Chapter 10
“You’re getting better every day and that’s the part to focus on,” he said as he set me on my feet.
I wasn’t sure what I was going to say in response; I opened my mouth to say something but was distracted when I caught sight of something behind him. I touched his arm and peered around him to get a better view… And almost fell over again.
Then I just pointed behind him and trying to make my mouth work.
His soft chuckle hit my ears as he took my hand and led me towards the… Campsite? Yeah, it looked like almost a campsite out of the movies or something.
On my land.
Since when? How?
I had a lot of questions all at once, which was why my mouth wasn’t working for sure.
“So for the record, we checked with Tracey and you said several times something needed to be done here now that so many people were coming,” he said as we reached the edge of it.
“We all pitched in, Taylor and his people too. Everyone who’s been getting sessions or gotten the blessing of being able to come here and harvest.”
I bobbed my head as he told me that they took great care taking down the trees they did.
That it was the trees of the land that made the picnic benches.
They used magic harvested from the land to level the area and then worked extra to afford the concrete.
Tracey had agreed that pavers weren’t needed and someone could trip, so it was better for stamped concrete.
I agreed. It fit perfectly. It looked great. It was pretty big even with a dozen nice tables, a large bonfire pit in the middle, what looked like a grilling area off to the side, and… I wasn’t sure.
“Are you building decks?” I hedged, glancing from it to him.
“You know what glamping is, right?” he waited until I nodded. “That’s what we thought this could be. A few huts and—I’d stay here one night a week with Teddy as I could. That’s more eyes here and someone trusted to make sure everything is okay.”
“I love it,” I whispered, touched beyond words he’d pulled this off.
“Don’t cry, little sexy,” he begged. “Your tears kill me.”
I sniffled and quickly wiped under my eyes. “It doesn’t count if they’re happy. This is—he would have loved this. The life back to the land.”
He flinched. “Henry?” He cleared his throat when I nodded. “I’m glad. People talk highly of him, but I did it for you, Bev. We did. We didn’t know him, and we don’t give a shit about the Millens.”
“Or Shaws,” Wes drawled as he used a cart to drag a huge box over.
“We did this for you. Clare. Jasmine since she’s helped make this work.
Tracey approving our projects and giving us hope.
Shit, just having a fucking community that’s not toxic and makes me feel this society isn’t a fucking dumpster fire every fucking day. ”
I nodded but then glanced up at Winter asking what that was about.
“We contacted some people we know and the things we learned were terrifying,” Winter said quietly. “We’ll explain. I think we’re being joined and with food since what we’re making won’t be ready until dinner.”
He winked at me and brought me over to one of the picnic tables and explained to me what it all was. My eyes went wide when a pickup carefully came close with a trailer that was a grill. A grill trailer?
“That we had to get money for, but we promised we knew what we were doing,” Winter told me as he snapped on disposable gloves. “Now, before you smoke butts, they must be spanked.”
“I’m sorry?” I blinked at the meat and then up at him.
He was focused on what was in front of him, but I saw the smirk. “I don’t make the rules, little sexy. I just follow them.”
“Since when?” Nate drawled, several people there laughing.
Winter’s large hand slapped the even larger cut of meat. “Gotta smack that butt; otherwise the pulled pork won’t turn out well.”
“Oh, I love pulled pork.”
“Girl, that’s why he’s making it,” one of Taylor’s people chuckled as she brought over a tray of food. She winked at me when I glanced at her and walked off laughing.
Okay then.
“A birdie did tell me when I promised I was talented and liked to do this a lot,” Winter muttered under his breath.
“Tracey likes smoked salmon. I told her where to get the maple cream I’ve used to make it killer and I would smoke enough to fill her freezer if she gave me the deets to win over your fit, flat tummy. ”
“Show me the way, Sir Winter,” I whispered as I bumped his arm. I was a diligent student as he told me the general recipe but with his tweaks. We were starting later than normal because of getting things set up, so he was raising the temp just a bit and we wouldn’t be any wiser.
He promised or I could spank him. It made his friends laugh to hear that.
There were several pork butts—technically pork shoulders, so I had no idea why they were called butts. So people could joke about smacking them? No one wanted to eat an animal’s shoulder?
