I put the mug down and snatch my hand back, then I sigh and close my eyes, trying to control the tears that want to burst free. When I open them, they are both staring at me with a mixture of worry and sadness.
“They appeared on my wrists on Saturday night,” I tell them, and Granny gasps, pressing a hand against her chest in shock.
“You were chosen?” Grampy says flatly, and I nod, a tear rolling down my cheek.
“Yes, I’m the next shifter queen,” I confirm, and Granny lowers into one of the chairs and gapes at me, speechless.
Grampy doesn’t say anything, he just scoops me up and holds me against his chest, hugging me tightly. The tears I’ve been holding back flood out, and I sob, surrounded by the warmth and strength of my grampy. Neither of them says anything, they just give me silent support during my meltdown, but eventually, I run out of tears and pull away, wiping my face. Granny passes me a box of tissues she must have retrieved while I was sobbing.
I sit down, blowing my nose, and Grampy retakes his own seat. “I know this isn’t what you wanted in life, but if you want my two cents, you’re going to be the best damn queen the shifters have ever had,” he tells me confidently, and I feel a rush of warmth and support as Granny agrees.
“Of course she is. There is no one more compassionate, kind, and intelligent as our Colbie. Does your mother know?” she asks me, and I shake my head.
“I haven’t told anyone. I was hoping there was a way out of it,” I admit, and Granny gasps in surprise, but Grampy nods.
“I understand. I would probably feel the same way.”
I tell them about my visit with the goddess on the beach and what she insinuated.
“So what are you going to do?” Granny asks, and I groan, placing my head on the table.
“I’m going to take a couple more days to adjust to this life-changing news, and then I’m going to make arrangements for my bakery and apartment before I present myself to the shifters, but I’ll do it in my own goddamn time.” I growl that last bit, and I feel a hand brush over the back of my head.
“You take as much time as you need. They can wait, and if they don’t like it, tough,” Grampy agrees, and I lift my head and raise an eyebrow. He laughs. “I mean, you are the queen, right?”
A small smile reaches my lips as he chuckles, and Granny nods her head.
“That’s right, you’re the one in charge. Don’t let them walk all over you, because if you give them an inch, they will take a mile. Don’t let your mother do it either. I’m sure she will insist you present yourself as soon as she finds out. She’s such a stickler for rules, but stand your ground. You need to be ready for this, because your life is about to change dramatically. Take all the time you need. Be sure, and be ready.”
“What if I don’t like any of the men who have been chosen for me?” I ask quietly, sitting up and taking a sip of my coffee.
“I forgot that you would have your mates selected for you. That’s bullshit.” Grampy starts pacing back and forth across the kitchen. “No woman should be forced into an arranged marriage.”
“Easy, Joseph. The goddess would not bless her with mates that weren’t compatible, and she gets to choose from those selected.” She turns her attention back to me, ignoring her husband.
“Go with your heart, my girl, and if none of them are suitable, then don’t pick any of them, but I’m certain the goddess will be looking out for you. Maybe talk to King Lucas about it. He will be there to advise you. He’s been through exactly the same thing as you, so lean on him.”
I heave out a sigh. “Okay, but can we just forget about it for another day or two? Today I’m going to hang out with my new friend again and pretend that my life isn’t going to change completely. If the weather is good tomorrow, Nox is going to give me a surfing lesson. I’m just going to pretend to be regular, boring human Colbie for a little longer, then on Wednesday, I’ll return to the neutral zone and make arrangements for my bakery. I don’t know how I’m going to find a baker at such shortnotice. Olivia, Justin, and Violet are great, but they are not going to be able to manage on their own.”
Granny’s eyes light up, and she and Grampy exchange a glance.
He nods, chuckling. “How about Jenny and I help out? After all, you stole most of your recipes from her,” he teases, and I sit up straight, hope welling inside me.
“You would do that?” I ask, and Granny nods eagerly.
“I would love to. Retirement is great and everything, but both of us are bored. There’s only so much gardening you can do, and I’d rather pay someone to paint the fence than do it myself. Running the bakery would be exciting and exactly what we need—at least until you can hire someone you trust.”
“Yes, yes, a hundred times yes. That would be amazing, thank you. You can have my apartment too, so you don’t have to travel back and forth everyday if you want.”
“That would be nice, like a mini vacation,” Granny says, and I wrinkle my nose.
“Not much of a vacation when you’re getting up at four in the morning.”
Gramp groans. “Ugh, I forgot you have such early hours.”
Granny laughs and shushes him. “It will be fine. If we are both going to go in, we won’t need to be there so early because there are two of us doing the work.” He cheers up, and I laugh, feeling a little lighter now that I know my baby is going to be looked after by someone I trust.
“How about we spend the morning going over the recipes I use, since they are not all Granny’s?” I suggest, sticking my tongue out at Grampy, and he laughs. “I’ll need to give you a lesson on our new marshmallow treats too.”
