THE WIND SLAMMED the rain against the patio doors with such force Emma could barely hear the updates from the weather service on the radio. For hours they’d repeated scary rainfall totals and flash flood warnings from the storm sweeping across the area.
Facing the patio doors she raised her arms over her head and joined her palms. Doing exactly as the physical therapist instructed, she drew in a deep breath and held it, counting slowly from one to five. Exhaling slowly she bent forward at her waist until she felt the first mild twinge. She kept going, letting her hands hang loose, bending, bending, bending a little more until the eek escaped her mouth. Her body had reached the familiar eek point.
She held her position, one second, two seconds, three…and trusted the quiet voice inside to signal when she reached her limit.
She finished her stretching routine, paying extra attention to her left hip and thigh that had stiffened up the last few days. Disappointing, but not unexpected. It happened sometimes. A year ago, Emma’s back surgery had gone a long way in improving her mobility by relieving pressure on her leg and hip damaged in a fall over three years ago now. The neurosurgeon declared the surgery a great success. And it was. But she’d hoped the operation and rehab would eventually restore her full range of motion. She longed to walk and hike like she used to. That didn’t happen, and she’d almost accepted the old injuries had healed about as much as they were going to. More surgery wouldn’t help.
Stretching and strength training weren’t optional for Emma. They made mobility—freedom—possible.
Ending her routine the same way she always did, Emma murmured her latest mantra, “I grow stronger every day.”
Most of the time she believed it.
By the time she’d finished breakfast the sky had lightened a tiny bit, but the rain still fell in sheets and obliterated her view of the fields and woods from the patio doors. But for the moment she didn’t hurt anywhere. Little victories.
The sound of her phone broke the silence and surprised her, even more so when she saw Parker’s name. It triggered a little buzz inside, too. Trying to be casual, she offered a chirpy, “Hey, good morning, Parker. Nice to hear from you.”
“I hope I’m not calling too early.”
“Not at all,” she said with a laugh. “It’s almost nine, hardly early. Looking outside, I imagine you won’t be pounding planks on the boardwalk today.”
“For sure. The Riveras are spending the day cutting wood in their shop,” he said with a laugh. “I doubt I’ll see Mike and his little boy out rowing around, either.”
“I suppose not.” What was with the small talk? They’d exhausted the weather in about ten seconds.
“There’s a reason for my call, Emma. There’s something here at the sanctuary I want to show you. I think it will…hmm, intrigue you. I’ll leave it at that.”
That took her mind off the weather, her hip, and everything else. “What is it?”
“Ha. I’m not going to give you even a hint over the phone,” he teased. “I’d rather show it to you in person. Do you have time to stop by?”
Oh, yes. “When were you thinking?”
“Um, actually, I was thinking now…this morning.”
Emma stared at the rain streaming down the glass doors. “Now? Haven’t you heard about the flash flood warnings?”
An odd sound came through the phone. Was that a snicker? Was he making fun of her? Her shoulders stiffened. “Hey, are you laughing at me?”
“I’m laughing at myself.” His voice carried an amused lilt. “Of course, you can’t get in your car and cruise on over. I wasn’t thinking. But I can come pick you up in my truck. It’s made to handle weather like this. I remember you said you don’t live far.”
Emma chuckled. “Well, no, nothing is too far from anything else in Bluestone River.”
“Right. So what do you say?” He paused. “I can leave now.”
“Give me half an hour.” She shifted into adventure mode. She gave him her address and directions.
“Okay, see you soon.” He ended the call.
Silence. Emma stared at the phone, wondering what had just happened. The reception had been a week ago and she hadn’t stopped by or heard from him. But he’d wandered into her thoughts. A lot.
She got ready in a hurry and was zipping up her raincoat on the porch when he pulled into the drive. He jumped out fast and went around to the passenger side to open the door. She grabbed the handhold overhead to help her step up and settle into the seat without looking too awkward.
“Thanks for going along with me on this,” Parker said when he got back in and shifted into Drive. “I guess I was being kinda mysterious.”
“Oh, just a little.” Emma liked playing off his sheepish expression.
He looked at her with a mock frown. “I sure hope you’ll agree this bumpy ride is worth it.”
Parker navigated fearlessly through the ponds forming on the streets. A few downed branches blocked sections of the sidewalk on River Street and smaller ones skittered along the ground in the wind.
“The storm broke branches off out in the woods, like here on the streets in town,” Parker said, “but I didn’t spot any damage to the boardwalk. I’ll give it a closer look later.”
