I borrowed Callum’s car so I could finish up my shopping. The mall was packed with shoppers. I had most of my shopping done, but I still wanted to get some small things for my family.
I was walking by this quaint gift shop when I saw something I had to buy for Mama. It was a fantastical charm bracelet. The interlocking chains were so dainty looking, and they had all sorts of charms to put on it. I chose four dragons and a cat to represent her boys and me. I picked a crown for her since she is the queen of the family, and a golden heart for love. On the bottom rack was this charm. It was the only one left in the bin. It was two dragons intertwined. I thought that it was beautiful. I would add that one for her and Papa. The guy at the counter put all the charms on exactly as I told him to and nestled it in a velvet box. I was so excited about this gift. Mama would love it. A stop at the cigar store for Papa and I was finished.
I hated shopping during the holidays. I was not a people person on my best day, but this was ridiculous. People had no manners when it came to the holidays. I picked out some cigars for Papa and was on my way out of the mall when I spotted a music store. They had a CD on display that I knew Bowie would love. He loved to feel his music when he listened to it. And this was one of his favorite bands.
That one cup of coffee at breakfast left me hungry, so I decided to eat at the food court before I left. I was almost to the car when my phone started ringing. I glanced at the display. It was Lance. “Hi,” I answered.
“Hey, how are you?” he asked. We made a little small talk.
“Can I pick you up around seven tomorrow night?”
I thought about it, “That sounds good to me.”
There was a small pause. “I’m really sorry about last night, Ana. I was really looking forward to spending some time getting to know you.”
I flushed a little. “Me, too. But I do understand how it works in your business.”
“I’ll talk to you later, Anastasia.”
Chapter Fourteen- Ana
Bowie called me the next morning. “Another date, Ana? Aren’t things getting a little serious between you and Lance?”
I blinked away the last bit of sleep, “Good morning, Bowie. How are you?”
Bowie growled. “I’m doing fine.” Another growl, then, “Can I just ask you a question? Why Lance Smythe? Can’t you find anyone else worth dating?”
I groaned loudly, “Gods, Bowie! Could you pick a new topic of conversation? We’ve been over this already. Lance and I went on one date, which you interrupted. Lance asked me out for another date. I said yes. We’re going to go to dinner and a movie. Besides, what difference does it make to you who I date?” Bowie hung up on me.
I was finishing up the wrapping of my family’s gifts when Lance called.
“Hey, gorgeous!”
I smiled, “Hey. How are you?”
He laughed, “Alive. Though I think Bowie would prefer it if I weren’t.”
It was my turn to laugh, “He got a hold of you, huh?”
“Actually they all did. I’ve been warned. ‘Hurt our Ana and we hurt you.’”
I groaned, “I’m sorry, Lance.”
“It’s alright.”
When I hung up from him, I was good and pissed. Brady called me, but I refused to answer my phone. Then came calls from Bowie, Colin and Callum. When I didn’t answer those, they called in the big gun…Mama.
“Baby girl? Is there a reason you aren’t answering your phone? The boys have called the house because they are worried. They say you don’t answer when they call.”
“I’m mad at them, Mama. They threatened Lance. We’re friends, Mama.”
Mama chuckled, “They love you, kitten, but I understand why you’re mad. We’ll let them stew for a while.” She sat down on my bed. “Tell me about Lance.”
I smiled, “You know Lance, Mama.”
“I know the boy who used to tease my girl. Tell me about the man who has gotten your attention.”
I talked to Mama about the conversations Lance and I had had on the phone. I told her about our one and only date.
She stood up to leave, “I will tell them I spoke to you, but that is it. Tell Lance I expect him to stay for dinner when he picks you up.”
“Thank you, Mama.”
I called Lance to tell him of Mama’s request. He was a little nervous about having dinner with all of the boys, but I reassured him it would be fine. I mean, how many of them would actually show up?
