"
"My dad works for the government. He sort of oversees the cases we get assigned," Ally said. She held her shovel still and leaned against it. "And my mom, "her voice softened, "My mom…"
Austin reached over and rubbed Ally's back. "Let's just clean this stuff up," he said gently.
"I shouldn't have said ... I'm so sorry," Dez said. The conversation with Austin earlier played in his mind and he prayed he hadn't made the same mistake twice in one day.
Ally cleared her throat and gave Dez a small smile. "Uh, I don't see or hear from her much now days. She…we don't speak much to each other."
"Ally," Austin whispered.
His wife nodded and glanced at a teary-eyed Dez. "Don't be upset, Dez. You didn't offend me."
Her mother was alive, but he still felt like a huge jerk. "I talk too much sometimes," Dez said, poking the ground with his shovel.
"No, no. I can tell you care about people. We just met, and I'm already really happy you're here," Ally said warmly. Dez wrapped her in a hug. "And you're a hugger," she choked out.
He released her and waved his hand. "You two are nicest people ever. Get out of here; you shovel poop all the time. Let me handle it this time."
Ally shook her head and patted Dez's arm. "We couldn't ask you to do that."
"Yeah, dude," Austin added.
"It'll be fun! Maybe. Probably not. But it'll be a great way to earn trust with the horses, so I can film them later."
"Cool, you make films?" Austin asked.
"Yeah! Now go ahead, you crazy kids. Let farmer Dez handle this."
Austin tossed his shovel to the side. "Thanks, man!"
Ally picked up her husband's shovel and placed it with her own. "Thank you so much, Dez."
Dez waved at the retreating couple then smiled down at the lump of poo in front of him. "Ew," he said through his smile.
Ally placed a plate of chicken on the table while Austin brought over a big bowl of kale salad. They sat down and shared an amused look before smiling at the bright pink Dez across from them.
"Did you overlook the bottle of sunscreen I put in your room this morning, Dez?" Ally asked. Austin snorted and bit his lip.
"I was distracted by all the stuffed bears," Dez admitted. "You've got a great collection." The trio laughed. "It actually hurts to laugh," Dez said but continued to chuckle.
"We have ointment. Ally burns all the time."
"Hey, not as often. Anymore. We can't all tan, Austin." Ally smoothed her palm over her arm. "The dream."
The group laughed again. "You guys are so fun," Dez said as he piled food onto his plate. He shoveled a spoon into his salad bowl, but then looked up with his brows furrowed. "I feel like I'm forgetting something."
"You can't eat salad with a spoon?" Austin asked.
"No, that's not it."
"Grace?" Ally suggested.
Dez glanced over at the empty chair beside him and frowned. "Sort of," Dez picked up his plate and stood. "I'll be right back." Before Austin and Ally could respond, he ran out of the room.
On her bed, Trish huddled against the headboard. She rubbed her red eyes with her palms and sniffled. Streaks from the setting sun peaked over the wardrobe that she had moved to block the window.
Someone knocked on the other side of the door.
Trish grabbed a shirt out of her bag and wiped her face. "Hold your horses!" She rubbed her cheeks and made a stern grimace in the vanity mirror. For a second, her face softened and she moved her lips to the side.
The knocking continued.
Trish hardened her look and moved towards the door. She opened it and saw Dez holding a plate of chicken.
"That's funny because Austin and Ally do have horses," Dez said.
She immediately slammed the door in his face.
He knocked again.
Trish opened the door and leaned against the frame. "I thought you weren't talking to me," she said.
"I changed my mind because now I am happy and not even you can spoil it," he said.
"Oh yeah, you're Mr. Popular now with your two new boring friends. Good job making them hate me by the way. Didn't know you were the resident countryside mean girl."
Dez rolled his eyes and huffed. "We meet some genuine people that you can't buy off or boss around and you throw a hissy fit?"
"Gee, thanks for the pep talk, Freckles."
Trish lifted herself from the door frame and stepped backward into the room. She clasped the knob, but Dez blocked the entrance.
"Look, I don't want to fight any more. Here, take my chicken. Ally said you haven't been out of this room the whole day. I know you're hungry," Dez said.
"I am not hungry," Trish argued at the same moment her stomach gave a loud rumble. "Must be bears," she mumbled.