“This is so much fun,” Emma said, laughing as Parker turned onto the road to the sanctuary and the wheels kicked up waves of water on both sides.
The smile he gave her was private, intimate. “Yeah, it is. But I suppose not everybody would think so.”
“I used to be much more adventurous. That’s why I’m so, so up for this.” The minute the words were out of her mouth, she realized how silly she sounded. When had riding around town in the rain become something worth noting? Since she’d needed a walker to get around, a voice inside reminded her. But she was much better now—fewer limitations and ready for a change.
“I’ll bet you have a yen for new things. And it’s all just begun.” He drove through the entrance arch and pulled close to the office building, angling the SUV so Emma’s door faced the entrance. “Wait until I unlock the office door before you follow me.”
When Parker waved for her to come she stepped to the ground, letting her good leg take the weight before reaching for her cane.
The office itself smelled oddly stale and looked in complete disarray. New shelving sat in piles waiting to be installed and every flat space was covered with boxes of tools and hardware or stacks of books and files.
“This way,” Parker said, leading her past the long counter and into the alcove where a large dog kennel draped in a black cloth sat in the middle of a table. “Ready?”
Emma nodded and slipped out of her coat, but eyed the cage.
“Here she is,” Parker whispered as he rolled back the cloth.
Emma gasped at what she saw—or who. A brown-and-tan owl stared at her through the wire. A one-eyed stare. The bird’s other eye was shut and swollen. She stepped closer and peered into the owl’s face. She’d counted herself lucky to see owls in her woods out back, but she’d never been close enough to have one to stare back at her.
She looked up at Parker. “What happened to her? Is she blind in that bad eye?”
“I don’t know yet. It might take a while to find out. But to answer your first question, we suspect she was hit by a car.” Parker sighed. “Truthfully, I’ve seen it too many times before. High winds and car headlights can confuse owls—they end up swooping in thinking they’re going after prey.”
“We suspect? You mean you and Nicole?”
Parker stared into the cage and nodded. “Nic found her. Nic was on her way to the bakery this morning when she spotted a sort of heap, as she described it, on the side of the road. She stopped to check her out thinking she was probably dead. Then Nic felt a heartbeat, so she swaddled the bird in a blanket to keep her from moving too much. Then she sort of wedged the owl on the floor of her SUV and came right back.”
The owl inched away, as if trying to hide but didn’t have the strength to launch a move that would land her in the corner in one motion. “But you can help her now?” She heard the strain in her voice. “She seems so quiet for a bird not used to being in a cage.”
“No guarantees, but I have a hunch she’s got a concussion. Could be a bad one. But she’s alive, and we can give her enough time to heal,” Parker said softly. “I gave her wings a once-over, but I’ll need to check them again.” He pulled on a pair of thin leather gloves he’d taken out of his pocket. “I’ll show you. Best to examine her as much as I can while she’s still lethargic.”
“Be honest with me, Parker. Could she die?” Emma took in a breath, preparing herself for his answer.
Parker’s eyes were soft when he nodded. “But losses are part of rescue work. It’s not that different when dogs are found alone and hurt and someone drops them off at a dog shelter. No guarantees with any of this kind of work.” Parker pointed to the gash. “I stopped the bleeding before I called you, but I see it’s seeping. I’ll clean it up again. You can help. But first I’m going to look for other injuries.”
A hush fell over the room when Parker reached into the cage and gently took hold of the bird’s feet with one hand, and with the other, he cradled her body to keep her wings immobile. When he lifted her out of the kennel, she offered almost no resistance. “When she starts feeling better, she won’t sit still for all this handling.”
“No, I suppose not.” Emma let out a soft groan of frustration. “I’m so glad you brought me here to see her. It’s a wonderful gift. But now I’ll worry about this owl until she’s back in the woods.” She paused. “And I already know I’ll miss her. How irrational is that?”
“Yep, that’s the drill,” Parker agreed with an understanding smile. “Not irrational at all.” He paused before adding, “I realize I barely know you, but somehow I had a feeling you’d understand.”
The rush of warmth in her body surprised her and she couldn’t find the right words to respond. Instead, she held his gaze and murmured, “Thank you for that.”
“The center in North Carolina was so big—at times we had over one hundred birds—I didn’t do as much hands-on work. We had a core of volunteers and a big staff. That was great, but it meant I spent too much time on paperwork.” He tilted his head toward the bird to examine her closely.
“This isn’t the kind of work that’s typically represented at career fairs in school, is it?” Emma laughed. “It probably should be.”
