clearly. “I think you should take the offer.”
“Why’s that?” He came halfway down the ladder before he swung himself to the ground.
“You should know better than anyone. You haven’t been able to produce anything you like since you got here, and you’ve been roped into a marriage you don’t want, along with taking responsibility for a child who’s not yours.”
“Nobody made me do anything,” he said stubbornly.
“Ian, you have to cut free. For yourself and for Wren.” Tess knew she had to be clear about this, even if it broke her heart. “If you stay at the schoolhouse, you’ll seem permanent to Wren, and she’ll want more than you can be expected to give. I don’t want her attaching daddy fantasies to you. It’s not fair to either of you.”
“Jesus, Tess, she’s only seven weeks old. There’s plenty of time.”
“She already goes to you as easily as she comes to me.”
“She’s a newborn! There’s no rush.”
“Just do it, Ian. There’s no reason to wait.” She strode toward the schoolhouse, leaving him behind.
* * *
Ian didn’t like anything about their conversation, especially her implication that he posed some kind of danger to Wren. Tess was crazy. And yet . . .
That edginess he’d been dealing with since the night he’d painted her body—the uneasiness that was screwing up his sleep—wasn’t quite as sharp. Not only had she given him permission to reclaim his life, she’d practically ordered him to do it.
* * *
Tess was at the hospital waiting for Savannah to be released when Kelly called. “Brad came back to the house this morning, but I’m not ready to talk to him. I know you’re living at the cabin now, but would it be a terrible imposition if I took the other bedroom? Just for a bit. I shouldn’t ask, but—”
“Of course, you can.” Kelly didn’t inquire why Tess was living there now, but she had to be curious.
It rained on the trip back to Tempest. Savannah rode in the backseat along with Zoro and Wren. She spent the first few miles gloating over being discharged less than twenty-four hours after she’d arrived at the hospital while her mother couldn’t leave until later today. For once, Tess welcomed Savannah’s chatter, since it almost kept her from thinking about Ian.
“Are you even listening to me?” Savannah said from behind her.
“I’m listening.”
“Promise you’ll tell me if I’m doing anything wrong. I’m not screwing up Zoro like Mom screwed me up.”
“Savannah, since when have you ever listened to my advice?”
Savannah cracked her chewing gum. “I’ve changed. I’m a mother now.”
“How have you changed? Not even twenty minutes ago, you told me my jeans were too baggy and I should dye my hair because it’s boring.”
“That doesn’t have anything to do with the baby! That’s for your own good.”
Tess raised her eyes to the roof of the car. “Dear Lord, don’t let me dump her on the side of the road no matter how tempting.”
Savannah grinned. “I did great yesterday, didn’t I?”
“You did great,” Tess acknowledged.
“A lot better than mom.”
“I’m pleading the Fifth.”
“I don’t know what that means, but all I’m saying is that I didn’t go batshit like she did.” Another crack of her gum. “Because of you.”
“I’m glad it was a good experience.” More glad than Savannah could ever know.
“You were so calm through the whole thing. You knew exactly what to do.”
“If you give me any more compliments, I’m going to have you checked for a head injury.”
“I’ll make Phish clear out the back room so Mom and I can set up a nursery there for Zoro and John. What kind of a lame-ass name is John? All the kids’ll make fun of him.”
There were so many responses Tess could make, but she took the high road. “It’s nice they’ll grow up together.”
“Wren’ll grow up with them, too.”
“I hope so.”
In the rearview mirror, Tess saw Savannah drape her arm over her son’s car seat. “You need to open a doctor practice, Tess. You really do.”
“I’m not a doctor.”
“You know what I mean. Being a midwife. A lot of women around here don’t like doctors, but they’d go to you. Remember that empty building Phish owns down from the Broken Chimney? You could rent it from him. Have some kind of office there.”
“You’re going too fast for me.”
“Somebody has to push you. It’s like you have to take forever to make up your mind about anything.”
“Don’t forget how many people still think I murdered Wren’s mother.”
“Nobody really thinks that, Tess. It’s just that