Page 51 of Sheltering Instinct

“Paybacks are hell.” Levi turned to her and popped his brows. “I ate oryx for dinner last night. I thought it was delicious.”

As they finished driving up, that moment, that respite, that oryx-horned pop of a balloon, shifted the dynamic between them.

There was still tension. And Tess still felt deep shame. But this felt tolerable enough that Tess wouldn’t try to hide in her room for the rest of her vacation.

When they climbed from the vehicle, Craig and Iris were waiting for them on the front steps.

“There you are, Tess.” Iris ran forward and gathered her up in a deep hug and didn’t let go for a very long time as she rocked Tess back and forth. “We were so worried for you.” She painted a hand over Tess’s long curls. “But Levi let us know you were okay.” She held Tess out at arm’s length. “And here you are, probably starved.” Drawing Tess with her, Iris turned. “Perfect timing, we’re heading to the veranda for breakfast.”

Craig was next in line to grab Tess into a hug. “You’re good, Tess?”

“Good. And grateful.”

“That’s right.” As they passed into the reception area, Craig reached out and knocked on the wooden door jam. “In all the years we’ve been here, nothing that dramatic has happened to a human. The property? Yes. But up until now, our guests had always been safe.”

Chapter Seventeen

Tess

Enrico, Iniquus, and Tess had joined Iris and Craig at the family table when Gwen swished down the walkway, looking uncharacteristically girly. She’d not just washed but curled her long black hair. Makeup accentuated her eyes. And she was wearing contact lenses instead of her normal geek-girl glasses.

Dressed in the sundress that she schlepped around in her backpack in case she was invited on a date, Gwen had even polished her toenails and pulled on a pair of strappy sandals.

Tess reached back into her memory, trying to remember Gwen ever doing any of these things—let aloneallthese things—before.

Tess stood to give her friend a hug. “What an adventure, huh?”

“I’m so glad it turned out the way it did.” Gwen held their hug, swaying back and forth just like her mother had. And there was the same sweep of a comforting hand down her hair. “I was so grateful when I talked to Levi this morning. You slept? You're good?”

“I am.”

And when they pulled apart, Tess lifted a single brow to tease Gwen for this departure from her norm. Tess knew Gwen would interpret that correctly.

Gwen gave her a hip bump before lifting a bottle of wine in the air. “Here you go, Mom. Tess and I brought you something.” She held the bottle out to her mother.

“Gosh, thanks, sweetheart,” Iris accepted it and turned it to inspect the label. “You know, as the owner of a winery, I was just sitting here, looking out into the distance, thinking I’d like anice bottle of wine on hand to sip of an evening. If only I had one on hand.”

“Stop, Mom.” Gwen turned to Tess. “That’s Mom’s sarcastic sense of humor. She calls it wry.” Gwen looked at her Mom. “It’ssarcastic. Since you like to taste other regional wines, Tess and I picked this up for you.”

“It’s very nice of you.” Iris kissed Gwen’s cheek. “Thank you. We’ll enjoy tasting it.” She held the bottle out to Craig. “Do you know this vineyard?”

Craig pulled his readers off the neckline of his T-shirt and slipped them on. “I don’t think so, no.” He looked over the top of the rims toward Gwen. “Did you pick it up in Windhoek?”

Gwen batted a hand through the air. “It’s a whole story.”

“The one you promised me about sleeping in a vehicle?” Iris asked. “Let’s have it.”

Craig turned toward the Iniquus men seated at the breakfast table. “I don’t know if you gentlemen have spent time in Africa, but I’ve found Namibia to be the land of storytelling and conversation. I hope you enjoy that about the culture.”

With that, Gwen took the seat across from Levi with her focus turned to her dad as he asked, “How did you girls come across this wine?”

“Tess, why don’t you tell it? I think I’d lace the story with profanity, and Mom doesn’t like that.”

“It’s sunrise,” Iris said. “Perhaps you can save the saltier language for this evening.”

“I think we can share the storytelling.” Tess smiled. “But I can start us off.” She took a sip of water and then put her hands on her lap. “Gwen and I were heading back to Windhoek at the end of a tour to Big Daddy when we happened upon a side adventure. First, you should know that we were in a vehicle with eight other tourists and the driver.”

“Otto.” Gwen sneered.

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