Caitrìona cracked her head to the side then shook her shoulders before her emerald eyes caught Connie’s with a piercing look that seemed to reach deep inside to her very soul. She sat still, scared to move while the Healer scrutinized her for long moments before she finally broke the silence surrounding them. “You’re not like the other Pack members. I’ve noticed it before and I’m not being mean, Connie, but you don’t use the Pack link, you stay to yourself, and you rarely get involved in any of the Pack festivities.”
Connie bristled before spitting right back. “So? Neither do you . . . go to the Pack stuff that is. Rarely anyway.”
“It’s not a criticism, sweetheart, I’m merely making observations.” Caitrìona held her hands up, palms out. “Anything I say is not meant to upset or hurt you.”
“Okay, well, no, I don’t go to those. I don’t enjoy them and I hate the damn link. It’s an intrusion and I’ve never felt comfortable using it.”
“Yet, you’ll go to Silvers?” Caitrìona pointed out.
“That’s different,” Connie retorted. “It’s not just our Wolves that’s there. There are people from all over, and even some other Shifters and humans sometimes too. I like that.”
“I see,” Caitrìona said quietly.
“Do you?” Connie nibbled her lip because she sure as hell didn’t.
“Don’t bite my head off . . . but have you ever thought of living in town, even for a while?”
Connie’s eyes widened and she was sure they were like saucers but her heart was thudding excitedly in her chest. Living away from the Pack had flitted through her head more than once but that meant so many things . . . like leaving her mom and dad, and getting a job to support herself. Shoot, she’d have to stop being an airhead and do that thing that Cyndi was always going on about . . . be sensible.
“Well?” Caitrìona prodded. “I think you should think about it, Connie. In my humble opinion, I think it would do you good to be away from the Pack and be on your own, be independent. Give it some thought and if you want to talk some more, or need any help, then come find me.”
She focused back on Caitrìona, going so far as to give the woman a smile. “I’ll think about it, and again, thank you for sharing your story and for taking the time to talk to me. I’m very grateful that you did. It looks like I have a lot to think about and some choices to make.”
“You’re welcome,” Caitrìona replied, her eyes clouding for a brief moment. “I’ve not thought of him for a long time . . . no, that’s a lie. He comes to me often when I sleep, so I’ll rephrase that. I’ve not talked about him to anyone and I probably never will again. I’ll give you a piece of advice, Connie, if you ever meet someone and you know he’s the one, then don’t wait, don’t think, just grab him with both hands and make him yours.”
Connie slowly got to her feet, thinking about everything that Caitrìona had said, especially the last part. “If I ever do find Mister Perfect, it’ll be my luck he’s already found his Missus Perfect.”
“I sincerely hope not.” Caitrìona rose, bending to retrieve her basket. “Remember what I said and if you need to talk to me again you know where to find me.”
“Yeah, I do.” Connie turned to leave, but stopped to give the older woman a smile. “If I decide to leave, do you think Chad will be okay with that?”
Caitrìona pursed her lips briefly before she answered, “I think he will. He knows you’re unhappy and I can’t see him standing in your way. If he gives you any trouble then just holler. I can put a case forward about it being best for you. Just let me know if you need my help.”
“Okay, I will, thanks.” Connie stepped forward shyly, grabbing her in a quick hug before turning and rushing away. She’d given her a lot to think about and although it scared her witless, she was giving her suggestion serious thought . . . leaving the Pack. Wow, that was something she would normally speak to Cyndi about but that wasn’t going to happen.
No. This time she’d make up her own mind and stand on her own two feet. If she fell flat on her face then so be it. At least she would’ve tried . . . no. She wasn’t going to fail. If she did this then she’d work her ass off and succeed. Yes, she damn well would.
Connie straightened her back, flicking her hair with a determined hand, and stomped back toward her home.
Chapter Four
It didn’t matter how many times she went over things, Connie knew she couldn’t do this on her own. She needed help and the only people she could ask were her parents. Shoot. She didn’t want to, but if she wanted to move into town then she had to.
