by Lola Gabriel
Helena grinned at him over her own mug, dimples appearing on her round cheeks,
“I knew it!” she said. “I mean, it’s not unheard of. But shifters have been kicked out of packs for following through. There was Ekhart, back in the old world, who kept a human wife. But once she began to age, he turned her.”
Ash leaned forward. “He what?”
“He turned her,” Helena repeated. Ash continued to look blankly at her, so she continued. “The bite of a bear, and a spell held by the Ambrosia coven, and a human can become a shifter.”
Ash almost spilled his tea on his own knees. He leaned back on the sofa.
“What? That works? Every time?” He didn’t know how he felt about this. It would be like stealing as well as giving. And how would a pack react to such a thing, to someone turned? It was almost like Helena was reading his mind.
“I mean,” she said, “it’s inadvisable. Ekhart’s pack turned against him. The couple had to go into hiding, and without an alpha, the pack was in disarray. They broke up, and their descendants are present in every North American shifter pack we know today.”
Ash didn’t move. He just looked at Helena. “Why don’t I know this?”
“Because it’s not exactly encouraged,” she answered. “There have been successful unions, but never with an alpha.”
He closed his eyes, his hands wrapped around his cup of tea. “What else are you keeping from us?”
Helena shrugged. “We’ll tell you when you need to know.”
Ash almost laughed at his friend’s cheekiness. “Okay, so, what do I do?”
“I can’t tell you, Ash. This is your decision. But if you feel this way, there’s a very, very strong chance she feels the same.”
Ash put his tea down on the side table and held his head in his hands for a few seconds. When he looked up again, he said, “Are you trying to make this more difficult for me, Helena?”
The witch shook her head. “Ash, we’ve known one another a long time. I want you to be happy. Only you can decide what that looks like, you know that.”
It was barely three o’clock when Ash got back to the house. He parked up beside Easton’s beaten up little city car and took a deep breath before he opened the door of his own car. The house was quiet as he unlocked the front door.
“Hello?” he called into the hallway. It took about thirty seconds for Easton to appear at the top of the stairs, looking a little scared.
“Oh,” she said. “Of course it’s you. What are you doing here?” Ash put his bag down.
“I finished early,” he said. “Is Pen napping?”
Easton nodded, reaching the bottom of the stairs. “She is, yeah.”
“Great.” Ash nodded. “Maybe we should spend time together, all three of us? I mean, you two seem so bonded, but we’ve never all hung out. I think it would be good for her to see us interact?” This sounded so weak coming out of his mouth, but Easton smiled.
“That sounds lovely,” she said. “You’re such a good dad, Ash. Shall we have a coffee while she’s sleeping? She’s only been taking half-hour naps.”
“Definitely,” Ash said. He walked forward, toward the kitchen, but so did Easton. They almost collided, and his hand found her waist, catching her and stilling himself. “Sorry,” he said, almost choking on the word. “Go ahead.” Easton did, but he was almost sure he saw her take a shaky breath as she stepped away from his palm. He cleared his throat as they reached the kitchen, trying to steady himself as well. “Are you good with caffeine in the afternoon?” he asked, and then he wanted to sink into the floor.
“Yeah, Grandad,” she said. “You have a small child, don’t you rely on caffeine? I do, just to look after them.” Ash turned back to her and smiled.
“I do,” he said. “It’s just that I have tea and stuff, if you’d like that. That’s all I meant.” Easton shook her head.
“Definitely coffee, and quick, while Pen is asleep.” Ash set about making the coffee, his hands shaking a little although he was willing them not to. “Are you okay?” Easton asked, standing surprisingly close behind him.
“Yeah,” Ash said, finally turning on the coffee machine. “Just hungry. Have you eaten?”
Easton shook her head. “Well, some cheese cubes and goldfish. I’ve been eating while she naps, usually.”
“Good!” Ash headed to the fridge, trying not to look at her; not because he was annoyed or jealous now, but because he was scared. “There’s pasta and sauce from last night. Do you mind leftovers?”
“No,” Easton said, “not at all. Thank you.”
