by Deanna Chase
But it was no use. What would Tal say when he saw me? Would he talk to me? Ignore me? Spit in my face? No, he wouldn’t do that. But he just might shut me out, and I was certain I couldn’t handle that. Sadness started to overwhelm me. We’d had something special. We’d been best friends, had almost become lovers. Then he’d left me and cut off all communication. Getting back to even being just friends seemed impossible.
Damn him! Why was I agonizing so much over this? He’d been the one to leave. The one to not answer my phone calls or keep in touch. He was being an idiot as far as I was concerned. He’d promised we’d never let anything damage our friendship. But he had. He’d let Allcot and his jealousy over David come between us. Sure, I wasn’t totally blameless, but did that give him the right to just cut me off? I would’ve never done that to him.
All of the anger and hurt I’d been burying for the past three months rushed to the surface, and five hours later when the plane was circling the landing strip, I was seething. I was done feeling guilty. Tal was going to hear what I had to say whether he liked it or not.
***
I’d been so agitated when we’d landed that Link had shifted in the plane. I hadn’t even bothered to tell him to shift back. If he wanted to wander around as a wolf, fine with me. There’d been a Jeep waiting for us. I’d requested it, knowing I’d have to go into the woods to look for Hunter. But first I made a stop at Mom’s nursery.
The metal from the plane had done its worst on my energy levels, and the quickest way to recovery was to be surrounded by nature. Not to mention Mom had a couple of plants I could modify for an energy boost. I’d been too rushed before I left to stop by my shop for any of my own creations.
The lush ferns lining the porch of her shop made me smile. They were twice as big as they had been the last time I’d been there. Tal was taking good care of her plants while she spent time in New Orleans with Carrie and Beau Jr.
Nervousness skittered through me. What if Tal was inside? His truck wasn’t in the parking lot, so chances were slim, but if he was, I wasn’t quite ready to confront him yet. I needed to replenish.
The bell chimed as Link and I poked our heads in.
“Be with you in a moment,” a woman called from the back. I recognized her voice instantly: Regan, the full-time shopkeeper Mom kept on staff. She was great at keeping the retail shop thriving, but the greenhouses needed something extra. Thus the reason Tal was helping out.
“Regan,” I called.
“Willow?” She bustled out of the back room, her arms full of cut flowers. “Oh, wow. I didn’t know you were coming. Your mom didn’t tell me anything.” The flowers floated to the counter as she thrust her wings and fluttered to my side, her arms open wide.
I laughed and hugged her. She was the sister I never had. “Last-minute trip. Mom doesn’t even know I’m here yet. Better let me call to tell her or I’ll be waist deep in manure.”
She pulled back, holding me at arm’s length. “You look exhausted. Let me get you some Mocha in Motion.”
I let out a sigh of relief. I wouldn’t have to expend any magic to recharge. “Oh, great. I didn’t know if you’d have any.”
She smiled. “Your mom has your shop ship it every couple of weeks.”
Really? That was interesting. I’d had no idea. My assistant Tami handled all the mail-order items. Perhaps Mom had become a little addicted since she’d come to New Orleans.
After Regan supplied me with an iced Mocha in Motion, I headed outside to sit on a giant redwood limb. Mom had placed a set of wooden stairs at the base of it years ago so any human friend of ours wouldn’t have to climb the trunk. Getting to the top was a breeze for fae. Males climbed and females flew. It was my favorite place in her gardens.
Rows and rows of herbs and other greens filled the grounds. They were surrounded by large greenhouses that grew anything that required more sunlight. Everything was lush and utterly inviting for a life faery such as myself.
The sea-scented air mixed with the pungent scent of the redwood tree, calming my nerves. Link, who’d shifted back to Shih Tzu form not long after we’d come outside, lay curled at the base of the tree, sleeping soundlessly. I’d have happily stayed right where I was for the rest of the day, but Harrison’s face swam in my mind. It was time to get to work. Reluctantly, I climbed down and picked Link up, carrying him back into the shop.
“Awww,” Regan cooed, petting Link’s ear. “He’s so adorable.” Her voice went high pitched as she leaned in closer to him. “Aren’t you, buddy? You’re mama’s little wolf. So, so cute. I just wanna take you home and snuggle you all night long.”
