Chapter Four

Over the next couple of days, Lainie looked constantly over her shoulder for the whereabouts of Miles Hemingway, jumping at every sound and loud noise. His final words to her kept replaying over and over in her mind. “You will be mine, Lainie Everest. I was promised.” The man obviously did not appreciate being rejected. Thanks, Dad, for picking such a winner.

This Monday, her only day off before she left for Bull Creek, Lainie decided to just hang out in Josh’s apartment and avoid the stress of raccoons digging around metal garbage cans, making her think the noise was actually Miles sneaking up on her. Instead, she intended to take a long soak in a hot tub and read the latest Gracen Miller novel. She probably should pack for her trip, but most of her belongings were still in the boxes she stuffed them in when Dimitri and her packed their stuff up last week while their father was at work. There wasn’t much to pack really except what she needed daily. She lived out of her suitcase, just waiting for the day she could leave Draven Falls. She was also eager to get out of Josh’s bed and into her own. She never liked his mattress.

As much as she wanted that hot bath, however, she needed some coffee first after the third shift she pulled last night. Nothing happened in Draven Falls to keep her awake during the darkest of night, at least, nothing she could report to the sheriff. Walking into the kitchen, she found herself wondering about her next position as deputy in Bull Creek. Did the sheriff there know about the paranormals in his communities? If he did, Lainie wondered how he kept the laws of the supernatural and the laws of the humans separate? She reached up into the cabinet and pulled out a ceramic mug, recognizing the Everest Paper logo on the outside. Shaking her head, she set the mug on the counter and moved over to start the coffee brewing. How different will it be working for a sheriff who knows what I am and what I can do?

She stared at the coffeepot, willing it to brew faster, when a knock came at her door. Hanging her head, she groaned, fearing her father was there uninvited again to make her feel like a failing daughter. Straightening, she turned toward the front door, when she suddenly stopped. What if it’s Miles? Somehow, Miles knew she was staying at Josh’s apartment. How he knew, she didn’t know, but the fact that he did, scared her. He had already shown up once; what if he did so again and made good on his threat?

Staring at the door, Lainie wrestled with whether or not she should get her gun. Her hands shook a little at the thought of being cornered in her own home—even if it wasn’t actually her home.

Another knock came at the door. “Lainie, are you home?” Her mother’s voice.

Lainie sighed, her body slumping into a relieved posture as she made her way to the front door.

“Lainie?” her mother called out again.

“Coming,” Lainie answered as she reached the doorknob. Just before she opened the door, she paused and did a quick scan of herself. She nodded, satisfied she was appropriately dressed to meet her mother, and then opened the door. “Mom, what are you doing here?” She stepped back, allowing her mother to enter.

“What? A mother can’t visit her daughter?” Jenny Everest asked as she breezed past Lainie, two Styrofoam containers of coffee in one hand and a box of donuts from the Glazed Palace in the other. “Besides, I brought breakfast.”

Lainie’s stomach growled at the sight of the donuts, but her nostrils begged for the coffee as she took a deep breath when her mother passed her. “Of course, you can visit,” Lainie said as she closed the door. “I’m just not used to you stopping by, is all.”

“You’ve never had your own place before,” her mother said as she set the coffee and donuts on the small, cluttered, kitchen table. “So, why would you be used to it?” She turned, shrugging. “You’re about to leave and join your brother, so I won’t have many more opportunities to just pop in on you. I wanted to have that experience before you left.” She turned, clasping her hands in front of her as she smiled at her daughter. “I won’t be able to help you set up your first house. We won’t pick out curtains together or stock your pantry with healthy food I know you’ll never eat. I won’t help you put the dishes away or decorate the bathroom for you, so I thought I could at least say goodbye with coffee and donuts.”

Lainie stared at her mother. “I never knew you wanted to do all those things.”

Her mother gave her a weak smile. “All mothers want to do those things.”

“You can always come down with me,” Lainie suggested. “There’s still plenty of time. I don’t leave until Saturday.”

