Chapter 13
“Well, aren’t you a good-looking addition to this place,” Lauren said, with a raised brow, looking Saige’s new employee up and down as he greeted her at the front door. “And got the nerve to blush and have dimples too!”
“Please stop harassing my new employee,” Saige said. “He’s too good a worker for me to lose.”
“I’m not going anywhere Ms. Saige, and not just because of my agreement with the sheriff. I like working for you and Nandece.”
“I hope you’re including him in your social media posts.”
Saige smiled. “I will be now. If you’re okay with it, Clyde.”
“Anything to help. If business is good, I’m hoping it’ll be enough to keep me on after my time of service is done.”
“I know you didn’t come here under the best circumstances Clyde, but you do good work. You ground this place in a way that I can’t seem to, even with Nandece’s influence.”
“You definitely give the place a less woo-woo vibe,” Lauren said, and immediately felt like kicking herself when a look of hurt flittered across Saige’s face.
“From a purely marketing perspective it feels inclusive to all stations of folks, not just the ones who are entrenched in a natural, more spiritual way of living. All folks will find you and love you, I know, without believing they’re walking into a witch’s soul trap,” she smiled.
She walked over to Saige and wrapped her in a reassuring hug.
She liked Saige and she hated hurting the people she cared about.
“I love your woo…just for the record.”
Saige pulled away smiling. “We should look into trademarking that phrase, eh coach? Because I love your woo too.”
“May the spirits of prosperity sprinkle divine intention on it and make it so,” Lauren said, lifting her arm and rubbing her fingers together as if sprinkling fairy dust.
Saige looped her arm around Lauren’s and navigated her toward the hip-high pine worktable.
“I’ve completed the last assignment you gave me.
With Clyde here, I’ve been able to spend more time on making products.
I’ve also listed some price changes and wanted to talk it through because I don’t think my regular folks will buy my products if I increase too much. ”
“Let’s look at the market analysis. I think you’ll be surprised. Also, for the people who’ve been ordering with you, you can maybe run some special subscription deals.”
As they talked, Saige dressed two white candles and gave her a small satchel of “peace” herbs for Lauren to burn in her new home.
“The new moon is in two days, a good time to focus your energy on releasing and ending; making space for that which is good to come.”
In some ways it already felt like life was already sending her in this direction. Placing a little intention behind it could only make the changes more powerful.
“Thank you, Saige, you’re a hidden treasure that’s on the brink of being discovered. I feel it in my bones.” She gathered her things because she had more stops to make. “I’m off to the library before it closes,” she said, heading out. “Be at the council meeting tomorrow.”
“Why?”
“Business planning can’t just be contained within the walls of your business. Look out for Saige, Clyde. I have a feeling you’re also gonna experience great things working here.”
“Already have, Ms. Lauren. I will work my darndest to make things better in her life and mine.”
As she walked to the library, Lauren experienced a deep sense of freedom and purpose.
There was a tangible difference in working with the people here and working corporate back home.
The feeling of making a difference was much more immediate and tangible.
Maybe this was a sign that she really should move forward in building her own consulting business.
Turning a corner, her phone vibrated and she reached in her bag and answered it without hesitation when she saw Reese’s face and name.
“Hello, my darling,” she answered in a posh English accent.
“Uh-uh. No. Who you fuckin’, because ain’t no way you’ve shifted into your playful place unless you’ve had some smex.”
Lauren laughed as she put her earbuds in and placed her phone back in her bag.
“I am not having smelly sex, you deviant. I’m...making the best of my time away.”
“In other words, you’ve found somebody’s business to be in.”
“Yes. My own.”
“Mm-hmm. Well, I’m not trying to ruin your vibe, so I’ll call you back when—”
“What happened?” she asked, deflating.
“The wedding is officially off. Venues paid, guests notified. Derrick made a whole production of thanking everyone and assuring them all gifts received would be returned. He even said some shit about him acting in ways that hurt you, and I quote, I will forever regret that I was not the man she deserved to have. Totally sidestepped the whole I screwed her sister and got her pregnant part.”
Lauren closed her eyes, bracing for the wrenching pain she’d felt when her mother and Lahn expected instant forgiveness after they told her their news.
Her engagement was officially over.
