~~~
Theo was working on one of the many projects he’d told Mr. Black he’d do for him. It didn’t matter to him that the old buzzard had died before he’d seen the end of his requests. Theo was a man who did what was promised. He’d liked the old man a great deal.
“Theo, you don’t have to do any of his list. I’m just gonna sell this old place as it is.” Theo told Mrs. Black he didn’t mind working on the things Harold wanted done. “Durned old fool left me here all alone. I tell you, when I get to see him on the other side, I’m going to give him a piece of my mind.”
“You do that.” Theo came down off the ladder and put it down on the ground so it couldn’t be used to enter the house. “Have you heard from your children or grandchildren yet? I hadn’t realized you had so many.”
“It’s doubtful they’ll take any more notice of me wanting some help than they did his funeral. Harold told me once that the kids wouldn’t come to see us off on account of there being no money they can get. He was right, I guess.” MaryBeth laughed. “Sure is going to mess up their day when they hear about us not only having money, but more’n they’ll ever see in their lifetimes. Did I tell you my son bought himself a new head of hair? Something about plugs was his reason for not coming to the funeral. I have never heard the likes, have you?”
“No ma’am, I don’t think I have. It’s a shame you have to put up with something like this coming from your own children. The one you were worried about, is he going to make it?” MaryBeth corrected him. “Oh, sorry. Is she going to make it? You said her name was Pembroke, correct?”
“That’s her. She’s had herself a hard time of life lately. Had her locked into one of them sanatoriums or the like. I knew she’d gone into the military when she was just a kid, a grown-up kid. But all the same, I thought her too young to be going away from him.” Harold had told Theo about his youngest granddaughter. She ran away to join the service to get out of the house of her parents. “Do you suppose there is ever a time when a family can come together without tearing each other up with words? I don’t. Just so you know.”
“My family does fine together. But then, as you know, we’re not humans.” Marybeth told him she wished she wasn’t at times. “I think you’d make a very beautiful dragon, ma’am. Right up there alongside of my own mom. She’s beautiful as a dragon.”
“She should be a saint. Raising six boys all about the same age. Some of them tales you told Harold about, he’d tell them to me later. Toward the end, it was all he could talk about was you and your family.” She sat down on the rocker that had been pulled into the yard so she could watch him work. “I sure am gonna miss my old buzzard. He did me wrong by leaving me here to deal with them kids of ours.”
“I’ll be around if you need me.” She eyed him hard. “I will protect you as I would my own mother. Even though she’s scary well equipped to save herself, I’d still be there if she needed me.”
“I know you would be. I just know it.” She looked at the ladder, then at him again. “Are you about done up there acting like a monkey with a hanging toy, young man?”
“I am. And I’m a good deal older than you are.” She cackled when she laughed. “Why don’t you come with me tonight to have a nice supper out? You won’t have to cook, and I would certainly enjoy the company. It’ll be my treat.”
“You thinking of hitting on me, Theo? I’m a might smarter than them girls I see running around places half naked all the time. There be a few of them who have their sights on you to live in your big house. I don’t think they’d care a fig what you are so long as you keep handing out the money and credit cards for them.” He told her he was actually hitting on her. “You poop you. I swear, a woman won’t know her own mind when you come to courting.”
“I’m a romantic at heart. However, if a woman isn’t, I can turn her into a romantic in no time. I have my ways.” The two of them laughed. “You get yourself all gussied up, and I’ll go change. We’ll have a lovely dinner, just the two of us, and talk about your life with Harold.”
“I’d like that. Nobody around wants to hear me talking about him. You do. And I know you aren’t just saying it to be polite. I loved that old man.” Theo told her he had loved him, as well. “All right. I’m going to go and put on the shine. Once I get myself ready, we’ll hit a couple of bars before dinner. What do you say to my idea?”
“Wonderful. It’s a perfect way to end the day.”
When she went into the house, Theo changed. He also told his brother what he was doing so they’d keep an eye on Mrs. Black’s house.
Her children? Is that who she’s been telling you about? Theo told George it was them all right. I’ll be there before you leave. What do you want me to tell her when I get there? She’s not figured out you’re keeping an eye on things for her, has she?
No, I don’t think she has. She does, however, seem to be less tense when I’m here. They’d rob her blind if they could. The son, Patrick, has been driving by the house here a couple of times a day. I’m sure he’s waiting on her to leave so he can get in. George said that was terrible. You have no idea. Someone tried to break into her little shed last night to take her pretty Christmas ornaments. Why on earth would someone want boxes of old ornaments?
George told him some of them were probably worth some cash. These people sound like winners if you ask me. I’ll be over there soon. Have a good night with her. I’ll let you know if he comes back tonight.
Theo was planning on it. The Black family was a family he’d come to love. He didn’t want anything to happen to them if he could help it. When Pembroke came, she’d better watch herself too. Theo would have no problem making sure she understood there would be no harming her grandma, even if he had to burn her to a nice crispy slice of human ash.
Before You Go…
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Kathi Barton, a winner of the Pinnacle Book Achievement award as well as a best-selling author on Amazon and All Romance books, lives in Nashport, Ohio, with her husband, Paul. When not creating new worlds and romance, Kathi and her husband enjoy camping and going to auctions. She can also be seen at county fairs with her husband, who is an artist and potter.
Her muse, a cross between Jimmy Stewart and Hugh Jackman, brings her stories to life for her readers in a way that has them coming back time and again for more. Her favorite genre is paranormal romance, with a great deal of spice. You can visit Kathi online and drop her an email if you’d like. She loves hearing from her fans. [email protected].
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Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Finn: Xavier’s Hatchlings ― Paranormal Dragon Shifter Romance (Xavier's Hatchlings Book 1) Page 17