Grayslake: More than Mated: Secrets to Bear (Kindle Worlds Novella) (2 page)

Sunlight beat against her eyelids and Lira slowly opened her eyes. Jake sprawled next to her and she wanted more than anything to snuggle against him, feel him wake up next to her. Yup, last night had really happened.

But it was very much the morning after, and more than anything Lira didn't want to ruin just how wonderful last night had been by sticking around long enough for him to awkwardly kick her out. She slid out from under his arm, slipped out of the bed, gathered her things and eased into them as quietly as she could.

She paused at the door and looked back at the sleeping man. Her heart quivered, practically commanded her to leap back into the warm and inviting bed. Lira steeled her spine and eased out the door, closing it silently behind her.

As she walked out of the building, she slipped her sunglasses on. It was her first walk of shame. Funny, it didn't feel all that shameful. Even though she'd never see Jake again, how could she ever forget how magnificent he'd been. She didn't have to settle of mediocre sex ever again.

Lira had never imagined just how amazing it could be. Now she realized just what a selfish lover Ethan was, caring only for his pleasure. She crossed the street to the bar parking lot with a bounce in her step.

She giggled at herself as she approached her car, her steps faltering when she realized something was written across her windshield. WHORE was scrawled across the glass. She spun around, praying she was alone.

Ethan. It had to be. Tears welled up in her eyes and she started to shake. How dare he? A cold chill crackled down her spine. Either he had come back and seen her car or had watched the whole time. Sour bile rose in the back of her throat.

She pulled her phone out of her purse and snapped a few pictures of the damage. It looked like it was just mud mixed with some grease. She still wanted proof it had happened. She opened the car and reached into the glove box.

Lira laughed as she pulled the baby wipes and a plastic bag out. People teased her about having baby wipes but damn they were convenient. She started cleaning as quickly as possible. It was a real pain being as short as she was to reach the middle. She was going to have to hit a gas station or a car wash.

Wait, there is a car wash on the way to Magda's house. Perfect. It was clear enough for her to drive and she headed to her foster mother's home.

She stopped in the driveway and stared up at Magda's house. She'd been a safe refuge after Lira's mother died and a safe refuge after the incident, since she was definitely not going to continue living with her former best friend. Still, she'd never come home to Magda after staying out all night.

Lira crept into the house, hoping her foster mother still slept. The smell of coffee from the kitchen clued her in quickly that she wasn't going to sneak past Magda.

"Get your ass in here, Lira!" Magda's booming voice filled the hallway and Lira walked into the kitchen.

"Morning, Magda." There was no way Lira was going to be able to pretend she'd been up and running errands. Magda knew her too well.

"Seems like you had a good night, then." Magda gestured at the chair across from her and poured a second cup of coffee. Lira took the coffee that was pushed across the table as she sat down.

She inhaled the earthy notes of the coffee, not knowing what to say, and finally looked at Magda bashfully. "You know, I did."

Magda threw her head back and cackled. Her sepia skin glowed in the morning light. "Finally! I was getting worried about you. Ethan was no good, and didn't deserve you."

Lira shifted in her seat and rolled the bottom of the cup against the grain of the table.

"Yeah, I'm starting to realize there was something about him that I didn't see. I saw him last night."

Magda stopped smiling. "He the reason you came home in the morning?"

Lira smiled shyly, thinking of Jake. "No, my knight in shining armor. Or perfectly worn denims."

"But you still saw Ethan?"

"I think maybe he followed me. I went over to Maybrick, to The Salty Shanty."

"Classy joint," Magda drawled.

"Well, they have dancing and I thought getting out might do me good. But then Ethan showed up. He literally said, 'It wasn't what you think.'"  Lira flashed air quotes.

Magda laughed again and shook her head. "You don't believe him, I take it."

"God no. I know exactly what I saw. It was very clear. But, it's really weird, Magda. He thinks it's my fault, that I should give him a second chance."

The older woman twisted her mouth. "There was always something off about him. I've heard stories, but it's a small town, you always hear stories about everyone."

"Well, he tried to make a big fuss when the best looking man I've ever seen walked in and bee-lined for me. Totally acted like he knew me. Shut Ethan down pretty quick." Lira smiled dreamily, remembering the moment her eyes met Jake’s.

Magda grinned and waggled her eyebrows. "Weeeell then, tell me about this
man
."

"His name is Jake, and get that matchmaking gleam out of your eyes.” She pointed at Magda. “He was just passing through town." Lira rested her chin on her fisted hand and swirled the coffee in her cup.

"Pity. He put a look in your eyes Ethan never did."

"Yeah, now I'm not sure how or why we were together as long as we were, I think we just drifted together because that was what everyone expected? Like we were supposed to pair off because everyone else already had."

"Except Angela."

Lira winced. Magda was still beyond-words-angry at Angela's betrayal, had slammed the door in the woman's face when she stopped by the house and try and talk to Lira. Magda had a firm boundary.

"Still, Jake made me feel completely alive."

"Sex that good?" Magda's dry tone reduced Lira to giggles.

"Magda! Well, I mean, also yes. He cared. Does that make sense?"

Magda reached across the table and grabbed Lira's hand. "Yes, it does. That's what I had with my Stuart and why I have never settled for anything less since. Even if Jake is a passing flame, if he gave you that feeling? He was worth it. Carry that with you, forever."

Lira sighed. She didn't want to tell Magda. "Something else happened. This morning."

"Awkward with Jake?"

