Total pages in book: 203
Estimated words: 199654 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 998(@200wpm)___ 799(@250wpm)___ 666(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 199654 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 998(@200wpm)___ 799(@250wpm)___ 666(@300wpm)
After all the reflecting I’ve been doing, it should be a breeze to come up with a date plan that’ll sweep her off her feet and into my arms. But part of my plan is to make sure I take this at a pace that makes her decide things need to move faster.
I just hope I can keep the rutting urge in check.
I can’t fuck this up. That’s all there is to it.
I’m a fierce competitor. And this time, it’s me versus me.
35
BAILEY
My mom is being a helicopter parent, hovering while I apply my lipstick.
She’s been babying me for the past twenty-four hours, for sure. Trying to reassure me that it’s all going to work out. She even turned up at the library in the middle of the day to bring me lunch and sat for nearly an hour with me.
I’ve soaked it up because a) turning her away is hurtful, especially with what she’s been going through with Dad and b) it’s helping.
I’ve had numerous texts and voicemails from female friends in the pack, but I’ve left them all unread and un-listened to. Word has obviously gotten around that while my new law change request will be granted, I won’t benefit from it myself.
Audrey showed up this morning, ten minutes after I did, and I told her I didn’t need help today. She was sweet and said, “I won’t push you to talk, but if you want to, I’m here. Do you mind if I stay? I was gonna dust the bookshelves.”
She knows me pretty well and I’m glad she turned up because the library has been grand central station today with more than the usual amount of traffic, so she’s taken care of everything while I’ve been at my computer with my headphones on, pretty much ignoring all the looky-loos who want to catch an eyeful of me and see whether I’m crying or not. She took care of everything.
When my folks got back home yesterday, they’d already gotten the scoop from Greyson. Not having to tell them what happened definitely worked in my favor, because I didn’t want to talk about it.
But I did talk to one individual on the phone today. And I unloaded there. Cicely phoned me and I took a walk and let loose a wicked case of verbal diarrhea. I gave her it all - the story from start until now. Except for the stuff I’m not allowed to talk about, which… let’s just say I know there are often prices attached to witchcraft usage and I’ve heard tales of people paying hefty prices for crossing witches or not following their rules around a spell. I told Sis what Lucinda said, though, and knew I picked the right person to unload on when she didn’t tell me I should forgive him. She also didn’t tell me I shouldn’t. She did drop a “Fate knows what it’s doing” which I found irritating, but that’s our religion around here, I guess, so it’s a default reaction.
Cicely listened and she backed me up, said she totally understands how I could so epically malfunction after going through all of that heartache and stress. When I told her I had a date with Jase tonight, whether I want it or not, she laughed and bet me ten bucks that I’ll let him get to third base.
“Watch out, girlie, you’re starting to melt,” she warned. “Unless you’re happy about it?”
I didn’t answer that. And she might be right, I’m not sure if the ice is thawing. It might be.
It was good to do a catch-up with her and it felt good to spew all my frustrations out to someone who would actually listen to me.
She’s smitten with Jared and though his wolf is still a danger to her, she’s hopeful. And she sounds beyond happy, which is good enough for me.
I did some more digging, too, into people from Jared’s pack and let Cicely know I sent those records to Joel who promptly called me to tell me he’ll reach out to his ex-girlfriend’s mate, Bryce, on behalf of Jared for a contact request with a beta named Jonathan in Bryce and Susan’s pack who grew up with Jared. A conversation with him could shed further light on Jared’s first shift and the death of his family.
I think it’s huge that Joel is willing to reach out to Bryce for Cicely and Jared. It’s been over a decade since Susan was claimed by Bryce and with Joel’s mating likely being not too far off, it seems healthy that this could bring him closure ahead of that.
Sis already has a phone number for Jared’s cousin so with those leads and with the plans around Dr. Blakely and Cat running some tests on Jared’s wolf, progress is being made and Cicely sounds really happy with the mate Fate gave her.