All we have to do is figure out what she needs and then give it to her. Then she’ll stay, his wolf said.
I can give her everything she needs, Logan replied. But I doubt whether she would just take what I have to offer. She needs independence.
Or she needs us to persuade her it’s okay to rely on others, even after you have been let down so badly. He stretched and flexed his claws. If I could get my claws and teeth on that ex-husband of hers.
Violence won’t make this any easier, Logan reminded his wolf.
Pity, he replied.
“Can we come back soon?” Milo asked.
“If we get a chance, yes.”
“Promise?” Milo asked.
“I said we’d try but I don’t want to make a promise we can’t keep. We talked about this before we left the house. I don’t know what the future holds for us. But we said we would treat it as an adventure, didn’t we?” Penny placed her arm around her son.
“This is the start of our adventure.” Milo stared out at the mountains in the distance.
“Why aren’t the mountains on the map?” Penny swung her head around to face Logan.
“I don’t know.” He stared at them, trying to think of a plausible answer. “Perhaps they are hidden from the road outside of town.”
“In all the years they have been making maps, they have found the remotest of islands, but they have never seen those mountains?” She gave him a hard stare. “Google Maps sees everything. But not those peaks or this town.”
His wolf lifted his head and chuckled. Wait till Penny finds out what else Google doesn’t know about.
“I have no idea.” Logan decided to keep it simple. He wasn’t exactly lying to his mate. He really didn’t have any idea as to why Wishing Moon Bay and the surrounding area were hidden from human technology. He guessed it was some kind of cloaking spell. Although, the town occasionally let people in who possibly didn’t belong there. Penny and Milo being two of those people.
Jeremy’s question of why came back to Logan. Had the town let Penny see the signs, had it revealed the tunnel to her simply because she was his mate? Or was there another reason? A reason that might mean she wasn’t supposed to leave. A reason that might mean she would need his protection before too long.
Logan drove the truck to Frank and Dennis Car Repairs and parked outside. He got out and waited around the front of the truck for Penny and Milo to join him. “Is this your car?”
“That’s it.” Penny held Milo’s hand and walked over to her car. “I wonder if they’ve had a chance to look at it yet.”
“Do you want me to go ask?” It was still early, Logan doubted that Frank or Dennis had started work before nine and since it was only a quarter past now, the car was probably untouched.
Or it was a quick fix and Penny is going to drive out of our lives right now. His wolf was always telling Logan things he didn’t want to hear.
“I’ll talk to them.” She smiled in thanks as she went to the half-open door leading into the garage and poked her head in. “Hello.”
“Ah, there you are.” Frank appeared from somewhere inside and came out into the light. “What a beautiful morning.” His eyes narrowed as he saw Logan. “Ah, I see you found your way to the hotel then.”
“Oh, yes, thanks for calling ahead. Logan met us on the road and helped carry Milo and our backpacks.”
“Calling ahead?” Frank tilted his head as he looked at Logan.
“Yes, so that I knew to go meet Penny and Milo.” Logan hoped Frank would go along with it.
Even though you haggled over your repair bill last time you were here, his wolf said drily.
“Penny and Milo.” Frank looked at mother and son and then his eyes wandered across to the car. “I haven’t had a chance to look at the car yet.”
“Okay. Well, Logan has offered to give us a tour of the town. Perhaps you could call my cell phone when you have looked at the car and let me know what is wrong.” Penny bit her bottom lip as she followed Frank’s gaze to the car. “Hopefully, it isn’t too expensive.”
“It sure did make a racket when you drove it in here last night.” Dennis came out of the garage to join them. “Logan.”
“Dennis.” Logan backed away toward the truck, he wanted to make the most of his time alone with Penny and Milo and not stand around talking. “Why don’t we leave these guys to look at your car? It gives us more time to explore the town.”
“Good idea.” Milo broke away from Penny and ran back toward the truck.
