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her? It’s a small town. She could say things that would make the
entire town look at her in disgust.
“Mai, are you okay?” Gaspar’s hand felt so warm when he
wrapped his hand around hers.
“Sweetheart, you just lost all your color. You stay put. I know
what will fix you up. Is your brother joining you two?”
“He’ll be here in a second.”
Mai pressed her hand against her cheek, feeling how chilled her
fingers were. She could feel the wave of nausea threatening to
overtake her and that last thing she wanted to do was eat.
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“I don’t need anything, I’m really not hungry. Thank you
anyways.”
But, Catherine had already moved away and if she heard Mai, she
didn’t give any indication. She was about to repeat herself when
Gaspar scooped her up and sat down with her in his lap. He wrapped
his strong arms around her, and she felt the agonizing strains of panic
start to unravel.
A few people snickered and looked over at them. Mai felt their
stares burning into her. “Put me down. You’re making people stare.”
“So let them. I don’t care about them. I care about you.”
“But they’re going to think…”
Warm hands cupped her flushed cheeks, and she looked up into
Gaspar’s face. “I don’t care what they think. I care what you and
Vencel think. You two are important to me in my life. No one living
in this town will bat an eye at your being in my lap, and the rest are
simply tourists. We get a lot of them this time of year.”
“I’m sorry.” Mai felt terrible because she often worried about
what others thought about her.
“Mai, you have nothing to apologize. What happened a moment
ago? Panic attack?”
She nodded against his neck and inhaled his unique scent. Damn,
the man smelled good, and the last remaining tendrils of anxiety
disappeared. “It wasn’t that bad and I’m feeling better now.”
“I’m not. I need to hold you a bit more.” She could feel him rub
his cheek against the top of her head.
“Do you know why now?”
Mai shrugged her shoulders slightly.
“I’m sorry if what I said to Catherine embarrassed you.”
“I don’t want her to think I’m a bad person.”
Gaspar leaned back a bit and encouraged her to look up at him.
“Angalom, do you feel that way being with Vencel and me?”
“No, not at all, but other people might think…”
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“Don’t worry about them. You have no control over what other
people think and never will.
If they have issues, then it’s their
problem, not yours.” He darted a quick kiss against her lips. “I know
Vencel and I haven’t shown you much of Ecstasy Lake, but it’s a
special place. Oh, here he is, watch him”
Mai glanced over at the door as the bell rang as it opened. Vencel
strapped in and stopped dead in the doorway. She watched as he took
a deep breath and then his lips curled into a goofy looking grin.
Mai covered her mouth and tried not to laugh. She didn’t want to
make Vencel feel bad by laughing at him.
“He does that every time we come in here. Doesn’t matter if there
is a lineup of people coming or going. He stops and smells for
Catherine’s sausage rolls.”
“Because she makes the best ones I’ve ever tasted.” Vencel
reached out for Mai’s hands when he reached the table. Pulling her to
her feet and then into his lap after he sat down.
“Vencel. What are you doing?” Remembering what Gaspar said,
Mai didn’t bother to look around at any of the people in the shop. If
they had an issue, then it would be their problem.
Vencel wrapped his arms around her and gave her a hug.
Immediately, she felt safe and secure, as if everything in the world
was right again. Gaspar stretched out his legs and relaxed in his seat.
“So did you find out anything from Albert?”
“Who’s Albert?” Mai tried to ignore the urge to lean against
Vencel.
“He works at the hotel. Not much happens around here that he
doesn’t know about. The room we met them in was rented this
morning. They’re staying in a house a few miles outside of town. He
promised to keep an eye on our guests for us. If anymore show up or
they all leave at once, he will give us a call.”
Catherine came over with a couple of beers and a mug of what
looked like green tea. Mai loved green tea.
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“Oh that’s better, you’re back to red and lavender.” Catherine put
the mug and a plate with a number of round sausage-like slices on it
in front of her.
“My skin?”
“No, honey, your aura of course. Now I’ve made you a bit of
black pudding. That will give you a bit of a boost. You eat up and let
your boys take care of you. You need to put on a bit of weight. You’re
much too thin.”
Catherine placed a plate of sausage rolls and beer in front of each
of the men. “Thank you, my darling Catherine.” Vencel smiled up at
her, and she patted his and Gaspar’s shoulders.
“You three are always welcome. Now make certain Mai eats up
and I’ll see you for dinner once all the excitement you have going on
settles down.”
For the second time in her life, Mai felt as though the world
shifted on its axis. She glanced at both men who smiled down at her.
“Come on, Mai. You heard what Catherine said.”
“I think I want to hear more about this town.”
* * * *
Marika paced back and forth along the cheap carpet that lined her
hotel room floor. She glanced down at her father in disgust. What the
hell was his thinking approaching the twins like that?
“Would someone wake him up?” She waved a hand at the six
wolves that stood inside the room. They were running perimeter
checks when the Solfalvi twins left. She didn’t want them to know
how many wolves she had with her, so she recalled them.
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