They were downstairs and she was aware they were worried about her and she was going to add to that. Connie knew she had to do this, so she swung her legs off her bed and went to join them in the kitchen. Her dad at the head of the table and her mom at his side, both of their heads turning to her when she walked in.
“Hi, darling, you want something to eat?” her mom asked straight away as her dad’s eyes locked with hers.
He knew something was brewing.
“No, Mom, I need to speak to you both.” Connie sat down, fiddling with the hem of her top nervously.
“Sure, what’s up?” her dad asked, all the while his eyes scrutinizing her.
“I know you’re aware I’ve been unhappy and I’m sorry that you’ve been worried about me . . . please don’t interrupt.” She held up a hand as her mother’s mouth opened. She had to get this all out or she’d stutter and make no sense at all. “I don’t want to upset you, so don’t think this has anything to do with either of you, but I’d like to go and live in town and get a job there.”
Her mother’s hand shot to her mouth, a soft sound escaping that was between a sob and a cry while her father just stared at her for a few seconds before he inclined his head. “You’ve thought this through, Connie? Really thought it through? This isn’t some kind of whim?”
Connie shook her head, trying hard not to look at her mom because she knew she’d crack and cry. “I’ve thought it through, Dad. I need a break from everything here and you know I’m not happy. Shit, everyone knows that. I’d like to do this but I need some help. I don’t have enough for a deposit on a place and I can’t get a job until I have a place to stay. It’s a catch twenty-two situation.”
“What will you do?” Her mother finally spoke, her voice high-pitched and laced with tears. “Who’ll feed you? Wash your clothes?”
She looked over at her mom, giving her a shrug. “I’ll do whatever I can, waitressing, working in a shop, anything. As far as looking after myself, I guess I’ll have to learn. It’s about time, don’t you think?”
“Waitressing?” Her mother turned to her dad. “Did you hear that? Our daughter is going to be a waitress.”
Her father nodded, reaching out to snatch one of her mom’s hands to steady it. “I heard and there’s nothing wrong with that. If she works and gets paid then that’s all that matters. Although, I assume you have something else in mind for the future?”
Connie sighed, knowing that question would come. He was her father after all. “Daddy, I just want to get settled first. Once I am, I’ll think about the future. This is kinda huge for me so forgive me if I don’t have everything else planned out just yet.”
“Of course,”—her dad’s free hand snaked out, reaching for her and she willingly took it, her own hand shaking as his strong one clasped hers—“we’ll help you, baby. I just want to know one thing . . . will you allow me to vet the place first? I don’t want you in a run-down slum. Please? For your old man’s peace of mind?”
“Of course, Dad!” She launched herself out of her seat and into his arms as her mom started to cry.
“Our baby’s leaving.”
“We need to go to Chad and ask his permission first, Connie,” her dad mumbled as she smothered him.
“I know.” Connie squealed, happy and excited in equal measures. “But if we have any problems with him, don’t worry, I have a secret weapon in the sidelines.”
B
ut they didn’t need Caitrìona. Or any kind of wheedling for Chad to agree to her leaving the Camp and moving to town. In fact, he offered to help her find a place, well, not him exactly, he called Cody who ran Silvers the Shifter club and asked him to help. And as Cody was a member of the Pack, Connie knew he’d look out for her and it certainly put her mom’s mind at ease that Cody would be helping. Although when he’d offered her a job at Silvers her mom almost had a heart attack.
That wasn’t what Connie wanted either, but if she didn’t find something else then she might have to take him up on the offer. But first things first, she had to go view the apartments he’d set up for her, and that’s where she and her dad were headed right now. She was grateful that he’d managed to talk her mom out of coming because although she loved her to death, she just knew her mother would find fault with every single place they saw. Not that her father wouldn’t, but at least his would be valid, probably.
