Total pages in book: 254
Estimated words: 240032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1200(@200wpm)___ 960(@250wpm)___ 800(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 240032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1200(@200wpm)___ 960(@250wpm)___ 800(@300wpm)
“You just seem a little worried,” I told her, though she’d seemed concerned the last time I’d seen her too.
Phoebe glanced over her shoulder one more time before saying, “He’s… difficult.”
I’d gotten that already.
But this was Henri. He’d only gotten hurt before because he’d let it happen, so he’d said, but I believed him. More than anything though, I’d bet on him being able to take care of himself, especially in public. It was more than the inches of height and weight he had on the other man too; it was just that sense of being so capable that radiated from him at all times… the whole two days we’d seen each other before now, but I didn’t doubt my instincts, not where he was concerned at least.
He'd gone head-to-head with a sasquatch a couple days ago and not given a crap.
And since I didn’t know the next time I’d have an opportunity to talk to her in private, I figured I had to take advantage of it. There wasn’t much he and the other man could do other than fistfight. The blond was still ranting.
I dropped my voice again. “Phoebe, I just wanted to tell you really quick that I’m sorry if I’ve alarmed you.” Most people would never want to admit their fears to anyone, especially not a stranger. I sure wouldn’t. “I don’t mean anyone at the ranch any harm. I was only trying to help the kids that day with the river creature. I don’t even kill ants if I can help it.
“I hope that you’re willing to get to know me. I know I smell different to some people, and you have no reason to believe that I’m a good person, but I think I am.” I offered up another smile, a smaller one. “If you don’t feel comfortable with me, I’m more than willing to talk to you about it. This place is your home, and you were here first.” There was no way I was going to go straight into offering to leave, not without trying to win her over, but I wanted her to be aware that I was willing to try, so she would feel obligated too.
At no point did I expect her to sigh or for her body to visibly relax at just words, but that’s what happened. This woman, who was also a satyr, honestly seemed a little relieved. “I’m sorry, Nina.”
It was hard not to smile a little.
“Shiloh has said nothing but the nicest things about you. He’s told me the story about the day with the creature at least ten times,” she said. “I trust his intuition more than I do anyone else’s, even my husband’s, because he’s a sensitive boy.”
“He’s a very nice boy,” I agreed.
She glanced over her shoulder one more time before continuing. “I’m not comfortable around strangers, and that has nothing to do with you.” Her hands fidgeted at her waist. “I should have told you thank you that day, or any day since, but my mind was in full-blown panic. Shiloh has a thank-you card he made, but he’s grounded right now….”
Phoebe blew out a little breath, like she was calming herself down. Her hands came up to her chest, one overlapping the other. “From the bottom of my heart, and my husband’s, we’re going to be grateful to you for the rest of our lives for what you did for him and the children. If there’s ever anything my family can do for you, please let us know. We’re in your debt.”
My face had started going pink from the moment she started with her gratitude, and I couldn’t imagine what color it was then, but I still kept my voice low and said, “You’re welcome. Any time. Except I hope they never do something like that again.” I paused. “But we’re okay then? Or at least we will be?”
Phoebe the satyr gave me a shy smile. “Yes. I appreciate you talking to me about it. I’ve been here for six years, and I still can’t make eye contact with Henri or most of them, really.”
I looked her dead in the eye and said, “If they scare you, bite them.”
She went pale. “B-bite them?”
“Sure. I bit Henri when I first saw him and he scared me,” I admitted, stretching the truth just a little. He had scared me in the way that I had panicked he would hurt Duncan.
Her eyes went round. “I thought Shiloh made that up!”
I shook my head.
Phoebe giggled, and it was a good laugh, very cute and fitting for her.
Might as well egg it on, I figured. “It was like biting Clifford. I found hair in my mouth hours later.” I hadn’t, he’d been in his human form, but she didn’t need to know that.
She smiled before one of the other waitresses called her name. Her narrow face went resolved. “I know you don’t know anyone, and I don’t have a lot of time, but I was wondering… maybe one day, if you have time… we could… like you said, get to know each other. Go grocery shopping? Or run errands….”