and mostly willing to collect his date and her daughter. And Judge, of course. He missed the bloodhound, though he’d never admit so aloud. He’d gotten accustomed to having Judge at his side, on runs and as he trained other dogs and worked with all the newer animals, even those who weren’t suited to intensive training.
Asking Gabi to dinner had been his idea, a way to get close to Mia for a bit, but now that the time had arrived he didn’t look forward to eating with a crowd, not even a small one. He loved all his animals, he liked a handful of people, but he also cherished his time alone. He ate alone, slept alone, spent the large majority of his hours in solitude. He liked it that way, which is why he’d always been in favor of closing off the town permanently.
He didn’t need to meet anyone else, didn’t need more friends, didn’t feel the need to leave town for vacation, for a change of scenery or a change of pace. He was at peace here, he liked his life as it was.
If Springers kept leaving town for bigger and better things, if the population continued to dwindle, there wouldn’t be a Mystic Springs left. Things were looking up, with more babies coming, with powerful young people like Felicity Adams and her friends proving what Springers could be, but that might not be enough.
Gabi ruined the initial step of his plans, stepping onto the porch alone and closing the door behind her.
She’d fixed her hair and put on some makeup. She wasn’t dressed up, but the jeans looked new. So did the form-fitting blue sweater. For a split second he forgot why he’d asked her out in the first place.
She met him in the driveway.
“Where’s the kid and the dog?” he asked.
Gabi smiled, for some reason amused by his question. “Marnie insisted on babysitting.”
“Oh.” Well, shit. “That’s nice.” Shit again.
They walked toward Main Street, side by side but not too close. Silas tried to hide his distress. This would still work. After they ate they’d walk back to Gabi’s house, she’d ask him in, he’d get his hands on the kid and then maybe he’d have a clue as to what might be going on with her.
“I love the food at Eve’s,” Gabi said as they passed the police station. “You never know what she’s going to have, but it’s always good. Special. Not just sustenance, but food for the soul. It was weird, when I first moved here. I…” She glanced across the street, then momentarily down at her feet. “Never mind.”
Like all Non-Springers, she would’ve been affected emotionally by her first few meals at Eve’s. The food would’ve ignited emotions of some kind. Good or bad, strong or weak. She would’ve felt something. That wasn’t a conversation he could have with her. It would involve a long explanation she wouldn’t understand.
“She’s a good cook,” he said. “So is her sister.”
Gabi laughed. “Grumpy Ivy?”
“She’s not always grumpy,” Silas said, maybe a little defensively.
Gabi turned her head and looked up at him. “I know. Ivy has her good days, but there are some days I steer well clear. All you have to do is take one look at her face to know which it is.”
Silas laughed, a little. “That’s true enough.”
“She’s the reason I’m here,” Gabi said, sounding as if she was talking to herself. “I stopped there for breakfast, she told me the beauty shop was looking for a stylist, and a year later here I am.”
“I didn’t know that,” he said. “You must’ve caught her on a good day.”
Gabi smiled at that observation. “I must have. What’s her story? Was she always so mercurial?”
Silas hesitated a moment before answering, “Her story is not mine to tell.”
Ivy kept her pain close. It had been more than three years, now, and no one dared to ask the baker about her bad experience with a Non-Springer.
What had happened to Ivy was just one example of why it would be best if Springers kept to themselves, now and always. He wondered if Ivy knew about Jenna’s plans. If she did, she’d probably approve. Her twin, however, would not, and even when they disagreed they didn’t keep secrets from one another. He wasn’t sure they could.
There was a decent sized crowd in Eve’s, as was usual this time of the evening. Everyone in the place turned to look at him and Gabi as they walked through the door. For a