Either way, it was a lot of food and smelled fucking fantastic. Something about seeing the wood be thrown on, hearing the meat sizzle, and all the smells was just cathartic. So when one of Taylor’s guys discreetly handed me a spiked seltzer, it seemed like the perfect time to just be a college kid.
Seriously.
I had a moment to think about it still being morning but then shrugged and enjoyed the peace because I needed it, rarely got it.
“Grandfather would have loved this,” I said when Clare joined me about twenty minutes later.
“There was such a pain in him that the Shaws didn’t just take over the Millens and him, but wiped out their memory and history.
He used to say the life of this place—people found solace at the Millen vacation homes. ”
She reached over and took my drink, making me worry she was chastising me. But she simply took a sip and gave it back. “You knew him in a way that I didn’t and it irks me.”
“I feel the same way about Grandmother,” I admitted.
“I didn’t realize that until today. She genuinely loves you and I didn’t know she had the ability to love, simply be proud of you and Jean.
But she loves you and me she treated like a reject.
The failed Shaw and embarrassment.” I snorted and took a sip.
“If I wasn’t, they would have killed me. Our family is fucked.”
“Yeah, beyond words because I still want that love,” she whispered and then thanked someone.
She had a drink of her own when I glanced over.
“But this is nice. If he liked that people found solace here then yes, this is exactly what Grandfather would have wanted with this land. Well done to Winter and Danny for coming up with this.”
“You knew?” I hedged.
“I walked in on them talking to Tracey with an idea on what to do to help.” She glanced at me and leaned in a bit, lowering her voice.
“He’s got a lot on his plate with being a master’s student.
It’s no joke at Morrigan, but he is a man who sees the big picture and is willing to help.
So know he puts in the time to navigate and call in favors. ”
I nodded when she gestured out to what was going on around us. “Thanks for approving this.”
“I was worried my two cents wouldn’t be welcome.” She let out a shaky breath. “Tracey doesn’t feel I’m on the team yet.”
I thought on that as I took another sip.
“She saw the abused child I was in that house and it’s all tied together to her, Clare.
You were one of those who hurt me. She needs time to resettle as much as we do.
” I turned to her and waited until she looked at me.
“Please be patient with her. She promised to protect me and then couldn’t because I was trapped in there. ”
She swallowed loudly. “And Grandfather died, so her protection was also gone.” Her eyes flashed shock at whatever was on my face. “You never realized that before?”
“I don’t… Tracey’s always been the adult to me.”
“Fair,” she accepted and looked back out at the platform being built.
That Wes was building more specifically. I wasn’t going near that, but I did note it.
“I’d like to start your sessions with your familiar next week,” I said gently. “I think we should have one like I want to do with Taylor. I want you to see what Tracey has with Woodchuck. For different reasons. Woodchuck is little and what they have—she’s more powerful than Jean.”
“I’ve been better,” Clare said, her tone defensive.
“You have. You need to heal, but it’s hard to know what you’re working towards without a goal.
I’ve learned that fast helping people. I flounder every fucking day trying to map this out blindly.
I don’t want that for you when I have this answer.
Others I can’t give you or are different for everyone. ”
She was quiet for several minutes as we just enjoyed the morning.
“Thank you. I’d like that.” She took in a long breath and stood, downing the rest of her drink.
“You should know I blew up at Grandmother. I told her that you were smarter than I was and a better witch, so I was done with the cuts and toxic women in our family. That if she—I was loyal.”
I grabbed her wrist when she went to turn away but immediately let it go. “It’s never about you being loyal to me or not, Clare. Thank you for defending me. Really, but I don’t want loyalty tests like we’ve suffered through. Do it for you.”
“Her tearing you down has nothing to do with me,” Clare said firmly.
“But it does,” Tracey disagreed as she joined us with Jasmine.
“Because you chose this side and to be a Millen who she resented. She treated Henry like her dog more than her mate. Bernice Shaw is tearing into the side you chose as a way to undercut your decision, Clare. Always be aware she has other motives.”
