“Thank you,” Boon said, walking along beside her, while at the same time making a conscious effort to shorten his steps so he wouldn’t end up leading her because his legs were so long.
“You’ve lived here all your life?” Boon asked, as they strolled along.
“Since they brought me home from the hospital. I was there for a little while, while they figured out what to do with me,” Angelle said.
“What do you mean?” Boon asked.
She looked up at Boon. “I’m adopted. Surely you knew that. I’m not a Dragon…”
“I did. But, what did they have to figure out, if you don’t mind me asking.”
“My mother died giving birth to me. She’d left a letter making Aunt Delilah guardian over me in case anything ever happened to her. I’m sure she must have known she wasn’t going to make it, or was at least afraid that she might not. Aunt Delilah was in school to become an anesthesiologist, and at the time was in the final part of her residency. She took care of my mother.”
Angelle looked over at Boon to see if he was listening.
He was totally focused on her.
“My mom, Avaleigh, could never have children. She and my dad, Daniel, had adopted Remi long before I was born, and never thought they’d have the opportunity to have more children. Then Aunt Delilah talked to Uncle Kaid and they gave my mom and dad the chance to adopt me. If they’d said no, I’d have still grown up here as Delilah’s and Kaid’s daughter. But my mom and dad were thrilled. So, that’s why I’m where I am.”
“You’re very lucky, Angelle. To have two parents that love you isn’t a gift everyone gets. To get a whole community of family that love you the same way is rare.”
Angelle nodded and smiled brightly. “I know. I’m very grateful. Oh, look, that’s Daisy’s house. It was my cousin’s, Jobe? Do you know Jobe?”
“I don’t think I’ve ever met him,” Boon said.
“I think you’re right. But anyway, it was Jobe’s house, and he and his family lived there, but he got a really great job and moved. Since it was just sitting there, Daisy asked if she couldbuy it, and he said yes. So, that’s where she and her fiance’ are moving to. Her fiance’ has a little boy, too. She’s getting a ready made family. And that house over there on the same side, that’s my Uncle Bam’s and Aunt Everly’s house. And the one across from it on the opposite side, that’s my Uncle Bane’s and Aunt Janie’s house.”
“They’re Brandt’s parents, right?” Boon asked.
“Yes. And Daisy’s. It’s part of the reason she wanted to buy Jobe’s house. She likes to stay close to home. Though she’s actually part of the younger clan across the highway, she’s always just fit in better with the older generation.”
“Kind of like you,” Boon said, watching for her reaction.
She opened her mouth to speak, and he watched several emotions flash across her face before she nodded. “Yes, I guess so. I never thought about it, but yes.”
“So, will you want to live here once you decide to take a mate?” he asked.
“Honestly?” she asked, looking at him as they cut through a cleared area next to Bane’s house and entered the woods.
“Always,” Boon said.
“I never thought I’d go anywhere else. Like I told you the first time we talked, I’d decided that I’d be alone, and that was alright with me. But now…”
“Now?” he encouraged.
“I’m not so sure. Depending on how things work out, I might need to reconsider some things.”
“Would you be open to coming to see where I live, meet some of the people?”
She gave him a bit of side-eye, then looked back at the path she was leading him down. “We’re going to have to get single file from this point on. It’s a thin path with lots of low hanging branches.”
“Lead on,” he said, not pointing out that she’d not answered him.
She led him through the trees, pointing out things most people wouldn’t notice. Her favorite copse of trees, having been named such because of the way the whitish-colored bark curled up and seemed to peel away from the trunk. And of those in that group of trees, which was her favorite because of the family of squirrels that had their nest there. Her favorite thinking rock, that was just a few feet away from the path. It was a huge, over sized rock with several smaller ones scattered at its edges, and over time it had been worn smooth from years of weather wearing it down, and kids climbing all over it. “That’s where I come when I just want to be alone. I’m sure everyone knew where I was, but I liked to pretend that they didn’t. I used to sit really still and quiet when they walked by calling my name.”
Boon smiled at the thought of a little human girl, trying to be invisible among a clan of shifters, and the fact that they allowed her to be.
After about fifteen minutes total of walking, they stepped out of the woods and into a clearing several acres long. Angelle came to a stop and stood looking out over it. “This is the creek,” she said reverently.