Link lifted his head and let out a small growl.
I laughed. “He’s not one for being babied.”
She straightened and backed away. “I guess not.”
“Don’t worry. He’s not going to shift or anything. He likes being petted. He’s grumpy ’cause he just woke up.”
“If you say so.” But she eyed him like he was going to eat her hand.
Maybe he was. If someone talked to me like that, I’d be growly, too. “Is Talisen at the university today?”
She shrugged. “I don’t really know. Ever since he got back from New Orleans, he hasn’t been very talkative. He’s very private all of a sudden. You can check.”
Hmm. That was unsettling. Tal was outgoing and friendly to everyone. Did he resent taking care of Mom’s shop now? Crap. I hated this. “Okay, thanks. I’m sure I’ll find him.”
“Good luck.” She handed me another Mocha in Motion and waved as Link and I scooted back outside.
The weather had turned drizzly. Perfect. Just what I needed. Rain. My hair would be frizzy and unmanageable, making me look twelve. I sighed and tucked one of the long locks behind my ear.
Within minutes, Link and I were standing outside the science building where Tal had worked for the past five years. Yet again, I hadn’t seen his truck in the parking lot, but that wasn’t saying much for a school that had over seven thousand students. His truck could be anywhere.
Still carrying Link, I strode into the building and headed to Tal’s lab. But when I got there, I found a fae I didn’t know. She had long dark hair that was piled up in a haphazard bun, secured with a pencil. Her eyes were rimmed in tortoiseshell reading glasses and she wore a stark white lab coat. She should have been the ultimate nerd, but in reality, she was gorgeous. Librarian hot with perfectly shaped lips, flawless skin that didn’t need a speck of makeup, and the greenest eyes I’d ever seen besides Tal’s. Not to mention her perfect figure. Ample cleavage, shapely long legs, and curves that even her tentlike white lab coat couldn’t hide. How utterly unfair.
“Can I help you?” She peered at me over her glasses.
“Yeah, hi. I’m looking for Talisen. Is he working today?”
She frowned. “And you would be?”
“Oh, sorry.” I set Link down and strode to her, my hand outstretched. “I’m Willow Rhoswen, a close family friend. I just got in town and it’s imperative that I speak with him.”
She glanced at my hand, her annoyed expression pissing me off. Could she be any colder? She’d be the perfect match for Allcot—if she didn’t have wings. Then she reluctantly shook my hand.
Gods, did I have cooties or something? A booger hanging out of my nose? Or maybe she had something with Tal and was jealous? The thought made my stomach turn.
“I’m sorry. I just find it hard to believe such a good friend wouldn’t know Talisen doesn’t work here anymore.” Her piercing stare was full of judgment.
I pulled my hand from her tight grip. “What? Since when? I thought when he got back from New Orleans he went back to work here. Did something happen?” Had this ice queen taken his job? I hit Tal’s number on my iPhone even though I knew he wouldn’t answer. He hadn’t for the past three months. There was no reason to suspect he would now. It went straight to voice mail like it always did. Damn him.
“He did. But he quit a few weeks later. And that’s all I’m going to say.
I’m sorry I can’t help you further. Good day, Ms. Rhoswen.” She glanced back at her report and continued to scribble notes as if I’d never entered her lab.
Good day? Who the hell did she think she was? The Queen of England? Well, who cared? All that mattered was that Tal wasn’t here. I just prayed he was at home, otherwise I had no idea where to look for him.
“Thank you,” I said to the faery. But she didn’t even acknowledge I’d spoken. Whatever. “Let’s go, Link.”
Chapter 5
Tal’s house was on the same street as my mother’s. It was the same one he’d grown up in. When his parents had moved, he’d stayed and bought it from them. Since his house was only five doors down, I parked the Jeep in Mom’s driveway and slipped into her house to try to tame my wild hair and freshen up before I faced him. He was there. Or at least there was a high chance he was since his red truck was parked in his driveway.
