It’d be even nicer if she remembered them. She hung it up to dry and then quickly developed the pictures of Bobbi and her family before moving on to the sister and Rose. There was something odd about that sister, and maybe Grace could figure it out when she saw a photograph.
Was Adare correct? Did she have sight that was special? Could she see things nobody else saw?
Her burner phone buzzed, and she lifted it to her ear, cradling it with her shoulder. “Hello?”
“Hi, Grace,” Bobbi said, her voice chipper. “How are you feeling?”
“Good.” Grace clipped the pictures into place and leaned back, taking the phone in her hand and rolling her neck. “I’m much better. How are you guys?” It was nice to talk about normal things. She’d had a stomach ache all day, worrying about Adare being shot at by the Kurjans.
Bobbi chuckled. “We’re great. Want to meet for lunch?”
Grace grimaced. “Um, we’re not in town any longer. We’re visiting family in Montana.” She hated lying to her friend, but she’d learned five years ago to be careful on the phone, even burner phones. “We should be back in a week or so.”
“Shoot,” Bobbi murmured. “Well, okay. Brian and Rosy are outside right now building a snowman, and we thought you’d like to help with the rest of the fort later today. You used to love the snow. Do you still?”
“Yes.” Grace warmed, imagining little Rose in a snowsuit. It was nice that Bobbi remembered so much about her. Why couldn’t Grace’s memories return? Maybe now that she’d mated, she’d get stronger, and she’d be able to remember. It was something good to hope for. “I’ll call you when we get back to town.” She had to figure out a way to stay in Bobbi and Brian’s life without causing them any danger. Was it possible for an immortal to be friends with humans—at least for a little while?
How odd to think that she might know Bobbi and Brian’s great-great-great grandkids someday. The marking on her back pulsed with energy, but Faith had assured her that would dissipate.
The picture of Bobbi’s sister and Rose caught her eye from where she’d hung it to dry. The little girl was pale and her eyes wide. She held on, but sadness and fear lingered in her pretty eyes. The sister held tight, a hardness or maybe a secret in her eyes. Something off. “What’s your sister’s name, Bobbi?”
Bobbi was quiet for a moment. “Kim,” she sighed. “Our mother was a hippie from the old times. Why do you ask?”
“I don’t know. She just seemed quiet and kind of shy,” Grace lied.
“Oh, she is,” Bobbi agreed. “She’s never talked much, and frankly, she’s not a lot of fun.”
Was that darkness in the sister? There was an aura around her, a sense of shadow that Grace couldn’t place. How could she warn Bobbi? What was there to say? Um, there’s a strange shadow around your sister in my picture, and even though you’ve known her forever, I think she’s weird? No. That wouldn’t work. Maybe if Grace spent more time with them, she could put her finger on it. For now, she’d develop all of the pictures. “Any plans on the baptism?”
“Oh, yeah. I know it’s short notice, but we were able to get the hall for the celebration next Sunday. It’s five days away, and I know you’re out of town, but could you please come? It’d mean a lot to us.”
Grace stared at the picture. At Kim and innocent Rose. “Yes. I’ll definitely be there.” Every instinct she had told her to look out for that little girl, whose innocent eyes were already telling her something. What, she didn’t know. But she’d figure it out, and hopefully Adare would want to help.
A ruckus sounded on the other end of the line. The sound was muffled, and Bobbi’s voice was filtered. “Hey, hon. I’m on the phone with Grace, and she can make it on Sunday.”
“Awesome,” Brian said, his voice coming through clearly. “Is her head all right? That was kind of weird.”
“Yeah, I already told you that her head is fine.” Bobbi came back on the line. “Watch out, or he’ll make a lame joke about your brain. I apologize preemptively.”
Grace smiled. She could do this. Live in two worlds for a while, until other people started aging and she didn’t. If she survived the mating. “There probably is something wrong with my brain,” she joked, not really joking. She’d give anything to remember the good times with her friends. Well, almost anything.
She glanced at the clock on the wall. It was too early to hear from Adare. Her stomach clenched. “Bobbi? I’ll give you a call in a couple of days and set things up, okay?”
“Sounds good. Stay safe, my friend.” Bobbi hung up.
Grace set the phone down. Could she have a somewhat normal life with Adare? For some reason, she couldn’t see him joining a bocce team with her. She sighed and turned on the light, leaving the darkroom and heading upstairs to spend time with her sister. No doubt Faith was as worried as Grace about the soldiers.
They had to be okay.
Chapter 29
Adare’s head swam. Snow pinged up around him from laser bullets, and he rolled out of the way, using the metal shop to cover his ass. The explosives weren’t working? What the hell? He grabbed one out of his bag, ripped the pin, and threw it toward the empty building. It hit the side with a small clank and dropped to the snowy ground to disappear.
Harmlessly.
The explosives were duds. He swallowed and kept his gun loose, running through the snow and zinging bullets to another building.
He arrived at the doorway just as Ronan made it around the other side, blood flowing from his arm and a pissed off expression on his ancient face. “The fucking explosives don’t work.”
