Shifter’s Baby (Alpha Fantasy Paranormal Billionaire Shifter BBW Romance) (10 page)

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Copyright 2015 by Lisa Cartwright - All rights reserved.

In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved.

Respective authors own all copyrights not held by the publisher.

Callie stared out the window of the train. She was thankful to have no one next to her in the seat, but she was still feeling cramped. It had been two days and she still had one more day and night before she would finally reach her destination. Maybe she wouldn’t be so stressed out, if she knew what she was getting into. Instead, she did not know the Aunt she was supposed to take care of in her final days, nor did she know anything about the small antiques shop that she was supposed to help her run.

It all came down to the fact that Callie was the only women in her family not married and with only a waitressing job, apparently she was not deemed to be busy enough to worry about dropping everything in her life. So she had agreed, as she always does. Her father had told her it would only be for six months, until she helped her get everything in order. Callie couldn’t help but hope that it was sooner, though she knew the effect of that hope so she tried to push it from her mind.

Callie had just finished school and like many new graduates, she was finding it hard to find a career to use her degree on. She shouldn’t have gone for art, but it was her passion. She figured if she couldn’t be an artist, at least she could deal with art on a daily basis. Instead, she seemed to have a lot of debt and a very expensive piece of paper that was doing her no good.

The student debt, more than the family obligation and guilt is what brought her to the small town in Oregon. Her help guaranteed her a tidy sum that would make all of her debt go away. If she really thought about it from that point of view, it was easier to swallow. But as she drew closer, all she could think about was the unknowns. There were so many unknowns and she was not used to that. Callie was used to knowing what was going on.

“Excuse me Miss. Do you mind if I sit here?”

Callie nodded, though she noticed several rows that were completely empty. She apparently had gained a companion and the older gentlemen had a nice smile and looked at her with a grin on his face. He almost looked at her, like he knew her, but she had never seen him before in her life.

The two people rode in silence for a while then he asked her a strange question. “This is going to sound weird, but you don’t know a Cindy Ruel, do you?”

Callie stopped and turned towards the man. She looked harder at him and she realized he was about her mother’s age or rather, how she would have been. “That is my mother. How do you know her?”

It was too convenient to be a coincidence and she looked around nervously, not really sure what she was looking for. Her eyes could not meet his dark grey ones and she wished that she was not the one wedged by the window. “I am sorry if I startled you. I knew her a long time ago and you look just like her. Though I am sure you know that.”

Callie relaxed slightly and she nodded. “Yeah people used to always say that about us.”

“Used to?”

“My mother passed away five years ago. I am sorry to have to be the one to tell you that.”

The stranger seemed more upset than a mere acquaintance would have been and it piqued her interest even more. Callie started to wonder how long ago he had known her and under what context. He was in too much pain though to bother him with questions and she sat awkwardly next to him for over ten minutes before he seemed to regain his composure.

“I am sorry that I had to tell you like that. I thought everyone knew. How long ago did you know her?”

“Oh a little over twenty years ago. She was about your age when I met her. I just can’t believe she is gone. She was the one that got away for me and I had always hoped to see her again one day.”

His eyes misted up again and he looked away. Callie was not sure how she was supposed to respond. It all seemed so incredibly strange and she kind of thought that she may be dreaming. There was another long silence and Callie dozed off. When she awoke she was alone and then she really did think that it had all been a dream. There was not much time to think about it though, because she was there and her stop was the next one.

Her insides shook with trepidation, but she had to get off of the bus, it was the end of the line for her. Her eyes scanned the few faces in the car with her, but she did not see the face of the man that had sat next to her.

Callie wrestled with the large duffel bag and carry-on that she had brought with her. She already knew that she would be semi isolated and in a place that did not know what Wi-Fi was, she had to bring some essentials. In the end though, her petite frame was piled down with bags as she tried to get to the outside of the terminal.

