by Maddy Barone
That would be nice. Going to a bookstore with another book lover was best. Tasha’s expression said she didn’t love to read.
“So.” Tasha dunked a French fry in ketchup. “How did you and Sky meet?”
Rose considered briefly. If she said her plane from the Times Before crashed and Sky’s Clan rescued her, she would be giving explanations forever. “There was an accident, and Sky’s family found me and took care of me. That’s where I met Sky.”
“Was it love at first sight?” Tasha waggled her eyebrows. Rose had never seen anyone actually do that. Concentrating on Tasha’s eyebrows was safer than remembering the fierce, long-haired boy Sky had been. “Well?”
“Not for me.”
“Oooh! But it was for Sky?”
Sky had taken one look at her, and his wolf had claimed her for their mate, but she didn’t want to explain that either. “I guess. How long have you worked for Sky?”
“I’ve been a businesswoman for fifteen years. I was one of Omaha’s first.”
Rose stared at Tasha. Her brown hair was cut in a short, stylish bob around an unlined plump face. “How old were you? I thought you had to be eighteen to be a businesswoman.”
The other woman gave a trill of delighted laughter. “Rose, you’re so sweet.” She leaned over the café table to whisper. “Don’t tell anyone, but I turned thirty-four over the summer.”
She certainly didn’t look it. “And you’ve worked at Sky’s place all this time?”
“Well, it wasn’t always Sky’s place. The first owner was Josh Adams. He was a pig. I didn’t shed any tears when he died ten years ago. After him, Ms. Mary took over. That wasn’t a very popular move, let me tell you. The other business owners did everything they could to put her out of business. But then Sky and Quill came and things got better.”
She probably shouldn’t ask, but Rose was curious. “How did things get better?”
“Well.” Tasha took a minute to scoop up more ketchup with a fry. “When Josh ran things he didn’t care very much if the appointments got rough. As long as we were still able to work, he didn’t interfere.”
Rose gasped and choked. “Oh my God.”
“Ms. Mary tried to make things better, but…” Tasha shrugged. “She’s a woman and the appointments didn’t give her much respect. Once Sky and Quill came, things changed in a hurry. Quill was such a nice, shy man, but let an appointment get the tiniest bit mean and he turned into a holy terror. And he had ears like a cat. All a girl had to do was whisper for help, and he was right there. Sky too.”
Sky was an alpha. Even when he was calm he exuded something that told people he was trouble. Taye was the same way. But any wolf warrior, even the quiet non-alpha ones, revered women. Knowing the Pack the way she did, Rose could imagine just how Sky and Quill would have reacted to a man hurting a woman. “I bet those men never behaved badly again.”
“They cleaned up their act pretty quick,” the brunette agreed. “Once Ms. Mary signed the business over to Sky, he turned the place around. He makes sure every guest treats all the women in his place like ladies, whether they are waitresses, hostesses, or businesswomen. Plenty of men come just to have a few drinks and dance and enjoy music.”
Rose stirred more cream into her coffee. “Do you like being a…businesswoman?”
“You bet I do. I make more money than most men in Omaha and with Sky watching out for me, I don’t have to worry about pregnancy or being abused by an appointment.”
Rose jerked her gaze back to Tasha. “Pregnancy?”
“Well, sure. In my line of work, pregnancy is a well known risk. I decided a long time ago that if I did get pregnant I would keep the baby, but I’ve been lucky. Sky makes sure we have access to birth control, even though it costs the earth. We do offer condoms to our appointments, but a lot of men aren’t willing to put coats on their little friends, if you know what I mean. Now you’re blushing. You’re so cute, Rose.”
Cute. Sweet. Yeah. “Have you ever considered marriage? Amanda and Sand are going to have a baby in a few months.”
Tasha looked out the window, eyes distant. “I was engaged once, before the Women Acts went into effect.” She shook her head, as if shaking off a memory. “He wasn’t willing to fight for me. He called me some filthy names, and left Omaha. I never heard from him again.”
