Invisible(72)

    “I’ve got a cottage on the property, if you need a place to stay while you look.” She liked the idea that he wanted to find something permanent, and she wanted to encourage him. She needed an AD who was stable, reliable, and easily accessible. “My property manager lived in the cottage for years. He just bought his own place five miles down the road. The cottage is empty for now.”

It sounded fantastic to Boden. “You wouldn’t mind having me on the property, underfoot?” His face had lit up at the suggestion, and her farm was like a little piece of Heaven.

“Not at all. And Dash would love it. You may have to bar your door. He likes you.” She smiled warmly.

“I like him too. I can give you a hand if he needs help while he’s convalescing.” Dash had decided to be home for a month before he went back to school. He’d have a smaller cast than the cumbersome one he had now, and they had advised restricted movement so the bones set well. He had pins in the leg that would have to be removed in a year.



* * *



—

At the end of the week, Dash was released from the hospital in South Africa. It had turned out to be a surprisingly pleasant trip. Antonia spent many hours with Dash every day while Boden went exploring, and then he and Antonia had dinner every night, and got to know each other. It reminded her of unraveling bolts of colorful cloth and spreading them out around them. They knew each other much better by the time they left South Africa, and he was excited about moving into the manager’s cottage on her property. It was a stone’s throw from the main house, but far enough away to give them mutual privacy. Dash was delighted. Post-production would be almost completed by the time they got back, so he’d have some free time to spend with Dash, waiting for Antonia to get started on the next project. She already had some in mind, but nothing was firm yet. She was still exploring new options, reading a lot of books, and working on some original screenplays.



* * *



—

    Boden was extremely helpful getting Dash home on the plane. His cast was hard to maneuver with. They traveled through the airport with a wheelchair, but he had to manage on the plane with crutches. Dash was a tall, solid boy, and Boden was strong enough and big enough to help him. Antonia couldn’t have done it on her own.

By the time they headed back to the States, the three of them were good friends. Antonia sat with Dash, with Boden across the aisle from them, so they could talk for some of the flight. And they landed in New York in a snowstorm. It was beautiful, but complicated for Dash and his wheelchair. Two of the boys from the stables had come to pick them up, and it was a long drive home.

When they reached Haven Farm, Boden helped get Dash upstairs and settle him in his room, and Antonia realized how helpful it would be to have him nearby. Once they got Dash settled, and had eaten something, Antonia offered to drive Boden to his new digs. He had left his car at the studio, and she got hers out of the garage to drive him to the cottage. The snow was deep on the paths, but they got there in a few minutes. She unlocked the cottage, turned the lights on, and had had the housekeeper turn the heat on before they arrived, so it would be warm for him. The bed was freshly made, there was a stack of towels in the bathroom. The furniture was simple but nicely done. The cottage had a masculine feeling to it, since her property manager was single and she’d done it for him, and Boden turned to her with a grin, and looked like a kid on Christmas.

    “I can’t believe you’re letting me stay here.” He smiled at her gratefully. “It’s a lot nicer than my dismal place was in New York.”

“Stay as long as you like, till you find what you’re looking for,” she said generously, smiling at him. It would be nice having him there. He added a touch of warmth and someone intelligent to talk to in her daily life, which she hadn’t had in years and didn’t even realize until now that she had missed. The arrangement suited them both.

“I’ll call you before I come over,” he promised, “and call me at any hour if you need help with Dash.” It was crucial that he didn’t fall and damage the leg again while the bones were setting. “I can run over in a minute.” And she was much too small to help him or keep him from falling, or pick him up if he did.

“Thank you for being here,” she said before she left him to go back to her house. She actually hated to leave him. It was comforting having him there.

“Thank you for having me,” he echoed back to her. “Will you be okay driving back?” He was worried and she smiled. She wasn’t used to having anyone worry about her. No one had in so long. It felt nice, in moderation. She was used to being the person who took care of others, and no one thought about. But he did. It reminded her of Hamish again, although Boden wasn’t a father figure. He was an equal, which was better for the age she was now. She had grown up in the eighteen years since Hamish died. She’d been almost a child then, with two children to raise.

    “I think I can manage it.” She smiled at him, referring to the short drive to the house in the snow.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to imply you couldn’t.” But the road had been slippery getting there, and he worried about her, even if he wasn’t supposed to. She was a perfectly capable woman, and his boss. But he had a kind of well-brought-up gallantry she liked.