Carly put on her kindest smile as she opened the door to Chandra and Sharla. “Come on in. We’ve been expecting you.”
Sharla eyed her, but with less skepticism than usual. She’d been surprisingly gracious about Carly’s mishap with Gabe at the New Year’s party. It was certainly something Sharla could choose not to forget, but she hadn’t said a word about it.
“You look like you’re in a good mood,” Sharla greeted her.
“Good evening, Carly,” Chandra said before Sharla could go on. “How are you, dear?”
Carly stepped aside so they could enter the house. “I am in a good mood. I’ll take your coats, and you can head into the kitchen. How are you two this evening?”
“Excited to spend time with you girls,” Chandra answered, handing over her coat. “Howard’s in the kitchen, you said?”
Carly nodded down the hall after him. “He’s just finishing cooking.”
Chandra grinned, and disappeared down the hall to find him.
“Really, what are you so smiley about?” Sharla asked Carly once they were alone. “Did you and Abel…?”
It took a moment for Carly to process what Sharla was implying. “No! I mean, we’re not… No, this isn’t about him.”
“So, it’s about Gabe.”
“No! He and I… Just, no.”
“Well?” Sharla wondered, planting her hands on her hips. “Something’s got you all excited. If not a guy, what?”
“Dinner’s ready!” Howard called.
“Coming!” Carly shouted back. She looked to Sharla, and promised, “After dinner,” as she led the way to the kitchen. She noticed that Howard had lowered the lights and lit candles on the table. “Sharla, you can sit here next to me.”
“Thanks,” Sharla replied, taking the seat. “This smells great, Howard.”
“Thank you,” Howard said, and started passing dishes around the table before he settled beside Chandra. “Don’t be shy now. There’s plenty for everyone.”
“I feel so spoiled, showing up without having to do any of the work,” Chandra spoke, her dreamy gaze fixed on Howard.
He leaned in to kiss her cheek. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Carly piled mashed potatoes on her plate, attempting to ignore the public display. Dad used to act the same way with Mom—it was how Carly knew they loved each other. Seeing him like that with someone else… She wanted her father to have a life, to be happy, but she didn’t want to be constantly reminded of what she’d lost.
“Are you feeling better, Carly?” Chandra asked. “Howard had mentioned you weren’t well this morning. Shapeshifters have naturally strong immune systems, but your circumstances have been anything but regular. You should come by the clinic sometime, and I’ll do a checkup.”
“Mom’s a doctor,” Sharla was pleased to explain. “The best one in town.”
“Thank you, dear,” Chandra spoke with a humble smile. “It’s enabled me to keep our little community here a secret—being able to provide healthcare on the few occasions it’s been necessary.”
That made Carly think back to the times she’d actually been sick as a child. Had she been sick as a kid? Even when chickenpox had ravaged her elementary school, she’d managed to stay clear of it. She’d never connected it before, but it had to be because of her bloodline.
“We’re so glad you girls are able to be here with us this evening,” Howard said, wrapping his arm around Chandra’s shoulders. “Because we have some news we’re excited to share with you.”
Carly knew what was coming without hearing any more. Sharla had been right, but when Carly glanced at her to confirm it, she was startled by the pain in Sharla’s eyes. This would certainly be an adjustment for Carly, but Sharla seemed to be taking it much harder.
“First,” Howard went on, “I’d like you both to know that my life has changed over the past few months that Chandra and I have been dating.”
“Months?” Sharla choked out. “I thought this was new?”
Carly was just as shocked, but managed to keep it to herself as she folded her hands together on the tabletop.
“It took us both by surprise,” Chandra said, breaking into a silly smile as she locked eyes with Howard. “We didn’t expect to connect like this, but it’s happened despite us.”
“Which is why I’ve asked Chandra to marry me,” Howard announced with glee.
“And I’ve said yes!” Chandra squealed, pulling a rock of an engagement ring from her skirt pocket. She slid the eye-catching ring onto the third finger of her left hand, showing it off to them. “We wanted you two to know before we told anyone else.”
“And we’d like to make the transition as easy as possible for both of you. Which is why we think it’s better to get married sooner rather than later.”
“How much sooner?” Sharla snapped, as if snagging the question right from Carly’s thoughts.
“Valentine’s Day,” Chandra answered. “I’d love for you girls to be my bridesmaids.”
“That’s so soon,” Carly spoke, finally finding her voice as she locked eyes with her father. “Mom hasn’t even been gone a year.”
“We understand if this is difficult for you,” Howard replied. “But—”
“But you’re not giving us a choice,” Sharla interrupted, her chair scraping against the floor as she jumped to her feet. “Are you? Just like I never get a say in anything that happens in my life.”
