He bent over, squeezing the sides of the bin. His knuckles were turning white. "You're so goddamn stubborn, Kaitlyn."
"Lucy," I reminded him.
Someone behind me cleared their throat. I took a deep breath and moved away. Who knew the compost bin would be such a popular place?
Micah grabbed my upper arm, stopping me. He bent down to my ear. "Fine. Spend your days here – until we have a plan. But your nights are with me."
"I'll spend tonight with you. The rest we'll see about."
He nodded, I swallowed hard.
"Meet me at Writer Square at dusk," he said. "And I want Kaitlyn, not Lucy."
He turned back to his garden, and I did the same. My whole body tingled. Your nights are with me. His words reverberated through my head.
The chills dulled the further I walked away from him. My feet stopped at one last flowering broccoli left behind. I picked it up, smiling.
Maybe I can get him to touch me. Just a spark to keep me warm until tonight.
As I turned, a new group of people were walking into the parking lot. The one barking orders stopped me dead in my tracks. I squeezed the head of broccoli; yellow petals floated to the ground.
"Throw plastic sheeting over the gardens at night – make them last as long as we can in the ground." Shawn's voice grated at me.
My neck twitched.
"We can plant cover crops - grasses or small grains will help shade the soil and prevent weeds from growing over the winter." David stood by Shawn.
Shawn stopped. "I know how a garden works, David. I've been feeding these people for two years now."
Shawn started walking again. The group of people followed. I turned my back, and stripped off my jacket and my shirt. My sports bra could pass for appropriate hard labor clothing, and reveal as much of my new ink as possible. My disguise.
I risked a glance over my shoulder. Behind me, Micah had blended in with a group of workers. He pulled his hood up over his head.
Shawn surveyed one of the mobile gardens that had yet to be replanted. "This looks better than when we rolled out of Fort Calhoun. What'd you do different?"
One of the workers stepped out of his group; an Earth, by the feel of her. "We started using human hair in our compost a while back. We also—"
"Whose hair?" Shawn asked, cutting her off.
I cringed, ducking down trying to make myself as small as possible.
"Well." She looked down at her toes, smiling. "Mine, for one. And—"
"Let's get some of these potatoes out for dinner tonight." Shawn, always impatient, was already moving on. "Make room for more from the mobile gardens. I want everything in the ground and covered up. Nothing goes to waste. We have to last the goddam winter, here."
"Yes, sir. Potatoes will go well with the wild dog that was brought in last night."
"Who caught a wild dog?"
I sucked in the slow sigh of relief I was letting out. The tension in the air increased, and I risked a glance at Micah. He had already turned around, fists clenched, ready for a fight. I made a shooing motion at him behind my back with my good hand.
"Lucy…" David's voice trailed off as he searched the parking lot that seemed to be growing smaller by the second. "Oh, there she is."
I tucked my hair behind my ear and turned my head. My face tattoo was in full view. Along with my bared shoulders, partially bared back, and wrapped wrist – I hoped Shawn would be thrown off. I could feel his eyes boring into the back of my neck. The scar on my shoulder itched.
"I don't think I've met Lucy…" Shawn's voice was cold.
Footsteps. Oh God, is he coming over? I wasn't ready for a fight. My powers weren't nearly strong enough – unless he was allergic to broccoli.
"Hey, baby. You're all dirty – why don't come take a break?" It was my hero, Erika. She wrapped one arm around me, pulling me into her and blocking my face from Shawn.
She motioned with her eyes. Play along – if you want to get out of this.
My turn. I tried to relax into her. "Sure, as long as it's with you."
I let her pull me away. She rubbed my arm with the back of her thumb and I played with the hem of her shirt. I risked a glance at Shawn. He was still watching; our flirting with each other wasn't doing the trick.
I laid my head on her shoulder. "Where have you been all morning? I've missed you."
"Tease," she said. She tilted my chin up and toward her with the tips of her fingers. Before shock could register, our lips brushed. I went with it. Better this than pull everyone into a fight. My arm snaked around her waist and I pulled her in tighter, opening my mouth.
Might as well give those boys a show.
We continued to walk, heading out of the parking lot. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Shawn raise his hand. It was covered in bandages. He took a step toward us. I sucked in my breath.