“Hey, Dad,” she said as she wrapped her arm around him and kissed him on the cheek.
Her mother hurried forward and took hold of her hand before pulling her into a warm hug.
“It’s so good to have you home, darling,” she whispered into her ear. “It feels like such a long time since I saw you running up that drive.”
“Well, you nearly didn’t get to see it,” Natalie half laughed.
“What do you mean?” her mother was pulling her through the doorway and into the delicious warmth of their home.
“Oh, nothing,” Natalie said, shaking it off.
Even though all she wanted to do was talk about the man she had just met and relive the moment his strong hands grabbed her by the waist over and over again, the last thing she wanted to do was alarm her parents when she had just arrived. They worried enough as it was, even when nothing bad had happened.
Her mom led her through into the large, open-plan kitchen and the kettle had already begun to boil. The room was filled with the lovely scents of home cooking and Natalie rubbed her hands together.
“What are you making?” she asked. “It smells amazing.”
“Sweet bread,” her mom smiled. “From now until after the holidays, I’ll be making something each day for us all to celebrate having you back.”
“Well, I can’t argue with that,” her dad said as he set Natalie’s bags down and pulled up a stool at the tall center island. “So,” he began. “Tell us, what happened?”
Natalie had already been through it all with them on the phone and didn’t want to keep talking about it over and over again, but she knew she was going to have to put a final pin it in to stop it from being brought up again.
“Well, just like I said,” she sighed. “I realized that what I really want to do, I can do here. In the city, there’s a lot less opportunity than you think, sometimes.”
Her mother nodded and poured hot water into the coffee pot and sank down the plunger. She gestured to Natalie’s mug and she nodded and said, “Yes, please.”
Her father breathed out deeply and whistled through his bottom teeth.
“I don’t know, what between you and your brother; in our day, it used to be so simple. You got a job and you raised a family. Your generation only seems to want to run off and find themselves…” he said almost condescendingly.
“Ha… ha…” Natalie pouted. “I get it… I’ve come back with my tail between my legs, is that it?” she raised an eyebrow at her dad and scowled.
“No that isn’t what he meant,” her mother interjected.
But her father smiled and shrugged.
Natalie knew they were playing with her because they were pleased to see her, but there was some truth in what her dad was saying. She was starting to see that she probably should have just stayed put all along. Even if she had gained valuable life experience whilst she had been away.
“So, tell me,” her mom said as she sat down too and started to pass around a plate of biscuits. “What are your plans now that you’re home?” Her eyes were wide and encouraging, but Natalie faltered for a moment and then she just shrugged.
“I don’t know yet, but I’m sure I’ll think of something.”
She didn’t like to lie, but in a way, it was a half-truth, because if her dream didn’t work out, she would only be back to square one.
Her mom smiled and reached across the table and squeezed her hand reassuringly.
“You can always come and work for the family biz,” her dad guffawed as he slapped his thigh.
Natalie rolled her eyes. She was in no way a princess, but the last thing she would ever see herself doing is cutting down trees, wearing plaid and hanging out with all the big bearded men her father knew.
“I think I’ll stick to what I know,” she said smugly. “But thanks for the offer, Dad.”
He winked at her and sipped his coffee.
“Well, isn’t this nice,” her mom said happily. “Us all back together under one roof! If only your brother were here.”
Natalie thought back to her brother and how he was quite a loose cannon. She did miss him, but she was glad, for now, to have her parents all to herself. It made things much less complicated, and it also meant she didn’t have him around the house teasing her, or cramping her style.
Natalie yawned. It was only approaching 4pm but the light outside had already dimmed and she had been up so early, her mind and body were weary.
“I think I’m going to give this a miss,” she said as she slid her coffee away. “You don’t mind, do you, Mom?”
“Of course not,” her mother said as she got to her feet and cleared it away to the side of the sink. “You must be wore out.”
“I am,” Natalie admitted. “I could do with a power nap, I think.”
Her parents both agreed and helped carry the heavy bags through to her bedroom. They left her standing in the doorway, and as Natalie flicked on the light switch, she couldn’t help but smile as the four walls she knew so well all came into view in front of her.
She loved her bedroom. She always had and she always would. Even if she was twenty-five and returning home after having her independence, it didn’t matter to her. It was warm and inviting, and it was a safe space. She thought back to all the sleepless nights she had endured in the city. Lying awake in the dark as the trains had screeched past, lights had illuminated her window, and the sounds of people fighting down in the alleyways had drifted up to meet her. She had heard screams and tears, loving and hating, she had heard cops arresting criminals and girls shouting at their boyfriends. But back here, at home, she knew she would be able to turn out the light and only hear the sounds of the wind and the surrounding forests. And she couldn’t wait.
