There’s a shot, and the boar comes skidding to a halt right where I had been standing. Dante’s here, the gun in hand. The limp corpse makes a sound I don’t want to think about.
Calvin skitters to a stop. He’s circled back around, and his eyes land on the pig first, then us, then Dante.
Dante blows on the end of the muzzle, shrugs, and then goes over to the pig. He shakes his head and says, “I don’t want to be associated with anyone who takes joy in killing an animal. Now, eating an animal, that’s a different story. Don’t mess with friends, pig.” He closes the pig’s eyes. “What?” he says. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to bring a spear to a bar fight? A spear to a boar fight.” He laughs.
Sam takes Penny back to camp and fills Haley in on what happened. It takes the six of us two hours to drag that boar to the beach, where we’ve set up smoking racks.
Calvin’s far into butchering it when we realize we still haven’t eaten dinner. Not only that, but we haven’t finished our Island Festival Day. We’re all moving.
It’s well past sunset by the time we’ve got everything cleaned up and are back at the table. Penny’s up on the platform, Pepper at her side. I’m not sure either one of them is ever going to come down again.
“They really have become friends,” Haley says and heads to her cubby in the kitchen, Zane’s phone in hand. She points it at the unlikely best friends.
Penny puts her leg around Pepper’s back and cocks her head to the right, like she’s a paid actress. Haley takes the shot, but Penny changes positions. Damn, that dog should have its own show.
“You’re such a ham.” She turns, her beautiful face twisted up.
“Good one, Sassy. Here you go, Penny.” Dante tosses her a treat. “Now you really have the ham.”
Groans circle the table. Dante managed to whip up a fresh meal. Once our Pepperfruit dessert is devoured, I just want to crawl up into bed and sleep for a hundred years, but Zane and I gather the bowls and put them in one of the tubs.
“With the lid on, the dishes will keep until tomorrow, right?” I say.
Zane snaps the lid in place, and we both ignore the stares from Dante. I’m two steps away from heading to the sleeping platform when Haley stands up and takes the centerpiece in her hand. “Are we ready?” she asks.
“I can hardly wait, Sassy,” Dante says, but I have no idea what she’s talking about.
“Ready for bed?” I ask hopefully.
“No, I have something planned for us down at the waterfall. Unless everyone’s too tired? We can do it tomorrow.”
Sam and Calvin stand up immediately.
“Not like that, blokes. This is going to be nice,” Zane says.
Calvin turns to Sam. “I thought what we normally did at the waterfall was nice.”
“Agreed,” Sam says.
“Today is Island Festival Day. Tomorrow is Thanks-o-weenie. Geez, get it straight,” I say.
I glance back at the treehouse, but everyone else has gathered towels and the rechargeable flashlights. Haley’s vibrating with excitement. I would reincarnate for this girl, so I need to get my shit together. If I thought things were acting up before with my arm, I had no idea. Swimming, soccer, and then throwing a spear? Yeah, I’m ready for twenty hours of sleep. But something has Haley bubbling with a second round of energy, so I’m in. Anything that makes Firefly happy, I’ll give her.
“You okay, Rockwell?” Sam puts his hand on my shoulder. He’s got a small pack on his back.
“Yeah, I’m good.” Fuck, old habits of never admitting weakness are hard to get over. “Arm’s sore.”
“Damn, I’m sorry. I’m in the best shape of my life. Odd enough to say. But today I’m feeling it, too.”
“We can do this tomorrow. It’s fine.” Haley has snuck up behind the two of us. She still has the cloth-covered package under her arm.
“I’m good to go, if the old guy here is.” I smirk at Sam.
“Let’s do it,” Sam says. Guess I’m not the only one who’s tired.
I take long steps and catch up to Haley. “What’s under the cloth, Haley?” When we first sat down at dinner, I tried to lift the cover and see it, but she grabbed my hand. That was a heck of a long time ago, though.
“You’ll see.” She gives me a kiss on the cheek.
