Page 18 of Flare
“Emily, you’re a sight for sore eyes,” he greeted her, handing her a mug.“Maggie told us on the phone about what happened to your mama. My sincere condolences, darlin’. She was a lady with a mighty big heart.”
After he finished serving Maggie and her dad, he took the last mug and seated himself at his wife’s side.
Mrs. Swanson nodded.“I’m so very sorry for your loss, Emily. I remember your mom from PTA meetings and church, and she was always so thoughtful and eager to help when she saw anyone in need.”
“Thank you,” Emily said, touched by their sympathy.“It—it doesn’t feel real yet, you know? Like, the phone rings, and I keep expecting her name to pop up on the Caller ID.”
“After my first husband died, it took at least a year before I stopped rushing to the door every time I heard someone drive up to the house,” Mrs. Swanson said, her expression filled with sympathy.
“Same here,” Justin added.“My first wife died in a plane crash while on a business trip. It took a while before I stopped hopin’ for that phone call telling me it was all some horrible mistake and she was actually on her way home to Cassie and me.”
“Does it ever get better?” Emily asked, feeling a renewed wave of grief roll over her.
Mrs. Swanson and Justin exchanged looks.“Not gonna lie to you, darlin’,” Justin said.“It never completely goes away. It just gets a little less intense with every year that passes.”
Mrs. Swanson nodded.
“Oh.” Emily stared down at the floating marshmallows slowly dissolving into her cocoa.
“So, tell me about what happened with Andrew Brunborn and his family,” Mrs. Swanson commanded after a moment.“Maggie told me he was your boss. And you were also engaged to him?”
She leaned forward, elbows on her fuzzy-robed knees, her brown eyes suddenly piercing. Maggie’s dad also straightened in his armchair, apparently on high alert.
What do they know about Andrew?
She wondered if Maggie had downplayed his past behavior when they talked earlier.
Emily took a deep breath.“It all started going wrong after Andrew brought me to his family’s Christmas dinner, and introduced me as his fiancée…” she began.
She told them everything that had happened in the past couple of days… except the part about Andrew’s strange transformation.
The more time passed, the less Emily was convinced it had just been a hallucination. Because if the shapeshifting wasn’t real, then none of the other things had happened, either.
And the contents of her cloud drive said otherwise.
But she didn’t want Maggie’s family to think she was crazy, either.
Mrs. Swanson, Justin, Dane, and Maggie all listened intently as Emily talked.
When Emily finished her story, she waited tensely for their reactions. Would Maggie’s dad and grandmother think Emily was bringing trouble to their ranch?
“The Brunborns have been a problem for years now,” Mrs. Swanson said, her normally warm voice flat and cold. She suddenly looked…scary.“We know they’re criminals, but no one’s been able to actually prove anything. Butthis—” She shook her head.“Gage and his boss will want to see those files.”
Emily wondered if she was talking about Gage Tringstad. He’d been the town’s resident Fish and Game warden back in her high school days.
Before she could ask, Dane spoke.“If Andrew called Emily his mate, then he won’t let her go this easily,” he rumbled.“Now that we’ve all, uh,seenEmily, we know what we’re dealing with.”
He wore a concerned frown. Mrs. Swanson, Justin, and Maggie all nodded.
Mate.What does that word really mean?It sure seemed to hold some special significance to the people in this room.
“Assuming Andrew is actually stupid enough to trespass on our land.” Mrs. Swanson’s tone was icy enough to raise goosebumps on Emily’s arms.
“I’m so sorry for dragging you all into this!” Emily said, overwhelmed with guilt.“But I didn’t know where else to go.”
“You came toexactlythe right place,” Mrs. Swanson said firmly.“We can protect you from the Brunborns.”
Dane nodded. So did Maggie and Justin. Justin shot Emily a reassuring wink that seemed to say,It’s not as bad as you think.