“We both know your father will never allow that,” her mother said. “This will have to do.”

“Does Dad even know you’re here?” Lainie asked as she joined her mother at the table, gesturing for her mother to sit. Lainie reached for the coffee as her mom sat down and opened the lid to the donut box.

Jenny shrugged as she reached in and pulled out a Boston Creme. “He didn’t ask, and I didn’t tell him. He does his thing while I do mine.” She glanced up at Lainie as she lifted the donut to her lips. “Sometimes, marriages work better that way.”

Lainie couldn’t help but giggle. She missed seeing her mother smile. It didn’t happen often, not lately anyway. When the Everest siblings were growing up, Jenny Everest not only smiled a lot, she laughed, loud and often. The more ambitious Lainie’s father became, however, which happened shortly after her grandfather passed away and Daniel became alpha of the Everest tribe, Lainie’s mother laughed less and less. “Well, I appreciate the sugar rush first thing in the morning,” Lainie said as she pulled a chocolate frosted glazed donut from the box. “It sure beats cooking.”

Her mother smiled over at her. “Something you’ll have to get used to doing in Florida.” She bit into her donut, the unspoken meaning of her words hanging in the air.

Suddenly, the pastry in Lainie’s mouth didn’t taste so sweet. The fact that she was running away from her father hadn’t made her realize she was running away from her mother, as well. Yet, there wasn’t any real choice. If Lainie wanted to escape her father’s wishes for her future, she had to leave Draven Falls. She only wished she could take her mother with her. “Mom, look, I’m…”

Her mother held up a hand, stopping Lainie from saying any more. “I get it, sweetie,” she said. “I promise. I know what your father wants of you, and I also know what you need to do to make sure it doesn’t happen.” She reached across the table, taking Lainie’s free hand in her own. “I want you to go. Really.” She squeezed Lainie’s hand. “I’ve only ever wanted my children to be happy.” She released Lainie’s hand as she sat back in her chair. “And I know you won’t be happy if you stay here. Your father won’t allow it.” She smiled, giving a soft laugh. “Besides, I’ve seen Miles. I don’t blame you for not wanting to be stuck with that for the rest of your life.”

Lainie stared at her mother a moment and then busted out laughing before she could stop. “I’m going to miss you,” she said, a twisting in her heart as she sat there, staring over at her mother. “I wish there was another way.”

“So do I,” her mother said, and then she shook her head. “But we both know there isn’t. Your father has his sights set on Lars’ business. I don’t agree with what he’s doing, believe me, but we both know how he is. Leaving Draven Falls, as sad as it sounds, is your best option.”

“Will you come visit?” Lainie asked, but she kind of already knew the answer. If she joined Dimitri down in Bull Creek, their father would keep their mother from having anything to do with them. Oh, she would call, even email—probably from a secret email account—but she would never be able to get away and visit them.

Jenny Everest smiled as she lifted her coffee cup. “Of course, I’m going to visit,” she promised—or rather, lied. “You’re my children. I can’t not visit you. Besides, I’ve never been to Florida. Should be fun.”

“If hot and sweaty in the woods can be fun,” Lainie said with a soft laugh. She then shrugged. “I’m actually looking forward to the change. I’ve only known Draven Falls. It’ll do me good to see other parts of the country.”

Her mother nodded. “It’s always good to get other perspectives on how people do things, and I’m sure your brother will love having you down there with him. I’m glad you two will be together.”

“So am I,” Lainie said, and she meant it. She loved both her brothers, but she was closest to Dimitri. Fitz had always been so far up their father’s ass, there was never any real time for anyone else. Their father groomed Fitz to be just like him, and the other Everest siblings were left to form their own bond. She needed to be down there with Dimitri, if only to make sure Josh didn’t get her brother into trouble.

Lainie took a sip of her coffee. Of course, now that they were away from their father, maybe Josh and I can finish what we started. She hid her smile with the rim of her cup.