Cravings (Fierce Hearts) (24 page)

She shook her head. “No, no second thoughts.” She turned away from the window and leaned back against the counter top. “I’m not ready to sell it, but it’s a good home, and it deserves to have someone living in it that will love it as much as I have.”

“I promise I will. I’m already imagining cozy nights in front of the fireplace and easy access to places to run. It’s perfect for me now.” Spaciousness expanded in Kennedy’s chest as she thought about making her own life in this beautiful place. The state of her body and soul contrasted strongly with the tight, held in, over-controlled state she was accustomed to.

Michelle surveyed her kitchen and glanced into the living room. “This house formerly belonged to my parents. I grew up here. I grew up feeling loved and secure.” She cast her gaze to the floor and spoke softly. “But I was raped in my first year in college, and that experience messed me up. Fear and vigilance stayed with me all the time.”

Kennedy put her hand to Michelle’s arm. “I’m so sorry that happened to you.”

“Thanks, Kennedy. I got counseling, and I was finally getting past the fear. I purchased this house, thinking living here surrounded by positive memories would help me feel safe again.”

“Did it work?”

“It definitely helped, once Casey’s colony eliminated William Carter’s aggressive attempt to steal it from me.”

“Steal it from you! What an SOB.” Then it dawned on Kennedy the immensity of Michelle’s ordeal. “The head of The Nexus Group was after you. My God, Michelle. You’re lucky to have so many people to help you. It could have gone so wrong.”

Michelle nodded her head. “Yes, you’re right. I am lucky. But I don’t need this little house to keep me safe anymore. I have myself back. And I have Casey, not just to help me feel safe, but also to love.”

Kennedy tried to follow the lines of what had happened to Michelle and the eventual release from fear and finding love. Could she be so lucky?

The room remained silent. Only the sounds from outside—the squirrels chittering in the trees and the wind tossing tree branches—interrupted the quiet.

“So, that’s why I’m offering you the house. You can add your own, happier stories now.” She offered a knowing smile.

“Oh, I always forget that you get impressions and can pick up emotions from others. You already know I’m crazy for this house. You know what I’m going to do, don’t you?”

“Nothing is in stone. But I do see you here, comfortable, happy, and safe.” Instantly her smile drooped into a frown. “Not that you should be influenced by what I said.”

Kennedy wrapped her arms around Michelle’s neck. “I love it. Thank you so much for offering it.”

Dancing in circles and punching the air with her fists, Kennedy let the glee and giddiness filter through her, cautiously. Warily, she checked for the beast’s arrival, then sighed, relieved, as it didn’t come.

“So then you’ll rent it?”

Kennedy couldn’t contain her enthusiasm. She nodded and smiled. “Yes. When can I move in?” She laughed. “Not that I have any things to move in.”

“That will come. Meanwhile, you have all my furniture.”

“So you’re out? Moving in completely with Casey?”

“I might as well. I’m rarely here for longer than a few minutes to check on everything and make sure there is food and water for the stray cats. I’ll have you for that now. Oh look, there’s Madeline now.” Michelle pointed to a gray cat outside the window eating from a bucket. “And the yellow male is Mallen. They seem to have become friends. So you see, I need you. It will ease my mind and give me what I want now. Which is being with Casey.”

Kennedy thumbed her lower lip. “I’ll have to find a job.” That idea drilled into her body. What would she do? She’d never had choices before.

“Well, I have an idea for that, too. My new facility for Cats Alive will be ready to open soon. I’ll need someone to manage it and someone who can upgrade our computer system. Things are going to get a lot more complex when we open up for more services and more cats.”

Kennedy had to control herself from spinning like a child. Calmly, she nodded her head again. “I would so appreciate working for you.”

“Perfect.” Michelle asked her to sign the rental agreement, after she explained it completely. “So you’re clear to move in whenever you’re ready.” She dropped a ring of keys in Kennedy’s hand.

Kennedy was glad the drive back to Asher’s townhouse was short. She couldn’t wait to tell him all about her good fortune. This was a different kind of story to share, and it made her smile to be able to have a good one for a change.

Michelle pulled up to Asher’s apartment and turned to Kennedy. “You’ll have things to celebrate tonight at dinner.”

“Yes, I’m so grateful. Asher, too.”