“Yes, but—”
“I met Bernice when I was still in school and Henry was mentoring me,” Tracey continued. “She snorted and said, ‘Still refusing to take our name? They wouldn’t have stuck you with an orphan witch of that background if you weren’t still a Millen, Henry.’”
“I’m so sorry, Tracey,” I whispered, not having known that.
“I-I want—I don’t think you’re lying but…” Clare looked beyond gobsmacked. She let out a long breath. “I believe. You have no reason to lie, but I’m having trouble matching that up. I’ve never, not ever seen her act racist.”
I thought a moment and sighed. “She had choice words about Father hiring that Hispanic driver, but I thought it was over immigration status or she said it was and it could bring human attention to us.”
Tracey nodded but kept Clare’s gaze. “Because you matter, Clare. She kept the mask on with you always. That’s what I’m trying to tell you.
You think that the mask she wore was for everyone else and you got to see the real her and that’s the love you’ve felt.
I’m telling you this not to hurt you but so you don’t get hurt anymore. ”
“Because while we heard what you said and it’s hard to accept you’re on the team, we’re not against you being on the team,” Jasmine muttered. “We’re not rooting against you. I’m certainly not.”
“I will think on what you said, truly,” Clare said, obviously wanting the topic dropped.
Tracey nodded but then paused. “You deserve love worthy of you, Clare. Especially after all you’ve been through.
Don’t make excuses to hold onto the only love you’ve known because you’re scared.
That’s what I’m trying to tell you. It’s the mistake I made and regret.
” She focused on me and smiled. “I found the family I needed and—blood means shit.”
“Blood means shit,” I agreed and then decided to lighten the mood. “I think seltzers might be my jam, but this one has a weird aftertaste.”
“I’m going to ignore the underage drinking and let’s focus on making decisions for this place since you now know about it,” Jasmine drawled.
“I like this flavor and fuck if some day drinking isn’t needed,” Tracey mumbled as she grabbed it from me.
I ended up with a mango flavor that I loved, sipping it as we started with glamping Jupes—which I didn’t know was a thing… And I still didn’t know if it was a brand name or like a type of tent?
I didn’t think it really mattered.
They were something between a tent and a cabin, definitely not just putting in stakes and thin material. They were like bigger cabanas at swank pools in the movies almost. They also weren’t cheap, or at least the ones we were looking at so the whole area wasn’t an eyesore.
Someone had already confirmed we could get plumbing out there, so we were going to build a legit shower and bathroom house thing like at campgrounds. Nothing fancy but a couple of each plus a sink and kitchen area for cleaning after cooking and whatnot. I thought it was awesome.
“We could do like a huge outdoor hot tub over there,” I muttered glancing at the spot and trying to picture it.
“That’s what I’m talking about, little sexy!” Winter called over. “Everyone’s adults and would follow not using it solo or no glass in it. It just sounds so fucking nice on a cool night after harvesting or working hard.”
“He repeatedly added it into the plans,” Jasmine drawled, studying me intently. “He really didn’t push you to suggest it?”
“No, it’s all her,” Tracey chuckled, not even glancing at me. “This girl and her baths—Henry used to joke she was part fish. He said he hated how unhappy Bevin was in that house, but at least she smiled at bathtime.”
“Everyone left me alone, and then I found they helped with my magic being all over since I didn’t have real training,” I said with a shrug. “And Grandfather teaching me to swim was…” I shrugged again, not wanting to rub my good memories of him in Clare’s face.
Plus, they were all a bit painful right then.
Luckily, lunch came and we chowed down on the sandwiches as we finished what needed to be decided.
It was a lot more than the new campsite area.
The final plans for the house addition were done, but now it was down to details.
Countertops and tiles and floors and nothing I cared about or ever wanted to think about.
Much less make the decision on. I knew Clare was frustrated with that, but Tracey was right that the goal was mostly to match without trying too hard to match.
Nothing should be exact and pay gobs to find it, but where there was gray tile we should try for similar gray tile.
Wood floors were the same type and keep them natural like we had.
I thought a lot of this had already been handled, but I realized Clare had wanted me to say it and not risk upsetting me that she’d overstepped. It was nice.
Her trying was really nice.
The whole day was even.
Nice was, well… Nice.
So were hard seltzers.