Fate's Intentions (12 page)

"If you three don't mind, I have some work I'd like to do." Adam looked around at the three of them.

"Don't let us keep you." Scarlett smiled. "Don't feel obligated to entertain us."

Ashlynn laid her hand on his arm. "I promise not to bother you if you let me come with you." She smiled.

Scarlett laughed. "You not talk! I haven't got the memo that hell has froze over!" Adam grinned and Ben choked as he tried not to laugh too hard at this.

Ashlynn didn't argue, instead stuck her tongue out at Scarlett.

Adam smiled at Ashlynn, "I don't mind if you want to come with me, but you'll probably find it boring." He stood up and walked back the hall and Ashlynn followed.

Scarlett looked over to Ben. "Movie?" He nodded. "So what kind of movies do you guys have? What kind of movies do you like?"

Ben shrugged his shoulders. "I'm really not picky, I'll watch whatever. I'm a guy though, so of course I prefer movies with action scenes over chic flicks."

Scarlett giggled as she moved down onto the floor in front of the TV and opened the door of the stand. There were stacks and stacks of movies. She pulled them out and went through them picking out the ones she liked, putting them in a pile to the side and putting the others back. "Well you want to come down here and help me decide?" She smiled at him.

He climbed down on the floor with her and looked at the movies she had sitting in a pile next to her. "What kind of movies do you like?"

"I'm not picky either, I watch all kinds."

"Well what's your favorite?" He said looking up from the movies on the floor in front of him.

"Um, I guess it depends on my mood and what kind of day I've had." She laughed.

He laughed with her. "Okay, I guess I can see how that kind of makes sense."

"One of my all time favorites is Pearl Harbor."

"We have it in here somewhere, I like that movie too." He began to help her look. "Do you like war movies or is it the drama in Pearl Harbor you like?"

"Do you mean do I like the action stuff or is it Josh Hartnett and Ben Affleck I find appealing?" She laughed. "I like everything about the movie. And yes, I like other war movies too."

"Name one!" He grinned.

"Gettysburg!" She smirked at him.

"Watch that one in history class did you?" He chuckled.

"Yes! But I like it and I bought a copy! I like the Patriot too!"

"That's a good movie!" He said, a little more serious now.

Scarlett wiggled around feeling uncomfortable now. "I think I'd like to stay away from the drama type movies right now though. No more unnecessary crying!"

"Okay. Well you decide whatever you feel like watching and I'll go along with it." He smiled at her. "But there isn't any need to cry. Adam and I aren't going to let any harm come to you or your friend. You have my word."

Scarlett half smiled at him. "Well that isn't my only problem." She said as she fumbled with some movies in her hands.

"What else is wrong?" He asked seeming genuinely concerned.

"Well it's this guy." She paused not knowing if she should share her heartaches with Ben. "I was with this guy for a few years, we'd been living together since we graduated high school. We broke up. That's actually why I'm here in Black Forest with Ashlynn. I needed to get away. I couldn't handle him not returning my calls and ignoring me any longer."

"I don't know you but you seem like a nice girl, why would any guy in his right mind not return your calls?" He seemed so tough and cold as stone, but Scarlett was beginning to see he did have a sensitive side. At least a little one.

"I don't want to bother you with my problems." A tear slid down her cheek.

Ben placed his hand on her cheek wiping the tear away with his thumb. "Real love is unending and forgiving. Whatever reason he has, if he's the one, things will work themselves out."

Scarlett leaned into his hand. "That's what Ashlynn keeps telling me."

"She's wiser than she looks." Ben smirked.

Scarlett laughed and Ben sat back. She wiped her eyes and looked down at the movies. "So I think I've decided. Let's watch the hangover."

"Good choice."

