Chapter Four

Kinsey turned off I-4 and onto Highway 192 heading east at the urging of the GPS lady. The drive was uneventful. She was in no hurry, so she took her time, not pushing the speed limit and stopping often to take in the sights.

And thinking.

A lot of thinking.

Was she doing the right thing by leaving Draven Falls? Would distance weaken the mating call? Could she find something else to distract her and keep her from going insane?

And then there was the other issue that confused her? What exactly had she felt when Mandy appeared at her home? Why had her panther reacted the way it had? Kinsey knew who her mate was, and it wasn’t Mandy. It was Fitz. Could her panther have scented Fitz on Mandy and reacted? She sighed as she drove through Harmony, deciding that was what happened. Her panther scented her true mate and felt that passion that came with the mating call. There could be no other reason.

Could there?

Twenty minutes later, the GPS lady told her to pull off East Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway onto Crabgrass Road and into the town of Bull Creek. The smooth asphalt street turned into a bumpy gravel road with more potholes than actual road, it seemed. Kinsey slowed down, taking in the scenery as she passed small oaks, long pines pointing accusingly at the sky, and small palms and shrubs interspersed throughout. A hawk flew overhead with slow gliding motions as it searched for its evening meal. A deer took two hops, crossing the road in front of her, and vanished into the woods as Kinsey hit the button that rolled her window down, breathing in the stifling Florida air. She was definitely no longer in Draven Falls.

The dirt road took a sharp turn to the east, and Kinsey followed it, passing three streets before making a left on Journigan Road and easing her way down to the middle of the road and a cabin on the right. A blue truck sat parked in front of the place, and Kinsey recognized Dimitri Everest sitting on the tailgate, hands gripping the metal by his thighs as he watched her pull into the drive. She assumed she would see Fitz’s younger brother sooner or later, but not the moment she pulled into town. Agatha had helped Kinsey get a cabin as Kinsey didn’t want anyone to know where she went. She hoped Dimitri had respected that decision and kept her whereabouts from Fitz.

After shutting off her car, Kinsey took a deep breath and opened the door. Might as well see where things stood.

Dimitri was almost to her car when she slipped out, a smile on his face and his hands in his pockets. “Well, this is a surprise,” he said as he drew closer. “Agatha asked for an empty cabin, but she didn’t tell me who it was for.” He walked up to Kinsey, slipping his hands from his pockets as he gave her a hug. “It’s good to see you. It’s been way too long, it seems.”

Kinsey returned his hug, feeling a little relieved at his greeting. “It’s good to see you, as well. How have you been?” She stepped back, smiling at Dimitri. He still looked the same, shaggy blond hair, slender but fit frame, and a smile that drew you to him. Of course, his appearance shouldn’t surprise her; it had only been a year, after all. Dmitri had always been good to her.

“Let’s say living here has never really been dull,” he said with a chuckle. He cocked his head to the side as he glanced at her with a puzzled look. “You know you could have asked me for a cabin, instead of having Agatha call. Or was that the point?”

She took a deep breath, bracing for a confrontation. “I left without telling anyone where I was going, and I’d prefer it remain that way.”

“No one knows you’re here?” He slipped his hands back into his pockets, his legs slightly parted as he stood there, his stance revealing the confidence he possessed. He reminded her very much of Fitzgerald.

She shook her head. “Only Agatha, of course. No one else, not even your brother, and I hope you won’t tell him.”

Dimitri nodded. “You came to the right place. Bull Creek is all about privacy. Just about everyone here is escaping something. That’s actually why I waited for you when you pulled up. I make it my duty to greet each newcomer and make sure they understand some of our community rules, the main one is to respect each other’s privacy. You’ll find most people who live here carry secrets they don’t want out in the world. We don’t pry into people’s personal lives; we just accept people as they are, welcoming them into our diverse family.”

Kinsey smiled at him. “That sounds like exactly what I need. I just needed to get away and figure some things out.”

“I understand. Trust me. And, for the record, I was against everything back then and tried talking Fitz out of obeying our father.” He shrugged. “Our father’s plans for us are why Lainie and I came here a year ago.”

Kinsey gave him a weak smile. “Thanks, I appreciate it. To be honest, it’s why I left Draven Falls. I just needed to escape what I knew would never happen. Your brother made his decision. Now, I finally need to make mine. I’ve heard of your little community here and decided it was the best place to disappear.”

Dimitri grinned as he nodded a couple of times. “We’ve got some great people here, and every Friday night, we hold a small bonfire for the whole community, a sort of celebration that the week is over and to set the tone for the weekend. People bring food and drink to share, and we just hang out and talk. It’s my favorite time of the week.”

“I look forward to joining the fun,” she told him. “I need to find work as well, but I have enough saved up to relax a bit and not rush into anything.” She reached out and touched his arm. “Thank you. Really. I appreciate you keeping my presence here quiet. I just need to regroup a bit.”

“Whatever you need,” he assured her. “And if you think of something else, just reach out. Josh Rayburn is here, of course, and you know Lainie, so it’s not like you’re all alone. Welcome to our little family.”