I had a hard time getting through the day. Dating was always fun, but to be dating someone who knew me and what set me apart from other girls was thrilling. And I got to do it in the one place where I didn’t have to hide what I was or what I believed. The place where they accepted me for who I am.
Lance knocked on the door at six on the dot. I was finishing getting dressed when Papa called up the stairs to let me know Lance had arrived. I crossed my fingers and hoped the boys would all be working late tonight.
Papa had always said, “You can wish in one hand and shit in the other, then see which one fills up first.”
Poor Lance. I looked out my bedroom window to find the sheriff’s truck was sitting in the driveway. In front of that was Brady’s truck, then Callum’s car with Colin’s truck at the garage.
“Oh shit!” I flew down the stairs. Lance had pulled his truck up beside Bowie’s. When I reached the bottom step, poor Lance was standing in the living room, looking completely out of his comfort zone. The boys were all sitting there, watching him.
“Lance,” I called out. He smiled at me. I walked over to him and grabbed his shirt collar to kiss him. Lance relaxed into me and slid his hands around my waist. I held him tight. He held me tighter. His tongue dipped into my mouth as his hand gripped the hair at the back of my head. He groaned before pulling away from me.
“You’re trying to get me killed,” he whispered through clenched teeth.
“Nope, just letting them know that they can’t intimidate us,” I said.
Papa looked me over, “You look nice.”
I took Lance by the hand and led him into the kitchen.
“Don’t you look pretty tonight?” Mama said, hugging me to her. Then, she turned to hug Lance. “You look quite dashing tonight, too, deputy. You two are staying for dinner, aren’t you?”
Lance smiled broadly, “Of course, thank you.”
Across the kitchen stood the boys, glaring at Lance. I tightened my hold on his waist almost challenging them to start something. Colin started toward me with a look of apology in his brown eyes, but I shook my head at him. I was still pissed at them, thinking they could intimidate Lance that way. I let Lance have my seat next to Mama while I sat between him and Brady. Unfortunately, Lance had to sit across from Bowie, who kept glowering at us. Papa and Mama kept the conversation going through dinner. No sooner had we finished eating, Bowie got up to leave.
“Mama, dinner was wonderful as usual, but I’ve got to get back to work. I’m down a man tonight,” he added accusingly while glaring at Lance.
Lance just smiled and shook his head at the pettiness.
Bowie kissed Mama’s cheek, then walked back to where I was sitting and kissed the top of my head. “Have fun tonight, kitten.”
The other three followed close behind him. The sheriff and his posse.
After I helped Mama clean up the kitchen, Lance and I took off for the rest of our date.
We got into his truck and started toward town, “I think Bowie has feelings for you and I don’t mean the brotherly-type either,” Lance said.
I looked at him, dumbfounded. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Lance pulled the truck over and turned to face me, “I watched him during dinner and the looks he kept giving you didn’t have a brotherly feel to them. It was more like he was watching his lover rub his snout in the fact that she was seeing a new guy.”
I started laughing. “Oh, please!” I looked at him in disbelief.
Lance took my face in his ice cold hands and kissed m
e. I mean, really kissed me. His tongue danced lightly with mine. When he pulled back, he asked, “Does your cat like you kissing me?”
“She doesn’t mind it. But I like kissing you. The woman really likes kissing you.”
He pressed his lips to mine. “And I really like kissing you, but my dragon is a lot like your cat. He’ll tolerate it, but that’s as far as it goes.”
I was stunned. “So now what?” I asked.
Lance shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know. I guess maybe friends are all we can be.”
“Do friends still get to hang out on occasion?”
Lance laughed, “Of course.”
For tonight, the mood was ruined so we decided to skip the movie and went back to the woods at home instead. Snow covered the ground, but the smell of earth was still there. The earth smelled sweetest here, in my own little piece of heaven. It soothed my soul. My pride was hurt a little bit that Lance’s dragon didn’t desire me like the man did, but I could cope with it. We walked hand in hand for quite a while, in complete silence. I was lost in thought as we emerged from the woods. Lance released my hand and let me walk deep in thought. It was only as the snowball connected with the back of head that I realized that I was under attack.
