by Tl Reeve
The normally stoic deputy took off, running to meet her mother halfway. Sage caught her mom the second she stepped over the bridge, and they hugged for several long moments.
Keeley nudged Danielle with her elbow, getting her attention. “That’s how a mother should act.”
Her sister was right, no doubt about it, and since neither of them had a good relationship with their mother, sometimes it was a slap in the face when they saw true love and affection between a mother and child. Danielle placed her hand on her sister’s shoulder, knowing Keeley often worried about treating her children the same way they were treated by their parents. She gave her younger sister a comforting squeeze and assured her.
“You’re not like mom, Keeley. You love your babies and will never show them the disdain she showed us. If you ever do, I’ll kick you in the ass,” Danielle promised.
Keeley nodded, yet she still felt waves of sadness rolling off her sister. It made her heart ache in discomfort.
“Mom, these are the ladies I’ve been telling you about,” Sage said.
Danielle blinked, not realizing she had zoned out, then smiled.
“This is Danielle, Dani Blueriver, and her sister Keeley Blueriver, or is it Raferty?”
“Doesn’t matter,” Keeley said, some of her exuberance of meeting Sage’s mom coming back. “Just call me Keeley or Kee. I answer to both.”
“This is my mom, Eloise Abbott,” Sage said.
The older woman held her hand out, first to Keeley. “You have a fascinating aura. I’ve never seen such colors. They’re only surpassed by the woman standing next to you. You two.” Mrs. Abbott gestured between them. “Must be related.”
“We are,” Danielle spoke up because Keeley’s mouth hung open in awe. “Ignore my sister, Mrs. Abbott. I think she’s having a fangirl moment.”
Mrs. Abbott giggled. “No one calls me Mrs. Abbott. It’s Eloise.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Keeley said.
The older woman’s face curled in disgust. “And never, ever ma’am. That’s for old people, and I’m not old.”
“Yes. Ma—I mean, Eloise,” Keeley answered.
“Good girl. So, you two are related?”
“Yes,” Danielle said. “Sisters.”
“I knew it!” Eloise Abbott gazed at them for a long moment. “Fascinating.”
“Can you tell us?” Keeley pestered.
“Of course. You have a huge orange presence. Although Keeley’s is around her entire body. Dani, it’s just around your hand and chest. Orange is a sign of power with an ability or desire to control people. Danielle, you have a lot of green. I’ve actually never seen this much green in my entire life. It’s around your whole body. People with green auras are considered natural healers.”
“Like that’s a big surprise,” Keeley whispered.
“I also see turquoise, although Keeley’s far outshines yours, Danielle,” Eloise said. “It means a highly energized personality capable of projection and with the ability to influence others.” The older woman smiled. “We’re going to have some fun together. I can just tell.”
“Mom, Keeley’s fiancé is the Sheriff of the County and my boss. He’s a protective bad ass, to say the least,” Sage reminded her mother, her voice soft and filled with love.
Eloise cocked her head to the side, observing both before she looked at Keeley. “Ah so you’re mated to Kalkin and you, ooh, my sweet girl, you’re mated to Caden.”
How the hell does she know this? Keeley’s voice echoed in her head. It was her exact same sentiments.
“I knew them when Russell Martin was the Alpha,” Eloise remarked. “Such a good, strong man. I was sorry to hear about his passing. Is Pauline is still living here?”
Keeley nudged her again.
“Ahh…yeah she is.” Danielle looked more closely at Sage now. “She owns a shop in town.”
“Not surprised. She always loved the town. If Mr. Martin was the heart, Pauline was always the soul of the pack.” Eloise reached out, touching Keeley’s arm. “You remind me of her.”
The piddling of doubt at Keeley’s words earlier started to shift and change. What was once impossible, or so she thought, could now be possible. Danielle was dying to ask when Eloise last resided in Apache County, but suddenly, she’d been deathly afraid. Caden had asked her to keep his daughter’s existence hidden. Protected. Knowing could possibly bring her into play.
Keeley, never really the shy one, finally asked after an uncomfortable silence. “When did you live here?”
“Over thirty years ago. I wasn’t here very long. I went off for bigger and better things. I doubt many people even remember me,” Eloise stated.