"Then the bears can have my chicken," Dez said as he walked into the room. He put the plate on her vanity and noticed the wardrobe blocking the window. "That's actually a good idea. I like to sleep in too, but all that sunshine pouring in doesn't make it easy."
Trish wanted to kick him out, but when she opened her mouth she voiced a different thought. "Why are you so pink?"
Dez poked his arm and winced. "Sunburn." He flexed and pointed to his thin arm. "But I'm going to be ripped by the end of the summer. Shoveling horse doo."
She chuckled for a second then cleared her throat. "I don't know what that means, weirdo. But that explains why you smell like an outhouse."
"I took a shower," Dez said and plugged his nose, "which is more than I can say for you. It's been two days since your last shower; you might want to fix that."
"Get out," Trish said in a flat tone.
He shrugged and walked into the hall. "Uh, Trish?"
Trish crossed her arms in front of her and forced a groan, "What, Freckles?"
"I'm still mad at you about Carrie. But don't cry anymore. Everything's going to be okay." He smiled and walked down the hall.
She ran up to the door and called out, "You promised not to help me anymore!"
"I lied! Eat your chicken!" Dez shouted back as he disappeared around the corner.
"You very much confuse me, Dez," she whispered to the empty hall.
Trish jumped as a wooden bird popped through the doors of a large chiming cuckoo clock. She pressed her hand against her chest and exhaled. "Stupid antique."
It was midnight and she supposed everyone had long since went to bed. She sniffed her pits then gagged at the smell. Freckles wasn't wrong she thought. Shower time. She stood from the stool at the vanity and grabbed some pajamas from her bag.
Opening the door just a little, she peeped into the hallway. Coast is clear she thought. She tip-toed out of the bedroom and tried the first door on her right. That's the one with just a toilet. She tried another door. Wait, I hear breathing—bedroom. Maybe the shower is downstairs?
"That's stupid," she grumbled.
She climbed down the spiraling stairs that led to the den. I know the kitchen is down that way, so I should go this way. She passed a large sunroom with nice patio furniture; a small library with leather seats and a few more guest rooms. All of this stuff and I can't get a California kind bed? Or a bathroom with a shower? Come on! Trish titled her head back in frustration and dangled her arms to the side. But then she heard something: music. A melody drifted into the hall and pulled her towards the far end of the passage way. The door was cracked just enough to peek inside. So Trish peeked.
Instruments of all sorts were displayed artfully on sleek black shelves. A grand piano dominated the space, and seated on the bench behind it was Ally.
"Whoa," Trish whispered. Unfortunately, she leaned too hard against the door and fell into the room.
Ally jerked back from the keys and leaned over to see what happened. "Trish?"
"Where's the shower," Trish asked casually from her position on the floor, trying to hide her embarrassment.
Ally walked over and helped Trish up. "Beside your bedroom. Turn right instead of left next time."
"Oh."
They stood there and awkwardly looked at each other. "Alright then," Ally said, breaking the silence. She walked back to the bench and sat down. Trish turned to leave when Ally spoke up. "Do you play? The piano?"
"No. And I don't play any other instrument, so you don't have to bother asking." Trish smirked with her back to Ally. Respond to that, Miss Thinks She's Perfect Trish thought.
"Alright then." Ally shrugged, stretched her fingers, and began to play another beautiful piece.
Trish whipped around and glared at the girl.
Ally glanced up from the keys but continued to play as she said, "Something on your mind, Trish?"
"Um, hello, I wear designer shoes. I drive a Porsche! Every girl I know wants to be my friend." Trish stomped her foot. "Yet you chewed me out this morning like I'm some little kid, and you have the nerve to like the doof-o-saur more than me."
"You're not in Miami anymore. Here, your attitude and the way you treat people are the only influences you have to make friends. While your family is in hiding, your life starts from scratch. It's time to start over." Ally closed her eyes and played louder, losing herself in the music.
Trish watched the young woman in front of her. She felt the tension from her scowl loosen. Her hard look softened to one of confusion and she tugged on the hem of her pajamas. This was new. And uncomfortable.
"It's weird to have a bedroom sandwiched between bathrooms," Trish shouted over the music.
"It's weirder to be mean when you can be nice," Ally sang in response. "There are towels in the closet across from your room."
"Okay," Trish sang back, but it came out raspy and half-hearted and awkward. She swallowed her embarrassment and left. I should have taken my chances in the forest.