~

Ashlynn followed Adam down a narrow stairway that led to the basement. When they got to the bottom he opened a door to the left and flipped on a switch turning on a light. He motioned for her to enter first so she entered and spun in a circle examining the room. There were hundreds of test tubes of all different shapes and sizes sitting on shelves all around the room. There was an island counter with what looked to be a bunson burner on it and behind it on the far wall of the room there was a mini fridge and on the counter next to it was a microscope. "I feel like I've just stepped into the laboratory of a mad scientist." She smiled as she turned to Adam.

"You have. I didn't go to medical school so I could open a little practice in town and take care of the locals!" He walked to the island and pulled a stool out. He patted it inviting her to have a seat.

"Okay, so what is all this and what was your reason for going to medical school then?" She climbed up on the stool and crossed her legs.

"I am trying to find an antidote."

"An antidote for what?" She was confused.

"For the change we experience on the eve of the full moon. I love my life as a werewolf. I really do. But I want the ability to prevent the change under a full moon. It's not always convenient to go hide in the woods just before the moon comes out!"

"Well, that makes sense. Any luck?" She asked as she played with the burner in front of her.

"No. I've been working on this for years and I thought I had finally found a formula to prevent the change. Ben volunteered to be my guinea pig. It didn't work. He was immediately transformed instead. But I haven't given up. I have a few more ideas." He smiled at her and moved the burner out of her reach.

"Way to be opitmistical!" She winked at him.

He laughed at her words. "I am quite the optimist!" He winked back.

"So was this an invitation to get me alone or did you really want to get some work done?" She wiggled closer to him and laid her hand on his chest.

"I really need to get some work done but I am enjoying having some company down here for once. You wouldn't believe the hours on end I've spent down here when I thought I was onto something. And It's always a lonely silence."

"Not anymore." She smiled at him and leaned up and kissed his cheek. "Go on, don't let me hold you up. You get to work while I sit here and admire you!"

Adam kissed her nose and smiled at her.

He worked late into the night, Ashlynn had gotten bored and turned to her phone for entertainment. She browsed the Internet and checked her twitter and facebook accounts and later she fell asleep leaning on the counter as she listened to music. Adam looked over and saw her sleeping. He whisked her off the stool in his arms and carried her up the basement steps. As he emerged from the hallway on his way to the stairs leading up to Ashylnn's room he noticed Scarlett and Ben, this time both of them sleeping on the couch with the main menu of Bad Boys 2 lighting up the room. He smiled as he walked by. He carried Ashlynn in her room and laid her on the bed. He was shocked that she hadn't woken up as he brought her to bed or as he laid her down and covered her up. He leaned over her and kissed her forehead. "Good night." He whispered in her ear.

As he stepped back and turned to walk out of the room a voice whispered back, "Sweet dreams." He turned and smiled as he exited the room as Ashlynn smiled back at him.

Chapter 13

Ashlynn woke up and smiled as she stretched underneath the blankets of her huge bed in her beautiful room in this marvelous home. She had slept in the clothes she was wearing the night before and even though she had woken up, she hadn't bothered to get up and change. She peeled off her shirt and pants and grabbed a tshirt and sweat pants. She brushed her hair and pulled it into a messy bun then opened up the door to her room. She could hear voices downstairs as she walked to the steps. Everyone else was already awake. Adam was cooking and Scarlett and Ben were again on the couch laughing and joking with one another. She smiled again. It filled her with joy to see Scarlett happy and laughing. Her best friend hadn't been herself the last couple weeks and Ashlynn missed her. The girl on the couch laughing with Ben was more like the girl she knew. "Good morning!" She winked to Scarlett as she walked by her and Ben.

"Good morning to you too!" Scarlett grinned back at her.

Ashlynn walked to the island and sat on one of the stools watching as Adam made breakfast. "How are you today?" She asked in a flirting manner.

Adam smiled at her. "I am great! How did you sleep?"

"I slept like a rock! I love that bed!"

"I hope you're hungry."

Ashlynn nodded, "I'm starving! What are you making? I smell bacon."