Danielle felt there was more to the story, and although she wanted to hear more, it didn’t feel right.
Don’t ask her. Danielle warned her sister through their link.
Why? Keeley responded.
It’s not time.
“Listen, girls, as much as I love chatting about auras and reminiscing about old times, my big ol’ derrière.” Eloise smacked her right hip to emphasize her point. “Has been confined about four hours too long in my pleasure wagon. I’m in urgent need of a little girl’s room and someone, anyone, needs to get me a cold one.”
Her gaze kept darting between the older woman and Sage, looking for any hint of similarity between mother and child. Danielle couldn’t find a single feature they shared.
“Oh,” Keeley said. “How rude of me.”
Danielle wanted to smile. Her baby sister slipped into the Alpha female role like it was an old pair of comfy shoes.
“Follow me.” Keeley motioned to Eloise. “I’ll show you to the bathroom and get you something cold to drink.”
“As long as it’s a beer, sugar, I’m happy as a clam.” Eloise followed Keeley into her house.
“She’s a hoot,” Danielle said to Sage.
“She’s tired. Wait till she gets her second wind. I know you noticed the wall of smoke when she got out of her car.” The young deputy kept ever watchful eye on the property.
Danielle nodded. “Four and a half hours will knock the wind out of a person’s sails. Keeley and I have done it a few times—drove straight through.”
Sage gave a solemn nod. “She’s been known from time to time to partake of the wacky weed.”
Danielle smiled. “It might be a problem with her being around the kids and let’s not forget who your boss is. The brothers, they get a sniff of her or her car, they might require a drug test.”
“I’ll talk to her, promise,” Sage rushed to assure her. “She’s got two weeks to clean up her act. She’ll be fine. She’s all about the kids and would never do a thing to hurt them or risk them. I know her.”
“Speaking of the devil.” Just then, two sheriff’s vehicles rumbled down the dirt lane towards Keeley’s house. Danielle had no doubt who was in them. Kalkin pulled into his usual spot, followed by Caden.
“Whose car is at the house?” Caden approached her with a stern expression on his face after getting out of the vehicle.
“I’m fine too, mate, thanks for asking,” Danielle chastised him.
“Jesus, pumpkin, I’m sorry,” Caden said.
The fear she saw in his eyes and expression made her feel like crap. Her poor mate was on a tight wire, dealing with a bombed Sheriff’s office and the ensuing investigation, which they were being left out of for legal reasons. Combined with the stress of a new relationship, two young children, and a missing grown daughter, it was amazing he hadn’t gone back to drinking himself into oblivion.
“It’s okay.” She kept her tone soft. “Sage is doing her job and doing it well. We’re safe.”
“I know.” He nuzzled her hair with his chin. “Just a little jumpy is all.”
“We’re good, promise.” Danielle wrapped her arms around his middle.
“Well, as I live and breathe, look what the cat dragged in!” Eloise called from the house and Danielle flinched at her teasing tone. One never knew how Kalkin would react to ce
rtain things, and Danielle didn’t want him scaring off their possible night-time nanny for the orphanage. “Long time no see, Alpha.”
“Eloise? What the fuck are you doing here?” Kalkin growled, bounding up the stairs to hug the older woman.
“Your girls asked me to come help. Something about taking care of some kids who have no one.” Danielle couldn’t miss the sadness in the older woman’s tone.
“Seriously?” Kalkin asked.
“No lie.”
“I thought you’d never come back to Apache County,” Kalkin replied.
“Here is your beer.” Keeley pushed through the screen door holding two brown bottles.
Eloise snatched the beer out of her sister’s hand and took a long pull of it before she addressed her brother-in-law to be. “Sage needed me.”
Kalkin nodded. “Meet my mate?”
“Yup, sure did. She’s a keeper.”
“Got twins. Boy and a girl,” Kal wrapped his massive arms around Keeley, snuggling her close.
“Pups or human?” Eloise prodded.
Is it me, or is he completely comfortable with her? Keeley gave voice to Danielle’s curiosity once more.
He trusts her, Danielle stated.
Which is an oddity in itself. Kalkin Raferty trusts very few people, Keeley added.