She should feel something, but there was nothing but silence and numbness. Maybe life decided she’d felt enough. And maybe she had nothing left to grieve.
“What are you doing?” Santiago called out in irritation. “Meditating on how much more mayhem you can cause? Didn’t I tell you to stay out of trouble when I dropped you off?”
She opened her eyes and smiled at him with overwhelming gratitude. She didn’t want to think about Derrick and Lahn, she didn’t want to think about home.
“I vaguely remember you saying something about staying out of trouble, yes, but you made it sound like more of a suggestion than an order.”
He stepped around his cruiser onto the sidewalk, stopping directly in front of her, his glasses on, hat on his head, uniform crisp and dry despite the humid day. Her fingers itched to reach out and smooth away a wrinkle that didn’t exist.
“You should know by now that you can’t intimidate me by crowding my space.” She leaned into him and sniffed. “Why do you smell like sin, Sheriff?”
He leaned closer but looked down the road behind her as if waiting for something to appear. Maybe his patience.
“I think you like it, Lauren,” he said roughly, his voice a resonant vibration that worked its way from her ears, to her nipples, and down to her clit. She very much did, and did not, like it.
“I think you thrive off of sowing discord. I think you want me to put my hands on you so you can make me the bad guy. But it doesn’t track does it, not when you come to me when you need to feel safe.
I don’t know what all you’re planning at the council meeting, but if you make one more incendiary or misleading statement, meddle in one more thing, I will lay my hands on you so hard and so long even your screams will turn silent.
You don’t want that Ms. Green…so behave. ”
He turned and walked back to his car.
After he drove away, she remembered to take a breath.
“Who the hell was that? Damn!”
Lauren nearly tripped over her feet. She’d completely forgotten her friend was on the phone; had heard everything through her Bluetooth earbuds.
“That was Sheriff Santiago Stillwater. The most controlling, overbearing, grumpy man I have ever met.”
“He sounds fucking hot.”
Lauren rolled her eyes and smiled. “Get off my phone, Reese.”
She reached up to end the call.
“Wait!” Reese called out, as Lauren continued her trek to the library.
“I got distracted from the real reason I called. Ma Mable left me a voicemail. Lauren, she sounded so tired and defeated. I’ve never heard her sound that way, now she won’t pick up her phone.
I’ve left four messages, and she hasn’t called me back.
And before you ask, fuck Lahn, I’m not calling that conniving hoe. But you may want to try to call—”
“I don’t.”
“At least check the voicemails she left you.”
“I can’t Reese. If she calls, I’ll pick up, but I can’t promise any more than that right now.”
“I get it sis, I’m just panicking. Truth is, if something was wrong somebody would’ve let me know. Hey, my appointment’s just arrived so I’ll call you tonight and you will tell me more about that man who was making sexy threats in my ear. I haven’t felt—”
Lauren disconnected the call, smiling sadly.
She had no intention of telling Reese about Santiago. She wanted to maintain the protective bubble she’d created here in Shrouded Lake; wanted to keep the realities of this life and the nightmare of her old one separate for as long as possible.
Stepping into the history library, Lauren was greeted by a Black woman who looked roughly the same age as her. She was about five feet five or five feet six, a shade lighter, and had a head full of long bouncy coils.
“You must be Shrouded Lake’s newest resident.”
“I’m Lauren Green.”
The other woman nodded. “That wicked Ms.Green woman is what some of our more illustrious townsfolk call you.”
“The Archers are insufferable,” she muttered, knowing exactly who would call her that.
“No lies told. I’m Amanda Rose. How can I help you?”
“I’m doing some research on my new house and its original owners. After that I’m just here to gossip—in hushed tones of course.”
“Of course,” Amanda smiled.
Lauren spent the next hour learning about the Moor family and their contributions in building this community.
She’d read over old paperwork detailing the blood pact and the contributions of the other two founding families as well.
Julian St. James’s ancestor had written up the legal document detailing the agreement made with the Union.
Amanda Rose took Lauren to the St. James and Freeman documents displayed inside a glass casing. The Moor’s paperwork was believed to be lost in the fire that burned a portion of the original house down during the massacre. Without it, without proof, the Moor’s legacy was bought out again and again.