She closed her door behind her and kicked off her boots. With her only being gone just over a year, she wasn’t returning to a teenager’s bedroom, but one she had decorated not even two winters before. She had dark wooden floorboards, a well-stocked bookcase, a plush navy rug, and lots of low lights which she stepped around the room turning on one by one. She had cleared most of her personal effects before she had left for the city, but her desk and her computer were still standing proud and she moved over to them and switched on the lamp. Her purse was still over her shoulder and she opened it up and pulled out her journal. To her now, this was the Holy Grail. It was full of plans and her hopes for the future, and it deserved pride of place in the center of her desk.
She set it down and looked at it and then she stood back and flopped down on the bed. It had been a long day and it suddenly felt very strange to be able to hear nothing but silence. She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. She was so tired she was certain she could just fall asleep right away, even still in all of her clothes, but she forced herself to get up and walked across the room to the bathroom and turned on the light.
She looked at herself in the mirror and realized she still had bits of mud and snow smeared all over her. Her parents must have been so excited to see her they hadn’t even noticed. She laughed and shook her head, sometimes they were as ditsy as she was.
She ran the hot tap and washed her face before she scooped up her long, blonde hair and tied it in a high ponytail. She slowly took out her earrings and took off the rest of her jewelry and then she peeled away her clothes and walked back into her bedroom and climbed into bed. She didn’t care how early it was. She wanted to sleep. She reached down to the floor and pulled her purse over to her before she reached in for her cellphone, and as she plugged it in to charge, she noticed she had a text from Carly...
Hope you’re back ok! The apartment is soooo quiet without you!
Natalie smiled and set the phone down on her bedside table. Her eyes were heavy and she could barely keep them open. She would respond to Carly as soon as she woke back up.
She closed her eyes and rolled onto her side. The blankets were wrapped tightly around her and she didn’t think she had ever felt so comfortable in her entire life. She yawned and sank down
further into the mattress, and before she knew it, she was fast asleep.
The noises were so out of place she was sure she was dreaming. The snarls and the growls pierced through the dark and seemed to run all around her. In her half-conscious state, she was confused and thought she was running through the forest, being chased by wild animals, but when she opened her eyes, she was just lying in bed, looking up at the ceiling, her heart pounding out of her chest.
“What the hell…” she said aloud with a croaky voice as she leaned up on her elbows.
It was pitch black in her bedroom. All of the lights had been turned off and she blinked as she picked up her cell phone and got a shock to see that the time was 4am. She rubbed her eyes and lay back down. And just as her breathing slowed and she was getting ready to sleep again, the snarls and growls started to rage through the night.
Natalie sat up startled and listened. Her heartbeat was so loud it was overpowering, but she managed to control it and really focused on the noises that were coming from outside.
She had forgotten about the animals that roamed the woods at night. Being away and living with the noises of the city, it was easy to forget what it was like being out there in the mountains.
“Wolves,” she whispered. And then she heard a deep guttural roar. “And bear,” she grinned.
She lay back down and pulled the blankets back up around her.
She had once heard that the bears and wolves around Lost Creek were some of the most ferocious in the country, and it was crazy to think they were right outside her home, roaming around the forests and hunting through the night. It sounded as if they were fighting and she half laughed.
“Certainly makes a change from hookers screaming and the cops shooting drug dealers,” she whispered to herself. “A couple of animals isn’t so bad…”
She yawned and closed her eyes, and as she listened to the sounds of the wolves and bears sparring with each other, she found herself drifting back off to sleep.
5.
I’m here ok! But obviously I’m missing my fabulous roommate! You’ll have to come and visit me soon!
Natalie hit send on the text and sipped her cup of coffee, as she sat up in bed rubbing her eyes. She had slept soundly for the rest of the night and had woken up softly and quietly at around 8am. It was now approaching nine, and she had only just remembered to reply to Carly.
Her phone beeped.
I certainly will… Take care of yourself Nat x
After living with each other for so long, it was weird not to be able to just run across the hall and start the day with a ferocious chat with her best friend. But Natalie had lots to think about and look forward to, and she was throwing herself right in at the deep end on her first day back in town.
She walked over to her desk and switched on her computer. As it came back to life, she sat down and opened her journal. She had the number of a realtor in town, but she wanted to look online first to see if there was any commercial space available immediately. If she hadn’t been in such a daze when she had stepped off the bus the day before, then she surely would have looked around then. But not only did she nearly get herself killed, she was also swept off her feet – literally – by a sexy stranger.
Her heart fluttered as she remembered his dark eyes and his big hands. He was so hot… it was a wonder she had managed to sleep at all for thinking about him again.
“Concentrate, Nat,” she scolded herself as she opened up a search engine and typed in Commercial Property to Lease in Lost Creek.
Several results came back and she made a few hurried notes before she got to her feet and headed for the door.
She could hear her mom singing downstairs in the kitchen before she had even reached the top of the stairs and she smiled at how nice it was to be back under a safe and protected roof. She had forgotten how warm and inviting her family home really was. And being at home with her parents was nice, even if it was kind of a step back from where she had already been.
“So then,” her mother said. “What are your plans for the day?”
Natalie hugged her mom and sat down on one of the bar stools. She looked around to check that her dad was nowhere in sight and then she leaned in closer.