“That’s true. Most of us more or less fall into this work.”
She pointed to the tablet on the table next to him. A spiral notebook sat nearby. “Speaking of paperwork, do you document everything?”
“Sure. I’ll keep track of the rescues here. We’re not set up for this phase of the sanctuary yet, but it’s good to keep records. I write down my observations and results of what we do for our patients.” He grinned. “That’s what they are when it comes right down to it.”
“How do you know the owl is a female?” Emma asked.
“With barred owls it can be tricky, but the females are bigger than males. She probably has a mate out in those woods.”
The owl struggled for a second or two to get out of Parker’s grip. “We know we’ll do our best to keep her alive, but she doesn’t. Her instincts urge her to fight or flee, but she’s too stunned to do either right now.”
Still keeping one arm folded around the owl, Parker put her on the table in front of the door to the kennel. “I’m glad Nic had to veer around a deep puddle when she happened to see her. It’s not the first time she’s rescued a bird, I can tell you that. Nic’s good at spotting birds and other wildlife.”
“Where did the wire cage come from?” Emma asked.
“I came across some old equipment in the tool shed.” Parker gently turned the owl on her side. “There were three small cages, basically dog kennels, and a bigger one. Five altogether, but only three were worth saving.”
“I didn’t know Millie was actually treating birds here.”
“She mentioned helping a few that turned up and more or less taught herself some basic bird first aid.” He glanced at Emma. “I’m doing this on my own time. The board didn’t want to phase in rescue and treatment just yet.”
“Priorities, or so I was told,” Emma said. “But I don’t see anyone objecting to rescuing a bird that’s more or less handed to you.”
“To do it on a bigger scale means staffing up, not to mention supplies.”
Parker gently opened one wing and walked his fingers over it, pausing now and again to spend more time on a specific spot. “I’m looking for breaks in the wings, but I can also see if she has any injuries on her body underneath.”
Emma leaned forward to get a better look at the bird’s feet.
He said, “No injuries on her feet. Chances are she bounced off a fender, or maybe the windshield.”
Emma’s back muscles tightened just thinking about it. “Awful. I’ll feel better if she moves around and tries to get away.” Even as Parker examined her, the single good eye stayed open and still. Owl-like, Emma thought. “Looking at her huge open eye, it’s no wonder owls got a reputation for being wise.”
“That, and the way they do that 180 head turn. Or maybe it’s their call. It always gets our attention. But they don’t all sound the same. You’ve probably heard them in the woods around here.”
“We’d hear them late at night when the resort was quiet.” Memories of birdsong and the sights and smells of summer nights flooded Emma’s mind. “We’d hear those first two hoo hoos and then one elongated hoooo.” She laughed at her attempt to imitate the noisy call. “Those sounds carried through the woods when we were hanging out on the pier. It’s like a snapshot in my mind. The lake shimmered in the moonlight, and sometimes the scent of sunblock would still cling to us after dark.”
“Nice memories of a pretty special time and place.”
Emma stared at the owl, still motionless in Parker’s hands.
“Wanna know a secret?” Parker asked playfully as he adjusted the owl and opened the other wing.
“But of course.”
“Owls are pretty smart,” he whispered, “but the truth is, eagles are smarter.”
Matching his hushed tone, Emma said, “Are you afraid she’ll hear you insult her intelligence?”
“Hmm…something like that. Have you noticed how we’ve both been keeping our voices low? Not that we need to.” Parker closed his eyes for a second or two when he again walked his fingertips over a bumpy spot on the owl’s wing. “But ever since getting into this business, I’ve watched the way most people act around birds. No one shouts at them, any more than you’d shout at an injured cat or dog.”
Parker asked Emma to get the gauze and a container of swabs off the counter, along with the bottle of disinfectant. “I don’t detect other injuries, but I think she has a concussion. She’s really not coming around—livening up. If she perks up soon, we’ll know she was stunned. If it takes longer, that tells us the wound is more serious.”
Emma brought the supplies to the table and saw Parker gently brush his fingers across the feathers on one side of the owl’s eye. “That’s the deepest part of the gash. She’s still bleeding.” Showing no hesitation, he pressed the gauze over the injured spot and then asked Emma to dip a swab in the disinfectant.
He drew the bird closer to his torso. “She won’t like the sting.” He held out his free hand for the swab, reminding Emma of a surgeon waiting for a scalpel. The owl’s body jerked a little when Parker passed the swab over the gash, but not enough to stop Parker. “No infections allowed. Not in my clinic.”
