Page 15 of Shifter For Hire (For Hire 2)

“What unusual theories? And what were you researching that would involve him?” Lachelle didn’t mean to get mad or jealous. Her confidence was usually off the charts, but she loved Skip, and she didn’t like hearing he’d known her older sister. For that matter, why didn’t he mention it? Why didn’t Janessa? “Just what are you getting at, Nessa? Are you telling me you and Skip were lovers?”

“Ew, no! I’ve loved Declan forever, and I already loved him before I ever met Skip. Alright, look, I’m going to tell you, but just keep it to yourself okay?”

“I’m not guaranteeing that.”

“You’re so stubborn.”

“You better talk to me, Nessa. If I have to find you, trust and believe I will.”

“Girl, please. I’m not scared of you.” The baby cried in the background. Janessa had to soothe him before she continued. “Skip wrote about a race of people nobody knows about.”

“A race? Like white people?”

Janessa laughed.

“Black people?”

“Would you hush so I can tell you?”

“Go ahead.”

“He wrote about a race of shape shifters.”

Lachelle blinked. She waited for the laugh or the punch line or something. Then it clicked. “Oh, you’re saying he was doing fiction before his human interest pieces and scandals and what not?”

“No, as far as I know he never wrote fiction.”

“Shape shifters is fiction.”

A sound outside her apartment caught her attention. Deep voices alerted her that the guys were back, and she cupped a hand around the phone and lowered her voice.

“Dang it, Nessa. I’m going to have to call you later. I want to hear more about this shape shifter stuff. Either you have gone crazy, or you have the wrong Skip Hunter.”

“Okay, call me later. And don’t tell him I said anything. Keep it to yourself, and be careful. I’ll try to find the website where he uploaded the story he wrote so you can see for yourself. I’m just saying, it’s suspicious that he didn’t tell you about meeting me before.”

“I can say the same about you, but you’re my sis. Alright, I’ll talk to you later.”

She disconnected the call as Skip walked in holding a platter of burgers, hot dogs, and corn wrapped in aluminum foil. Gerard trailed behind him, still holding the full bottle of beer.

“Who was that?” Skip asked.

She hesitated. “Nessa. She was checking in.”

Skip perked up a bit. “Are you going to visit her? I’ll tag along.”

What was his deal with her sister? Did he have a crush on her and Janessa was never interested? Lachelle was prepared to dismiss the crazy info her sister had shared but not in the face of Skip’s weirdness. Now that she thought about it, as soon as she mentioned her new boyfriend to Janessa, her sister had started pushing for Lachelle to be sure he was right for her. She’d put it down to big sister worry. Well, she was going to find out for sure about their background.

Not to mention why would Nessa even contact him based on some convoluted shape shifter story? Boredom?

“No, I’m not visiting her any time soon. She’s busy with the baby and off visiting her man’s family.”

Skip set the tray on the dining room table and helped himself to a plate from the stack. “But the wedding is soon, right? I mean they put it off all this time. Most people would have gotten married before the baby arrived.”

“Don’t ask me to explain their logic.” She held a plate toward Gerard. “Aren’t you going to drink that beer?”

He looked at the bottle like he didn’t know what it was for. “I don’t drink.”

“Then why did you accept it, crazy?”

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