“Well,” she began in a whisper. “I didn’t want to say in front of Dad, but I’m going to go down into town and have a look for a space.”
She said the words quickly and waited for her mother’s reaction.
“What…” she said cautiously. “Like a new place to live?”
Natalie shook her head.
“No, Mom,” she smiled. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to rush out and leave again straight away.”
“Oh good!” her mom breathed. “I was thinking you couldn’t stand to be around us!”
Natalie laughed and smiled.
“No, I want to start my own business…” It was the first time she had actually said it out loud to anyone. And it was liberating.
Her mother’s eyes opened wide and she nodded slowly.
“Wow,” she said finally. “And is that why you’ve come home?”
“One of the reasons,” Natalie admitted. “I wasn’t ever going to be able to afford a shop in the city, and I couldn’t work in some dive bar forever.”
Her mother smiled warmly.
“Well, you know you have my support… But how will you go about it?”
Natalie shrugged and grinned.
“Well that’s what I’m about to find out, isn’t it!” she said heartily. “Everyone has to start somewhere!”
“And what will you be doing?” Her mom sat down. Natalie had her full attention.
“I trained in nail art… I want to give that a go. I think the women of Lost Creek and all the tourists that come through could do with a sparkling manicure, don’t you?”
Her mom’s grin matched hers.
“I think it’s a fantastic idea,” she beamed. “And your father and I will support you, all the way.”
“Thanks so much, Mom,” she said as she got to her feet and hugged her mother.
She was so lucky to have such supportive parents.
“Right, well, I better not waste any time,” she said as she swept up her coat and slipped her arms into it. “I want to see if I can check out any spaces down on Main Street. I know it’ll be expensive there and there isn’t likely to be anything available, but you never know.”
Her mother nodded.
“I’m sure a small shop closed down next to Arlo’s,” she said. “You know the diner that turned into a sports bar?”
Natalie remembered Arlo’s, but in the frantic activity of when she had returned and stepped off the bus, she had failed to notice it had changed.
“I think it was just a small gift store,” her mom said. “Sally used to run it, but she gave it up a month or so ago because it wasn’t making enough money.”
“Oh great,” Natalie sighed. “Well that doesn’t bode well…”
“Gifts and beauty are two very different things,” her mom reassured her. “Plus, I bet the rent has been reduced. The guy that owns Arlo’s, I think he may own the premises. You should go and chat with him.”
Natalie took in all the information and nodded. For a housewife who had never worked and barely ever left Lost Creek, her mom sure did know a lot about business.
Natalie bounced out of the house with a spring in her step and she couldn’t wait to get going. She felt full of energy and enthusiasm, and she knew that if she played everything right, she was going to make a success out of anything she put her hands to.
She walked down to Main Street and for the first time in a long while, she really felt alive. She was so optimistic about her new life back in her hometown that nothing could spoil her good mood.
As she approached Middle Park, she thought back to the previous day and what had happened to her. That man had saved her life. And she really should thank him properly. She made a deal with herself that if she managed to find a potential space for her new beauty b
usiness, she would also track down her mystery savior and buy him a drink.
“Because why the hell not,” she said aloud to herself. “It’s about time I took a few risks.”
She smiled as she spied Arlo’s on the other side of the street and began to walk across to it. This time, stopping and checking that there were no cars hurtling toward her.
As she approached, she could see the closed down store her mom had told her about. It was small and the glass at the front had been misted over so no one could see inside. She waited for a moment and took it all in. It looked dirty and kind of run down, and being right next to a sports bar wasn’t exactly ideal. She wasn’t opening a barber shop, she was opening a boutique nail bar. She wanted to be in the middle of clothing stores, not next to a bar that reeked of beer. She pouted and felt her enthusiasm fading fast. But she knew she couldn’t be deterred.
She walked up to the front door of Arlo’s and pushed it open. Inside was quiet and dark, but the music was playing low on the jukebox, and a few men were sitting in the booths around the outside of the room drinking coffee and eating big, greasy breakfasts. Her eyes flitted around the place, taking in all the décor, and she found herself immediately drawn to the big wooden carvings of grizzly bears that were up high in each corner running around the ceiling. She felt a tingle run up her spine.
Natalie stepped forward and recognized the man behind the counter. He had been around the town for as long as she could remember, and although they didn’t know each other well, she knew he was Arlo, the owner.
“Hi,” she said as she stepped forward shyly.
“Hey there,” he said as he wiped down the counter. “What can I get you?”
“Well, actually,” she began nervously. “I was wondering what you could tell me about the space next door… Is it up for lease?”
Arlo stopped and turned to face her properly.
“Yes, it is actually,” he smiled. “But it’s nothing to do with me.”
He said it almost bitterly and it threw Natalie off her game slightly.
“Oh,” she stammered. “Sorry, I thought with it being attached that maybe it was affiliated to this place.”
Shifter Romance: BODHI (LOST CREEK SHIFTERS NOVELLAS Book 4) Page 3
