(New chapter printed on a tyepwriter -Depositphotos)
My weekend has been busy,though I haven’t gotten all the things done that I intended. One thing that happened, though, is that we are officially empty-nesters as of today, and I’m torn about that. I know that’s how life works, but my mom-brain isn’t ready.
To avoid being sad all over (again), I’m going to change the subject. Writing. I’ve gotten a bit done this week, even though the day-job was busier than I had expected. I’ve also been reading through manuscripts I intend to do something with this year, including the first shapeshifter. I have some work planned for that one, but there are still a lot of things I love about it, including the yummy tiger shifter hero Harley. He has known Tessa most of her life, but he’s ignored the crush she had on him. But now there are a few rogue shifters targeting her, and Harley knows he’s the best man to keep her safe, even if she doesn’t believe him. So I’ve got a little snippet of their story to share with you today.
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He debated for half a second: cold beer or ringing phone. It would take far less time to reach the telephone than it would to get to the refrigerator in the kitchen, and he’d be able to hear the phone the entire time. Sighing, he headed for the nearest phone just inside the library.
Harley smiled when he saw the name on the caller i.d. It was about time he got lucky. His evening was suddenly looking up. He snagged the phone from the cradle. “Hello, little Tessa.”
There was silence for a moment, and then he heard her inhale shakily. “I need to speak to India please.” Even her voice trembled.
Surely she wasn’t that upset by having him answer the phone. He must have startled her. “She’s not here.” He wasn’t sure he managed to keep the smugness from his tone.
Another shaky breath reached his ear. Then a sniffle.
On alert now, he frowned. “Tessa? What’s wrong, honey?”
“Someone broke into the house,” she whispered.
His heart pounded faster. He stuck his free hand into his pocket and grabbed the car keys. “Call the police, Tessa.” He strode out of the office toward the entry hall.
“I did. They’re here, but they won’t let me go inside. They said I won’t be able to stay here tonight.”
And he could hear in her tone that right now, she didn’t want to stay there. He stopped near the front door. “I’ll be right there. Are you okay? You didn’t walk in on whoever it was?”
“I’m fine.”
He resisted the need to snort his disbelief at that claim. He could hear in her voice that she was far from fine. “I’ll be there in just a couple of minutes, honey.” He pushed the off button on the phone and dropped it to the table beside the door on his way out.
It took him seven minutes and a lot of miles an hour over the speed limit to reach Tessa’s place, and he saw the flashing red lights on the police cars before he even got in view of the house. When he jerked his car to a stop at the end of her very crowded driveway, he saw her, standing outside the front door, arms wrapped over her middle. Shaking.
His protective instinct rose up with a growl as he shoved the door open and climbed out of the car. The cops had left her standing there alone. Unprotected.
Her front door had been smashed in, shattered. There was no need to use that much force, he thought as he strode nearer. Whoever did it had done so maliciously, simply to destroy it.
Tessa had been watching the proceedings inside her house, but she glanced over her shoulder then, her wide eyes dark with fear.
He held up his hands, though he knew she was aware he meant her no harm. “Hey,” he said softly.
Her lower lip quivered, just a little, and then she sank her teeth into it, to keep it still.
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Hope you enjoyed that little taste of Harley and Tessa. I also hope you all have a wonderful week, full of only happiness and good!
( Photo by jakeprzespo on Foter.com / CC BY )