“Don’t insult me with talk of them being human,” Kalkin snarled. “They’re pups.”
Keeley smacked Kalkin’s elbow in disgust. “You’d love them no matter what.”
“True enough,” he replied, a teasing smirk on his lips.
Do you know her? Danielle asked through the link with Caden.
Don’t know. She seems familiar. If I’m following the conversation, she’s Sage’s mom, Caden answered.
She is. Danielle focused on the conversation between Kalkin and Eloise.
Her gaze never left Kalkin’s face, hoping for some sort of sign. But he was locked down tight. The only oddity was the ease with which he spoke to the older woman who’d been, at least to their knowledge, away from the county for as long as Sage had been alive.
“How’s your husband?” Kalkin asked as if he was re-establishing a long-lost friendship.
“We’re currently on a break,” Eloise announced.
“Why?”
Eloise rolled her eyes. “Long story and not enough beer.” She held up her bottle.
Danielle’s gaze swung to Sage, who stood just outside of the conversation. The other woman didn’t seem surprised by her mother’s announcement.
“You never told me you knew my mother, Sheriff,” Sage stated.
“Never came up,” Kal said.
“Seems like it might be something one would mention, don’t you think?” Keeley arched a brow. Unlike Sage, her younger sister was willing to push her mate for answers.
“Didn’t really seem a priority,” Kal replied. “Hire her.”
“That’s really not your decision to make.” Danielle hated being left out of the conversation. She’d already decided to hire Eloise Abbott. She didn’t need Kalkin Raferty to make the decision.
Pushy male.
Caden, as normal, seemed content to hang back and observe. Just like Sage. It was starting to get eerie how many characteristics Sage and Caden had in common. Sure, some of it could be written off being that they were both deputies. Other things. Well, they made her go hmm.
Ah ha, Keeley said. You see the similarities too!
Get out of my head, Danielle commanded.
No, Keeley said. You see it, don’t you? Admit it.
He asked me to leave it alone right now, Kees. He said as long as she is hidden, she is protected. He’s already lost thirty years with her. I won’t let him lose forever with her. Danielle explained.
Keeley sniffled in her head.
Knock it off. If you cry, the big, bad ass standing next to you will know and demand an explanation.
“I’ll vouch for her,” Kalkin said. “Only, of course, if she stops smoking weed.” Kalkin focus turned to Eloise, his face serious. “I catch you smoking it, I won’t hesitate to arrest your ass.”
“Ah, sugar, we both know my ass is sweet as pie,” Eloise teased, yet Kal’s face hadn’t lost it harshness.
Keeley snickered, and Kalkin glared at her.
“I smoked the last of my stash on the way here. As of right now, I’m officially a non-smoker.”
Caden placed his arm around Danielle’s shoulder, pulling her toward him. She laid her head on his chest. His heart beat at an abnormally fast pace. Peeking up at him, she noticed his gaze rested on Sage. A soft look, one she’d only seen when he peered at her or their sons, showed in his eyes. Danielle wondered if perhaps Keeley and she weren’t the only ones struggling to connect dots that may or may not be there. Later, she’d ask Caden what he thought about Sage, and if he believed like Keeley and she did.
Chapter Nineteen
Caden sat beside his brother at the picnic table behind the house. Inside, Sage, Danielle, and Keeley were being regaled by Eloise’s stories. The more Caden stared at the woman, the more it pissed him off he couldn’t place her. He’d been tempted to ask Kalkin, but doing so might open a whole other can he didn’t want to delve into. However, the more he thought about it while stealing glances at the wolf with ringlets of golden-brown hair, he couldn’t stop asking himself if she was the one.
“We can talk about it now,” Kalkin said, as if he’d been listening to Caden’s circular thoughts.
“I thought we’d talk about the rock on Keeley’s finger, first.” Caden changed the subject. He feared if he voiced his hopes, something would happen to Sage, and if it did, he’d never be able to forgive himself. It was better to wait.
“I put a ring on it.”
Caden scrunched his nose. “You didn’t just say that.”
Kalkin grinned like a fool. “I did, and I did.”
He shook his head. “When?”
“After the auction. It seemed like the right time.” Kalkin took a sip of his beer. “Why?”