"Bacon, eggs, toast, and bagels with strawberry cream cheese for your sweet tooth." Adam winked at her.

I'm going to have to marry this man!
Ashlynn thought to herself.
Sweet, sexy Doctor and he cooks for me! "
You are my favorite person today!" She smiled at him. He sat everything up on the bar in front of Ashlynn. "Do you want me to carry these to the table?"

"If you would like." Adam nodded.

Ashlynn carried the plates of food to the table then got everyone a plate, fork and butter knife and took them to the table as well. She glanced in at Scarlett and Ben and then whispered to Adam, "What is your take on that?"

Adam looked into the room at Scarlett and Ben. "I don't know, but I've never seen Ben smile so much! He's usually quiet and serious, sometimes hard to be around when you're in an awesome mood."

Ashlynn raised her eyebrows at this information. "Glad they can bring out the happy side of one another!" She giggled quietly to Adam.

He smiled and kissed her on the nose. "Let's eat sweet thing."

"Sweet thing? Really? You obviously don't know me well! I am by no means sweet!" She laughed. "But I love your pet names! You can call me whatever you like!"

He winked at her. "That goes for me as well!" He turned back to the living room. "Breakfast is done if you two want to join us." He took the orange juice from the fridge and four glasses from the cabinet.

Ben and Scarlett stood from the couch and followed Adam and Ashlynn into the dining room. "It smells wonderful!" Scarlett said looking over to Adam as she sat down next to Ashlynn.

"Eat up!" Adam smiled. "I made plenty!"

"So what is on the agenda today?" Ashlynn looked over to Ben and Adam as she spread some strawberry cream cheese across her bagel.

"Whatever you two like!" Adam smiled at both of them. "Did you want to go see your grandparents today?"

"Not really." She laughed. "But I really should!"

"Okay, you just let me know when you want to go and I'll drive you in."

"So you're going to go with me?" Ashlynn asked him.

"I can go in with you if you like, or I can wait in the truck. I could drop you off but I will not go far." He glared at her.

"It's up to you!" She smiled at him. She completely ignored Ben and Scarlett sitting there with them as she said, "I don't know what is going on between us or where it's going to take us, but do you think it's too soon to introduce you to the family?"

Adam laughed. "I don't know. I don't have any experience with meeting the parents or as in this case, the grandparents."

Ashlynn was shocked. With big eyes she asked, "No girl has ever taken you to meet her parents?"

"I've never really been in a relationship before." Adam said, in a way embarrassed of this.

"Never?" Ashlynn was amazed this beautiful man was in his seventies, looked hot as ever and had never been in a relationship.

"No. Our kind tries to hide our secret from the humans and that means never letting any of them close enough to discover we are not as they are."

"Have you ever slept with a woman?" Ashlynn couldn't stop the question that came from her lips. Adam was lost for words and Ben choked on his bacon. "Ow!" Ashlynn screamed when Scarlett slapped her arm.

"Do you have word diarrhea?" Scarlett gave her a dirty look. "Gosh Ash, shut up already with the questions!"

Ben and Adam looked at each other and then back to the girls and they burst out laughing. When Adam managed to stop laughing he looked at Ashlynn. "We'll continue this conversation later." He smiled hoping she didn't feel uncomfortable.

"I have some questions as well." Scarlett said looking over to Ben and Adam.

Ben had a blank look on his face now. "About my dating history?"

Scarlett laughed. "NO! I overheard two men talking at the grocery store about livestock being eaten. And the people at the campground said that it happens around the full moon. I was just wondering what the deal is. I mean, you guys said you hunt wildlife."

Ben was embarrassed. He looked down at his plate and swallowed hard and when he thought he had better composed himself he looked back up at her. "We have been investigating this. It is not us if that's what you're asking. We don't know if it is wild wolves and just coincidence that they are killed around the full moon or maybe the newspapers have added that to sell their papers. We aren't sure."