Figure of Speech (Halle Shifters) (6 page)

Jim patted her back. “You’re welcome.” He pulled back but held on to her upper arms. “Did you find a place to stay?”

“Yes, Daddy.” Irene rolled her eyes. “Val even let me have the top bunk.”

“Fine, I’ll stop nagging.” Jim let her go.

“It’s just how you are. You worry about everyone, and I like that about you.” Irene winked and opened the office door. “See you on Monday?”

“Looking forward to it.” Jim watched his new partner leave, relieved that he’d finally,
finally
be getting a break. With Irene in place he’d be able to take off every other weekend, and some weeknights as well. They’d share the load, and he’d be able to concentrate more on his mate.

He couldn’t wait to introduce Chloe to Irene and Valerie. He bet they were going to love one another on sight.

Chapter Six

“Your left hand won’t get any better. Unfortunately, from the latest tests we’ve done, we’re looking at some degeneration in your right hand as well.”

Chloe closed her eyes as the neurologist gave her the bad news. “Why?”

He put her patient folder down on the counter by the sink all doctor’s offices had. It was the same beige and white color scheme, the same non-offensive artwork, the same speckled white and green tiles on the floor. Always the same room, just different locations and different doctors. “The trauma you suffered was severe. Nerves were damaged, and now that time has passed and you’ve healed, we’re starting to see some of the secondary effects.”

The tingling and numbness was nothing new, but the pain she’d been experiencing recently was. Neuropathy. Yet another fun word to add to her growing list of ailments.

She blew out a breath, refusing to allow this latest setback to get her down. “What do we boo?”

“We can start you on a round of medications that will deal with the pain. There are quite a few that have been effective, mostly low-dosage antidepressants. I think that may be the best place to start.”

“Wonderful.” She clenched her right fist. While she was able to close her hand all the way, the pain when she did so made her wince.

“The pins and needles sensations you’ve been feeling down your right leg should also begin to subside with the treatment.”

She nodded, relieved. “That’s something, at least.”

“Trust me. The news could have been much worse.” The neurologist smiled. “You haven’t developed fibromyalgia yet, from what we’ve been able to determine. And the tests indicate that your left side has stabilized. We shouldn’t see any more degeneration there, but we’ll continue to monitor it just to be on the safe side.” The doctor put his hand on her knee. “I know this is tough for you, but really, it could have been a great deal worse.”

Chloe smiled faintly, still staring at her clenched fist. “I know.” And she owed all of that to Julian, who’d saved her life. “Any exercises?”

“Try and keep your muscle tone. Listen to your body. If it tells you that you’ve pushed too hard, then you have. Continue working with the stress ball for your left hand, and if you notice any problems with your left leg or hip contact me immediately.”

“Can I drive?”

He thought about that for a moment. “If you’re experiencing any dizziness from the medications or if your leg starts to have spasms, then no. Honestly, I’d take it day to day. You’re walking well, you’re not having seizures, and you’re not blacking out, so I don’t see why you shouldn’t be able to do whatever you want.”

She was relieved. Having to rely on her family to get around was beginning to wear on her. “Thanks, Doc.”

“You’re welcome.” The doctor stood and helped her off the examination table. “I’ll see you again in about six months to reevaluate. If you have any trouble with the meds, call me and I’ll see you sooner than that.”

“Okay.” Chloe picked up her purse, ready to join Glory in the waiting room.

The doctor waved as he left, and Chloe followed, going left into the waiting room. “Hey, all done.”

Glory put down her magazine and stood, her bangles jingling merrily. “How did it go?”

Chloe shrugged and went to the window where the receptionist sat. “I need an appointment for six months from now, and the doc is printing me out a prescription.” Chloe set up the appointment and took her prescription, thanking the receptionist as they left. “I’ve got some nerve damage that’s affecting my right side.”

“And the hits just keep on coming,” Glory sighed. “Let me know if there’s anything you need.”

Chloe hugged her soon-to-be sister-in-law. “Thanks.”

“We’re family, right?” Glory hugged her back. “Come on. I’m thinking this calls for a burger and a big-ass fudge sundae, am I right?”

Chloe whined deep in the back of her throat, earning a grin from Glory.

Glory plucked both her keys and her cell phone from her woven straw purse. “Ryan? Chloe and I are going to Frank’s.” She paused, then laughed. “Yes, I’ll pick you up some pie. What are you boys doing for lunch?” Her eyes rounded, and she laughed. “Well then. Have fun. Bye.”

“What is my brother cup to?” Chloe settled into the passenger seat of Glory’s small hybrid coupe. The car was quirky-looking yet practical, just like its owner.