The first was definitely not for her. It was tiny, dark, and over a pizza parlor with the scents wafting up and into the apartment far too overpowering for her sensitive nose. It did have good points, being central and cheap, but she couldn’t see herself living there, so they were headed over to number two on the list.
As they drove along the main street, Connie realized she felt happier than she had in ages, and looking at the town with fresh eyes, she saw it as a new beginning for her and noticed how clean and well looked after it was. Usually she only came in to go to Silvers, or run a quick errand, and she rarely took the time to see the town itself. Now she did and it looked better than she’d hoped.
“It’s just down here, Con, off Main Street, so you’d be pretty central.” Her dad pointed off to the right. “Looks like a good area too and the rent’s reasonable. We can do the deposit and three months for you, sweetheart, the rest is up to you.”
Her heart stuttered, shoot, she was really doing this. “That’s more than I could ask for, Dad. Thanks so much.”
“You’re welcome. Now, let’s see if it’s any good, huh?”
He pulled off onto a tree lined road that was quiet, with a young woman pushing a stroller and a small dog walking beside her. As they slowed down to check the house numbers, she raised her hand and gave them a smile and a wave, her dad automatically returning the gesture. “Friendly.”
“Yeah.” Connie smiled, concentrating on locating the apartment. “There! Dad, it’s that one.”
“Nice,” her dad commented as they stopped at a large house that had been broken up into separate condos. “Let’s go and see if it’s as nice inside.”
“I hope so.” Connie grinned. “Location is perfect. I wouldn’t need to get a car if I stayed here.”
“No, there is that.” Her father agreed as they got out.
As the letting agent came to meet them Connie stopped in her tracks . . . a divine scent hitting her nostrils and almost flooring her. Her head snapped around in search of the source, her eyes scanning the area, her nose twitching towards Main Street as her Wolf rose inside her to pad around uncontrollably. Shoot, now was not the time for her to misbehave. Not in front of a human.
“Behave!” she chastised her, all the while the delectable aroma assaulted her senses, invading her and settling inside her and causing her stomach to do somersaults and clench with . . . what? She was trying to decide exactly what was going on when her father took hold of her elbow, and pulled her around.
“Connie! Hey, come on, the lady is waiting for us.”
And then it was gone. As fast as it had come the scent dissipated and left her feeling as if she’d lost something important. Sadness settled in her belly as she allowed her dad to tug her away, her eyes darting back again toward Main Street with wonder and thoughts of what the hell had just happened.
Chapter Five
Rocky hurried along the street, late after picking up some new ribbons for decorating a cake he’d been commissioned to do for a Sweet Sixteen. It was ridiculously ostentatious but he would do it because it was also going to cost a pretty penny and he wouldn’t turn down the business.
As he rushed along, over the road that led down Baker Drive he almost tripped over his own feet when something assaulted him. It was as if his entire being was being attacked . . . well not exactly, not by a physical beating, but his senses went haywire and his Lion rose to the fore and roared so loudly that his head spun around because he wasn’t entirely sure that the sound hadn’t ripped free from his throat.
His heart thudded wildly in his chest and he could hear his blood thundering through him, rushing so fast he barely heard the car’s horn when it skidded to a halt, its bumper inches from hitting him as he stood rooted to the spot in the middle of the road. The driver’s wide eyes full of shock as he rolled down his window to ask if he was okay.
“Rocky! Hey, you all right?”
Rocky barely acknowledged him, couldn’t even remember who the hell he was as his nose flared to inhale a scent that had his beast chuffing in his head and his groin reacting embarrassingly. He raised a hand, nodding and forced his feet to move and get himself out of the way of the traffic. His head spinning like a top as he fought to locate the owner of the scent, but he came up empty, his beast now snarling like he’d snatched a kill right out of his paws.
“Shut up.” He’d growled right back, continuing on his way as his brain refused to focus on anything but the scent that almost got him knocked on his ass in the middle of the road.