Ouch. “Why did he call you…”
Tasha lifted a shoulder in an impatient shrug. “He was a jerk and a crybaby.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m not. If he didn’t want me enough to do something about it then, I don’t want him now. He was probably one of the few people who could have stopped the Women Acts, but he ran away instead. No, I’m going to keep working. I can retire in six years. Then I’ll be a rich lady of leisure.” Her laugh was hard. “We’d better get going so we don’t miss the express.”
The bus was a convenient and quick way to travel, but no one could call it comfortable. And conversation was impossible on the bus, due to the incredible roar of the engine. Thirty minutes later she and Tasha got off the bus to walk the three blocks to Sky’s house. They passed several mansions that had probably been built in the early twentieth century. Rose wouldn’t be surprised if this whole neighborhood had been on the National Register of Historic Places in the Times Before.
In the daylight, Rose could see Sky’s house was a beautiful, stately mansion made of dark red brick and white trim. The fence surrounding the property was newer. The bricks were not the same red, and there were three strings of barbed wire along the top. On the peak of one tall post beside the gate sat Mitzi, surveying her new queendom with feline disdain.
“That’s your cat.” Tasha made it a statement, not a question, as they waited for the gate to open. “I think Sky is going to skin it and nail the pelt to the wall over the fireplace like a trophy.”
Rose managed a smile for the guard opening the gate for them. “Sky will not lay one hand on a single whisker.”
Tasha lifted one eyebrow. “Or he’ll be sleeping on the couch?”
“Uh, yeah.”
Mitzi jumped down from the gate post and strutted along behind them up the walk to the porch and into the house. Tasha peeled off toward the sweeping staircase. “I have to get ready for work. See you later, Rose.”
Rose lifted a hand, wondering what she should do now. Snow entered the foyer.
“Good,” he said. “You’re back.”
“Is something wrong?”
“No.” His shoulders lifted in a half shrug. “I know women go out alone all the time in Omaha, but we’re not used to you going out without someone to look after you.”
She patted the whistle hanging on her chest. “I was fine, Snow. And Tasha was with me.”
For a long moment, he frowned at her. “I guess we’ll get used to it. Eventually,” he muttered, and left.
Rose shook her head. “Well, Mitzi, it’s a good thing it was Snow who met us at the door. Stone would have ranted in that icily controlled voice of his until I’d want to smack him.”
Mitzi, having seen the foyer, was ready for something else. The cat trotted toward the kitchen. Rose turned to follow her and almost bumped into someone.
“Oh, excuse me.”
The woman, tall and built like a Rubens model, tucked a lock of her shoulder length brown hair behind her ear with a pretty smile. “My fault. You’re Rose, right? Sky’s wife? I’m Cayla.”
Rose glanced over her and her gaze stopped on the book Cayla held. “You like to read.”
“Yeah, the girls tease me about it, but yeah, I like to read.”
“So do I. Would you…I mean, if you want, could you go with me to the bookstore tomorrow?” She remembered she didn’t have change. “Or the library?”
Cayla had an appealing, husky laugh. “A woman after my own heart,” she said. “Sure, I’d be happy to take you. But I warn you, when I go to the library, I stay all day.”
Rose laughed too, relief and delight dancing in her chest. “That’s no problem f
or me. My mom had to drag me out of the library when I was kid, the way some kids had to be dragged off the playground.” Her breath hitched just for a second when she remembered her mother. “It was my very favorite place.”
“Yes! Finally I have a book buddy. That’s so groovy. Listen.” She held up her book, a rectangle about six inches by eight inches with a brown cloth cover. “This is due back at the library soon. We can go the day after tomorrow to return it. We can’t stay all day this time because I have to be back here by three, okay?”
Rose’s mind stuck on the anachronistic word ‘groovy’ for a second, but she caught her breath at the rest. “Due back? Wait! You can check books out? And take them home?”
“Of course. It’s a library.” The taller woman pursed her lips. “Well, not all books can leave the library. Books about electricity and medicine and plumbing and that kind of stuff can only go to the reading room. But fiction can be checked out.”
Rose couldn’t keep from doing a boogie dance step. New books. Staying here was going to be so much better than she expected.
“Here.” Cayla offered the book. “Have you read this one? It’s a classic.”
