Chapter 13 Rules for Relationships
THIRTEEN
Rules for Relationships
Dad disappeared—I assumed to look for a cardigan—so I surfaced.
“Hello.”
I looked up at the silhouette leaning over the railing. Shading my eyes, I saw Great-Uncle Bracken and waved.
“I watched you dive in, so I waited,” he said. “Even for you, though, that was a long time.”
I swam to the rope ladder Declan had installed for me and began climbing. “I was talking to my dad.”
“Fascinating,” he murmured. “Do you hear his voice in your head?” He was waiting at the top of the rope to help me over.
“Yeah. If Emrys—AKA Wilbur, the selkie—tells him I seem upset, he pops in to check on me. We can hear each other’s thoughts. Not chaotic everything thoughts, though. We have proper conversations.”
“Interesting. So you see him beside you?”
I nodded, dripping on the deck.
Bracken waved a hand and I was dry. “I saw you sitting on the ocean floor, but to my eye, you were alone.”
“Huh.” I looked over the railing—no idea why, as neither Dad nor I was still down there. The water was pretty clear, though. If he saw me, he should have seen Dad.
“Oh,” Bracken said. “I was originally coming over to tell you your young man was looking for you.”
I made a sound that could fairly be termed a growl.
“Problem?” he asked.
“Just that my young man can blow me.”
Bracken’s eyebrows winged up. His expression stayed neutral, but I could swear he was smiling. He sat on the nearest bench and patted the seat beside him. “As you know, I was a dismal failure at marriage, but feel free to tell me all about it.”
So I did. I even turned on my phone and showed him the text where Declan got all bent out of shape about another man touching me, all while I ignored the missed calls and messages.
Bracken listened, occasionally nodding. “It can be so difficult when we love someone. With the love comes worry. What if something happens and you’re not there to stop it, to help?
” He patted my knee. “You know what that’s like.
You were in a tizzy when he wouldn’t let you help him with his Alpha challenge.
You knew the former Alpha would try something, but Declan had made you promise to stay out of it.
” Sighing, he looked up at the clear blue sky, knowing he’d made his point.
I picked up my backpack and stood. “I need to talk to a woman. You men always stick up for each other.”
Bracken stood as well. “I am always firmly on your side, my dear. You know that. I even offered to drive you into the woods so we could both spell any wolves trying to kill your man.” He tapped his pockets.
“He’s so kind and seemingly well-adjusted, it’s easy to forget that he’s spent most of his life moving like a nomad, always alone.
To now have a partner, a child, a home, it must be terrifying realizing how easily it could all be ripped away. ”
I reached out and squeezed his arm. We both knew he wasn’t only talking about Declan. In Bracken’s case, his family had disappeared in the night.
He patted my gloved hand and strolled back to his RV. Over his shoulder, he said, “Oh, the architect stopped by today. Charming woman. We have the plans decided and construction will start soon.” He lifted a hand in farewell as he walked away.
I went in, dropped my backpack by the door, and went upstairs to shower. Sliding my phone on the counter, I peeled off my dirty clothes. I knew I needed to deal with all the missed calls and messages, but later.
I put the pearl next to my phone but decided that couldn’t wait.
It was too great a gift. I went back into the bedroom, found my jewelry kit in the closet, and brought it back.
It had been a while since I made jewelry, but I could easily drill a small hole and attach a bale.
I made short work of it, hung it on a long white gold necklace, and placed it around my neck.
When it hit between my breasts, I felt a magical charge run through me. Perfect.
Later, when I left the bathroom, clean, conditioned, and mostly dry, I found Declan on my bed again. I felt his eyes on me as I opened my closet.
He waited until I was dressed in my comfiest loungewear before he said, “Can we talk now?”
Instead of sitting on the bed, I moved my clean laundry and sat on the lone chair I kept up here.
“Okay,” he said, scratching his cheek. “You’re still angry with me.”
I held up a hand to stop him. “I’m over here because I need to tell you something and you’re going to be pissed.”
Brow furrowed, he waited silently.
“Bracken reminded me that I really don’t have a leg to stand on in this argument.” I folded my hands in my lap and sighed. “Yes, your possessive attitude pissed me off.”
When he opened his mouth, I held up my hand again. “But, I was viciously reminded that when you were going to your Alpha challenge and I wanted to help—because I love you as much as you love me—I was unjustly and cruelly forbidden from interfering.”
“Adverbs are working hard today,” he muttered.
“Anyway, I knew Logan was going to pull something, but you made me promise.” I blew out a breath again. “A promise I broke.”
Since he looked more confused than angry, I continued. “I did a kind of astral projection, I guess.” Pointing at the bed, I said, “I touched the pillow you’d used, found you, and stayed with you through the whole thing.”
Shock had replaced confusion. “You saw everything?”
I nodded. “He had a sniper in one of the pines. He was supposed to shoot you the moment you stepped into the ring.”
“Wait. I remember hearing a shot.” He sat forward, his expression darkened.
“Yeah. I almost missed that one. My consciousness was there on the field with you, but my spell-casting body was here. I cast a spell to jam the rifle, but nothing happened. I was panicking, terrified you were about to be killed, when the spell finally made it to the pack grounds.”