“Sharla—” Chandra tried.
“I hate everything!” Sharla whined, balling her hands into fists as she took off running out the back door.
Carly glanced at her father before taking off after her. Sharla had seemed so matter of fact when it came to the idea of their parents getting married that Carly had assumed she was okay with the whole thing. Apparently, she’d assumed wrong.
twenty-two
Sharla was more than a mile up the coast before she came to a stop to stare out at the roaring Great Lake. “This sucks.”
“It’s soon, yeah,” Carly agreed, stepping up beside her.
Sharla rolled her eyes. “It’s not just that, Carly. My dad got remarried, and now he has no time for me. It’s not like I matter to him at all. I’m not ready for my mom to disappear, too.”
“Your mom’s not going to disappear,” Carly promised, resting her hand on Sharla’s shoulder. “She’s not anything like your dad. But if for some crazy reason she does flake on you, I’ll still be here.”
“Yeah?” Sharla asked, eyeing her. “Why? It’s not like…” She cleared her throat as she looked back out at Lake Superior. “It’s not like I’ve been all that nice to you since you got here.”
“It’s not like it’s all that easy to watch the guy you like fall for some other girl. So, I get it.”
Sharla flashed a half-smile. “You mentioned your mom hasn’t been gone a year yet. When did she…?”
“The middle of March,” Carly answered, heaving out a sigh. “And eleven months later, he’s marrying your mom.”
“I’m sorry,” Sharla offered.
“And I’m sorry about your dad,” Carly replied, though she dare not explain the extent of her sentiment.
“Maybe being stuck with each other isn’t so bad?”
Carly let out a laugh. “Yeah, maybe.”
“So,” Sharla said, lightening somewhat. “What was it exactly that had you in such a good mood when I came over?”
Carly winked. “I could tell you, or I could show you. If you trust me.”
Sharla cocked her head to the side. “I’m definitely curious enough to trust you.”
“Okay then,” Carly giggled, reaching for Sharla’s hand. She pulled Sharla along as she took off running and made the supernatural transformation into her primary form. Carly could feel Sharla’s essence both amid and separate from hers, and she let out a long howl marking her success.
Carly had once again pulled another shapeshifter with her into her shift, becoming one with Sharla in the process. As Carly ran in
her fox form through the woods, she pondered what new power she’d stumble upon next.
* * *
“That was incredible!” Sharla blurted out as she and Carly roamed downtown Sterling later that evening in their human forms. “How did you do that? I mean, I somehow became a part of you. Didn’t I? At least, that’s what it felt like.”
Goosebumps freckled Carly’s arms, her brain buzzing with excitement. It had been exhilarating, being able to control her shift like that. It opened up a whole new world of possibilities.
“I’m still not exactly sure how I did it,” Carly admitted, ambling down the sidewalk. “But I’ve proven to myself that I can, and that seems like the important part.”
“Is it something you think you could teach me?” Sharla asked.
“I don’t know. It’s something I’ve just figured out myself.”
“It’s because I’m mixed blood, isn’t it?”
“Sharla, no.”
“I know I’m not as strong as you,” Sharla said, sweeping her hair back behind her ear. “That’s why it was so hard for me when you first came here. Not just because of the effect you have on Gabe, but because without even understanding your bloodline, you were more powerful than me.”
“I don’t believe any of that,” Carly told her. “We’re all born with certain predispositions, but they don’t make us any better or worse than anyone else. I don’t know if I can teach you to shift like I did, Sharla, but I can show you the steps I took to get the result I did. If that’s something you’d be interested in.”
“I’m interested in any kind of distraction right now,” Sharla confessed, her stomach letting out a loud growl. “But maybe we could start with food?”
Carly grinned. “We didn’t exactly make it through dinner, did we? We could get something at the café if you want. My treat.”
“Yeah? Thanks, that sounds great.”
“I don’t know about you, but I could really go for a milkshake.”
“With fries?” Sharla suggested, stopping at the café door to hold it open.
“It’s like you read my mind,” Carly teased, her gaze fixing on Abel as she stepped into the restaurant. He was seated at a booth in the back across from Crystal, oblivious to the rest of the world. Carly thought about leaving him there, oblivious, so she wouldn’t have to confront the reality of their relationship, but Sharla grabbed her arm and dragged her on back to meet him.
“Carly, Sharla, hey,” Abel spoke with surprise.
“I thought you were having dinner with your parents,” Crystal said.
“We were,” Sharla answered. “Then they announced they’re getting married, and we…”
“We needed some space to process everything,” Carly finished, noting Abel and Crys’s empty plates. “If you two are heading out, we don’t mean to keep you.”