Michelle turned sober and stared out the windshield. “I don’t know if you realize how grateful I am to you for how you’ve helped Asher find peace.” She turned back to Kennedy. “You are a free woman, Kennedy. You’re intelligent and loving. You can make any choice you want. Remember that. If you decide to join the colony officially, you’ll be a great asset. But what is most important is that you do what is right for you.”

“Thank you, Michelle. I respect you and appreciate your words.” She stared out the window, taking in the wintery afternoon. “Everything is so different now. I don’t want to screw up.”

“Don’t worry about that.”

Kennedy leaped out of Michelle’s Jeep. “See you tonight.”

The scents of Casey’s house enveloped Asher as he walked in with Kennedy. The food cooking, the individual scent of each were-cat, the wood burning in the fireplace—it all added up to a sense of familiarity that eased his nerves.

“Hey, guys. Come in; get comfortable. Dinner is almost ready.” An apron wrapped around his waist, Casey stirred chili bubbling on the stove.

“The food smells delicious, Casey. I didn’t know you cooked.” Kennedy tossed her coat in the corner and walked up to him, hugging him tight.

Casey chuckled. “I can get used to this real quickly.” He kissed the top of Kennedy’s head, then smiled at Asher. “I do cook, but I’m not as talented as Michelle.”

Michelle stepped into the kitchen and laughed. “I am by no means a talented cook. We need one of those in the colony. Any volunteers?”

“You’re wonderful in the kitchen,” claimed Conrad. “Ask anyone.”

A hearty roomful of agreements went up. “Okay, I guess we’ll have to keep looking for that gourmet chef were-cat.”

When Casey summoned them to dinner, everyone took a seat around the large table. Asher scanned the faces, a new sense of belonging blooming in his heart.

Kennedy sitting beside him squeezed his hand. “Are you feeling it, too?” he whispered.

She nodded her head. He didn’t need to explain, and neither did she. The rightness of their mutual understanding of their belonging to the colony filled him with peace.

Conversation hummed among everyone as the dinner progressed. Dominant in the discussions was how to pursue and ultimately crush The Nexus Group.

“The group has lost two of its leaders,” Casey said. “With Carter and Kathryn gone and Jonathon in jail, the group’s plans for Project Powering will probably be hindered. But not for long.”

“We can’t hesitate, either,” Lara said. “We’ll need your skills, Kennedy, in searching for signs of their renewed efforts. We’ll need everyone’s skills in narrowing down TNG’s vision, defining what exactly is their Project Powering. We know more than we have in the past, but we still need more specifics. And we need to locate and retake our database they stole. The lives of were-animals and humans alike are at stake.”

“I’m always available for looking into the group’s financial assets.” Conrad, the financial wiz, studied the room. “I don’t mean steal their money, but financials can be a weak spot and a source of information.”

Asia nodded. “I’ll have advantages for getting information due to my work as the
Laurelwood Gazette’s
capital correspondent.”

“You can be sneaky?” Conrad smiled at her and rubbed her arm.

“My middle name.”

“On that note, I’d like to switch gears.” Casey turned his attention on Asher and Kennedy. “Asher, you should know that you’re a solid member of this colony. But your experiences with your family left you homeless. It took a toll on your perceptions of your place among us all. I want to put to rest any beliefs that we consider you a screw-up, a player, a nuisance. You’re a respected member of the colony, now more than ever.”

Asher already had perceived a shift in his stature among the members. But Casey saying it out loud rung deep and solid in his body. “Thank you, Casey. It is my privilege to be a member. It means so much to me.”

Casey nodded, then directed his gaze on Kennedy. “Kennedy, we came to know you accidently. I didn’t know you existed until the night we found you caged at William Carter’s research project. But I like to think of that night as fate bringing you home. You’re welcome to join the colony. You’re already a cherished member, but it’s your decision to make it official or not. Whatever you decide, you’ll always be my little sister.”

Asher looked at Kennedy and saw tears brimming in her eyes.

“Thank you, Casey. I love you. I love you all. There’s no need for further deliberation. Thanks to all of you, I have a new, much-improved life. I have kind friends, and a brother, mother, and father, whom I share a last name with. I’m Kennedy Mitchell, and I feel a part of this group. I feel I’m home.”