Colin and Callum had been lying in wait for us when we left the forest cover. Lance was attacking the twins as best as he could, but they had been packing snowballs for the entire time we’d been walking. I attacked with reckless abandon. I pounced on the nearest twin which turned out to be Callum. I sat on him and rubbed snow in his face while he struggled to get up, laughing. Colin came to his brother’s rescue with Lance hot on his heels. Breathless, I surrendered as a handful of snow was stuffed down inside my jacket. No one would admit to who did it, though I suspected Lance had done it. We stopped playing and went into the house where Mama would be sure to have some hot cocoa waiting for us. Callum put his arm around me as we walked.
“I’m sorry, Annie, but none of us want to see you get hurt.”
I slugged him…hard. “I know and I love you all, but you have got to back off and let me live my life. I’m grown up, you know.”
He replied by hugging me tighter to him.
Mama sent the twins to change their clothes. I managed to get a quick hot shower to warm up before changing into my flannel pajama pants and sweatshirt. Lance was sitting at the kitchen table, wearing some of Brady’s clothes and sipping cocoa with Mama. I could smell the freshly frosted sugar cookies as I came down the stairs. My mouth was watering when I stepped into the kitchen. We shared a plate of cookies and a pot of hot cocoa, picking on each other the whole time. Lance finished his cocoa and got up to leave.
“Thank you, Mrs. Golden. Dinner was delicious. You’ll have to give Ma your cookie recipe though. I only get cookies this good when there is some sort of community celebration.”
Mama hugged Lance and tucked a recipe card in his shirt pocket. Handing him a plate of cookies, she said, “Wish your family a happy holiday from us, okay? Tell your mom that I’ll try to get to the Community Center early to help her decorate.”
I stood to walk Lance to the door. We stepped out on the porch and I closed the door behind us.
“I wish we could be more than friends, Ana, because I love hanging out with you. But I’m not going to be treading on Bowie’s territory. He’s the alpha dragon around here and he knows it.”
When I opened my mouth to protest, he said, “If I’m misreading the signals he’s sending out then we’ll give a romance another shot, but I’m not going to even attempt to take what he believes is rightfully his.”
I looked at Lance, my green eyes spitting fire, “I’m not a piece of property, Lance. I’m a woman who deserves to kiss whomever I wish.”
Lance kissed my forehead, “Yes, you most certainly do, but I don’t like waiting in line behind the dragon who usually gets what he wants. And that’s what Bowie would have me do. Wait my turn.”
My heart broke a little as Lance climbed into his truck to leave. I stepped back into the warmth of the house.
“So, my baby isn’t good enough for him?” Mama asked with a hint of anger in her voice.
“It’s not that. He thinks Bowie has feelings for me and Lance doesn’t want to step on Bowie’s toes.”
Mama looked at me, “And how do you feel about that?”
I shrugged because it was better to not put my feelings or thoughts into words for now. I was pissed off, but I’m not sure which part I was more pissed off about. Was it because Bowie acted like a dog marking his territory when Lance was around, or was it because Lance didn’t desire me enough to fight for me? I was having a hard time believing that Bowie wanted me for himself. Especially after the way he’d been acting lately. I was pretty sure Bowie didn’t even like me anymore.
****
Lorelai watched the daughter of her heart walk away. Her heart ached for the child she had loved for years. Nothing would make her happier than Anastasia and Bowie finding their way to loving one another. Ana’s mother had predicted it years ago, but Lorelai had laughed it off. She had noticed Bowie watching Ana with a man’s eyes. She had figured the day would come where Bowie and Ana would fall in love eventually, but she hadn’t given a thought to them falling in love with each other. Now, she was left hoping that Bowie wouldn’t do something so stupid that it would break this family apart.
Chapter Fifteen- Bowie
Lance stopped into the office as I was finishing up some paperwork. “I give up, Bowie. I’m done fighting with you and your brothers,” he said.
