Chapter 6
“Who is she?” George asked as Loretta walked into the nursery. Direct, as usual. He liked to get things done.
She smiled. “Who?”
“The woman staying at the motel? Is she the same one Chatan saw at the diner?”
“Yes, she is. And I’m not sure why she’s here, but I sense no malice in her.”
“Good, then our wards are still working as expected. Have you figured out who she is?”
“Her name is Jacinda Lavelle, and the ID she gave me was her true ID. Whatever information she gave to David or Mason was a lie, but I believe she was protecting herself. Chatan made it clear the girl has strong instincts.”
George nodded. “Good. And you trust her?”
She nodded. “I do. Besides, Chatan is drawn to her in a way I’ve never seen from him. I think he may have found his woman.” In fact, she wasn’t sure he’d ever find his soulmate. He wasn’t fully shaman, and druids didn’t have that. His magic was weaker than most of either druids or shaman.
George chuckled. “I may have to look for new help then. Doubt I’ll ever find anyone as good with plants as he is.”
Loretta laughed. “You never know, she may choose to stay.”
“Depends on what she’s here for. The time of the prophecy is coming. I wonder if she’s the key.”
“Key for what?” Loretta asked.
“Freeing Dove. You know the old stories as well as I do.”
She shook her head. “But that would make Chatan Hawk’s chosen.”
“And they may not stay here,” George answered.
Loretta shifted her weight. “You believe he’s that powerful?” He wasn’t a great healer. He couldn’t call more than sparks. His only gifts were with plants and communicating with animals.
“Oh, he is. Chatan needs someone to bolster his confidence to unlock his full potential. He doesn’t see what I do.”
Loretta dropped her gaze. She didn’t see it either. But maybe George was right. Maybe Chatan needed someone to show him his gifts so they could flourish.
“Keep an eye on both of them. And if the Saint Morton boys snoop about, let me know. We can’t let them have her.”
“You have my word.”
* * * *
Jacinda hadn’t opened up, but she absorbed everything he told her about Wanatoga and the people there. With every detail he shared, she relaxed and conversed, though never gave up her own secrets.
Which was why he kept his own.
For now.
Instinct told him to hide certain talents. And Chatan always followed his gut. Sometimes the outcome sucked, but he was wiser for his choices.
With Jacinda, he needed patience and a few omissions.
The trip to the diner passed in easy silence. He’d never met a woman who so easily lost herself in thought while still seemingly taking in everything. She didn’t waste time chatting when there was nothing to say.
Only problem, he craved every detail of her life.
He pulled into the parking lot and she turned toward him.
She reached out to touch his leg. “Let me get lunch, for all you’re doing for me today. Please.”
Chatan almost argued, but he couldn’t resist her. “All right.”
She grinned. “Thank you.”
“Next time, I’ll pay.”
Her brow pinched for a second. “All right.”
He laughed. “That easy?”
“You gave in easy too,” she teased before slipping from the truck.
Chatan hopped out and hurried around to where she waited. “Not worth fighting over.”
Blushing, she started for the door. Then she glanced back and stumbled.
He caught her arm with a smile. “Careful, Jace.”
A nervous laugh bubbled up. “Didn’t I mention I’m a klutz?”
“You haven’t been so far,” he murmured, sliding his hand down her arm to capture her hand.
Her brow arched. “Smacking my face on the roof of the car?” she asked, using her previous excuse.
Only, he knew Mason hit her, and he couldn’t say a word about that without potentially scaring her off. Maybe he should have told her everything from the start. “But you moved with grace all day.
She licked her lips. “Thank you.”
He pushed the door open and let her pass. Taking her hand again, he felt the current growing as he brought her to the window booth in the back. The forest was just beyond.
Jacinda looked through the diner. Her eyes paused on every person and then swung back to him. What he wouldn’t give for a sneak peek into her head.
* * * *
Chatan made her nervous in the best way. Jacinda didn’t want to run, not really. She was tempted to move closer, lean against him, touch his skin. No one else had ever tempted her like this.
She looked up to find a man with a braid over his shoulder. He wore a warm smile. “Why, hello, missus.”
“Good afternoon,” she answered.
Mac nudged Chatan. “Introduce your new friend.”
Chatan chuckled. “Mac, meet Jacinda. She’s in town because her father loved this place. This is Mac.”
“A pleasure.” Mac held out his hand.
Jacinda took it and shook. Earth magic flowed around her. She recognized him as a shaman, much like Loretta. Chatan was at least part shaman, but she sensed something else in there. “A pleasure to meet you,” she answered.
“Thank you.”
He handed her a menu. “I’ll be back after you get a chance to look.”
She quickly found what she wanted and before she could look up, Mac was back with his hands in his back pockets. “Ready?”
“Smoked salmon salad, please. And iced tea.”
“Dressing?” he asked.
“Nope.”
