50
JUNIPER
“Wake up, sweetie, you’re sleeping the day away.”
Opening my eyes, I stretched and rolled over. My grandfather stood at my door, grinning at me. Outside, the sun hadn’t even fully risen yet, but from the way he spoke, you’d have thought it was past noon.
“I’m up,” I mumbled.
“Your gran’s making bacon and eggs with toast. You want some?”
“Yeah, yeah. Sure, sure.” I sat up, wiping the sleep from my eyes. “Thank you.”
“I’ll let her know,” he said, closing my door as he left.
The dark, hardwood floors beneath my feet were comforting and nostalgic. Outside the window, the town stretched out in the gray light of early morning. It was strange to be back here, living with my grandparents. My room looked exactly as it had when I’d left: dresser topped with framed photos of my family and friends, the same pale-yellow curtains that had been there sinceI was fifteen. Everything was exactly how it had been. The weeks in Hidden Grove might as well have been a dream.
Stranger still was the weird courtship ritual Anders and I were going through.
Shifter culture in this area dictated that once a mate pairing had been accepted by both parties, they had to go through a courtship. It was incredibly old-fashioned, but right now, I was all for it. It made getting used to being with Anders a little easier.Also, it gave me an excuse for why we hadn’t had sex yet.
In the couple of weeks since I’d returned, I’d noticed that Anders hadn’tfullychanged. He was much better than he used to be, but he still hadn’t quite rinsed off the stain of being a spoiled rich kid. Sometimes it seemed like his attempts at being a better man were more a task he was doing against his will than a true emotional change. That, along with my old baggage from dealing with him when we’d been younger, hadn’t inspired me to get intimate with him yet. I hoped that might change, but I was starting to worry about that.
Regardless, I was going to be his mate. I’d make it work. I’d made my decision, and I would follow it. No one had forced this on me. I needed to fake it until I made it. There was no going back to Hidden Grove now. This was my last option, and I’d be damned if I screwed that up because I wasn’t hot for a guy.
“Food’s ready,” Gran called from the kitchen.
I smiled as the scent drifted up the stairs. With my new enhanced senses, I could make out the delicate smell of the eggs, the faint, sour scent of the yeast from the toasting bread, and the smoke and salt of the cured bacon. It was so much more complex than breakfast had smelled to my regular senses.
“Be right there,” I called back as I got dressed.
My grandparents were already sitting at the dining room table when I came down the stairs. My grandfather had found the antique, heavy oak table at an auction years before Iwas born. The top was worn smooth by years of meals and celebrations.
“This looks great,” I said, taking my seat before a plate heaped with bacon and eggs.
Gran had even sprinkled some cheddar cheese on the way I liked. I’d missed them so much while I was gone; it still made my heart ache. How much would I miss them if this last chance didn’t work out? Shaking that thought off, I dug in with reckless abandon, shoveling food into my mouth like I was mad with hunger.
Grandpa chuckled to himself. “It’s neat watching you like that.”
“Like what?” I asked around a mouthful of toast.
“That,” he said, pointing at my food and laughing again. “Usually, the increased metabolism happens when kids hit puberty. You get used to seeing them stuff their faces until it balances out. I’ve never seen an adult go through this. It’s funny. Though, not in a bad way,” he added, his eyes widening with worry.
“I know,” I said, wiping my mouth. “It’s like I can’t get or stay full. It’s crazy.”
“More?” Gran asked, holding out a plate of bacon.
“I better not,” I said, patting my stomach. “My metabolism has sped up, but it’ll balance out soon. No need to start bad habits. I’ll save my overeating for when you make your famous fried chicken and mashed potatoes.”
“Mmmm,” Grandpa said, tilting his head back as though in a blissful thought. “I could go for some of that, now that you mention it. How about it, my love? Tonight, maybe?”
“Oh, I suppose.” Gran said it as though it was some big burden, but her cheeks flushed with delight. God, I loved them so much.
“What are your plans for the day, dear?” Gran asked.
“Busy day, actually,” I said.
“What’s on the docket?” Grandpa asked, alternating his attention from me to the newspaper in his lap, his reading glasses sitting low on his nose.