My pulse sped up. I hadn’t seen him since he’d broken my heart. If I was honest with myself, it was still bruised. He’d always been the one person I’d counted on, and he’d left without even so much as a plausible explanation. Then, to make matters worse, he’d kept his distance. I’d lost more than a potential lover that day. I’d lost family. Again.
Seeing him at his house was going to be way worse than in public. It was too personal. Too easy to say all the things we probably shouldn’t say. Too many memories. I paused outside Beau’s old room for a moment but didn’t go in. If I did, I’d be too raw to talk to anyone. Instead, I pressed my hand to the door and said, “Miss you, brother. What I wouldn’t give to have a hug right now.”
Tears welled in my eyes, but I blinked them back. There was no time for blubbering. Later, after I’d spoken to Tal, I’d let it all out.
After combing and smoothing my hair, I squared my shoulders and woman’d up. Time to face the music. Link trotted beside me, his tongue wagging in happy bliss. Link loved Tal and Tal loved him. At least that reunion should go well. Except Tal’s truck was no longer parked in front of his house. I scanned the street and caught the taillights of his red truck as it turned left onto an adjoining street.
“Son of a bitch,” I cried and ran to the Jeep. “Come on, Link. Let’s figure out where the hell he’s going.”
The Jeep fired to life, and I tore down the street as fast as I safely could. Right turn, and then I had a decision to make. Left toward the freeway or right toward town? I went left, figuring if I didn’t see him right away, I’d turn around and search the town.
“You see him?” I asked Link, who was staring out the window. My dog didn’t even acknowledge I’d spoken. As far as he was concerned, we were just out for a joyride.
I pressed on the gas, quickly passed a large four-wheel-drive yellow truck, and then spotted Tal’s small truck. He was turning to head south on Highway 101. “Found him.”
This time Link turned to look at me, his eyes glowing gold.
“You can shift if you want to, but we might be in this Jeep for a while. I’m thinking you’ll be a lot more comfy curled into that seat as a Shih Tzu, but it’s your choice.”
His eyes stopped glowing and turned to amber brown.
“Good boy.” I scratched his neck. He arched into my hand and closed his eyes. I smiled at him. So easy to please… unlike the other men in my life.
Placing both hands on the wheel, I focused on following Tal. After driving for about thirty miles, my muscles started to tense. Where was he going? At fifty miles, sweat broke out on the back of my neck and an ache formed in my gut. We hadn’t been this far down Highway 101 since the last day we’d all been together. Me, Beau, and Talisen.
My heart raced with ever-growing dread. Even driving by that exit was bound to shatter the small grasp I had on keeping my shit together.
“Please, Tal. Don’t be going where I think you’re going.”
But then his blinker lit up and he took the exit just south of Garberville. My breath caught in my throat as I choked on uncontrollable tears. “Why!” I cried and jerked the wheel just as a giant black truck swerved into my lane.
The asshole had the nerve to lay into his horn and send a rude gesture as he cut off the person in the lane to the left of me.
Link growled and with a flash morphed into wolf form, his teeth bared. If only I was on the street with that asshat, I’d be tempted to let my wolf tear him down a notch or two. Good thing we were confined in the Jeep. I didn’t need to get arrested or worry about Link being hauled off by animal control.
Taking deep breaths, I followed Talisen down the two-lane road that left no question as to where he was headed. I hit his name on my phone again. Instant voice mail. Dammit, dammit, dammit!
We turned right onto a dirt road, me a few hundred feet behind Tal. He had to know I was behind him by now. What was he doing here? The last time we’d been to Garberville was the last time we’d seen Beau alive.
The tears flowed freely as I pulled the Jeep to a stop behind Tal’s truck. As soon as I did, his door flew open and he jumped out. His face was set into a scowl as he stalked toward me.
What was wrong with him? Was he so upset about me following him that he was going to chew me out here, in the field where Beau died? I pulled a tissue from my purse and wiped at my eyes, trying to regain my composure.
His lightly streaked hair was casually styled in wavy clumps and his jaw was stubbled with at least three days’ growth. Combined with his low jeans and tight T-shirt, he looked more gorgeous than ever, though the fierce irritation blazing from his emerald-green eyes wasn’t at all like the man I’d known most of my life. What was going on? Why the hell had he come here?