It was only a short walk to the bakery, his pride and joy, and he fought to remember what he had to do . . . oh yeah. That damn cake. He’d been the third bakery they’d come to after the first two had said they couldn’t possibly do what they’d wanted. Jeez, even he’d balked at the design, but he’d told them he’d give it a shot and if after a day he thought he couldn’t come through he’d let them know so they would have plenty of time to source someone else. Yeah, right. If he couldn’t do it then nobody could. It was large, and had enough bling on it that it should have been on that TV show he’d caught a glimpse of the other night . . . dang, he couldn’t remember the name but it had outrageous girls in wedding dresses with so many crystals and what they called bling on them that they couldn’t even sit in their damn wedding cars. Some of them were kneeling on all fours in the back of their limos.
This cake would be right at home on that show with the amount of ribbons, crystals, and even a flashing decoration on the top. Classy . . . not.
Jilly, his part-timer, had almost choked on her coffee when she’d seen the almost finished product, laughing her head off. “What the hell?” she’d asked.
“Hey, it’s work and I don’t turn that down.” He’d shrugged.
“It’s an . . . an . . . hell, I don’t have a word for it.” She’d shook her head. “What is it exactly?”
“What?” He’d stopped placing more crystals around the bottom, standing to scowl at her and handing over the picture he’d been given. “It’s exactly like they’ve asked. Or don’t you agree?”
She’d looked at the photograph and then the cake, and nodded. “Yes, it is but damn! I’m still not sure what it’s supposed to be. It’s a mish mash of stuff put together.”
“It is.” Rocky sighed. “Apparently their daughter loves that group, so they’re on the bottom. Then she loves her dog, and the cat, and her pony, so they’re in the middle.” He stopped pointing out the animals. “And she also loves shopping . . . so she’s got her designer shoes, bags, and other items here. Her mother made sure that I had all the brands iced on and showing. And, last and most certainly not the damn least, her tiara and all the crystals and that word that’s been the bane of the last few days . . . bling! It’s a damn monstrosity, but it’s what was asked for and that’s what I’ve produced.”
Jilly snorted, her cheeks crimson as she continued to laugh. “It’s the worst thing I’ve ever seen. I mean, it’s so, well, vulgar is one word but there are just so many others.”
“I know.” Rocky agreed.
&nb
sp; Jilly had shrugged, sighing. “There’s only one person who could’ve made that monstrosity though, and that’s you, Rocky. Nobody else could’ve pulled it off.”
“I’m not so sure that’s a compliment.” He’d shook his head sadly.
Now all he had to do was add this last garish ribbon and it was done, thank goodness. He pushed open the door, Jilly looking up and raising an eyebrow as she saw it.
“Dang, that’s . . . bright.”
“It’s the finishing touch.” He sighed. “I can’t wait to get that thing out of my shop.”
“Me too.” Jilly shivered dramatically. “It’s freaking awful.”
“I’m just going to put this on quickly.” He walked past then stopped, warning. “The mother is due any minute, so please, try and be professional.”
“I’m not sure I can . . . I think I’ll take a break.” Jilly grabbed her jacket. “Text me when she’s gone.”
“Sure,” Rocky replied, frowning. “But this is coming out of your lunch hour.”
“Yeah,” Jilly shot back. “That’s cool, I just can’t, I mean, I really just can’t.”
He didn’t blame her. It was going to take all his self-control, but he’d do his best to remain professional. It was his business after all.
Rocky took his time placing the garish ribbon around the top of the gaudy creation and checked that everything was as it was supposed to be before returning to the front of the store to wait on the customer and his mind kept going back to earlier and the fact that he’d almost been knocked on his ass by a car while his senses were overtaken by . . . what? He had no dang clue. The only thing he did know was that the aroma had him and his beast off kilter with no idea why and that wasn’t like him. Not one bit. He kept to himself, with a strict control over his beast, and only ever allowed himself to let loose on rare occasions, and only then when he was far enough away from any Pack land so as not to cause offense to the Wolves inhabiting the areas.
Paranormal Dating Agency_Heavenly Scents Page 2