“Minding the store while the parental units visit Jimmy.”

Chloe blinked, her spider senses tingling. “Oh?”

“Yup.” Glory pulled out of the parking lot of the doctor’s office and headed toward Main Street and Frank’s. “Uncle Will and Aunt Barb, your mom and dad, Uncle Ray and Aunt Stacey—”

“Oh, Jeebus.” Chloe put her head in her hands, laughing hysterically as Glory pulled into Frank’s parking lot. “They’re nailing his ass to the wall, aren’t they?”

Glory nodded gleefully. “Damn straight. And about time too.”

“Didn’t Alex and Ryan already do that?”

“Yeah, but rumor has it the rest of the family isn’t satisfied and want to hear it from Jimbo himself.” Glory parked the car and turned it off. “Don’t worry. They won’t hurt him. Much.”

“Uh-huh.” Chloe and Glory got out of the car and headed into the wonderful, beautiful air conditioning of Frank’s. “Oh my God, it’s like nine bazillion degrees out there.”

“Wait. You’re not worried about your whole family ganging up on Jim?” Glory slid onto a bench at one of the retro tables. Frank’s was set up like one of those old-time fifties diners, with laminate and metal tables, big vinyl benches with padded backs, and a soda fountain counter. He even had a pie display set up, filled with his famous pies. Chloe’s mouth watered just looking at the lemon meringue.

“Nope. They won’t hurt him. They’re just going to talk really loudly at him.” At least that’s what she hoped. Alex and Ryan had already confronted Jim, so no doubt the others would take their cues from them.

All right. Eric scared her a little bit. He was crazy protective, and if he thought for even one moment that Jim wasn’t acting up to
his
expectations Eric would maim him in a heartbeat. But he wasn’t going to be there…right? “Maybe I should call Uncle Will and tell him to leave Eric at home.”

“Already taken care of. I told Ryan to keep an eye on his cray-cray cousin.” Glory grinned and took the menus the waitress held out. “Can I have a mocha milkshake?”

“I’ll have Spite.” Chloe waited for the waitress to ask, but she just wrote it down and left them with their menus. Chloe opened hers, ready and willing to pig out. “Ooh, cheese fries.”

“A girl after my own heart attack.” Glory winked. “So. About my wedding.”

Chloe hid behind her menu.

“Now, now. You know you’re in my wedding party.” Glory patted the menu until Chloe lowered it. “And I promise not to put you in anything that will embarrass you too much.”

Chloe banged her head on the table. “Kill me now.”

Glory bopped her on the back of her head.

“Hey, now. Brain damaged, remember?” Chloe rubbed the back of her head and glared at Glory.

“You’ll love the dresses I picked out.” Glory reached into her purse and pulled out her tablet, swiping and tapping like a crazy woman. In a few moments she was showing Chloe an absolute horror of tulle and peach.

“I knew it. Your theme is hippie goth gets axe murdered by banjo-wielding redneck aliens in tights.”

Glory stared down at the dress and bit her lip. “You don’t like it?”

Chloe stared at her in disbelief.

“Fine. What about this one?” Glory picked up the tablet, did the tap-swipe-tap thing, and set it back down to—

“Oh
hell
no,” Chloe gagged.

“What’s wrong with it?”

Chloe shuddered. “It looks like an episode of
When Sister-Wives Attack
.”

“Don’t like florals, huh?”

Chloe was fine with florals, but florals mixed with poufy sleeves and high necks? “Where have you been shopping, eBay?”

Glory yanked the tablet out of Chloe’s hands, practically snarling her order at the poor waitress who had the bad timing to arrive at just that moment. “Fine. What about this?”

Chloe took a moment to give her own order, smiling sympathetically at the waitress as the poor girl practically ran from the table and the unstable hippie sitting across from Chloe. “This what?”

She turned back to see…

Huh. It wasn’t the worst dress Glory had shown her, that was sure. “Retro Minnie Mouse.”

Glory’s brows rose. “You don’t hate that?”

“It’s different, and for someone else it would be perfect, but I’m not sure it’s
you
.” Chloe took the tablet and began her own search. “You want retro and floral, I want not hideous…Ah-hah! What about this?”

The dress was A-line, the floral print subtle, the sleeves fluttery. It was a much more subdued version of the violently red, white and purple sister-wives dress, but had a lower, squared neckline and hit the model just above the knee instead of being floor-length. The flowers were a pale blue, almost an exact match for Glory’s hair. The model had belted a blue belt around her waist, but that could be changed out easily for a metallic one, or left without a belt at all.

