A Family Affair (A Taboo Tale #2) Read Online Free

body masked in an oversized coverup.
    Sara shepherded her niece indoors, lugging
her heavy carry on. How long was she planning on staying?
    Jess stood in the foyer, scanning the room in
awe. "Davis always talked about how great the Carolina summer house
was but clearly he was downplaying it." She traced an antique end
table with multicolored vases and framed butterfly wings. "This
place is fantastic!"
    Sara perked an eyebrow. "I've seen Davis'
McMansion. This place is like the slums compared to that
atrocity."
    Her niece stopped and stared at an old Vogue
ad Sara picked up at a garage sale. "No Aunt Sara, this place is
amazing." She touched the edge of the sign and let out a small
chuckle. "It's artsy and low key. The perfect hideaway for a
creative."
    Sara smiled in spite of herself. Davis always
called her things rusty junk. It was nice to see someone find the
value and beauty beneath the age and wear.
    "So does Davis know you're in town?" Sara
asked, leading Jess into the kitchen.
    "Nah," Jess said with a nervous smile. "I
just really needed to see him." Jess walked over to the nook and
climbed onto the stool. "It was kind of an impromptu trip. I hope
that’s okay."
    "Of course!" Sara walked to the fridge and
pulled out a jug of apple juice. "How long are you in town
for?"
    "Not sure," Jess replied with a shrug. "That
kind of depends on Davis."
    Sara bristled at the way her brother's name
fell from her lips. It was like she peeled back the layers to what
was beneath. She said his name as one spoke of a lover--all stolen
glances and flushed cheeks.
    Stop it , she thought silently. Davis had told her the whole story,
all about Jess' abusive boyfriend and the pregnancy. She didn't
envy her soap-style drama.
    Sara cleared her throat and slid a tumbler in
front of her niece. She felt like she should say something nice or
aunt-like. "How's school going?"
    "It's okay," Jess said, her big blue eyes on
the granite countertop.
    "You on break?"
    She glanced up and gave Sara a smile that
made heat rush to her face. "Something like that."
    Sara stood up a little taller, suddenly very
aware that she was in a ratty Columbia t-shirt and cut off
shorts.
    Jess swiped an old spiral that sat on the
counter and her eyes went round. "Is this what I think it is?"
    Sara took a step to snatch it back, but her
niece was already flipping through the coffee stained pages.
    "It's just a bit of scribblings," Sara
replied embarrassedly. "It's really rough." Her heart stuttered in
her chest as she held her breath. The editor at Hawkings Publishing
had called the story 'choppy' and 'unbelievable". She had to remind
him that it was a paranormal romance about gifted humans that could
shift into animals.
    Jess’ eyes met hers and she
realized that she was holding her breath. She'd spent three months
on Full Moon and
invested heart and soul in the characters. The editor’s dismissal
of her work had been a punch to the gut. If Jess, her target
audience, thought it was bollocks, she'd be devastated.
    "Aunt Sara," Jess said, her face unreadable.
"It's freaking amazing!"
    Sara let out a whoosh of air and a nervous
round of laughter. "You like it? Really?"
    "Like it? I LOVE it!" Jess exclaimed, tucking
a blonde strand behind an ear. "I like that the protagonist isn't a
damsel in distress. She's totally relatable. I mean, I only read a
couple of pages and I totally want to get a drink with her."
    "A virgin drink I hope," Sara said with a
wink.
    Jess shared her own. "Of course." She closed
the tablet. "I'd really love to read the whole thing. If that's
okay."
    Not even thinking, Sara wrapped her arms
around her niece and pulled her close. "You have no idea what that
means, Jess. Thank you so much!"
    Jess pulled back a little, her face only
inches from Sara's. "Don't thank me. I should thank you for even
letting me read it. It's awesome. Really awesome."
    Sara's eyes trailed to Jess lush, thick lips
as they curled at the side. She had such a beautiful mouth.