Asher sighed heavily. The words in his throat pushed for attention. “I mended things with my family today. I felt my heart heal back together when my family accepted me back.” He looked around the room, studying each face. They evoked deep feelings of assuredness. He turned to Kennedy, took a knee on the floor, and grasped her hand in his. “That was good. This night with the colony and feeling accepted and respected is good. But Kennedy, all the pieces of my broken heart drew together when you told me you loved me. I can live without you.” He chuckled at her startled look. He opened a ring box and offered it to her. “But I don’t want to. I’m offering you this ring in promise of loving you. Always. Will you accept my promise?”

Kennedy smiled. Confidence and her quirky edge shone brightly. “Is this a marriage proposal?”

“If you want it to be. I know we’re moving rather fast. But I promise to always love you. Will you marry me?”

“Yes, you nut.”

Asher placed the ring on her finger, where the two-carat diamond set in platinum blinked and sparkled in the light. He grabbed her up in his arms and kissed her hard. The room around them exploded in congratulations and hugs.

When the celebration settled down into a lush and palpable sense of unity and love, Asher pulled Kennedy aside.

“I mean it. I’ll love you always.” He nuzzled her hair, breathing in a full breath of Kennedy. “Always.”

She leaned up to his lips and kissed him softly, earnestly. “Always.”

• • •

Michelle’s offer to rent her house to Kennedy had come at the perfect time. With a lot of extra hands from her new friends, she’d gotten settled in quickly. She still frequently looked over her shoulders for danger, but she had noticed her fingers and thumb pattern had all but completely subsided. Counting cropped up, but not as frequently and definitely not without notice. Progress with her emotional issues eased the tension that had kept her tight and vigilant for so many years.

In the space of a few days, she’d figured out the pattern of stray and community cats as they came to her yard for food and water. Those sightings always lifted her spirits. Her efforts were making a difference in cats’ lives.

“Are you ready to start your new job?” Asher relaxed in her living room, sipping hot chocolate. He locked gazes with her.

“I start next week. I can’t wait.”

He chuckled. “Your taxi, my truck, will be here every morning to take you to work.” His smile lit up his face, sending delightful shivers through her.

“Are you sure you want to do that? Every day?”

“You’re right. What a drag.”

He ducked when she slung at him. “You nut. You offered.”

He kissed the tip of her nose. “I’m sure I want to see you every day. I’ll love starting my day with you.”

Kennedy snuggled closer to his warm body.

Sitting on the couch with Asher, Kennedy reveled in the warmth of the fire and the romance it fed into the atmosphere. She leaned her head on Asher’s shoulder, gathering in his scent and savoring his closeness. Outside the living room window, snowflakes fluttered to the ground. Complete joy and gratitude filled her heart.

“This evening is perfect. But there is one more thing that would make it even better.” She ran her fingers through his hair and shot him a grin.

“Are you thinking a run?”

“I am. Let’s go.”

Moments later, Kennedy whispered through the snowy ground beside Asher. A moon in the night sky shone down on the snow, making it sparkle and glimmer.

Asher suddenly dashed ahead and chuffed back at her. Kennedy kept her steady pace until she almost reached him. She took off racing and pouncing on imaginary little creatures under the snow. Invigoration and joy pulsed through her.

As one, they tipped back their heads and released unrestrained yelps into the night.

She knew he felt as she did. They were home.

Lynn Crandall lives in a small town in the Midwest with her husband and writes romances in the company of her two cats. Learn more about her at
Lynn-Crandall.com
, LynnCrandallWriter.wordpress.com, and visit her blog at
thewritewaycafe.blogspot.com
.

(From
Secrets
by Lynn Crandall)

The fall breeze whispered over Michelle Slade’s bare arms, sending shivers rolling through her body. Crouched low just inside the door on her back porch, she didn’t dare move. One foot twitch, one loud breath, and the scruffy gray cat in her backyard would skitter away into the morning darkness. No sweet murmurs of “kitty, kitty, it’s all right,” would stop the cat or bring her back any time soon.

As the owner of a cat rescue, Cats Alive, Michelle was well practiced in the routine of supporting stray cats, whether that meant simply setting out food and water or capturing them for veterinary services, then releasing them. She’d spent weeks setting a pattern with this cat. A stray cat is always looking for food, so since she first saw the cat roaming the Laurelwood neighborhood, she’d made sure food and water was available in the backyard—a patch of grass behind her apartment that was semi-private. The cat, a female she’d named Madeline after one of her favorite authors, Madeleine L’Engle, readily made the yard a regular daily stop. Twice daily, in fact. Pattern set, phase one complete, Michelle was ready for phase two. Capture.