When the clock hit seven, Keegan flipped the CLOSED sign to OPEN and unlocked the door.Mairi smiled as old Mrs.Smyth bustled inside, the complaints already slipping from her tongue.
“You were a minute late,” she snapped, marching up to the counter.“The butterscotch drink.Large.”
Keegan smiled at her.“Coming right up.”
Mairi didn’t know how her cousin didn’t lose her patience with the mean woman.She was thankful she didn’t have to talk to her.Keegan was far better with that, while she was better with making the orders.
The rest of the morning flew by with a steady stream of customers.The shop only stayed open until three in the afternoon, closing right after the lunch rush.She swept and mopped, laying the chairs upside down on top of the tables.When they were done, Keegan locked up and nudged her with her shoulder.
“Wanna grab an early dinner at the diner?”
Mairi nodded.“That’s fine with me.”
“Good, because I don’t feel like cooking.”
“Hold up,” Mairi said.“I wouldn’t call what you do cooking.More like detonating a nuclear bomb on the taste buds.”
“Rude,” she gasped, then gave a rueful shrug.“But a fair assessment.”
They laughed and linked arms as they headed toward the diner.The one thing Mairi loved most about living in Sheridan was that she could walk everywhere in her little corner of the world.
The days grew shorter as fall approached.The crisp air causing her to slip on a heavy sweater against the slight chill.When they stepped into the busy diner, Luna Payton waved at them and gestured to a booth in the back.Her pregnant belly had started to show and the pack couldn’t be more excited.Various people waved and smiled at them in greeting.That was another thing Mairi liked about Sheridan.Once you were pack, everyone looked out for you.It had been quite different in Scotland.There weren’t any wolves in the UK and no packs, so shifters generally kept themselves a secret.
After Tavish had sent the text saying he wanted no part of her, that he found the whole nonsense of marriage to herdistasteful—his word, not hers—she felt the need to disappear.So, she contacted her cousin Keegan, who lived in the States, and she’d been in Sheridan ever since.
She liked being in a pack, having people say hi to her from the other side of the street.People who didn’t think she was distasteful.She’d been a sad, pathetic woman wallowing in self-pity when she asked Alpha Jericho for sanctuary, but she was tired of being that woman.Maybe Keegan was right.Maybe it was time to cut all ties to Scotland and send divorce papers to His Grace Tavish MacAlary.It wasn’t like they were ever going to meet and live happily ever after.
“Hello, ladies,” Esmeralda said with an easy smile.“It’s the after-full-moon special of meatloaf, butter-sautéed zucchini and squash, with a baked potato and strawberry pie for dessert.”
“Sounds delicious,” Keegan said.“I’ll have that.”
“Me too,” Mairi added.
Esmeralda’s gaze lingered for a moment on her, her gaze turning from inquisitive to troubled.Mairi squirmed, not liking how uncomfortable she suddenly felt.
Then, as if realizing what she was doing, Esmeralda smiled.“Coming right up.”
After she left, Keegan raised an eyebrow.“What was that about?”
“If she wasn’t a wolf, I’d swear Esmeralda was a soothsayer or something,” Mairi replied.
“I was thinking the same thing.”
A few minutes later, their dinner came and they thanked Esmeralda.The old woman nodded and left, and Mairi was grateful there were no more sly glances.They ate, keeping conversation light.As they finished, both drinking coffee with the slice of strawberry pie, Savannah approached their booth.
Savannah was an “Other,” which meant something other than a shifter.She was a gifted enchantress and caster, and Mairi was grateful for the potions she made for her, to help keep her polycystic ovary syndrome under check.Unfortunately, it was an awful condition to both her human and animal side.Before Savannah, she suffered every month with pain and irregular menstrual cycles that even affected her wolf.When she arrived in Sheridan, Keegan had taken her to visit Savannah, and discovered a lifesaver.Mairi had thought she would have to suffer for the rest of her long shifter life.
“Good evening,” Savannah greeted.“I hope I’m not interrupting.”
“Not at all,” Mairi said, smiling.“We’ve finished dinner and are now enjoying this delicious pie.I might have to unbutton my pants.”
“I know exactly what you mean,” Savannah said with a slight chuckle.She patted her hips.“My curves are far too used to Esmeralda’s pies.I just wanted to stop by and give you this month’s medicine, Mairi.”
She sat a brown paper bag on the table.
“Thank you,” Mairi replied.“You are a miracle worker.”
“My pleasure,” Savannah said with a wink.“Enjoy the evening, ladies.”