Callie was out of breath and clutching her sides when she finally set her bag down and looked around. The scenery was beautiful, if a person liked the outdoorsy kind of appeal, but all Callie could see was bugs and wilderness. She flipped her phone out and was amazed when she saw a few bars left. Someone was supposed to be there to pick her up, a house attendant or something. It was one of her Aunt’s employees and it seemed as if he was sleeping on the job.

She waited patiently for twenty minutes and was close to blowing a top, when a man pulled up in a black car and rolled down the window, hollering her name like she was the auction block. She waited for him to get out or open the door at least, but she realized quickly that it was not going to happen. Callie got in after she put her bags in the trunk, after having to repeatedly ask him to pop the trunk. “Thanks.”

“No problem chick. I was just on my way when I had to do a few things. You understand right?” Callie nodded, though she didn’t.

The land before her seemed foreign and incredibly open. There were mountains on both sides and her eyes could not imagine how high the tops were. There was a strange shadow overhead that seemed far larger than any bird she had heard of. She craned her neck up to get a better look, but the image was gone and she was left to wonder if she had actually seen anything at all.

“So how is Aunt June?”

The man shrugged and the woman sighed. He was no use to her, so she ignored him the rest of the way home. She was surprised at the large manor that they drove up to. She had for some reason envisioned a house strangled in vines with large metal scrap pieces littering the yard. That was far from the truth. The house and yard were immaculate and everything was in such a larger scale. There was even a strange third story room that seemed open to the elements. It looked strange, but somehow seemed to fit into the house. Callie made it a point to remember to check that part of the house out first.

The man did not offer to help her with her bags and she didn’t ask. She should have been thankful that he managed to get her there and pop the trunk. She waited for him to walk up with her, but he turned and left as soon as she had the trunk closed. She waved at him and then flipped him off at the last minute. “What a jerk.”

“He is, isn’t he?”

Callie started and looked up at the porch and the older woman that was sitting in the corner rocking chair. As she walked up, the woman was not what she had expected. She had expected some frail woman and in front of her was a vibrant older woman. She had a twinkle in her blue eyes and it reminded her of her mother. “Aunt June?”

“Well yes dear. Who did you think?”

“Sorry, I just heard that you were not doing so well.”

Callie took her bags off her shoulders at the top of the stairs and bent down to give her a hug. She didn’t know her, but she felt an immediate connection. June reminded her of her mother. “I know. They have been saying that I was going to keel over for years. I keep telling them I will let them know, but they seem to know best.”

She relaxed and sat next to her. The skies were still cloudy and dreary, but even in that state, the mountains in the distance was breathtaking. “It is so pretty here.”

“It is. I was called her years ago, much like you and I felt the same way. Do you feel like you belong here?”

It was a strange question, but it was exactly how she felt. Callie felt like she had been there before or that she was always supposed to be there. “I do. It feels like I have seen this place before in a dream, though I don’t know how.”

“Do you have many strange dreams like that?”

“A few, but I try not to think about it.”

“You should always heed your dreams. It is your mind’s way of telling you something you need to know but fail to see.”

Callie nodded. Not sure what she was talking about, but she had a way about her that made her want to listen. Her voice was strong and otherworldly. “Okay.”

The two sat in silence, Callie afraid to meet her clear eyes. She started to get up and Callie raced to help her up. She waved her off. “I am fine child. You just come on in and get settled. We have company coming over tonight and then you get to go down to the shop in the morning.”

The woman moved faster than she should have been able to. While Callie was there to take ‘care’ of Aunt June, she had a feeling that the older woman could run circles around her. She showed her to her room, not far from her own that she pointed out. The room was small, but the large balcony off the side of the house that overlooked the mountains made up for the lack of space. She spied the spiral staircase that went to the top floor, but she figured she would wait. She did not have time to lollygag as the woman was already heading into the kitchen to stir something that smelled wonderful.

“It is an old family recipe. I hope you like it.”

Callie walked forward and took a taste of the spoon she offered to her. It had a familiar taste and immediately reminded her of something her mother would cook that was similar. The taste transported her to a happier time and she smiled with her eyes closed. “Funny how good food can do that.”