Emma glanced at him, admiring the confidence she read in his expression as he efficiently cleaned the wound and held the gauze in place. He didn’t linger, though, but eased the owl back in the kennel.
“She can’t live in this kennel for long. I’ll put her in the larger wire mesh cage in the building. I’ll get some plastic type mats and use it to wrap around a wooden perch.” Parker chuckled and shook his head. “Keeping an injured bird around involves a lot of work.”
“You mean getting the right food. By the way, what will you feed her now?”
“Chicken or fish,” Parker said. “I’m not going to start ordering live mice, like we do in a big center.”
Emma grimaced. “I hadn’t thought about that.”
Parker scoffed. “Most people don’t. But the real work is keeping the cages lined and cleaned.” He explained the daily routine, but with only one bird it wouldn’t take much time. “Then, when she’s well enough, we’ll let her go.”
Emma enjoyed the little shiver that went through her when Parker said “we.” So maybe he wasn’t necessarily referring to the two of them, but she was there only because he’d brought her into his world. She rested her weight on her forearms so she could relax and watch everything.
“Listen to that rain,” Parker said, pointing up to the ceiling. The rain beat hard on the roof, but the alcove was warm and dry. “It’s like someone is dumping nails on the roof.”
She’d barely noticed the rain. Ever since she came inside and saw the owl, the space seemed charged with magic that left her lightheaded. Even her ears buzzed.
“Thanks so much for this, Parker,” she whispered. “What a wonderful surprise.” She shifted her gaze away from him and back to the owl, motionless like a statue now and resting on her side. “What made you think to call me?”
“I don’t know exactly,” Parker said, straightening his glasses. “It’s not like it’s a great day for a trip to the lake.” He laughed. “But I forgot that when I called you. I haven’t seen many wounded birds since we’ve been here, although we did splint the leg of a male cardinal a couple of days after we arrived.” He grinned. “He’s long gone now. Back to his mate and living the good life in the woods.”
Emma smiled. “Living the good life, huh? But that’s what a sanctuary is all about, right?”
“In order for people to care enough to protect the birds—or any other wildlife—they have to get to know them.” Parker paused. “I haven’t always valued that enough. I’m used to working in the kinds of places that aren’t open to the public to come in and wander around. But taking this job shifted my thinking. If we can get kids—and adults—here, they can get a glimpse of the creatures who live all around them, they’ll see that everything in nature works together.”
“Is that why you’re not big on things like receptions? You want to spend your time doing this?” Emma asked, curious about this man who could be both distant and warm.
“Uh-oh, you’re on to me. My ex-wife used to coach me about loosening up. Nic warns me about acting like a stodgy professor.”
She’d seen that side and had been a little critical herself. But there was much more to him. “You handled the situation with Jim Kellerman like a pro. I was impressed. And I don’t think I was alone.”
“I appreciate that. I know I can be stiff and formal, but I’ve been the Jim in the room, fighting a losing battle over land or some kind of policy that’s not popular in the moment.”
Sensing Parker had more to say, Emma kept her questions to herself. But she wanted to know what he was all about.
“My ex-wife is in Vermont, by the way. She, uh, is with someone else.”
“I see. I bet you’re glad Nic is going to college nearby.”
“I am. She’s been with me since her mom left in January. That could change, but…” He swatted the air. “All that’s up in the air. She’s here now and enjoying having her own place—she calls her cabin her studio.”
“A little perk. At the reception Ruby and I teased her about living in luxury. She has a good sense of humor.”
“That she does.” Parker moved into place next to her and rested his arms on the table, too. “I saw you leave the other night. I wanted to walk you out, but Ty set up an interview.”
“I was hurting a little. My hip I mean.” She pointed to the cane hooked on the table. “I had a fall a few years ago and broke a lot of bones. That’s why I need the cane.”
“Ah, I see.”
Emma kept her eye on the owl, conscious of the two of them side by side in the space. If noise could fill a room, so could silence. Like now. Their breathing slowed and in a minute or two, they inhaled and exhaled in sync, while the owl lay silently in the cage.
Suddenly, the door pushed open, making the hinges squeak. Emma straightened up with a jolt. So much for magic in the air. It left in one big whoosh.
“Dad? You in here?”
Parker stuck his head around the alcove. “Back here, Nic. Uh, Emma’s here, you know, to see the owl. She’s doing okay. Come have a look.”
Why did he sound exactly the way she felt? Unnerved. The surprised frown on Nicole’s face was hard to miss, Emma thought, but the teenager quickly recovered a neutral expression and said hello.
