Page 142 of Prodigal Son

Her smiled returned. “What’s your full name?”

“Dane Foster.”

“Well, now I’ll always have something of yours, Dane Foster. And you’ll always have something of mine.”

He used a rag to clean his hand and they dressed in silence. Dane watched her slide back into her underclothes and spotted a small stain of blood on her shift. There was also blood on her collar from him feeding from her. He turned to step into his pants and hoped she would have a chance to change before anyone saw her.

“Hey, we have the same birthmark.”

He looked over his shoulder. “Huh?”

“Look.” She turned and lifted the curtain of blonde curls hanging over her shoulders where her bonnet usually covered. At the base of her hairline was a little raspberry mark.

“That’s weird.” He pulled his shirt over his head.

They finished dressing, and Dane watched as Maggie walked back to her house. When she turned at the gate and waved, he smiled and lifted a hand.

Looking back at the mess of the barn, his grin disappeared. He needed help.

After sweeping the mess aside and gathering the broken boards to burn, he walked to Anna and Adam’s. Adam was an incredible carpenter. He’d be able to tell Dane how to fix the loft. He might even offer to help.

When he knocked on the door Gracie opened it. “Dane, where have you been?” She smiled and plucked a piece of straw from his hair then scowled and drew back. “Oh!” She grabbed her temples and glared at him, her mouth gaping in repulsion.

He quickly blocked his thoughts. “Damn it, Gracie, I thought we agreed not to do that!”

“Don’t blame me! You’re broadcasting your filthy thoughts for the entire order to hear!” She shoved past him and stomped off the porch.

“Grace, wait! Is Adam home?”

“Is that all you care about?” She spun and shoved him hard. “I can’t believe you! You don’t even know her.”

“We’re friends, Gracie. It’s not what you think,”

She slammed and pivoted to glare at him. “Oh, no, Dane Foster, it is definitely not what I thought.” She shook her head. “I hope you enjoy your new friend, because our friendship is over.”

“What? Why?”

“You know why!”

“I don’t. It’s been over a year since you figured out how I felt about you. You never showed any interest.”

“So I guess it makes sense to just move on to the next warm and willing body.”

“I tried to kiss you and you slapped me, Grace. You’ve told me in every way possible that you’re not interested in me. You cannot seriously be mad that I was with someone else.”

“I’m not mad.”

“Then jealous.”

She scoffed. “Over you? Doubtful!”

“Then why are you throwing away our entire friendship?”

Her lips pressed shut and her chin jutted out as she looked at him with scorn. “Because I can do better than some half-breed teenage boy who would share his body with any willing body!” With that, she slammed the gate and ran away.

“Oh, yeah? Well, we didn’t just have sex! I had her blood. And it was the best thing I tasted in months!”

Gracie growled and disappeared, running off into the distance.

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