She winked at her and told her to go answer the door. Callie had not heard anything and she looked puzzled for a minute. Instead of making herself look more stupid, she walked towards the door, starting to think that the old lady was just losing her marbles. When she reached it though, her hand right above the handle, she heard a loud knock that made her jump. She was not expecting her to be right and she felt a shiver of awareness pass over her.

Opening the door, her breath caught in her throat. “Hi.”

He stared back at her with dark eyes and a square jawline. The man stuck his hand out. “Hi, I am Andre. You must be Callie.”

Callie wondered why she must be and who the man was. He did not immediately let her hand go and rubbed his fingers against her skin, caressing her tender palm. She pulled back after a moment, looking up at him. He was much taller than her 5 foot 5 frame and while Callie was curvy, he dwarfed her in size. He was a huge man and the black in his eyes held her still.

“Are you going to invite me in?”

She reddened. “Sorry, where are my manners.”

Moving back, he walked passed her, stopping for just a second as they touched, before moving into the house. He seemed familiar and threw his coat on the bannister as he walked into the kitchen. Callie felt like the outsider and followed him in. When she got into the other room, the two were hugging like long lost friends. “She is perfect, I didn’t think …”

The two stopped talking when she walked in and both of their eyes were on her. Callie tried to ignore the tension through the meal, but it was as if there was something going on between them, that she did not have a clue about. He looked at her as if he already possessed her and the gazes made her go weak in the knee. The old woman seemed to be in mind to play a little matchmaking, leaving them alone for a time will she piddled in the kitchen.

“So how do you know my Aunt?”

“I have known your family for years, as well as June. She is really glad to have you here. I have heard much about you, since she had no children of her own.”

Callie nodded, though it still seemed strange. He was supposed to help her the next day with some of the business aspects. It seemed that the two families were tied together in more ways than one.

The next morning left her groggy. She had very real and vivid dreams that woke her up breathless, but she could not for the life of her, figure out what it was about. June beat her down to the kitchen for breakfast and it seemed like the woman had been up for hours. She wished her luck for the day and Callie was off to the antique shop in her Aunt’s truck. Callie half expected someone to be there when she got there, but she had to wait a few minutes until Andre popped in.

Pulling the keys out of his pocket, he cast a look her way while he tried to find the key on the large ring. “Sorry I am late. I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

“Me either.” There was a hint of something in his eyes. The shop was small, but filled to the brim with every sort of knickknack that could be imagined from seemingly all spaces of the past. Callie’s hands touched a few things as they walked through. As they got deeper into the store and near the jewelry displays, one of the rings caught her eye. She immediately went to its glass case and touched the hard surface.

“It is beautiful, isn’t it?”

She nodded her head, though she felt more than beauty, but physically drawn to it. She wanted to touch it, to put it on her finger and there was a crazy notion that it would fit. It was made for her and she had to have it. “How much is it?”

He shrugged, “Too much for you.”

“How do you know?”

“Because the diamond is rare and it is worth millions.”

“Oh.” She moved back from the glass, afraid that she would somehow damage the priceless piece. “How does my Aunt have it in her store?”

“Well it is our store and it is not the most expensive item in the shop.” Callie was getting more confused by the minute.

“So I mean, why am I here. I thought I was helping because she was destitute or something. You run it, what am I doing here? I mean, she is in better health than me and has more money than everyone else.”

If her straightforward demeanor surprised Andre, he did not show it. “Bloodlines and family are very important around here. We could not trust just anyone to be here with us and I will not always be around. I have many other business ventures to tend to. Callie shook her head, though it did not make much sense to her. She was starting to wonder why she didn’t know she had a rich Aunt.

“Okay, so what am I supposed to do?”

“Inventory right now. If something jumps out at you, put it to the side and the rest, we need to make a physical count of everything.”

Her shoulders slumped. While her family was rich and mysterious, the job was as lackluster as she thought it was going to be. The only thing good about it was that Andre was hot and at least she would have some eye candy. That hope too was dashed though, when he ducked out after thirty minutes. She sighed and looked around at the nightmarish condition. What had she gotten herself into?