“Thanks.” Penny followed her son. “I’ll wait for your call.”
Frank and Dennis stood side by side and watched Logan as he backed up the truck and pulled back onto the road.
“I get the feeling I am not going to be leaving any time soon.” She sighed and leaned her elbow on the truck door.
“Maybe Aunt Helena will get tired of waiting for us and we’ll have to stay here,” Milo said brightly.
“Don’t you like your Aunt Helena?” Logan asked even though it was none of his business.
Did you actually say that? His wolf was in mock shock.
“I love my sister. Although, we’re different in a lot of ways. She focused on work and her career and I got married and settled down. I don’t really have any other family. I never knew my dad and my mom died over ten years ago. Milo’s dad lives in Spain now and we barely see him or hear from him.”
“Ah, I see.” Families sure were complicated. Even more complicated outside of Wishing Moon Bay.
“After everything that happened, I need to be with someone who I know cares for us...” Penny slid her arm around Milo and hugged him. “Genuinely cares for us.”
“Then stay here.”
The silence stretched out between them. Even Milo didn’t speak. He tilted his head back and stared at his mom but what was going through his head was obvious by his wide-eyed expression.
“We have plans.”
“Plans change,” Milo argued. “That’s what you told me.”
“Thanks for that, Milo.”
“He’s right, plans do change. The hotel is so busy, I could always use an extra pair of hands.” Logan glanced at Penny, not daring to hope that getting her to stay would be as simple as asking her. Of giving her an offer of a job.
“But where will we stay if the hotel is full?”
“You can have my room and I can...” What would he do? Sleep in the storage closet? Perhaps he could drag a mattress into the storeroom and sleep on the floor. He couldn’t leave the hotel, not when Valerie depended on him to care for the guests. Maybe he should mention Ivan’s offer of loaning Penny and Milo his apartment. But Logan hated the idea of Penny not sleeping under the same roof as him. What if she needed his protection?
“I can’t kick you out of your bed,” she protested.
Yes, you can, his wolf answered.
“Logan offered.” Milo shuffled in his seat as if he had ants in his pants.
“And it was very kind of him to offer. But...” She shook her head. “Oh, I don’t know...” Penny rubbed her forehead as she looked out of the window.
“Let’s go take a look around town,” Logan suggested. “Maybe once you see the bay and walk on the beach, you might find it easier to decide.”
“I will keep an open mind.”
Penny has no idea how open, his wolf replied drily.
We have to make this work, Logan replied. This was it, no second chances, no do-overs. In the next couple of hours, while Frank worked on the car, he had to find a way to persuade his mate to stay. Without putting too much pressure on her. It seemed an impossible task but one he had to rise to. If not, his life would crash and burn.
They sat in silence as he headed back along the road heading into town. Past the library where Logan had spent endless days as a child hidden away in among the books, discovering worlds beyond the borders of Wishing Moon Bay and yet never wanting to leave. He’d had his fill of life outside of town.
This was his hom
e, a place of sanctuary. A place where he could help Penny raise Milo. He’d thought parenthood had escaped him. When he reached forty, he’d figured it was too late for him and he’d grown acquainted with the disappointment which lived in his heart. With no mate, he had accepted his life. Perhaps that was what had pushed him to the outer edges of the community. Watching people he’d grown up with find their mate and settle down and raise kids had left him with a deep-rooted sadness.
Not that he wasn’t happy for those who were lucky enough to find their mate. Envious perhaps but he’d celebrated with them. He rejoiced in their happiness.
You’re going to have to tell them about shifters and everything else that lives in town, his wolf warned him. There’s a reason only certain people ever find the town. There are secrets here that not everyone understands and accepts.
And what if Penny doesn’t understand or accept what she sees? Logan’s stomach clenched. He had never been this scared. Not even when faced with a marauding vampire.