Talisen stopped dead in his tracks, his face turning ash white. He shook his head in confusion and then walked slowly up to the window, his gaze searing through mine.
I just sat there, my heart strumming wildly in my chest. Holy hell, I’d missed him. Missed his banter, his expressive eyes, the feel of my hand in his.
He reached up and tugged on the door handle. Slowly, the door opened. Neither of us said a word as our eyes met and held. Then he scowled at me.
Link yelped and flew over me to get to Tal. Still in wolf form, he landed with a hard thump at Tal’s feet and jumped up, his paws hitting Tal’s chest. He bounced like a puppy, his tail wagging, desperate for attention.
Tal’s lips curved into a whisper of smile as he scratched behind Link’s ears. Link whined uncontrollably and lapped at Tal’s face. “Down, boy,” Tal said mildly.
I had to swallow my outrage. What I wouldn’t give to have Tal’s easygoing manner directed at me. Instead, I got the evil glare and not even so much as a hello.
Link sat perfectly still at Tal’s feet, staring at me with his head tilted as if wondering why I hadn’t followed his lead and slobbered all over Tal in greeting. Right. After that incredibly warm welcome. Not.
“Willow,” Tal said, scowling again. “What the hell are you doing here?”
I’d stopped crying, but I had no doubt my eyes were red and my cheeks tearstained. What a jerk. I jumped out of the Jeep and struck him in the chest with both hands, pushing him backward. “What am I doing here? Is that all you have to say to me after three months of silence? Seriously?”
My body started to shake with adrenaline. Being in this place and confronting Talisen, it was more than I could take. And to have him angry at me… it was infuriating.
Talisen took a step back, deliberately putting more space between us. “You need to leave right now.”
I scanned the fields, indignation fueling my simmering rage. “Really? Are you going to make me? I came here because I need to talk to you. And what do I find? You coming here, of all places, and then you have the nerve to treat me like I did something wrong? What the hell is the matter with you?” I couldn’t stop myself. He’d made me so upset I stepped forward and pushed him once again with both hands. Hard.
“Willow.” He growled and grabbed both of my hands, forcing them down to my sides. Something
close to sympathy or maybe regret flashed through his eyes as he stepped in close, invading my personal space. He stared down at me as he pushed me back toward the open door of the Jeep. “Get in the car and go back to your mother’s house, right now. You should not be here.”
“Don’t tell me what to do,” I spat out and yanked my wrists from his hold. Damn him for making friends with my dog. Any other person on the planet would’ve already had a chunk of flesh taken out of him for putting his hands on me. “You shouldn’t be here either. You should be back at your lab… working. I’m not leaving until you tell me what exactly is going on with you.”
He flinched lightly at my words but said nothing. He stared at me, a muscle pulsing in his jaw.
“So that’s it, then? I followed you all the way down here to find out you’re visiting the place Beau was murdered and you have nothing to say other than to tell me to leave? Real nice, Tal. Real nice.”
“Willow—”
“Don’t Willow me. Damn you, Tal! All of this because you think I have something with David?” I swallowed the guilt trying to choke me as the memory of David brushing his lips over mine a few weeks ago flashed in my mind. “You left me. You never even gave us a chance. And now you’re here treating me like some pesky stalker. Well, I’ve got news for you—”
“Willow!” He bent his head and ran a jerky hand through his sandy-bond hair. “I’m meeting someone here.” Then he reached for me as if he was going to nudge me back into the Jeep again, but his hand fell. “You need to leave. Go back to your mom’s or my house. It’s not…”
When he didn’t finish his thought, I placed my hands on my hips and stood my ground. “Not what, Talisen? Safe?” I eyed Link. He lay on his side, his eyes closed as he breathed deeply. The wolf was utterly relaxed. “Looks like there isn’t too much to be worried about. Unless you’re meeting someone you don’t want me to know about.” Could that be it? Was he meeting another woman there? That seemed highly unlikely. Why would he bring someone to my mother’s old lavender fields over an hour away? I shook my head. The thought was utterly ridiculous.