Page 75 of Happenstance
Junior’s eyes met mine.
Well, you’re screwed now, may as well sit the fuck down.
“That’s great, Finn.” I tousled his hair and eyed the pink apron neatly tied around his waist. The Kessler house hadn’t seen this much pink in well… ever.
“You’re just in time for tea,” the little girl sang while waving at the one and only empty chair.
I glared at Mase’s smirk. Why did I get the feeling he’d planned this shit?
“Thanks,” I gave the girl a smile, “But Mase and I have to be going.”
“You heard the girl,” Mase barked back. “It’s tea time. Now sit the fuck down.”
Junior’s dark eyes mocked me.
Told you.
I don’t know how it happened, but I somehow found myself sitting at a tiny pink table with a big goofy fucker and an angry kid. The worst part was, I got a hat too.
The little girl, Mags, I’d learned, walked around pouring us tea while spinning tales of cats and dragons. Unlike her sister, Mags was a fierce little thing. Every time one of us tried to get up, she was on that shit. Harping on us and bringing out the tears. That puffy bottom lip and puppy dog eyes made me crumple quicker than a flimsy piece of tissue paper. The military should harness that shit. That little girl’s pout had the power to topple nations.
Mase and Finn seemed perfectly happy soaking in every word she said. Junior and I, though… I was pretty sure Junior was trying to plot a means of escape as well. So far I’d come up with one. Death. Either mine, or hers. At this point, I didn’t really care which. Hell, I’d jab one of the plastic forks in my own neck if it’d get this floppy straw hat off my head. I could see the gigantic blue flowers dancing in my shadow.
I’d never been so happy to see the sheriff’s name pop up on my phone. I put the phone to my ear and held my finger up, silencing Mags before she could pull me back into her web.
“Hello.”
“Parker,” Derek’s voice came across the line, “There’s been an accident.”
My heart stopped. “Lana?”
“No,” he said, allowing me to breathe again, “Her grandmother.”
That was a little better, but not much. My angel loved her Nan, and she was in no condition to have an emotional breakdown.
“Is she okay?”
Mason perked up at my question, eyes locking on mine as the smile fell off his face.
“The hospital wants to keep her for a couple of days, but she’s fine. Given Lana’s situation, I figured it’d be best if I called you.”
“I appreciate that.”
If anyone understood the instability of pregnant women, it was Derek. Paisley’s due date was last week, she was on bed rest, and Logan was pacing around the house losing his damn mind. Lana’s recently grumpy mood was a delight compared to the shit he had going on.
“What happened?” I asked. I needed to know how bad it was. Besides, my angel would ask questions.
She was an impatient thing and wanted all the answers right away. I told her I wasn’t going to give her any information on the Order. Except for rituals like the bonding ceremony tonight, which she had to be involved in, she didn’t need to know anything. That didn’t stop her. It just made her more crafty. Slipping a question into casual conversation. Half the time, I didn’t realize she’d asked anything until I’d already answered. It was kind of hot, the way she could manipulate me. Probably why I bent her over every time she did it.
“She crashed her car into a tree outside of town,” Derek explained. “A farmer called it in. Do you want me to contact the school?”
“No.” Lana would need me to be there when she found out, and I wasn’t going to let her sit alone until I got there. Even if it would only be five or ten minutes. That was too long for her to be in pain without me to comfort her.
“I’ll tell her,” I said.
Well, Angel, it looks like you get out of school after all.
“One more thing,” Derek chimed in before I could hang up, “The backend of Gretta’s car was riddle with bullet holes.”