Declan rubbed his forehead, so I plowed on. “When that didn’t work, Logan dipped his claws into poison before meeting you in the ring. He slashed your chest, knowing the poison would finish the job for him.”
“I couldn’t stand,” Declan said, his face still in his hand. “When I vomited black muck, I was able to shake it off and fight.”
“Right,” I said. “I pulled the poison from your blood. There was a delay because the spell had to travel.”
He nodded, still not looking at me. “What else did you do?”
I thought about it. “That was it. I watched to make sure no one else was cheating, though. When I saw everyone bowing to you, I checked out so I could bake you a cake.” I braced, waiting for the blowup.
He stood, walked around the bed, and sat on the edge directly in front of me. “So, even though you promised me,” he began, staring into my eyes, “that you wouldn’t interfere, you broke that promise to save my life. Twice.”
Still braced, I nodded.
“In that case, I’d think you’d understand why I was pissed when you left without me.
I can’t astral project. You were surrounded by cops who are hostile to you, who pissed in your damn water bottle.
Yeah, Osso was with you, but he’s not exactly a caretaker and he has his job to do.
He could easily be called away from you.
Then if you have a vision, you’re at the mercy of those assholes. ”
He shook his head, his hands fisted on his knees. “You didn’t let me choose. You decided the client was more important than you. That wouldn’t have been the choice I’d have made.” He shook out his hands, then reached for mine. “You have to let me make my own decisions.
“You broke a very big promise to me. Part of me is really pissed off you ignored me. The other part recognizes you did it from a place of caring, which is really hard to be angry with.”
“Yes. That,” I said, pointing at him. “I agree with that part.”
“Then do you understand why I was angry?”
“Was?” Maybe we would get through this okay.
He blew out a breath. “New rule: We tell each other when we go somewhere. If you’d texted me that Osso wanted to take you to a crime scene, I would have called to see if I could take you myself in an hour or so.
Would it have made a difference to their investigation if you arrived an hour later than you did? ”
I shook my head.
“I ran over at lunch, and you weren’t here. No text. No note. Bracken hadn’t seen you. I was already on edge when I got your message that you were at a crime scene. Without me.” He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “Did you turn off your phone? Nothing seemed to be getting through to you.”
My stomach cramped with guilt. “Yeah.”
He stood abruptly, went to the railing, and looked down on the studio. “Second rule: Don’t turn off your phone.” He turned to me. “I’m not magical like that. I have no idea if you’re okay when you cut me off.”
The back of his hands got hairier. He closed his eyes and let out a long, slow breath.
The hair receded. “I can’t be with you all the time.
We both have our own careers, our own interests and obligations.
I’m not saying I expect you barefoot and pregnant upstairs in our home so I can keep you under my thumb.
I’m saying I want to know when you go someplace different than what you’ve shared with me because I need to know that you’re safe. ”
He sat on the edge of the bed again. “It all goes both ways. We text or call so the other doesn’t worry, and we never turn our phones off. Okay?”
I thought about his rules. They seemed pretty reasonable, so I nodded.
“Good,” he said. “What new rules do you want instituted?”
“Oh.” My mind was a blank. “I don’t know off the top of my head. Let me think about it.”
“Fair enough.” He stood, pulling me to my feet. “Do you want to tell me about the new case?”
I shook my head.
“Maybe later,” he said. “Have you eaten?”
“Not since this morning.” It had been a long craptastic day and it wasn’t even over.
“It’s almost dinnertime. Let’s go home and eat then we can stretch out on our new bed.”
I smacked his arm. “I completely forgot! I’m so excited.”
We went downstairs and I detoured to the refrigerator to grab a grape soda. “Do you want anything?”
He grabbed the container of cookies on the counter. “Just these.”
He slung my backpack over his shoulder and held the door open for me. I walked through and locked it behind me. Bracken was sitting on a bench, on the far side of the deck, watching the waves.
“Give me a minute.” I jogged down the deck and sat beside my great-uncle, bumping his shoulder with my own. “Thanks for earlier.”
The corner of his mouth kicked up. “All better now?”
“Yeah. Listen, I never ate lunch, so we’re going to have an early dinner. Do you want to come join us?”
He glanced over, his eyes smiling. “Thank you for the invitation, but I agreed to have dinner with Elizabeth and her family tonight.”
“What?” I couldn’t stop the grin taking over my whole face.
“I was as surprised as you,” he said. “Should I bring flowers or wine? What would be an appropriate hostess gift?”
“Hmm. I think I’d go wine before flowers. Elizabeth has a greenhouse in her backyard.”
“A horticulturalist?” He checked his watch. “I might have time. I know someone who grows exotic orchids. Perhaps I can get one for her.” He stood. “Thank you.” He waved at Declan. “Have a good evening and I’ll see you tomorrow. It’s a gallery day, yes?”
I nodded. “Yep. We’ll be open.”
Bracken took off in search of rare plants and I went back to my young man, who was throwing the tennis ball for a certain speckle-headed seal.