Page 20 of A Shifter Disaster Thanksgiving

“Oh, I didn’t realize that,” she said, smiling. “Well, anyway, the book’s interesting. It’s science fiction. It’s calledStar Wars. Want to read it?”

He shook his head before she could confuse him any further. “No need.”

She set the book down. “Speaking of wars, Quinta mentioned something yesterday about an invasion, something between this village and… Glenstra, is it? What’s that all about?”

Sylvester sighed and sat down near her. “It’s a bit late and I’ve had a long day.”

“I thought you loved stories?”

He smirked at that, but started to explain.

“Most people don’t know this, but Glenstra and Pine Gap used to be one village. It’s hard to believe, considering Glenstra is higher up the mountain. But decades ago, Glenstra was all there was.”

“Let me guess,” she said. “There was some massive earthquake? A landslide, maybe?”

“Something like that. It split the village into two parts. We barely survived, but we began to rebuild, and soon this place became what we now know as Pine Gap. The other part, Glenstra, tried to force us to reunite with them, but we refused. Pine Gap was capable of standing on its own, so why relinquish that?

“But before long before Glenstra declared war Pine Gap and attacked us without warning. Dozens were killed before the war ended, but there could be no lasting peace between the two sides. Over the decades, Glenstra has attacked or threatened to attack Pine Gap several times and we have fought back. But we’ve lost many in battle.” He paused for a moment, then added, “My mother was killed during one of those wars.”

Diane’s eyes widened, then turned misty with remorse. “Oh, God, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay.” He shrugged. “The man who struck her was dead before he hit the ground. I made sure of that.”

She didn’t quite know how to respond to that, so Sylvester decided that was enough explanation for one night and it was time to turn in. He got up and headed to the washroom to bathe. By the time he emerged, clothed from the waist down, his torso still somewhat slick with water, Diane was stretched out on the bed. Sylvester nearly froze on the spot, feeling a slight stirring in his trousers.

She stared back at him, unblinking. Her gaze traveled from his face to his torso, and a flicker of excitement filled his chest. A thought crept into his mind, but he suppressed it, and as he did, another re-emerged.

He frowned as the memory settled into place. “That man we met outside,” he said, “the one I saved…”

She blinked. “You mean Tom?”

Sylvester shrugged. “He said you had a husband. Something happened to him?”

A look of discomfort crossed her face, and he realized he must have touched a nerve. “If you don’t wish to answer, you don’t have to—”

“No, no.” She smiled apologetically. “I don’t mind telling you. My husband, Walter, he was… he was a great guy. Loved me very much. Cared about my happiness. He… he died in a plane crash. One minute, I was kissing him goodbye at the airport and the next thing I knew, I’m was hearing the terrible news on my television screen.”

Sylvester had no idea what an airport or a television was, but he recognized the grief in her tone of voice. “I… I am sorry for your loss. That must have been tough for you. I know what it feels like to lose someone you love. It… guts you.”

She nodded, then shrugged. “Yeah, well, it was several years ago. I’ve tried to move on.” A smile teased her lips as she looked at him. “I’ve even dated a little bit.”

“And now,” he added, “you have a husband again.”

Hearing that, she chuckled. “I don’t think demanding that I marry you automatically makes you my husband. That’s not how it works back in my world.”

Lifting an eyebrow, he came to sit on the edge of the bed. “Oh? Tell me how it works.”

In the dim lighting, it was hard to see her face clearly, but it looked like she was blushing. “Well, in my world, when you want someone to be your wife, you get down on one knee.”

He snorted. “And then?”

“And then you ask her to be your wife. And wait for an answer.”

“And if she agrees?”

“Then you put a nice little ring on her finger, and you plan a nice wedding.”

Sylvester threw his head back and laughed. When he finally calmed down, still chuckling slightly, she was staring at him with her head cocked to one side.

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