They ate at the kitchen island, on the tall stools they’d sat on the night she’d stayed late. The first night she’d been here, Ash thought. It was only a few days ago, but it felt like eons. Like they were different people.
“Sorry, coffee doesn’t really go with pasta and sauce,” he apologized. Easton shook her head and sipped her coffee.
“It’s very important to refuel while they’re asleep, though,” she said. “Or you end up in my sorry state of cheese cubes and goldfish.”
Ash laughed. They were sitting across from one another, and every time he looked up from his food, he saw her smile. It was infectious.
“I’m glad you came home early,” Easton said, and Ash was suddenly full of butterflies. “It’ll be good for Penelope to spend some time with you. I mean, she’s happy with me, but she misses you when you’re at work.” She must have seen Ash’s face fall a little, because she added, “Oh, gosh, sorry! I don’t mean to guilt you at all. I know you’re doing everything you can. And like I said, you’re a great dad! I just know how much she enjoys time with you.”
Ash opened his mouth to say something. Thank you, or maybe, That’s not really why I came home, though. But just in time, Penelope yelled from upstairs.
They took Penelope to the park. It was warm and light enough for just a coat, mittens, and a hat. Freezing compared to LA, but warm for Alaska. Penelope marauded around, collecting sticks to make what she said was a fairy castle but looked to Ash like… well, a pile of sticks.
“Quite an imagination,” Easton said, very gently nudging the sticks with a toe.
“Don’t they all have?” Ash replied, watching his daughter running happily around the sparse trees.
“Sure,” Easton said, “but a lot of them sit in front of screens all day. Easier, you know, for the parents. Well, and the nannies I guess, but I feel like it’s my job to do more than just watch kids watch toy unboxing videos.”
Ash laughed and turned to Easton, whose arms were crossed against the slight chill. “Those are a thing? Toy unboxing videos?”
“Unfortunately, yes,” she said. “And it’s always the most annoying kids. Guess they must be spoiled, all those toys to unbox.”
“Wow,” Ash said. “We didn’t even have a TV when I was a kid.”
Easton made an incredulous noise. “Excuse me? No TV?”
Ash dismissed his own comment with a wave. “My parents were old fashioned. Kind of hippy-ish, I guess.”
“I let her watch Peppa Pig sometimes,” Easton said, “and Daniel Tiger.”
“What!” Ash gave her a ridiculous shocked look, but then he laughed. “That’s fine,” he said, “I don’t want her to grow up a weirdo. And we all need a break sometimes.” Easton laughed, too, out of relief more than anything.
“Well,” she said, “for the record, I don’t think you’re a weirdo. You seem to have made it out of the no-TV hole pretty well.”
Ash shrugged and gave her a cheeky smile. “Oh, you don’t know me at all, Easton. I promise you I am very strange. You wouldn’t believe it.”
“No,” she said, “I’d believe it. I’d definitely believe it.”
“Should I be insulted by that?” Ash asked, his eyes on Penelope. “And should I be letting her run with sticks? I’m imagining gouged out eyes…”
Easton laughed and quickly said, “Sorry, not funny. But perhaps catastrophizing a tad. It’s your call, you
’re her dad. I’m just the help!”
Ash looked at her when she said that. Even though she was smiling, his next words still came out earnest. “Of course you’re not just the help, Easton. Pen is lucky to have you. I’m lucky. I’m so glad you popped up in our lives. It’s only been a week, but you feel like a part of the family.”
Well, that had been a lot. He cleared his throat and looked at his feet.
When Easton’s reply came, it was also earnest.
“Thank you, Ash,” she said. “That means a lot, because I feel the same about you and Pen.”
Ash looked up at her, unable to help his goofy grin. “Sometimes people just fit.”
Easton was looking right back at him, her eyes sparkling somehow. She looked… happy, he supposed. Happy to be there with him? With them?
“Fairies done!”
Ash gave a start. His daughter was looking up at them, her hands a bit muddy, her smile excited.
“Wow, good job!” he said. “Want to show us? And then maybe have a tea party?”
