Chapter 23
The next morning, bright and early, Boon and Angelle were awakened by persistent knocking on their front door. Boon was up and pulling on a pair of pants before Angelle had even completely registered what woke her.
“Go back to sleep, hon. I’ll get it,” Boon said, exiting the bedroom with a less than welcoming expression on his face.
“Well, hell,” Angelle muttered as she quickly tore off her nightgown and pulled on a pair of leggings and a teeshirt.
She rushed out of the bedroom thinking she might have to intercede if there was trouble with Saige’s parents, or Enthrall, or anyone else that wasn’t happy with the fact that she’d chased Saige away from her home with the use of a weapon.
But when she rushed into the family room, what she found was Boon assuring her parents that everything was fine.
“She’s fine. I give you my word. If there had been a cause for worry, I’d have contacted you — even if you were back at your own home, I’d have had Lily contact you so you’d know what was happening. But she’s fine. We just needed a little alone time to relax and regroup.”
“Angelle!” Avaleigh exclaimed, rushing over to her when she stepped into the room. Avaleigh hugged her, then looked her directly in the eye. “What happened?”
“Saige tried to claim Boon and my house. I decided she was not going to be successful. It’s not a big deal. Everybody’s fine.”
Boon laughed.
“Okay, Saige is a little less than fine, but I’m pretty sure she won’t try to claim Boon again,” Angelle said.
“That’s my girl!” Daniel said. “You aim like I taught you?”
“Yes, sir. But I consciously decided not to kill her. I just needed her to go away.”
“Oh, she went away. With a cross bow bolt in her butt, a gash on her arm from the first bolt, and a cut on her forehead from a coffee cup,” Boon said. “I was so proud.”
Angelle laughed.
“A coffee cup?” Avaleigh asked.
“Yes. The one she was drinking out of when I came home and found her here. I decided she could take it with her and threw it at her as she lay on the ground bleeding and screaming. Apparently, it cut her forehead.”
“Bet they all know who they’re dealing with now,” Daniel said approvingly.
“Why was she in your house?” Avaleigh asked.
“Broke in, I guess. Didn’t take long for her to decide to leave, though,” Angelle said.
“Are you safe to be here without Boon if he goes off to do whatever he needs to do?” Avaleigh asked.
“Yes!” Angelle insisted.
“Did you not hear how she defended herself, her home and her mate? She’s got it under control,” Daniel said.
“She does. And I’ll be making sure there are as many safe guards on our home as can be so she won’t be put in that position again. I thought it was safe before, but it will be even safer,” Boon said.
“What kind of safeguards?” Daniel asked.
“Protection spells. Securities. Some of my family are elementals, as you know. Don’t worry. It won’t be happening again.”
Daniel nodded his approval.
“Come to think of it, I like the cross bow, but I’d like something smaller that I can easily carry with me at any time.”
“Already thought of it. It’s in process.
” Boon kissed Angelle’s forehead as he walked past her on his way to the kitchen.
“I’m hungry. Anybody else want something to eat?
” Boon asked, leaving Angelle to handle her own parents, as he went into the kitchen and started digging through the refrigerator.
Daniel looked at Angelle and Avaleigh as Angelle fielded more questions about what had happened the day before, then looked over at Boon.
“I could eat,” he said, deciding that Angelle had things under control and didn’t need his input.
Besides, he was a little hungry. They’d not slept well, and had awakened early to go see how Angelle was after the events of the day before, so they’d had a little breakfast before the sun even came up. It’d been a while since then.
“What are you having?” Daniel asked.
“Got a few of these cutlets left over. I made them last night,” Boon said, handing Daniel one.
Daniel examined the cutlet which appeared to be a hand sized medallion of meat, pan fried with a light breading on the outside, before he bit into it and nodded approvingly. “That’s good! What is that? Venison? You made that?”
“I am a male of many talents,” Boon said.
“And what if she comes back?! She could break into your home while you’re here alone, sleeping or showering or something!” Avaleigh said, her voice rising in volume with her anxiety.
“Then I’ll shoot her again, Mom. It’s not going to be an issue. Let it go!”
“Let it go, she says,” Avaleigh said, walking away from Angelle to take a seat beside Daniel.
“Angelle is safe,” Boon promised.
“We thought that yesterday before this happened. Then Lily comes home yesterday telling us all about how Angelle defended her home,” Avaleigh said.
“Yeah, speaking of. This happened yesterday, why are you just coming by today to tell me how much danger I was in? If you’re all that worried, you should have come by yesterday,” Angelle said.
