Page 42 of Breathe Again

“It’s already sorted,” Liam assured him.

“I have no doubt, but I’ll feel a lot better getting caught up with everything.” Cole turned to me and pulled me close to him. I smiled as he planted a chaste kiss on my lips. “I’ll find you when we’re done.”

Lily linked her arm through mine as she pulled me away from my mate. “Take your time. Her sisters and I have been dying to get her alone for some girl talk.”

I rolled my eyes, but I let Lily escort me from the room and closed the door behind us. She dragged me down the hall and out the front door, pulling out her cell phone to send a text. By the time she put her phone away we were already to her car and she was holding open the passenger door for me.

Once I was situated in her car, she ran around to the driver’s side and got in. With the car started and in gear, she made a jerky stop and turned to me.

“Do that mind talking thingy with Cole and tell him to tell Thomas that we’ll be at our cabin and not to bother us without permission first.” She gave me a wicked grin. “I think you could use a nice girls’ day. But I swear, I am so jealous of the telepathy thing. Not fair how soon yours came through. I know Thomas will likely despise it, but how cool to just think,Wish I had some ice cream, and then have it magically appear, delivered by your mate.” She squealed. “I cannot wait for that to happen to us!”

I laughed. “I’m not certain but I don’t think that’s quite why we have that particular gift.”

“Oh yes. It’s totally for the ice cream. When God created us, he thought, someday, pregnant shifters everywhere will need this in their life.”

I gasped and turned to stare at her. “Are you telling me. . .?”

She laughed and waved her hand dismissively. “No. Trust me, when I get pregnant, you won’t even have to ask. I’ll be running out telling everyone. And just between you and me, I’m excited with the idea of being a mother and having a family with your brother, but we’re still in a bit of the newlywed stage, if you catch my drift. I’m in no rush to move past it, either.”

“Way too much information, Lil.”

She just shrugged happily as she drove to the cabin she and Thomas shared.

“Just between you and me,” I said, in a much more solemn mood, staring out across the great expanse of fields passing by, “the whole mind talking thingy isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Sometimes you learn things you wish you’d never known.”

I gave her a sad smile thinking of all I’d come to know of my mate in such a short time. She reached over and squeezed my hand.

“I can only imagine how hard that was for you. You know, learning about the dark years of Cole. I’ve only ever gotten glimpses of it. He hides his emotions well, masks them with smiles that never reach his eyes, but I can imagine.”

I nodded, and we rode the rest of the way in silence.

As we pulled up to the house I saw Ruby’s truck and Clara’s car parked out front and sighed. “All of them?”

“Girls day does require girls,” Lily said.

She didn’t know how I put on a mask for my family. She couldn’t possibly understand how I always had to wear one, the perfect sister, the perfect daughter, now the perfect mate, too. It was exhausting, and they really didn’t know who I was. Heck, I wasn’t even sure who I was!

I envied Ruby and her take-no-shit-from-anyone attitude. She was so open about who she was. Take her or leave her. She never seemed to have a care in the world. And Clara, she was strong and confident. She knew exactly what she wanted to do, and she went for it. Heck, even Maddie seemed to have her life together better than I did. But I was the rock, the one they all looked up to, and I didn’t want to do or say anything further to damage the image I’d given them their whole lives, destroyed only momentarily by my scandal over Cole. It was a heavy burden to carry, but it was my responsibility to them.

“Are you okay?” Lily asked when I hesitated to exit the vehicle.

I took a deep breath, planted on my happy-face smile, and nodded. “Let’s go.”

As we walked to the door, Lily rolled her eyes at me. “You don’t have to do that with them, Lizzy.”

“Do what?” I asked, feigning ignorance.

“Put on some show for your sisters. They love you. Just be you,” she encouraged, but I knew that wasn’t a possibility.

“I’m the oldest, Lily. You can’t possibly understand that kind of pressure.”

She looked at me like I had two heads. “Kyle’s the oldest in my family, but do you think that’s ever stopped him from walking around in his boxers and farting as he passed by?”

I gave her a horrified look. I couldn’t imagine ever passing gas in front of anyone like that, or even speaking so candidly about it.

It’s a natural body function, sweetheart. If you have to pass gas, then pass it. I’ll pretend not to notice when it happens if it bothers you that much. Seriously though, you’re broadcasting loud and clear and I’m having trouble focusing on this meeting.Cole said through the bond.

I will do no such thing!I screeched in my head.You’ll never have to pretend because it’s never going to happen! And get out of my head and pay attention to your meeting.

---