“Maybe.” Glory tilted her head. “I’ll add it to the list.”

“Have you picked your dress yet?” That might help in picking out the bridesmaids’ dresses.

Glory winced. “Not yet. I wanted all of you there when I do, but with Tabby’s due date so close I wanted to wait until the bun burst from the oven.”

“I’d do it sooner rather than later. Once the kidlet pops out she’s going to be even more grumpy and tired.”

Glory shuddered. “Please don’t tell me that.”

“And if she’s breastfeeding?
No coffee.
” Chloe picked up a cheese fry and happily munched away as Glory toppled over in a shower of bangles and blue hair.

“Ugh,” Glory moaned.

“No alcohol.”

Glory whined.

“No spicy food.” Chloe bit into her burger, humming happily at the cheesy, meaty goodness.

Glory glared at her from under the powder-blue cloud of her hair. “You are
so
wearing a sister-wife dress.”

Chloe cackled evilly and continued to eat her lunch. Picking on family could sure raise a person’s spirits.

Jim opened his front door to go to work and stopped dead in his tracks.

There were a crap-ton of Bears and Foxes on his front step, and all of them looked way too happy to see him. He put his hands in the air. “I didn’t do it!”

Barbra Bunsun laughed. “We need to talk, Mr. Woods.”

Wait. Wasn’t he supposed to see them all at dinner on Sunday? “Why are you here?”

“Just what my mate said.” William Bunsun took a step forward. “We wanted to talk to you.” He smiled, and Jim shivered. “Can we come in?”

Jim barely had a second to step back before his home was inundated with Chloe’s family. “Make yourselves at home,” he muttered. With any luck they wouldn’t take too long, because he had to be at work by one. He
had
been planning to grab lunch on the way, but it didn’t look like that was going to happen.

At least all he had to do was check on the animals, feed and water them and make sure they’d done the business they were supposed to do. Irene was doing the Saturday half-day the clinic was open, and Phil had agreed to stay in the clinic during the night. He’d told Jim he needed the peace from his roommates so he could do a big report, and Jim had happily given him the overtime.

He watched as Steve and Laura Williams, Ryan and Chloe’s parents, nodded to one another before seating themselves at his dining room table. Will and Barbra Bunsun headed straight for the kitchen and set about ordering enough pizza and soda to fill the bellies of a bunch of Bears, Foxes and one lone Wolf.

Ray and Stacey Allen, Chloe’s uncle and aunt, were watching Spencer watch them.

After a few moments of silence between the three, Spencer wheeled himself forward. “You must be Chloe’s family, right?”

Jim hoped he was the only one who could see how nervous Spencer truly was. His brother wasn’t used to a large family, and the Bunsun-Williams clan was not only big but boisterous. If they made Spencer uncomfortable in any way he was going to have to throw them out.

But they surprised him. Stacey embraced Spencer and welcomed him into the family, while Ray shook his hand and thanked him for knocking some sense into Jim’s thick skull.

Jim rolled his eyes and turned, only to find William Bunsun standing in front of him with a huge grin on his face. “Let’s talk.”

“I have to be at work by one.” But Jim allowed himself to be steered toward the dining room table. When William Bunsun wanted you to move, you moved.

“We called the clinic and told the nice lady who answered that you’d be late due to a family emergency.” Will pulled out a chair for Jim and gently pushed him into it. Not surprisingly, it placed him in the middle of the table, directly across from Steven Williams.

Steven smiled serenely and steepled his fingers. “So. I hear you took my baby girl on a date.”

Laura Williams sat next to her husband and gave Jim an encouraging smile. “Now, Steven. Just because, after waiting
four years
for her mate to claim her, he
finally
took her out to dinner, doesn’t mean he won’t do right by our girl.”

Ah. Now it made sense. The beating he’d expected from Ryan and Alex wasn’t going to be physical. It was going to be verbal, and delivered by the elders of the clan.

“Of course he will.” William patted Jim on the shoulder so hard he heard the chair beneath him creak. “He knows how much Chloe means to us.”

As one they beamed at him, freaking him the hell out.

“Chloe’s a special girl.” Laura’s sweet smile didn’t fool Jim for a moment. “She knew from a young age she wanted to work with animals.” The sweet smile turned devilish. “Probably because she was used to dealing with wild ones all the time.” The look she turned on Will and Barbra Bunsun was filled with merriment.

“And she’s always known how she wanted her life to be.” Steven’s smile had faded completely. “You’ve been the most important part of that equation since the moment she met you.”