She thanked him again and watched as he walked back to his truck, seeing Fitz in the man’s gait and the way he held himself. Perhaps, I should have gone somewhere else. It’s not going to work if I keep looking at Dimitri and thinking of his older brother. She sighed and then moved to the trunk of her car to retrieve her luggage.

She glanced around the front yard on her way to the porch and the front door, noticing small spots where she could plant a garden. A giant oak sat at the corner edge of her property, shading half the yard, and hedges outlined her property line. The wooden cabin seemed long and thin, but when she entered, she realized the outside was deceiving. the front door opened up to a large living room with a fireplace to the north and the kitchen to the west. An island separated the kitchen from the living room with barstools along one side. As she continued the tour of her new home, she noticed two bedrooms, with a bathroom between them. The master rested in the back of the cabin near the back door with a master bath. There was a small room in the very back that housed a washer and dryer. The cabin held more than enough space for her. Too much space, if she was honest with herself. Too much space to be left alone with her thoughts, thoughts she couldn’t shake no matter how hard she tried.

She took a deep breath. I really need to find a hobby.

She hauled her luggage to the master bedroom, tossing it on the bed, and left it, deciding she would unload the car, and then decide where everything went later. When her stomach growled, she realized she should have stopped in St. Cloud for dinner as she didn’t really see many restaurants once she left the city. She also didn’t bring any real food with her, just snacks. Looks like dinner will be Pringles and a bottle of wine. So much for being proactive.

As she pulled the last box out of her car, another vehicle pulled into her driveway. Turning, she watched as three ladies slid out of the car, two of whom carried small bags in their hands. All three wore a smile, and none of them looked like any of the others. One was a short, sandy-haired woman, one tall, with auburn hair, and the third fell between the other two in height with long, dark hair. Kinsey could scent that two were shifters, and the third…she took a deep breath...a witch? Could this be Dimitri’s mate? She heard from Fitz during one of his solemn visits of uttering promises he couldn’t keep how his siblings each found their mate here in Bull Creek. If only that could happen to her.

“Greetings,” the dark-haired woman said. “Welcome to Bull Creek. Dimitri said you were driving all day, so we kind of figured you didn’t have dinner yet.”

“It’s not much,” the shortest of the trio said. “Gracie’s Diner makes the best fried chicken, though, so it’s worth it.”

The redhead held up two bottles of wine, one white, the other red. “And wine, of course. Can’t say hello without wine.”

Kinsey smiled as she shut her trunk. “Thank you. My stomach just reminded me that I hadn’t bought anything for dinner. I’m Kinsey. Come on in, and then, we can make the proper greetings with empty hands.”

Everyone followed her into the cabin, the newcomers going straight for the kitchen with their offerings, while Kinsey placed her box on the floor in a corner. When she turned to face the others, they were already pulling out paper plates and plastic cups from the bags they brought. The short sandy-haired woman started scooping what looked like potato salad out onto plates while the redhead uncorked the wine. “Do you like red or white?” she asked, glancing up at Kinsey.

“Red, thanks,” Kinsey replied, walking over to join them at the island at the edge of the kitchen. “Do you greet all newcomers this way?”

The dark-haired woman shook her head. “You’re getting the family-friend treatment.” She stretched her arm out. “I’m Adira, Dimitri’s mate.” She then pointed to the others. “The one pouring the wine is Alanna Bradbury, and our food server is Eve Hartlow.” She turned back to face Kinsey. “Dimitri told me a friend from home was in town, and I decided to pull out the extra welcome mat.” She cocked her head a little. “If you weren’t in the mood for company, we can leave. Don’t want to intrude on your first night in town.”

“Yeah, we usually save that for the third night,” Alanna said with a smirk.

“I must have been really scary, then,” Eve said with a frown. “It took six whole days before someone greeted me.”

Alanna shook her head. “You carried a knife. Not very welcoming, if you know what I mean.”

Eve just shrugged as she reached for a thigh from the bucket of chicken.

Adira laughed as she turned her attention back to Kinsey. “Are you here for a while? Dimitri holds weekly bonfires every Friday evening in a clearing in the center of Bull Creek. Would love to have you join us.”

“Everyone pitches in with food and drinks,” Eve said. “Sort of like a potluck type thing. It’s laid back and chill. Everyone here is pretty relaxed.”

Kinsey smiled. She knew the women wanted to know why she came to Bull Creek, but she wasn’t ready to spill that part of her life just yet. They wouldn’t come right out and ask either, so she had some time to sort through her emotions before revealing them. “I’d like that. Sounds fun.” Then she shrugged. “And I’m not sure how long I’ll be here. I’m sort of looking to make a fresh start, and I was told Bull Creek was a good place to take a break from the world.”

Adira smiled as she nodded. “It’s had its moments, but our little community is definitely a family away from family. Everyone looks out for each other here.”

“Sounds like just what I need at the moment,” Kinsey said as she took the wine Alanna offered her.

“So, what kind of excitement should I expect around here?” Kinsey asked after taking a sip of her Merlot.

The other three ladies just looked at each other and laughed, making Kinsey wonder what she had missed.