Emerald: Rare Gems Series - Billionaire Wolf Shapeshifter Romance Read Online Free

room to gather her wits for a moment. “He had a son that missed him terribly because he needed to work every day. Then one day, he was gone from our lives and there were no more tomorrows to promise on. Then when my own son and his lovely wife had to take a long business trip, I watched their six daughters for them so that they could enjoy some time together while they worked. Neither of them returned. There are no tomorrows for them either. What will you do, young man, when there are no more tomorrows for you and your mother?”
    Annabelle left him then and walked down the hall to reach out to her granddaughter, Sapphire, again to tell her that she was coming home tonight. But she reached for Emerald instead. She could feel her sadness almost from the moment she touched her.
    I’ve lost my apartment. I knew that they were going to go to condos, but we were told we’d have first options in buying in. What they didn’t tell us was that we’d have to pay fifty thousand dollars to do so. I never looked around for something else. Annabelle started to tell her that she could move back in now, but Emerald started talking. I’m not moving home again. I just can’t. All those happy couples there all the time. And before you ask, yes, I’m jealous. I’ll never have that.
    You can have it. But Emerald said no. Why not? Why can’t you have what your sisters have? You’re a beautiful young woman and have a great deal to offer someone.
    Grandmother, I’m a school teacher with no money, and no prospects of ever having any. I don’t want a husband that will want me to take care of him. The rest of them have been so lucky in that their husbands are rich and love them so much. But what do you think the chances are that I’m going to find the same kind of man? None. Zip. And I’m not sure I want a mate that is so rich that he forgets what a homegrown tomato tastes like.
    Annabelle smiled at her comment. Just before she’d left, a man that seemed to irritate Emerald more than most did had come by the house. He’d scoffed at the idea of growing your own vegetables and had even made fun of Emerald when she’d told him that she had a garden in her back yard too.
    “Why? Don’t they have them at the store where you shop?” She’d told him that they did, but these smelled and tasted so much better. “Sure they do. And full of bugs and spiders no doubt, too. Don’t feed me any of that crap when we move in together. I’ll not let you cook for me if you do.”
    Annabelle could still see the look on Emerald’s face when he said that. She’d been shocked at first, then furious. When she walked to the door and opened it, the man laughed.
    “Get out.” He laughed harder. “I’m dead serious. I want you out of here. And, as I have said to you over and over, never call me again. What makes you think that I’d let you move into my apartment, much less cook for you? I have a full time job that I love, and I don’t have time to cater to some two hundred-thousand year old Neanderthal who thinks the little woman should be barefoot and pregnant to simply wait on him. And—this is the real kicker—I did not invite you here at all, much less to insult us.”
    When the young man laughed again, Emerald growled. He stood up, but Annabelle didn’t think the man was taking Emerald seriously. He tried to put his arms around her but she shoved him back. Annabelle had wanted to intervene on the man’s part, as she could see Emerald’s wolf running along her skin, but Emerald shook her head.
    “Now, let’s not fight. Come on. You know I’d never expect you to cook for me. And the garden? If it makes you happy, I’m okay with it too. Just don’t serve me up any.” He reached for her again, and then Annabelle could see that he was getting mad. “This is not the time or the place to have this conversation. Let’s just have a nice time here, and we’ll talk—”
    “I am not going to tell you again to get out of here. And you’re