Rose took it. A small frown furrowed her brow when she recognized the author’s name, but didn’t recall reading this book. She thought she’d read everything by him. “When was this published?”
“I guess a long time ago. Before I was born. 2021? 2025? What does it say?”
Rose flipped to the page that listed the copyright and her blood stopped in her veins for a moment. Flames of Ice, copyright 2025. “You’re right. 2025. Do you have anything else by him? I mean, that was published after 2014. I’ve read everything from the Times Before.”
“I don’t have anything else by him. But I’ve finished that one. Would you like to borrow it? If you don’t finish it before we go to the library you could check it out and finish it.”
“Thank you.” Rose couldn’t have been happier if Cayla had given her a diamond necklace.
A voice, quivery with age, called, “Rose, there you are.”
Rose turned to the fragile lady standing in the doorway to the reception room. “Hello, Ms. Mary.”
Behind her, Cayla spoke quickly. “I’ll see you later, Rose. Enjoy the book.”
Rose smiled over her shoulder at her new friend, holding the book tight, before turning back to the elderly lady.
“Sky sent a message. He’s having supper with the Scott brothers and won’t be back until late.” Ms. Mary’s rose-petal soft hands patted her wrist. “He’d like you to stay upstairs tonight while we have guests. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Oh. All right.” Was she disappointed? A little, but now she could read tonight. She hadn’t been this excited about a new book in a long time. “I don’t mind. What time do the guests start coming?”
“They shouldn’t come until they’re in bed with the lady of their choice.”
Rose felt her eyes attempt to bulge from her head. She tried to force her blush back, but from the heat in her cheeks she doubted she was successful.
Ms. Mary laughed. “Sorry. The guests begin arriving anytime after six. We serve supper to them at six fifteen. We eat a little after four. That’s early of course, but we also have a snack around seven or eight. Come back to the kitchen, and I’ll introduce you to the evening staff.”
Rose was introduced to Mrs. Nord, a round woman with a doughy face and graying red hair. Unlike Kim, the morning cook, Mrs. Nord was friendly and cheerful. She also accepted help. When Rose asked if there was anything she could do, Mrs. Nord promptly sat her down at a work table with a pile of radishes to be made into rosettes. Rose had learned how to do that at The Eatery, so she spent a comfortable half hour next to Katelyn, who didn’t talk much, but gave Rose shy smiles from time to time as they worked together to create relish trays.
When they finished, they carried their trays out to the ice house to be kept cool until evening. On the way back they met Paint and Stone, standing just outside the door. Katelyn jerked to a stop with a hoarse gasp. She stared at Paint with fright plain on her face. Poor Paint. A lot of women were put off by his scars, and it hurt him. Rose hooked her arm through Katelyn’s and called a cheery greeting.
“What have you two been up to today?” she asked.
Paint’s face was sad when he looked at Katelyn. Probably someone who didn’t know him wouldn’t have recognized that expression, but Rose did. He looked away from Katelyn to smile at her. “We went to find Sara.”
Rose swung her gaze to Stone. “How is she?”
Stone shrugged. “She wasn’t home.”
“She was probably at work at the hospital,” Paint said. “We left a note under the door.”
“You should go again tonight,” Rose suggested.
Stone shook his head. “I’m patrolling tonight. Maybe tomorrow.”
Rose frowned at him. “Well, good luck.”
He relaxed enough to smile at her. “Thanks.”
Katelyn gave her a subtle but unmistakable tug. Rose was sure she wanted to get away from the men. She gave into the tug, but as they passed the men, Paint leaned forward and inhaled. Katelyn’s eyes flared wide and she nearly pushed Rose over trying to get away.
Paint held out his hands. “I’m sorry. Katelyn, I’m sorry. I wouldn’t ever hurt you. I only wanted to know if you were okay after the scare you had last night.”
Katelyn shook visibly. She shot a cringing glance at Paint’s hands, swallowed hard, and muttered, “I’m fine.” Then she bolted for the kitchen in an unsteady lope.
Rose and the two men stared after her. “I don’t think it’s the scars,” Rose said. “I think she’s just scared.”
