Grayslake: More than Mated: Secrets to Bear (Kindle Worlds Novella) Read Online Free
Author: Flora Dare
to admit. How did I not see it, when I was in it?"
"Because he's very good at what he does. It's why he's good at selling houses. Selling dreams."
"What about you, Magda?"
"Tell you what, if you find a place you think I'll like better, I'll happily pull up my roots and move."
"That’s not what I mean. What do you want?"
Magda templed her hands and took a long, thoughtful pause. "Well, I wanted to have a long life with my Stuart, but the universe had other plans. Now, it would be nice if I could find another man like him, but he was one of a kind. Besides, I'm old and tattered."
"Magda, you're what, 50? 60?"
"You know I'm 43! Don't make me get the switch out."
Lira laughed, "You've never raised a hand to me and I don't expect you to start now."
"Well, keep calling me older than I am, and see what happens."
"Seriously, Magda. You took care of me for years. What about your dreams? Your hopes and desires?"
"I'm not sure if my dreams can ever be real again, but I had one last night."
"Really?" Lira was skeptical.
"It told me you should go to that town. Find those people."
Lira sighed and threw her hands up. "Your dreams, not mine."
"I'm serious. In my dream, you lead me somewhere. Because you went, I found something I'd been missing."
"In that case, I guess I'd better go on this crazy quest to find my roots."
"It's not that crazy, but if you really don't want to, we can figure something else out. I hear they need help rebuilding Nepal after those terrible earthquakes. I doubt Ethan would follow you there."
"That's not a bad idea. Maybe after I find these people you think I need to find, I can do something like that. Just go see the world for a while."
"Sounds good.” Magda snapped her address book closed. “You need a nap before you head out?"
"Wow, you want me to go today? Now?"
Magda's face grew still and Lira could tell she was measuring her words. "From what you said about Ethan, I think it would be better if you were completely out of reach for a while. I'm calling the sheriff, just to let him know what’s happened."
"They can't do anything. There is no proof. He's just being weird and unpleasant."
"He's being more than weird.” Magda narrowed her eyes. “I didn't want to tell you, but my friend, Libbie, visited yesterday."
Lira dryly said, "More like mouth of the south." The woman had made small town gossip an art form.
"Well, Ethan has been telling people the wedding is back on."
"What!?" Lira's voice hit a high, shrill note. She felt that odd hotness from last night flood her body and she curled her hands into claws on the table.
"Lira. Take a breath." Magda's voice penetrated her rage and Lira slumped back in her chair.
"He is such an asshole. Let me run through the shower and throw together a bag. Pack me a lunch, like you used to?"
"Get. Go." Magda shooed her out of the room and listened to her clomp up the stairs. She stared after her and looked down at the long scratches Lira had inadvertently torn into the wooden top. Magda stroked the shredded wood, sighed heavily, and said quietly to herself, "I wish your momma was still with us. I wish I could tell you and you'd believe me. But they will keep you safe."
She picked up her phone and dialed the sheriff. "Joe? Ethan is causing trouble for Lira, like I said he would."
Joe’s gruff rasp came across the line, "Dammit, are you sure?"
"Bothered her at the Salty Shanty. Check with Mark. I'm sending her out of town, but Ethan scared her pretty bad. Thanks."
“Will do.”
She hung up and looked back up the stairs. "Dammit, I can't help her with this. Not alone." She grimaced and picked the phone back up. She'd sworn she'd never go back to Grayslake. But twenty-five years was a long time for a vow made in anger. Deirdre warned her not to let spite lead her.
And Magda would do anything to keep Lira safe, even bend her pride. So she dialed the number.
Chapter Four
Jake reached out, a grin stretched across his face. He wanted to
"Because he's very good at what he does. It's why he's good at selling houses. Selling dreams."
"What about you, Magda?"
"Tell you what, if you find a place you think I'll like better, I'll happily pull up my roots and move."
"That’s not what I mean. What do you want?"
Magda templed her hands and took a long, thoughtful pause. "Well, I wanted to have a long life with my Stuart, but the universe had other plans. Now, it would be nice if I could find another man like him, but he was one of a kind. Besides, I'm old and tattered."
"Magda, you're what, 50? 60?"
"You know I'm 43! Don't make me get the switch out."
Lira laughed, "You've never raised a hand to me and I don't expect you to start now."
"Well, keep calling me older than I am, and see what happens."
"Seriously, Magda. You took care of me for years. What about your dreams? Your hopes and desires?"
"I'm not sure if my dreams can ever be real again, but I had one last night."
"Really?" Lira was skeptical.
"It told me you should go to that town. Find those people."
Lira sighed and threw her hands up. "Your dreams, not mine."
"I'm serious. In my dream, you lead me somewhere. Because you went, I found something I'd been missing."
"In that case, I guess I'd better go on this crazy quest to find my roots."
"It's not that crazy, but if you really don't want to, we can figure something else out. I hear they need help rebuilding Nepal after those terrible earthquakes. I doubt Ethan would follow you there."
"That's not a bad idea. Maybe after I find these people you think I need to find, I can do something like that. Just go see the world for a while."
"Sounds good.” Magda snapped her address book closed. “You need a nap before you head out?"
"Wow, you want me to go today? Now?"
Magda's face grew still and Lira could tell she was measuring her words. "From what you said about Ethan, I think it would be better if you were completely out of reach for a while. I'm calling the sheriff, just to let him know what’s happened."
"They can't do anything. There is no proof. He's just being weird and unpleasant."
"He's being more than weird.” Magda narrowed her eyes. “I didn't want to tell you, but my friend, Libbie, visited yesterday."
Lira dryly said, "More like mouth of the south." The woman had made small town gossip an art form.
"Well, Ethan has been telling people the wedding is back on."
"What!?" Lira's voice hit a high, shrill note. She felt that odd hotness from last night flood her body and she curled her hands into claws on the table.
"Lira. Take a breath." Magda's voice penetrated her rage and Lira slumped back in her chair.
"He is such an asshole. Let me run through the shower and throw together a bag. Pack me a lunch, like you used to?"
"Get. Go." Magda shooed her out of the room and listened to her clomp up the stairs. She stared after her and looked down at the long scratches Lira had inadvertently torn into the wooden top. Magda stroked the shredded wood, sighed heavily, and said quietly to herself, "I wish your momma was still with us. I wish I could tell you and you'd believe me. But they will keep you safe."
She picked up her phone and dialed the sheriff. "Joe? Ethan is causing trouble for Lira, like I said he would."
Joe’s gruff rasp came across the line, "Dammit, are you sure?"
"Bothered her at the Salty Shanty. Check with Mark. I'm sending her out of town, but Ethan scared her pretty bad. Thanks."
“Will do.”
She hung up and looked back up the stairs. "Dammit, I can't help her with this. Not alone." She grimaced and picked the phone back up. She'd sworn she'd never go back to Grayslake. But twenty-five years was a long time for a vow made in anger. Deirdre warned her not to let spite lead her.
And Magda would do anything to keep Lira safe, even bend her pride. So she dialed the number.
Chapter Four
Jake reached out, a grin stretched across his face. He wanted to
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