“Must feel pretty good knowing you saved a life,” Emma remarked.
“Like really good,” Nicole said. “I could have missed seeing it…or her, I should say now. I was afraid I was going to be late for my shift, so I almost talked myself out of going back. I was telling myself that maybe it wasn’t really a bird. But…” She shrugged.
“Given your dad’s work, I imagine you have an eye for things the rest of us would miss,” Emma suggested. “I’ve probably driven right past more than a few injured birds on the road.”
Nicole pointed at her dad. “My dad the nature freak taught me back when I was a kid.”
Amused, Emma looked at Parker, who was looking at his daughter and beaming with a special kind of pride.
“Well, your nature freak dad offered to pick me up at my house and bring me here to see the owl for myself. An offer I couldn’t refuse.”
Nicole opened her backpack and pulled out a bunch of paper bags and put them on the counter. “Jelly donuts, chocolate croissants and sugar cookies. Baked yesterday. The rain kept people away, so Star said she’d probably have to throw these out unless I took them.”
“Lucky you. Their jelly donuts are my major vice,” Emma said.
“Me, too.” Nicole dug inside the bag.
Emma took the donut and napkin Nicole offered and listened to the father-daughter banter as she quickly polished it off. Parker asked about the condition of the roads, Nicole said they weren’t too bad. Then she mentioned she had laundry to do, and Parker said something about throwing in a load later. And so it went, Emma thought. Ordinary life intruded into this otherwise extraordinary morning. Time for her to leave.
“I should get back to my house. Ruby is stopping by to go over some grants we’re writing.” That was mostly a little white lie. They’d dutifully go over the paperwork Ruby had already prepared. Emma would proof the proposals and offer a suggestion or two. Then they’d get a fire going in the fireplace and curl up and munch red licorice. Talk about everything and nothing.
“Don’t leave on my account, Emma,” Nicole said.
Emma cupped her ear. “The racket on the roof is quieting down. A good time to head home.”
“Are you going to the Halloween party at the town hall?” Nicole asked.
“Sure, I always go,” Emma said. “It’s one of the few things the town kept up these last years when times got tough. I suppose your boss is supplying the food.” It was silly for her to pretend as if she didn’t know. Like every year, Emma’s accountant had already transferred funds to cover the refreshments.
“I’ll be there, too. Helping Star, but I’d go anyway. I want to see what it’s like. And this year, I hear costumes for the adults are required. Something about new rules,” she said, air quoting new rules.
“Ha! That’s right. I’ll let you in on a secret—they’re Ruby’s rules.”
Nicole glanced at Parker. “We haven’t talked about the party yet, Dad. You are planning on going. Right?”
Parker’s eyebrows shot up and his expression revealed disbelief. “No. Why would I go? I don’t need to be at a kids’ party.”
Nicole reared back in an exaggerated surrender. “Whoa, okay, Dad. I got the message. You don’t have to be so rude about it.”
Emma agreed. She was a little disappointed, too. He acted like a bad smell suddenly blew into the room. On the other hand, the party was supposed to be fun, not a chore to check off a to-do list. If he had to be dragged there, he shouldn’t bother. She pulled on her raincoat, and Parker did the same. Then he grabbed his keys and waved goodbye to his daughter.
“Thanks for the donut, Nicole. See you soon.” She restrained herself and didn’t return Nicole’s dramatic eye roll as she followed Parker out the door.
They got back to her house and she spotted Ruby already on the front porch.
“I’m sorry,” Parker said. “I made you late.”
“You did not,” she insisted. “I made myself late, and I’m glad I did. I wouldn’t have missed my morning with that owl for anything.” Or missed spending time with you.
He started to open his door, but Emma touched his arm to stop him. “Stay where you are. I’ll be fine.”
And she was. She stuck her head inside to say a last thank-you and then closed the passenger door. Parker waved at Ruby before driving off.
Seeing Ruby’s grin, Emma knew a grilling was in store and the questions would be all about Parker. But not today. Emma wasn’t in the mood for even Ruby’s fun teasing about the great-looking man that had landed in Bluestone River. She’d keep thoughts about Parker to herself for now. She preferred to savor that magical time with him—alone.
“Hi, Rubes. Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“That’s okay,” Ruby said, grinning. “So, tell me, did you have an interesting morning?”
Emma thought for a minute before she smiled and said, “I can’t wait to tell you about the owl at the center.”
Maybe she wasn’t up for talking about Parker. But the owl? She was another story.