Page 10 of Country and Clove
Yeah, that’s what it was. Aaron had to run off for an emergency and couldn’t wake her. Her inner animal growled, pointing out just how stupid that story sounded.
A buzzing sounded from somewhere nearby. Clove sighed, getting to her feet and hunting down her cellphone. The number of text messages and missed calls made her cringe. Aria was going to kill her for disappearing from the party. Or maybe she hadn’t even noticed. Aria had been a little preoccupied with Lark’s tongue down her throat the last time Clove saw her.
“Gigi not Ginger” was the most frequently missed call. Ginger had put it in there to dissuade Clove from calling her by her true name. Everyone else knew her by Gigi, but Clove always preferred it the other way. Ginger called again and Clove picked up.
“You’re alive,” Ginger said, her tone boasting more than a little irritation.
“Yeah sorry. My phone died and I passed out.” Guilt hooked into her throat as the lie passed through. Clove didn’t like lying to her twin but she was not ready to talk about what happened last night.
“Do you have time to meet me before your shift starts? I need to talk to you about something.” Ginger sounded anxious.
“Of course. Is everything all right? I can meet you in the parking lot a few minutes early.” Clove’s pulse quickened. She didn’t like the uneasy feeling rippling through her.
“You’re the best. Everything’s fine, I promise. See you then!” Ginger was giggling as she hung up.
Clove dressed in a hurry and jogged back through the woods. She only had two hours before her shift started. That was hardly enough time to find her way back home, shower, get to the restaurant, and meet Gigi early. She sighed, picking up her pace and doing her best to push Aaron from her thoughts. She would have to deal with that later.
CHAPTER6
Clove made it to The Coop early by the skin of her teeth. Ginger jumped out of her blue Volkswagen Beetle as soon as she pulled into the lot. Clove’s twin senses were tingling as a man stepped out of the passenger seat. Ginger grabbed him by the hand, dragging him over. Clove had barely stepped out of the car when Ginger threw herself forward, embracing her twin in a tight hug.
“Woah.” Clove laughed in surprise. “What’s going on?”
Gigi looked ready to burst as she spoke. “Clove, I want you to meet my fated mate.” The world slowed as Gigi’s words sank in. Clove’s tongue felt thick when she finally spoke.
“Your fated mate?” She looked the blond-haired stranger up and down. Ginger giggled and squeezed his hand.
“Yep! This is Hunter. Hunter, meet my twin, Clove.” Ginger’s mate smiled down at Clove. He was very handsome, with tan skin, golden eyes, and hair the color of sunshine.
“Nice to meet you, Clove. Gigi’s told me all about you.” His voice was deep and casual.
“Has she?” Irritation trumped the excitement she felt for her sister. “I wish I could say the same.”
Guilt colored Ginger’s features. “Don’t be like that. It was all very sudden.” Ginger went on to tell her about the double date with Dane and Aria. Apparently Ginger and Hunter had both felt something but it hadn’t been solidified until Dane left to walk Aria home and the two were alone. “It was complicated.” Ginger grimaced. “I was dating Dane and Hunter is one of Dane’s best friends. Plus Hunter lived in California. He was only visiting for the weekend.” Hunter rubbed Ginger’s hand and gazed down at her. “But when we told Dane we were mates, he completely understood. He really is such a great guy. And now Hunter is moving here to join the Ulric pack!”
“We got Gideon’s stamp of approval today,” Hunter confirmed. He bent down to kiss her and a pang of envy stabbed through Clove.
Ginger had always been the more bubbly and outgoing of the two. She had strawberry-blonde hair and a smile that lit up everyone’s day. Clove was often moodier and very private, and thus lived perpetually in her twin’s shadow. Clove had chosen to dye her strawberry-blonde locks jet black with blue stripes in the front. It made her feel like an individual. Like she could be her own person, separate from her twin.
Of course the two still shared identical faces and the same unusual eyes. One green, one gold. She managed a smile, albeit a soft one. She was happy for her, really. Her twin couldn’t possibly know the pain having a mate would cause Clove. How could she? Clove hadn’t told anyone about what happened with Aaron. Not that he was her mate, and not that he’d left her alone in the woods.
Clove stopped her musings when she realized both Gigi and Hunter were staring down at her with concern.
“Is everything okay?” Ginger chewed her lip nervously. Clove pasted on a bigger smile.
“Of course! This is the best news. Congratulations.” She embraced Ginger first, and then Hunter. “Welcome to the family. Dad is going to flip.”
“I know,” Ginger squealed. “We’re meeting him for dinner tonight to tell him the news. You should come.”
Clove’s stomach dove. “Thanks for the offer but you should really do this just the two of you.”
Ginger studied her curiously. “You’re sure everything’s okay?”
“Fine! Really. Congratulations, you two. Finding a mate is special and rare. I’m really happy for you.” It was true. She was happy for her sister. But the pain and confusion from her own mate burned a crater in her heart. She needed to find him, to clear things up and prove to herself that everything was fine. Maybe there was a good explanation for his absence. “I’ve gotta get to work.”
The scent of pancakes, scrambled eggs, and fresh coffee met Clove at the door. Her mother and father had opened The Coop years ago. It had grown along with the community and quickly became everyone’s favorite spot for home-cooking and comfort food. She and Ginger had worked there since they were kids. She had fond memories of doing homework in the back corner booth while her parents took on the storm of the dinner rush. Back then Earl had run the kitchen and Annie had taken care of the rest. She was the host, waitress, cashier, everything. No matter how crazy or busy the restaurant got, her mom handled it with grace and ease. Her smile had been effortless and warm. Perhaps it had something to do with her Chosen abilities.
Clove was never quite sure. People were drawn to her mother the same way they were drawn to Ginger now. Clove hadn’t inherited the same elegance and charm. She would much rather sit at home with her nose buried in a book, or spend her hours at the ranch working with the animals and daydreaming beneath the stars. Small talk was an insufferable art that had taken Clove years to understand, and still hadn’t refined.
