Page 8 of Hotshot Mogul

Callie came. She looked at my empty wine glass and raised her eyebrows. “I’ll be outside. We should get your stuff from the campsite before it starts to rain.”

When she left us, Bruce poured the last of the wine into my glass. “Campsite? And you’re going to stay with her?”

I picked up my bag and took out some money. “No, sweetheart, my treat, please. So, what’s happening with Callie?”

“Thanks. I will sleep in Callie’s garage, instead of camping.”

He looked angry. Raw energy, like the sky during a lightning storm, arced between us. “Camping? That was your plan for tonight? By yourself?”

I nodded but didn’t smile. Why was he angry?

He tapped his fingers on the table, then looked toward Livvie. “The bill, please.”

He took my hand in both of his. “I’m driving to Silver Lake State Park tomorrow morning. It’s a little over an hour away. They let you drive on the sand dunes. Come with me?”

My oak tree was near the big lake with the fine white sand around it. Grenmann said it was now called Lake Michigan. When I was rooted deep into the earth, I had no desire ever to leave my roots and branches. But I wanted to see the sand and the water while I was stuck in my human body. And I wanted to see them with Bruce. I could take the petition in case humans who lived in Oakdale were there.

Livvie brought a slip of paper. I smiled at Bruce.

“Silver Lake sounds wonderful. Yes, thank you.”

Livvie brushed her hip against Bruce’s arm. “Going to Silver Lake without me?”

“Thanks for everything.” He put a cell phone on the table then left money next to it. Words flashed across the face.

He picked it up and slid out of the booth. “Could you wait for me a minute? I have to call this guy. I want to walk you out. I need to find out where Callie lives so I can pick you up tomorrow. And get your cell number. Could you wait? I’ll be just outside. They need our table. People are waiting.”

I nodded and followed him to the door. He went outside. Livvie stood in my way. When I brushed past her, she stomped her foot on the bottom of my dress. It ripped. “Watch where you’re going,” Livvie hissed.

My anger exploded like a strike of lightning. As I turned toward her, ready to fight, a petite, slender woman with short, dark hair with purple streaks came toward us. She held a cup of steaming liquid. She smiled, but she wouldn’t meet my gaze.

Evil. I sensed evil from her. The hairs on the back of my neck lifted.

“Yeow!” Livvie howled. She turned her fury on the purple-haired woman. “I just poured you that. If that had burned my skin…”

Purple hair hissed like a feral kitty. “That was a waste of delicious cream.” She slipped out the door.

Wait, what? Cream. Fairies loved cream. Purple hair didn’t look me or Livvie in the eye. Fairies wouldn’t meet a human’s gaze. Had she seen Bruce? Did she mean to harm him?

I flew out the door in search of him. Did the fairy touch him? Some fairies were mischievous and sweet. Others were cruel and hateful. Grenmann warned me to watch out for the evil ones. I could see through fairy treachery, but not these clueless humans.

Bruce stood next to his Jeep, talking into his cell phone. Purple hair stood, a couple vehicles away, near Callie, watching Bruce. Callie looked at me, stared at the fairy, then took a step toward her. Purple hair shrunk back. Whoosh. She disappeared.

Bruce put away his phone and came to me. He dropped his hand to the small of my back. The air felt warm and sultry. My body zinged to awareness. More memories of our earlier lives came then. Our mating. Telling him I was with child. Watching the arrow pierce his neck. Noooo! I stumbled.

He drew me close. “Anneliese?”

He was alive and whole—and safe, for now. I pushed away the clouds of panic as Callie walked up. “Callie, Bruce is taking me on the sand dunes tomorrow morning. He needs to know where you live.”

Callie arched her eyebrow. “Three ten Third Street. In Oakdale. Not far from city hall.”

Bruce held my hand as we followed her to her small vehicle crammed full of boxes. “Anneliese’s stuff may not fit in here,” he said. “How about if we follow you?”

“Whatev. She’s been camping in the glade, next to the trees you’re…she’s trying to save, Hotshot. That’s what they call you, right?”

His eyes flashed with anger. “Right. Gotcha. Thanks.”

When I climbed into his Jeep, he saw the tear in my dress. As we started to move, he asked what happened.

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