Deadlock by Moira Rogers

Author:Moira Rogers
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9781609283469
Publisher: Calibre
Published: 0101-01-01T08:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

Alec was on his third cup of coffee by the time Mahalia made her appearance.

She looked good. Her smooth dark skin bore a few more wrinkles, and her dark eyes held hints of worry, but some of those wrinkles were smile lines and there was peace in her gaze along with the sorrow.

Alec lifted his mug in greeting, then nodded to the window. “Just admiring the view.”

“You should see those mountains in the wintertime, after a heavy snow.” She sat in another of the rocking chairs with her own steaming cup, but the scent that wafted out of it was herbal tea. “No coffee for Michel e,” she explained. “I’ve switched out of sympathy.”

There was something comforting about her presence. Mahalia had been there for him during the rockiest time of his life, and the soothing timbre of her voice stil gave him the hint of peace his own mother’s had never managed to. “Next you’re going to tel me you stopped smoking. For real.”

“It’s not good for babies, especial y premature ones, even if they are shapeshifters.”

It looked like Mahalia final y had someone to play doting grandma to. Alec hid another smile beneath a sip of his coffee. “Not good for grown-ups, either. How many times did I tel you to quit?”

She flashed him a look and arched one dark eyebrow. “Do we want to talk about al your bad habits now?”

Bluster wouldn’t fool him, but it made him feel better. “Sure. Haven’t heard the list in a week or two.”

“And here I was, trusting Jack to take care of that in my absence.”

“Jackson’s busy making big eyes at the kitty-cat who’s got him wrapped around her dainty pinky finger.” Alec grinned at her. “Your little apprentice is al grown up and thinking about engagement rings and picket fences. Poor guy.”

“Uh-huh.” She rocked her chair gently and smiled. “You know I see through you, right? Poor guy, indeed.”

He wasn’t going to say it. He wasn’t going to give her an opening.

He wasn’t.

Damn it. “And what do you see, Mahalia?”

Her smile faded. “If you don’t poke a little fun, people might figure out how bad you want something like that again.”

The words brought the expected pain, but tempered with something he’d never felt before—guilt. “I’m not supposed to want it again.”

Mahalia’s brows drew together, an expression of confusion that quickly turned to sympathy. “Oh, Alec. You real y think your wife would have wanted you to stay locked up and alone for the rest of your life?”

No one ever said her name. Sometimes it grated on his nerves. “No, Heidi would rise from the dead and dent my head with a frying pan for even thinking it.”

“But you think it anyway.”

He didn’t. Heidi had barely believed in marriage, but she’d adored love. She’d be the first to tel him to grab at any chance of it with both hands.

No, it wasn’t about Heidi anymore. Maybe it hadn’t been in a long time. Alec set his coffee cup on the wicker table.

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