Caden shrugged. “No reason. Congrats. You’re doing it a little backwards for human customs, but still.”
His brother laughed. “Suppose both of us are.”
“Have you decided on a date?”
“No. Keeley has so much shit going on with the orphans and Vigilante plus our pups, we didn’t even attempt to put a date with it. It just is.” Kalkin slid his gaze toward Caden. “How about you?”
He shook his head. They were doing great. He wouldn’t fuck it up by jumping the gun. Not after everything he and Danielle went through. He couldn’t up and propose after not being in her life for more than a year. Maybe, once they were settled. When he proved he was going to stay and never leave her again, then he’d propose. Until then, he was content to keep things status quo. “It’s too soon. I think Dani and I need this time to find each other again. Give ourselves a moment to live. Figure out what makes each of us happy.”
“Pussy whipped,” Kalkin muttered. “It’s okay though. We both are, and it’s not something I say in jest. Keeley and Ella have me wrapped around their little fingers—tight.”
“My boys and Dani are the same way,” he replied. “Even if she doesn’t know it yet.”
“And your daughter?” Kalkin lifted his gaze to kitchen window overlooking the back yard. Sage stood at the sink. Something someone said made her laugh. “She’s Raferty through and through.”
“Don’t,” Caden whispered. “I can’t.”
“Yes,” Kalkin answered. “I did right by you, brother, just like I told you I would. Look, she’s nothing like her real mother. She’s smart, sharp tongued, and has a great sense of dry humor. She’s sarcastic as hell and everything you could have hoped for.”
Fucker. He stared at his daughter with open adoration. He allowed himself five minutes to look at her. To take in her grey eyes, and her alabaster skin. Like Nicolas, the girl didn’t look a bit like him. He snorted and shook his head.
It had taken almost t
hirty years to get them here. He didn’t deserve her affection or a moment of her time. Kalkin was right. Eloise did a wonderful job with his flesh and blood. He’d never take her away from her mother though. “You’re an asshole. I can’t believe you did this.”
Kalkin patted his shoulder. “It’s okay. I understand, Caden. I made you a promise all those years ago. I kept it. So, when you tell me I don’t trust you, you’re dead fucking wrong. I trust you with my fucking life and my family’s. And I’d take the bullet for you too.”
“Shit.” Caden cleared his throat. “You’re still a fucker.” He wiped the corner of his eyes, surprised by the wetness there.
“Of that, there is no doubt.” Kalkin laughed. “Honestly, I couldn’t have choreographed this any better than it’s played out. How long did it take you to figure it out?”
“Until now. Sure, I hoped, but...” He hadn’t wanted to hope. The minute Kalkin greeted Eloise, his wheels began to churn. He couldn’t keep his eyes off of Sage for the first few minutes. His gut twisted. A surge of love and a pang of guilt lanced his heart. He hadn’t known if he should introduce himself to Sage again as her biological dad or keep things simple. He recognized the chances of Quincy having ears all over the desert now, especially after they took down Allen and killed Tiffany.
“Yeah, I can see it.” His brother finished off his beer. “Want another?”
Caden shook his head. “I think I’m good.” He’d been nursing the same beer for the last hour. Besides, they would be going back on duty soon. He needed to be in tip-top form just in case something happened.
“I’ll be right back.”
Kalkin stepped into the house, giving him a chance to gather himself. So much had happened in a short amount of time. He glanced out to where his boys played with Bodhi in their wolf forms. Both Aiden and Bodhi took special care around Nicolas. They nudged him over small sticks and kept him away from the rocks. Nicolas spotted something in the brush. He squirmed closer to it on his belly. Caden tracked the movement in the foliage. He grinned when he caught the blue hue of a garden lizard. He waited to see what his son would do.
Nicolas whimpered, then crawled closer. He yipped, causing his ears to flap. Nicolas patted the ground, almost like an invitation to join him. Colin kept Ella back, while Aiden and Bodhi flanked their brother and cousin, joining him on the hunt. Nicolas stood, yipped once more then pounced at the ground. His little body bounced a couple of times before he stuck his nose to the ground. He pushed at the dirt. Caden cocked his head to the side as Kalkin returned.