Page 34 of Bait N' Witch

A quick peek revealed his disgruntled expression as, one after the other, he listened to each voice mail. Laughter burbled up from a wicked place inside her. She couldn’t stop the small snigger that escaped.

“Did you say something?”

Rats. With effort she composed her expression into something she hoped was suitably innocent. “Did you leave it on silent accidentally?” Not laughing at his offended expression ended up being harder than she’d thought, or she might’ve kept her mouth shut.

“No,” he snapped.

With a shrug she raised her book again.

“Rowan?” Chloe’s voice preceded her into the room as she tromped down the wooden stairs with all the finesse of a twelve-year-old girl.

“In here,” Rowan called. She set her cup down on the counter.

Chloe appeared in the doorway. “Can I ask you something?”

“What do you need, Chloe?” Grey asked.

Rowan had to give the man props. His question wasn’t brusque or condescending. He truly wanted to help.

“Um. This is something I need Rowan’s help with. Thanks, Dad.”

“Okay.” He said the word slowly, but let it go.

The glance he flicked her way held an emotion she couldn’t quite identify. Trust, if she didn’t know better. Delilah had warned her about Grey’s questions lately. Trust wasn’t something she’d earned with him yet.

Shaking off the worry, and curious anyway, Rowan followed when Chloe beckoned her into the foyer.

“What’s up?”

Chloe checked behind Rowan first. “I started my period,” she whispered, cheeks turning red.

Oh. “Oh.” Rowan mentally winced at her lame response. Time to rally. “Well, welcome to womanhood, sweetie. You’ll find out quickly enough that periods are a pain in the rear, but it’s exciting to start. Now…when I started, I was horribly embarrassed. But my friend Maureen was thrilled. Which one are you?”

Chloe wrinkled her nose. “Embarrassed.”

“Got it. In that case, I’ll save the banner and cake, and no announcements at dinner.” Rowan winked, and Chloe relaxed enough to giggle.

A small glow of pride and happiness sparked in her heart. She’d been helpful in a big moment in Chloe’s life. Suddenly, that glow snuffed out, to be replaced by a bleak thought. She was going to miss this family when the time came to leave. She hadn’t expected to connect with them in such a short span, but she loved Atleigh’s need to be the peacemaker, and Chloe’s shy side, and Lachlyn’s sass.

And Grey who made her feel…

Nothing. Because she couldn’t let herself.

Giving a mental shake of her head, she focused on Chloe. “Okay. Have either of your sisters started?”

Chloe shook her head.

“You don’t have products? Tampons? Pads?”

If anything, the poor girl’s cheeks reddened further, the color climbing down her neck and over her chest. “No.”

Rowan held up her hand. “No problem. We’ll just go to the grocery store in town and get some.”

“Do I have to go, too?” Mortification laced every syllable.

Rowan considered their options. “How about this…we’ll go together, because I want to point out some different options and let you choose. Then you can go wait in the car while I pay for them. Sound good?”

Chloe considered that for a moment. “Okay.”

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