I set my pen down and looked at the young deputy. “Good. Do you care to elaborate?” I leaned back in my chair and crossed my ankles.
“Anastasia. I saw the way you watched her all through dinner tonight. The look on your face explained a lot of what has been going on since she and I struck up a relationship. So, we talked about it tonight. Ana and I are friends. That’s it. She’s all yours. But, dammit, Bowie, you better do right by her.”
I was speechless. I thought I’d been keeping my feelings a little more hidden than that, but maybe I wasn’t as good as I thought I was. I was more than amused at the threat he’s issued and the loyalty Ana inspired in the young deputy. The office door slammed closed behind Lance, hard enough to rattle the windows, and I sat in my chair thinking on this new development.
The following morning, I was drinking my first cup of coffee and still sitting, thinking about Ana when my cell phone ringing shocked me out of my thoughts.
“Cedar River Sheriff Department,” I answered. It was the DNR office. They’d found a mutilated carcass and thought maybe it had something to do with the poachers we’d been tracking through our forest. I grabbed my hat and coat, leaving any thoughts of Ana behind as I slipped into officer mode.
I arrived on the scene to find a female black bear with her paws missing. My first thought was that I was glad it wasn’t one of the shifters from the community. It was a gruesome scene. Blood had frozen in the snow and on the body. The DNR officers were recording their findings.
“Sheriff Golden,” the older officer said as I crouched down to take a closer look. “Her canine teeth are gone. Her paws are gone and it looks like her gall bladder was taken, too.”
I ran my hands over her fur. “Any sign of a camp?” I asked.
“No, sir. What we have figured is that while she was hibernating in her den, they went in and shot her, dragged her out and mutilated her.”
I stood up and stretched. “They’ve been watching her for a while then.” Both officers nodded in agreement.
“This is got to stop,” I said.
“If you have any ideas, please speak up, Sheriff. We can’t establish a pattern. These assholes are baffling us. Concerning this mess here, do you know of any family who may need the meat this time of year? It’s a fresh kill.”
I thought on it for a bit, “You know what? I do know of a family who is struggling right now. The husband just lost his job. Help me load her into my truck and
I’ll take it to them.” The three of us loaded the carcass and parted ways.
Disgust just couldn’t begin to explain my feelings. Humans can be so cruel. They are willing to destroy a life for their own personal gain. It doesn’t really surprise me. I’ve seen the awful things that humans do to one another over something as silly as a football game or a woman. Or to a child because the parent’s life didn’t turn out the way they wanted it to. Life just wasn’t as precious to some of them as it was to others. To some of them, an animal is just that…an animal. So few humans had any respect for the creatures of the world.
I dropped the bear carcass off to a wolf family who had fallen on hard times. Mike was happy to have some fresh meat for his family.
“Thank you, Sheriff.”
“Do you need any help cutting it up?”
“Nah, we can get it.” I shook his hand and wished him a happy holiday. I finished up at the station early. Then, I headed to the one place I should have avoided…home.
The smell of Mama’s roast beef drifted through the door when I stepped inside. There was the underlying smell of peach pie there, too. But, better yet, was the smell of green forest and running water that hit me full on. I turned to hang up my coat and hat. There Ana sat, curled up with a book, her hair pulled up on top of her head with a pair of fluffy cat slippers on her feet. Those goofy slippers had been a joke from the twins last Christmas and she loved them. Slowly, she lifted those green eyes to look at me. There was a look of confusion and uncertainty on her face.
“Hey, kitten,” I said.
She just kept studying me in that cat-like way she had. I chuckled as I walked into the kitchen. I snuck up behind Mama and hugged her tight.
“Wha-? Bowie!” Mama said as she swatted at me, smiling broadly. “You here for dinner?”
I kissed my mom’s cheek. “Of course. Where’s Papa?” I asked, pulling out a chair and sitting down.
“He is out shopping for his family.” My mouth fell open.
Keeper of the Golden Dragon's Heart (The Cedar River Series) Page 6