“Your father was fishing with Carnage and Dima. He didn’t get home until after dark, and Lily assured me that you were perfectly well and with Boon. I had to wait until this morning to see for myself.”
“And your anxiety built up overnight, so you’re more upset than you’d have been yesterday because you’ve had time to consider all the what ifs,” Angelle said.
“You’re making light of this,” Avaleigh said.
“No, we’re not. We’re taking every precaution.
I defended myself, and well, I might add.
I could have killed her and chose not to, that shows forethought.
She just needed to see that Boon and I are a team and that I’m not going anywhere, or standing still for any intimidation she might try to throw my way. ”
“And she’ll have a small pistol to carry with her whenever she wants to carry it. And I’m going to have protections put on the house as well. I should have thought of it before, but Whispers has always been safe, so it didn’t occur to me.”
“But…”
“Stop!” Angelle insisted. “I don’t want to talk about it again.”
“Fine,” Avaleigh said, still dissatisfied with the entire situation.
“What’s on the agenda today?” Daniel asked.
“Well, the party is canceled, thanks to Saige and the events of yesterday. But, I had an idea,” Boon said, looking at Angelle.
“What’s your idea?” Angelle asked.
“I thought it might be a good idea to have a barbecue.”
“A barbecue?” Daniel asked.
“Yes. Not an official party, just start cooking and see who comes. Welcome whoever does and have a nice, long, informal, relaxing day of food and friends. Then we’ll have done our part to establish ourselves as a mated pair in the community, and we don’t have to deal with anyone else for a long while unless we choose to. ”
“So, a party, but not really a party, more a housewarming,” Angelle said.
“Housewarming?” Boon asked.
“When you get a new home you invite people over and eat and show off your house and people bring presents to help you set up your house — towels, dishes, lamps, cleaning supplies, things like that.”
“Exactly! But without the presents. We don’t need them,” Boon said.
“And we’re at our own home, instead of out of my element, and people can meet me and satisfy their curiosity,” Angelle said.
“We won’t even invite anyone except our parents and Lily and Carrik. The rest will show up as they hear about it, or smell the meat cooking.”
“Very informal. We’re cooking, there’s plenty, sit and have a plate with us.”
“Yes,” Boon said.
“What are we cooking that would be enough for that many people, assuming that many people come by.”
“There may not be that many now that everyone has heard or is hearing about you running that girl out of here,” Daniel said with a chuckle as he finished off another cutlet.
“You’re not funny, Dad,” Angelle said.
“He’s kind of funny,” Boon said with a shrug. “And we’ll have Cochon de lait.”
“I like that. I could make some sides,” Angelle said.
“Some will bring a dish to contribute as well,” Boon said.
“Let’s do it,” Angelle said.
~~~
Within two hours a pit had been dug and lined with rocks.
A spit had been erected over the fire and a whole hog was roasting over the fire as Boon, Daniel, Brandt, and Carrik kept watch.
All the windows and the front door of the house were open and welcoming, Angelle and Avaleigh were boiling eggs, cleaning potatoes, and slicing onions for potato salad, as Lily played with Eli.
Tempest was busy making lots of lemonade and sarsaparilla tea.
The conversation flowed and laughter came easily as they enjoyed being together.
“You still owe me a wedding,” Lily said as she played with Eli.
“Wait, are you talking to me or to Eli?” Tempest said.
“You, and you know I’m talking to you,” Lily said.
“But you’re looking at Eli. So, I was a little confused,” Tempest said, suppressing a grin.
Lily turned to face Tempest. “You know I really want to help plan a wedding for you. You even agreed to let me yesterday.”
“That was yesterday. Today I’m not so sure.”
“Tempest!” Lily exclaimed.
“Mom! We don’t need it. Brandt and I couldn’t be any more committed than we are.”
“I know, and I’m not questioning that. But I had so much fun planning my wedding, and I guess I always thought I’d get to be a part of yours, too, one day.”
“If you really want one, we can do it today,” Angelle said.
“No, we can’t,” Tempest said. “And I’m not saying no forever. I’m just saying, not right now.”
“Think about it a little more, please,” Lily said. “I like to do things like that.”
“I’ll think about it. A little,” Tempest agreed. “But for now, I really just want to enjoy the barbecue.”
“Well, of course. I can’t very well plan a spectacular wedding in less than an hour,” Lily said.
The sound of new voices downstairs, followed by footsteps coming up toward the door had them all looking expectantly at the door.