Abel locked eyes with her. Apparently, after ignoring his texts all day, that wasn’t exactly the response he’d been looking for.
“We had plans to watch a movie,” Crystal spoke up. “But I guess if you two want to…”
“Oh,” Carly said, looking at the way Crystal was looking at Abel. Why hadn’t she noticed the intensity of it before—how much Crys seemed to admire him? “Sharla and I are hanging out tonight. You two should watch your movie.”
Abel threw cash on the table and jumped out of the booth to face Carly. The disappointment in his eyes was easy enough to interpret. “That’s some news about your dad. If you want to talk, you know where to find me.”
“Hey, thanks.”
“You can stay or you can go,” Sharla said, falling into Abel’s empty seat. “But I need food now.”
“We’ll be at my place,” Crys said, sliding out of the booth. “If you two want to stop by.”
“We’ll think about it,” Carly replied, taking her seat. “But if we don’t see you, have a great night.”
“Have a great night yourself,” Abel said, tapping Crys on the shoulder before he led the way outside.
Carly watched after them, relieved that she didn’t have to confront her feelings for him just yet.
“I thought you liked Abel,” Sharla said as a server came to drop off menus and clear away plates.
“Excuse me?” Carly replied.
“For whatever reason, since I shifted with you it’s like… It’s like I have a better connection to what’s going on in your head. I didn’t really feel like I understood where you were coming from before, but it’s different now. Like… there’s an open channel between us or something.”
Abel must have experienced something similar when he’d shifted with Carly, which had only turned their relationship into a muddled mess.
Sharla smirked, staring down at her menu. “Well, I don’t have a thing for you, so there’re no feelings to get muddled. But I now understand why you fell for Abel like you did.”
Carly frowned. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to say to him.”
Sharla shrugged. “Right now, you don’t have to say anything.” She caught the server’s attention and rolled off her order.
Carly decided on something as well, her gaze falling to the busy street outside. Abel and Crys were long gone, off to Crys’s place to watch a movie alone. What if…?
Sharla let out a laugh. “That’s definitely a one-way street.”
“What?”
“Abel doesn’t see her that way, and aside from that, he’s dating you. He’s not going to try anything with some other girl as long as you two are together.”
Carly had been avoiding Abel so successfully, she’d almost forgotten he was her boyfriend.
“Should he be then?” Sharla asked.
“So, you’re just in my head now?” Carly questioned.
“I can’t help whatever you created between us when we shifted together—which is exactly how Abel must feel.”
Carly gritted her teeth. “I don’t want to hurt him…”
“Well, I’m sure your indifference isn’t doing his self-esteem any favors,” Sharla pointed out as the server dropped off a pot of coffee. “But the good news is, you don’t have to figure it all out tonight.”
Carly took a sip of coffee, realizing Sharla was right. For as out of control as her world seemed, the chaos could survive one night without her. “What should we do after this? I’m definitely not ready to go home yet.”
“We could go swimming,” Sharla proposed. “You could borrow a suit, and we could maybe find somewhere new to swim. If you’re up for an adventure.”
Carly cracked a smile. “An adventure sounds like a nice distraction.”
“I’m hoping so, too.”
* * *
“Carly,” Howard spoke with surprise as his daughter strolled into the kitchen late the next morning. “I didn’t hear you come in last night.”
She walked past him at the island to pour a cup of coffee. “Sharla and I were hanging out. We lost track of time.”
“Oh, good,” he replied, setting down his newspaper. “I’m so glad you two are getting along. I wanted to let you know that Chandra and I are throwing an engagement party here a week from tomorrow night. If you and Sharla would like to drive down to Duluth next Saturday, you can pick up something to wear and any last-minute things we might need.”
Carly took a drink of coffee as she processed all that.
“I’ve been trying to give you your freedom, Carly,” Howard added. “But you have no say in this. Chandra and I are getting married on Valentine’s Day, and she and Sharla will be moving in here with us after that. I’m not looking to replace your mother because there’s no replacing her. But I do need to move on, and Chandra needs that, too.”
Carly took another drink. “Sharla and I can both go? For the whole day?”
“Chandra and I have already agreed to give you a credit card for the trip. It should give you a nice break before we have a house full of people.”
“People?”
“We’re partially throwing the party so soon because we’r
e not sure how much longer Damon and his family will be in town,” Howard admitted. “Chandra manages to get along with him well enough despite their divorce, and we both recognize it’s important to play nice for Sharla’s sake.”
“For Sharla’s sake?” Carly snickered. “Damon’s barely said two words to her since he’s been here.”
Howard looked confused. “I was under the impression they’d been spending time together.”
Legends: Bloodline Book 2 Page 21