Penelope jumped up and down a couple of times, with that excitement only a small child could have. Enviable excitement. And then she took one of his hands and one of Easton’s and attempted to drag them to her pile of sticks, seemingly believing her tiny weight would propel them all. Easton knelt down next to Penelope, who was pointing out the house’s features.
“Door,” she said. “Window. Garudge…”
“Garage?” Easton said in mock surprise. “Wow, this is a fancy fairy house! I didn’t even know fairies had cars!”
Penelope looked at her with raised eyebrows, a very adult and frankly hilarious expression.
“Duh,” she said. “Fairy cars.”
Ash was full of a ridiculous joy watching Easton and Penelope, a joy so total, he was almost afraid to look at it—afraid he might scare it away.
Ash pulled up in front of Art’s, and Easton hopped out immediately. She grabbed a baby wipe and cleaned Penelope’s hands and face before she unclipped the girl and picked her up.
“Tea party, huh?” she asked Penelope, who nodded.
“Bear!” she said insistently, pointing back into the car, where there were a couple of soft toys.
“I’ll get them,” Ash said, leaning in, past Easton, so that his body was pressed briefly against her thigh. He thought he heard her breathe sharply in at the contact, but he couldn’t be sure. “This has been her favorite thing recently,” Ash explained, opening the door to Art’s and letting Easton walk in with Penelope before he entered the cafe himself. “She did it with her last nanny and then started demanding tea parties on the weekend.”
They found a table, and Ash grabbed a high chair for his daughter. “Actually, I haven’t heard from Sandra at all. I think she was having a hard time. I should call her…”
“That’s the old nanny?” Easton asked.
“Yeah. I know she loved Pen, but things at home were too much, I think. I should check in.”
“Yeah,” Easton said. “Well, you’ve been busy.”
He laughed. “Easton, it’s late Friday afternoon, and I’m having a tea party!”
“It’s an important tea party!” she exclaimed, arranging Penelope’s bear and elephant on the table, leaning against the wall. “Quality time!”
The barista—Hannah, why could he never remember her name?—appeared behind the counter.
“Easton!” she called across the shop. “What are you doing here?”
“Tea party!” Easton said. “Obviously.”
It seemed to be that moment that Hannah noticed Ash.
“Oh,” she said. “Ash, hi…” And she gave Easton a very intense and very hard to read look. Ash tried to keep a smile on his face, but the next thing Hannah said was, “Easton, how was your date last night?”
Easton let out an over the top sigh. “It was worse than I could have imagined, honestly. I’ll tell you about it later.”
Hannah looked a little annoyed. “Tonight’s date night.”
“Sugar!” Easton said. “Well, tomorrow evening?”
Hannah nodded. “Yeah, totally. Now, what can I get you guys?”
Ash turned back to Easton and was once again giving her a smile he couldn’t wipe from his face. “Date was that bad?”
Easton was paying attention to Penelope, ensuring the straps of her chair were done up.
“Uh-huh,” she said. “I’ll tell you about it later.” She stopped what she was doing. “I mean, if you like? Sorry, is that weird?”
“No,” Ash said, “I’d love to hear the horror story later.” He desperately wished he could put his hand over hers. Her right hand was laid on the table, almost like she felt the same, like she was reaching out for him, and her left was fiddling nervously with the buttons of her shirt.
“So,” Hannah said, very loudly—unnecessarily loudly, in fact—from right beside them, “what can I get you for this tea party?”
Again, Ash started. It was like he got lost whenever he looked at Easton for too long.
“Well,” he said, “a pot of tea… apple juice for Pen. And can we just get a few baked goods? Whatever’s good today.”
“Sure,” Hannah said. Then she looked to Easton. “You hate black tea, want Earl Gray?” Easton smiled a tight little smile up at her friend.
“Sure,” she said, “thanks.”
“Fine with me,” Ash said. Penelope reached out a hand.
“Ephelant!” she demanded, and Easton grabbed the soft toy and passed it over.
“Right,” Hannah said. “I’ll be out with all that in a minute.”
“Thanks, Hannah,” Easton said, glancing back up at her friend. When Hannah had gone into the back, Ash leaned across the table so he could talk more quietly.
