Rachel scoffed. “Bear Bear, you don’t do casual.”
Tell me something I don’t know.
“Look, I’m workin’ on it. When there’s somethin’ to tell, then I’ll tell.”
She groaned. “There has to be somethin’ you can tell me. Where did youse meet? What’s his name? How long have you been seein’ him?”
“No.”
“But whyyy?”
“You’re more childish than your kids, ya know that?”
“Oh, pfft. Like you’re so mature.”
“What are you two talkin’ about?” Ma asked as she entered the room.
“Nothin’,” Rach and I replied in unison.
“Youse better not be plannin’ anythin’.”
“We’re in our thirties, Ma. Not schemin’ kids,” I grumbled.
“Well, you’re my kids, and you’re clearly schemin’, so I call bull on that. But dinner’s ready. Is Rikky still comin’?”
“Yeah, he should be.”
“Good. Haven’t seen that boy in too long.”
I refrained from telling her that “boy” was a fully grown man three times her size.
“Bear Bear, go bring the kids in,” Ma said to me.
“Rach, go bring the kids in,” I said to my sister.
“Nah, Ma asked you to do it.”
“They’re your kids.”
“They’re your nephews. What’s ya point?”
I groaned, sensing I wasn’t getting out of this one and I’d have to wait until later to text Harpy after all.
Lachlan and Harvey were playing soccer in the back yard. I’d made sure they had a bunch of equipment when I’d bought this place for Ma. Usually, I would’ve been out there with them, but I’d foolishly thought I could sneak in a little more phone time before dinner was ready.
After I’d wrangled them inside and sent them off to wash their hands for dinner, I heard the front door.
“Jesus, sweetheart, what did ya do to your hands?” Ma exclaimed.
I rounded the corner to see Rikky, thick bandages around each finger on both hands. “Hunting accident. I am fine, Ma, I promise you.”
I eyed the injuries with suspicion and gave Rikky a look when his eyes met mine that told him he’d be telling me the truth behind those later. I’d also take the opportunity to update himon Harpy. He was the only one I could talk to about it so far, and not being able to tell the people close to me that I’d found the man who might very well be my soulmate was killing me. But I’d wait if I had to wait. I’d do whatever I had to in order to keep him forever.
sixteen
Harper
FROM THE SHADOWS.
