Free Craze by Anne Conley Page B

in this. She’d seen this sort of thing on vacations with her family as a child, but had never really thought much about the possibilities of someone living in it.
    “So, do you, like, totally live off the land out here?” He hadn’t spoken much, and she wasn’t sure if this was like hunting, where one had to be totally silent, but he hadn’t told her to be quiet, so she risked the question.
    He stopped what he was doing and looked up at her, shrugging. “Sort of. I grew up out here with Grandpa, and he taught me most of this. I was raised on game meat, and I like knowing where my food comes from. This way I know there’s not weird growth hormones put into it, and the animals don’t suffer in their living conditions.”
    “So you don’t eat hamburgers and stuff?”
    He chuckled, and the sound sent a warmth cascading through her bones. “Yeah, I eat hamburgers and stuff. I love pizza, but nobody delivers to the boonies.” He grinned at her. “I’ve got neighbors who raise cattle, and every year when they butcher, I get a half a calf for the freezer.”
    Krista had never met anyone who lived like that, and it was fascinating to her. She found herself questioning him further.
    “So, you buy some food, like sugar and coffee and stuff? Or do you have a sugar cane neighbor, too?” She was only half-joking with him.
    He eased back on his haunches, settling in to talk. “Yeah, I go to the store. I do work in the city, it’s not like I’m a total hermit. But I have my garden, and I’m a member of a co-op for most everything else. I just prefer to live this way and I enjoy it.” He wasn’t defensive, and Krista felt like she could ask him more questions. He seemed open to it.
    “How often do you do this?” She gestured to the ropes. “Trap your food?”
    He shrugged again. “I typically go out in the mornings on weekends and do it. I check the snares in the early afternoon, clean the meat, and cook it or put it in the freezer. I’m doing this today so I can have some fresh meat for your parents.” He shrugged again. “I figure it’ll be less awkward if I have a gathering here, with the team, and I need to have a lot of food for a barbecue.”
    “Don’t go to any trouble for them. They wouldn’t want to put you out.” Krista was hasty to correct his assumptions her parents would need entertaining. Reminders of his team and her family’s imminent arrival brought her back to reality.
    “It’s no trouble. The guys love my barbecues. And besides, it’ll be easier for us to pretend to be a couple if there are a lot of people around, don’t you think?” Krista watched his tongue snake out and wet his bottom lip, and she wondered if he was nervous about her rash decision.
    “I’m sorry about that. They caught me off guard with their decision to come down to visit. I was trying to think fast and that’s the first thing I came up with. If you don’t want to do it, we can ‘break up’ real quick and I’ll just go back to my apartment.” The thought of doing that, though, sent panic ratcheting through her nerves, and her voice cracked a little. She didn’t want to go back to her apartment knowing Mr. Lowe probably had his goons staking the place out.
    The reality of her situation hit her again—the why of her being here. She was in danger. Her family was in danger. Ryan was protecting her. She wasn’t here on some vacation to get away from it all. She was in hiding. The fact her parents were coming bothered her, but she couldn’t keep them away by lying to them, and if she told them the truth, she knew they wouldn’t be able to keep themselves away.
    She felt a little sick to her stomach at the thought. Her life might never be the same again. Hell, it wouldn’t be the same again. She certainly couldn’t go back to her job, ever. What else would be different? Uncertainty filled her and she struggled with the sudden urge to cry.
    “No, that won’t happen, Krista.” Ryan’s voice was smooth