“Are you guys close?”
“Besties.” Easton nodded. “I moved in across the hall from her, it’s great. But she’s being weird. Sorry about that. I think maybe she, uh… Well, she thinks I’m fraternizing with you, and I shouldn’t? I don’t know.”
Ash tried to keep his face steady, but his stomach had done a backflip. “Fraternizing?”
Easton was looking down at her lap. “Um… just, you know, I shouldn’t be friends with my boss or whatever. I’m not really sure. She’s just worried about me, probably. I had some very over the top bosses in LA, especially the fathers.”
Ash was a little taken aback. Did Easton see him as some kind of creepy old dude? Ha! He barely looked older than her, she couldn’t possibly. But maybe that was what he was; if she knew he was fifteen times her age, she might go running. Well, she’d try to have him committed, probably, and then go running. Luckily, Hannah really was quick with the food and drinks, so Ash couldn’t get too lost in his head.
“TEA PARTY!” Penelope shouted as Hannah placed a teacup of apple juice in front of her.
“Right!” Easton agreed, helping her to get the juice safely to her mouth. “Tea party time.”
10
Easton
Penelope fell asleep incredibly quickly, surrounded by stuffed toys.
When she was down, Ash said, “So, you’re welcome to go home if you like. But we could have a glass of wine, and you could bitch to me about that date?”
They were standing at the bottom of the stairs. Easton couldn’t help thinking about the looks Hannah had shot her earlier, in the coffee shop. But it was just talking, wasn’t it? She needed a friend right now, and Hannah was busy. She’d had such a good day with Ash, and hell, it seemed like maybe he needed a friend, too.
They sat in the kitchen, just like they had the first night she’d been there. The islands were once again lighting up the night-sea in patches, like stars.
“Red this time,” Ash said. “That okay?”
“Totally,” she answered as he poured himself and then Easton a glass.
“It must be lonely,” he said, “moving so far. But I meant what I said, I’m here for you. Not just as your boss. I think you’re really great, Easton.” Easton knew s
he was blushing, but she hardly even cared.
“Thanks, Ash,” she said. “Right back atcha.” Jesus, what was she talking about?
Ash obviously noticed the lexical anomaly, and he raised his dark eyebrows. God, his eyes really were pretty. Easton took a gulp of wine, so as to force herself to look elsewhere.
“So,” Ash prompted. “Horror story?”
“Urgh! You really wanna hear?”
“I do,” he said, and he looked so sincere that Easton was a little touched. He looked like he cared.
“His name was Simon,” she began. “Longish hair, skinny, a real asshole. You don’t know him, do you?”
Ash laughed. “Luckily, no, or I’d kick his ass for you.”
“Hey, I don’t want anyone hurt,” Easton said. “You’re bigger than him. Anyway, it was all Hannah’s fault, really. She insisted I get on the dating apps in Sitka. In fact, she did all the swiping for me, so it really is her fault! She did not look into her pick very well.”
“So, what was so awful?” Ash looked genuinely interested. “Is it stuff I need to avoid when I get back out there?”
Easton suddenly remembered Ash’s wife. She looked at him with something like shock. “Oh, god, I shouldn’t be… Your wife…”
Ash sighed and sipped his wine. “Hannah told you?”
“Yeah.” Easton nodded. “She did. She thought I should know, because I’m here so much, and you know if Pen asks questions when she’s a little older, or… Well, and if we got close… I…” Crap, she was practically admitting to her boss that she had feelings for him. She was not in control of her mouth today.
“Don’t look at me with sad eyes! Please,” Ash said. “Everyone does, and I hate it. Yes, Rebecca died when Pen was a baby. Yes, it was hard. It was horrible. It almost killed me, too, the weight of it. But I kept going, and I’m okay. I mean, she’ll always be a presence. But you know, the relationship was far from perfect. We only got bon… only got married because she was pregnant. By accident, I might add. I mean, Penelope is the best thing in my life, and I wouldn’t change that aspect, but… there was a lot we didn’t see eye to eye on. I mean…”