Paint sighed. Stone turned to look more closely at him, sniffing the air. “You like her. Really like her.”
Paint adjusted his eye patch. “My wolf likes her. If he hadn’t already chosen a mate, I think Katelyn would be my mate.”
“But Linda didn’t agree to your mate claim,” Rose pointed out. “So maybe he chose someone else.”
“No.” Both men shook their heads. “A wolf only chooses once,” Paint went on. “But my wolf likes Katelyn. He would accept her as my wife.” His face fell. “But I don’t think she’ll accept me as her husband.”
Stone pounded a fist into his shoulder. “You’ve known her for only a day. Give it time.”
“And she had a bad scare last night,” Rose added. “It’s probably not you.”
Rose watched them during the early supper. Katelyn sat as far from Paint as she could. Paint looked down the table at her from time to time, as if he couldn’t help himself. Rose liked Paint. He deserved to be happy. The woman his wolf had chosen for their mate had rejected him and married another man. As long as she lived, his wolf hadn’t accepted any other woman, but now that Linda had passed on, Paint was free to love another. A wife was just as cherished as a mate. She resolved to do what she could to help him win Katelyn as his wife.
Immediately after supper, she climbed the dark narrow staircase to her pretty pink room, put on a pair of pajama pants and a tee, and sprawled over the bed to open the precious book Cayla had loaned her. She delighted in reading a book at night, something she hadn’t done after she’d crashed in 2064.
Soon the music and laughter started up downstairs, but Rose was lost in her book and the revelry below didn’t register. It was nearly midnight when she finished the book. She used the bathroom one more time, brushed her teeth, and stretched out in the pretty bed, tired and happy, and fell immediately asleep.
*
Sky loosened his tie as he climbed the stairs to the top floor. The house was quiet, the guests were gone, the money was counted and placed in the safe in his office. Dinner with Harry and Phil Scott had gone well. They weren’t on the City Council, but they knew just about every member, and were friends with most. He thought they liked his proposed changes to the Women’s Acts and his plans to offer women other kinds of work in the public sector. With luck, they wo
uld influence their friends in Monday’s vote.
It had been a grindingly long day, and he hadn't seen his mate since breakfast fifteen hours ago. His need to see her had burned in his chest every minute of the hours spent with the Scotts. Once home, knowing she was in the house was a taunt that drove his wolf crazy. The past two hours of chatting with guests had torn at his wolf’s patience. Having the wolf close to the surface after six years of silence was unsettling. He couldn’t blame his wolf, though. The man was just as fixated on Rose. He wished she was curled in his bed waiting for him.
He came to the top of the steps and went into his room to take off his suitcoat and trousers and hang them carefully in the closet. Then, unbuttoning his shirt, he walked to the bathroom. The sight of Rose’s comb and toothbrush made him smile. She was here. His mate was here. He hung his tie on the doorknob, stripped off his shirt and underpants and tossed them into the hamper. It was his habit to take a quick shower each evening. What if Rose woke up and joined him in the shower? Nice thought, but as likely as flying.
He didn’t need to dream about her. She was only yards away. With a towel wrapped around his waist, he stepped out of the bathroom. Rose’s door drew him like a magnet. He paused there, listening for her breathing, inhaling her scent.
How had he lived without that scent flowing through him, rousing his wolf and calming it at the same time? Carefully, trying to be quiet, he turned the knob and opened the door a few inches. After only a day, the air in Ms. Mary’s old room was saturated with Rose’s scent. She lay on her back under the feminine pink quilt, her face turned to the door, showing the golden arcs of her eyelashes against her pale cheeks. Sky shifted his weight, ready to step to the bed to be closer to his mate, but a new scent caught him. On the end of the bed, draped over his mate’s ankle, glowered her horrible cat.
Lupine and feline glared at each other for a long minute. If that cat weren’t here he would have touched Rose’s face with his lips. Damned cat. With one last deep inhale, Sky silently left, closing the door behind him. Tomorrow, he would kiss his mate. Not the fake kiss they’d exchanged at breakfast, but a real kiss where he could use his lips and his tongue to show her how much he wanted her. If he were lucky, maybe he’d get to do more.