"No, I left before he woke up." Lira blushed at Magda's grin and hurried on. "When I got to my car. I'm guessing it was Ethan, but someone vandalized it." Lira pulled the picture up on her phone and handed it to Magda. "See. He was watching me last night and he seems to think it's my fault he cheated."

Magda's lips thinned to a hard line.

"And something else. It's just...odd and doesn't make sense. When Ethan was harassing me? I've never felt so hot before. Like I was going to explode out of my skin and claw his face off. I wanted to not just scream at him, but roar and then chew his face off. If Jake hadn't come up to me, I don't know what I would have done."

Magda's face went gray. "Oh honey. Seems like we need to get you out of town and away from that crazy. And that feeling...I think I know who you need to talk to.  Your momma… She really hoped you wouldn't have to deal with her family."

"What are you talking about? She didn't have any other family, that's why we stayed together."

Magda shook her head. "I stayed with you because I loved you like you were my own. I wanted you well taken care of, and who better to do that than me? Your momma and I, we were estranged from the family. When she got sick, she made me promise that if we needed to, to go back to your family."

"I don't understand. Why are you telling me now?"

Magda stood and went to a nearby cabinet. She pulled her address book down and pulled out a fragile piece of paper.

"She said...” Magda hesitated and shook her head. “It doesn't matter entirely what she said. Mostly she said that I'd know if you needed to find them. That wildness you felt? That means you need to find them."

"I was only truly angry for the first time. I'm not sure what some distant quasi-relative could possibly do for me."

Magda's deep brown eyes were serious. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do,” Lira’s response was immediate.

"Then take this opportunity to get out of town, put miles between you and Ethan and Angela. If I'm wrong, it won't matter, you'll have seen a different place. A road trip will do you good."

"What about my job?"

"You don’t need your job and you hate it. Do you really want to stay here? Be honest. You stayed because of your relationship with Ethan. Because I'm here. What is your heart telling you?"

Lira wiggled uncomfortably in her seat. "That I love exploring."

She'd taken a desk job because it's what Ethan thought she should do. Not what she'd actually wanted to do.

"And you locked that part of you down. How many things did you pretend you didn't want to do, for the sake of being with that man?"

She winced away from the harsh truths. "More than I care to admit. How did I not see it, when I was in it?"

"Because he's very good at what he does. It's why he's good at selling houses. Selling dreams."

"What about you, Magda?"

"Tell you what, if you find a place you think I'll like better, I'll happily pull up my roots and move."

"That’s not what I mean. What do
you
want?"

Magda templed her hands and took a long, thoughtful pause. "Well, I wanted to have a long life with my Stuart, but the universe had other plans. Now, it would be nice if I could find another man like him, but he was one of a kind. Besides, I'm old and tattered."

"Magda, you're what, 50? 60?"

"You know I'm 43! Don't make me get the switch out."

Lira laughed, "You've never raised a hand to me and I don't expect you to start now."

"Well, keep calling me older than I am, and see what happens."

"Seriously, Magda. You took care of me for years. What about your dreams? Your hopes and desires?"

"I'm not sure if my dreams can ever be real again, but I had one last night."

"Really?" Lira was skeptical.

"It told me you should go to that town. Find those people."

Lira sighed and threw her hands up. "Your dreams, not mine."

"I'm serious. In my dream, you lead me somewhere. Because you went, I found something I'd been missing."

"In that case, I guess I'd better go on this crazy quest to find my roots."

"It's not that crazy, but if you really don't want to, we can figure something else out. I hear they need help rebuilding Nepal after those terrible earthquakes. I doubt Ethan would follow you there."

"That's not a bad idea. Maybe after I find these people you think I need to find, I can do something like that. Just go see the world for a while."

"Sounds good.” Magda snapped her address book closed. “You need a nap before you head out?"

"Wow, you want me to go today? Now?"

Magda's face grew still and Lira could tell she was measuring her words. "From what you said about Ethan, I think it would be better if you were completely out of reach for a while. I'm calling the sheriff, just to let him know what’s happened."

"They can't do anything. There is no proof. He's just being weird and unpleasant."

"He's being more than weird.” Magda narrowed her eyes. “I didn't want to tell you, but my friend, Libbie, visited yesterday."

Lira dryly said, "More like mouth of the south." The woman had made small town gossip an art form.

"Well, Ethan has been telling people the wedding is back on."

"What!?" Lira's voice hit a high, shrill note. She felt that odd hotness from last night flood her body and she curled her hands into claws on the table.

"Lira. Take a breath." Magda's voice penetrated her rage and Lira slumped back in her chair.

"He is such an asshole. Let me run through the shower and throw together a bag. Pack me a lunch, like you used to?"

"Get. Go." Magda shooed her out of the room and listened to her clomp up the stairs. She stared after her and looked down at the long scratches Lira had inadvertently torn into the wooden top. Magda stroked the shredded wood, sighed heavily, and said quietly to herself, "I wish your momma was still with us. I wish I could tell you and you'd believe me. But they will keep you safe."

She picked up her phone and dialed the sheriff. "Joe? Ethan is causing trouble for Lira, like I said he would."

Joe’s gruff rasp came across the line, "Dammit, are you sure?"

"Bothered her at the Salty Shanty. Check with Mark. I'm sending her out of town, but Ethan scared her pretty bad. Thanks."

“Will do.”

She hung up and looked back up the stairs. "Dammit, I can't help her with this. Not alone." She grimaced and picked the phone back up. She'd sworn she'd never go back to Grayslake. But twenty-five years was a long time for a vow made in anger. Deirdre warned her not to let spite lead her.

And Magda would do anything to keep Lira safe, even bend her pride. So she dialed the number.