That’s because this isn’t something we can fight off with teeth and claws. There is no monster to slay. No villain to kill. Instead, we must figure out how to enable Penny to accept what is. Even when, up until now, the things that live in Wishing Moon Bay were only make-believe.
His wolf had summed the situation up succinctly. There was no way to brute force the situation. Instead, he would have to get to know Penny and Milo and figure out how to deal with human emotions and reactions. For a man who had shied away from all emotions for the last few years, this might be close to impossible.
Chapter Seven – Penny
Penny’s sense that there was something weird about Logan and the whole town wouldn’t shift. After dealing with a deceptive husband, she’d developed a sixth sense where the truth was concerned, or lack of it. Yet there was something familiar, almost comforting about the ride through town. There were certain buildings, odd landmarks that she swore she’d seen before. How was that possible when this was her first visit to Wishing Moon Bay?
“Okay, I’ll park the truck and we can walk down to the beach.” Logan, who had descended into a brooding mood, steered the truck into a parking space. The small parking lot was situated alongside a stone wall that ran along one side of the bay and had likely been built to protect the houses set back from the beach. If a high tide were coupled with a strong wind, the area would easily flood without the protection offered by the wall. Just like any other town with beachfront houses.
Perhaps the stress of her divorce and losing her home had messed with her head. Add in the car breaking down last night and was there any wonder she was seeing and believing things that weren’t real?
Throw in a dose of living alone with a child with a vivid imagination and it was no wonder she was halfway to crazy.
“I’d love to live by the beach.” Milo glanced sideways at his mom and gave her his irresistibly cheeky smile.
“It is beautiful.” Penny sat staring at the sparkling ocean that filled the bay. Even in winter, the water looked inviting.
“Shall we get a closer look?” Logan asked, his hand on the truck door but not opening it. He was unsure of her and how to react. Why her reaction meant so much to him, she could not fathom.
“Yes.” Milo stood up, leaning over the truck seat as he shuffled toward her. “Please.”
“I guess there’s no harm in looking.” She opened the door and slid down to the ground, her feet hitting the asphalt harder than she expected and she hung onto the door to keep herself upright. “I forgot it was a long way down.”
“Need a hand?” Logan was behind her in a flash. He’d moved so fast, impossibly fast.
“I’m good, thanks.” Although her brain could not resist teasing her with thoughts of what it would be like to feel his hands on her waist. To hide the pink flush that spread across her cheeks, she focused on Milo and reached up for him. “Come on, buddy.”
“I can do it. On my own.” He hung back inside, peering over the edge of the seat.
“Okay. Just hold onto something.” She stepped back and allowed him to try it on his own. Milo was a determined young man, and she loved his fight for independence, but she would always be there for him, ready to catch him with open arms if he failed.
“I’ve got this.” Milo turned around and grabbed hold of the door with one hand and the seat with the other and lowered himself down. With his feet dangling a foot above the ground, he looked down and then finally let go. “Here I come.” He bent his knees and landed on the balls of his feet before springing upwards and clapping his hands. “I did it!”
“You sure did.” Penny’s heart swelled with pride. She loved this little guy more than anything in the world and her actions and decisions had to revolve around him for the foreseeable future. When she caught Logan grinning at Milo, she got the feeling that this stranger was on the same wavelength. She had no idea why, but for the first time since she discovered her husband’s infidelity, it truly felt as if she was not alone, there was someone by her side who would look after them.
And catch them if they fell.
“Can we go onto the beach?” Milo jumped and skipped around Logan and his mom as she shut the truck door.
“Sure, if Logan thinks it’s okay. We have to remember that we don’t know this place well and sometimes the tide and currents can be dangerous.”
“Why?” Milo slipped his hand into hers.
“Because sometimes even the most serene-looking water can hide a riptide. If you get caught in a riptide, you might get swept out to sea.” She glanced at Logan. “Is the beach safe?”
“There are no riptides here,” he confirmed but didn’t go as far as agreeing the beach was safe.
“Okay, let’s go.” Penny started walking toward the steps leading down from the parking lot toward the beach, but Milo didn’t follow. Instead, he twisted around and held out his hand to Logan. “Can you hold my hand and then I can swing?”
“Swing?” Logan flexed his fingers but didn’t immediately take hold of Milo’s hand.
“Yes. If I hold Mommy’s hand and I hold your hand then I can swing.” He wriggled his fingers at Logan who finally took the offered hand. “Now, hold tight and then lift me up when I swing, like this.”
Milo fell back a little and then took a couple of quick steps forward and lifted his feet off the ground. Penny raised her arm and Logan mirrored her movements, sending Milo high enough into the air to elicit an excited laugh. Logan laughed along with him and was happy to repeat the movement over and over again until Penny’s arm felt as if it might drop off.
“Okay, one more, and then we’re going to walk down the steps to the beach.”
Milo hung back and then ran forward as fast as he could before launching himself into the air. “Whee!” he called out at the top of his voice.
“You sure know how to have fun.” Logan laughed as Milo breathlessly planted his two feet squarely on the ground, let go of Penny’s and Logan’s hands, and ran off toward the steps.
“Walk down the steps,” Penny called after him.
“I will.” Milo slowed to a walk at the top of the steps and then carefully walked down them, his hand on the wall to help him balance.
“I like hearing him laugh.” Logan watched Milo as he reached the third step from the bottom and jumped.
“It’s a good sound,” Penny agreed. “My favorite sound.”
“And his dad left him?” Logan asked quietly as if he couldn’t fathom how a father would leave his only child. A thought Penny had pondered once too many in recent months.
Penny had reached the top step but didn’t go down to the beach. Instead, she turned and faced Logan. “He decided to make a new life with another woman.”
“And he was okay with making you give up everything you knew, everything you owned?” Logan’s eyebrows met in the middle as if he were trying to figure out a puzzle.
“He didn’t really care.” She looked over her shoulder to where her son was running around as if he w
ere chasing his own tail.
“How could he not care?”
“Because he’d moved on. In truth, I don’t think he ever really wanted to be a father. Milo was...an accident.”
“An accident?”
“Yes.” Her cheeks were tinged with pink and she dared not look at Logan. “You know, he wasn’t planned. He just happened. Kelvin, Milo’s dad, wasn’t totally on board with me keeping him. Not at first.” She recalled the discussions but refused to be pressured into not keeping the child growing inside of her. “As Milo grew bigger inside me, Kelvin came around to the idea of being a father. But the dream was not as easy as the reality. Children take up a lot of time and energy.”
“Children are a gift.”
She cracked a smile and met Logan’s eyes, witnessing the honesty there. “I think so, too. And Milo has been the best thing to ever happen to me. Seeing things through a child’s eyes is incredibly humbling.”
“You like being a mother.”
“I love being a mother.” Her bottom lip trembled. “Although, there are times when I think I might not be the best mother for Milo. He’s been through so much and here we are starting over again. We’re homeless. I just hope he’s happy at Helena’s, she lives in an apartment building in a busy city and, as you can see, Milo likes open spaces where he can run off his endless energy.”
“Penny, you have a home here. If you want it.” The truth shone in Logan’s eyes and her eyes misted with tears. All she had to do was reach out and accept his offer and they would have a home here in Wishing Moon Bay. But was that the right thing for them?
“I don’t understand.”
“Which part?”
“I arrived in town yesterday. We don’t know each other.” She inclined her head slightly. “You don’t exactly have great people skills...no offense...but here you are asking me and Milo to stay. That sounds kind of...shifty.”
“Shifty.” His head snapped back.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to insult you. You have been nothing but kind. But don’t you see how strange it seems?”
“No stranger than you going to live with your sister. You don’t sound too enthusiastic about where she lives.”
The White Wolf of Wishing Moon Bay Page 5