“You got it.” He winked at Chatan and walked back to the kitchen.
Jacinda turned to him. “You always get the same thing?”
He nodded. “Pretty much. He knows I’d tell him if I wanted to change my order.”
“What are you getting?”
“Club sandwich and fries. And salmon chowder. In fact, I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t bring you a bowl.”
“Oh, I can’t eat that much.”
“Whatever you don’t finish, I will, and he won’t charge you.”
She sat back, her eyes narrowed. “Money isn’t the issue. I simply don’t like wasting food.”
“Won’t go to waste.” He winked. “Consider the gesture his way of welcoming you. It’s his special recipe. He makes it every day. Don’t hurt his feelings over a gift.”
Relaxing, she let out a breath. She’d been taking care of herself for so long she never expected anyone else to attempt to do it for her. “All right.”
He leaned forward, looking into her eyes. “I know where I want to take you next, but it’s a surprise.”
The change of subject caught her off guard, but she lifted an eyebrow. “A surprise?”
“I think you’ll find it the perfect spot.”
“Why?”
“You’ll see.”
He’d already taken her somewhere no one else had been. Now he wanted to take her to some secret location. Hopefully it was either the waterfall her father mentioned or the pillar he drew. She needed to see both. There were only three places her father focused on. Those two, and a mysterious place she’d need a guide to find, which she didn’t understand.
Then again, Chatan took her to a place she may not have found on her own, or at the very least, not realized without his guidance. That had to be coincidence, though. Right?
Only, something called to her in that spot. She felt as if she belonged there.
Or maybe her attraction to Chatan had fogged her head. She couldn’t quite resist him, and she should. She couldn’t stay in Wanatoga forever. Thanatos would eventually find her and she’d need to move. It had been easy to avoid attachments in the past. But now, she felt this pull to Chatan she had never experienced. It felt like two streams flowing downhill to meet in the valley. They would collide, and she wanted to.
The growing attachment would only hurt them both in the end. In such a short time, she knew she’d miss him, and that scared her. With her nomadic lifestyle, moving from place to place, how was she supposed to experience desire, love, all those things she knew about but never considered having?
A first kiss, a first time being intimate, her first love.
Her eyes closed as she turned her head toward the window.
All those things might be sitting next to her.
“Always this quiet?” Mac asked as he set a bowl in front of her.
Smiling, she met his gaze. “Just thinking.” The soup smelled wonderful. “You really didn’t need to bring this.”
He laughed. “No, I suppose not. However, it would honor me if you try it.”
“Sure, thank you.”
Dipping his head, he moved away from the table.
Chatan chuckled. “You’ll find most people in Wanatoga are generous. They want everyone to be at peace with the world, to find joy in the simple things, and to have happiness.”
“I’ve noticed, and I feel very welcome. Maybe too welcome.” She shook her head. “It’s nice, though.”
“I honestly don’t understand how you could ever be less than welcome anywhere. But maybe I’m biased because I’m drawn to you.”
She gulped and took a taste of the soup to avoid telling him she felt the same. How hard would this man laugh when he realized she had no experience with anyone?
“What’s the longest you’ve been in one place?”
“That I remember?” Jacinda asked.
He nodded, though his frown said he didn’t understand.
“Three weeks. Even when I still traveled with my mother. There were a few places we visited frequently, but no place we stayed at longer.”
“Sounds like a lonely existence.”
She let out a sad laugh. “Never had anyone to miss that badly.”
“Not even your mother?”
“Sometimes, but I can get in touch with her easily. Besides, too much time in close proximity and things gets uncomfortable. We’re too different.”
“Why is that?”
“We don’t have much in common.” And that was all she wanted to say. Their problems stemmed from the fact her mother didn’t understand her curious nature or her obsession with her father’s journal.
In fact, her mother would freak if she realized where Jacinda currently sat. And not for the trouble in the next town, though that might concern her too.
“I miss my mother every day.” Chatan’s quiet admission brought her attention back to him.
“What happened to her?”
“A sickness took her life.” He sighed. “We’ve never seen anything like it. Don’t know the cause.” He blew out a breath and focused on his soup.
She reached across the table and took his hand. “I’m sorry. I lost my father when I was little. And the sad thing is, the few memories I have, I miss him more than my mother. He was a wanderer, an explorer, a seeker. Like me. My mother moves around because she has to, but I like moving constantly.”
Chatan studied her with such intensity she wondered if he’d decide she wasn’t worth the time. And as depressing as that thought was, she almost hoped he’d turn his back on her. Everything would be so much easier when she had to leave.
Then he smiled softly. “I love to explore, but I always wind up back here.”
“How far have you traveled?” She took her hand back to finish up the chowder, which was the best soup she’d ever had.
“Across the country, Canada, into Mexico, but never across the sea. Though one day, I’d like to.”
By the time she finished her bowl, Mac came back with their food.
She smiled up at him. “Very good, thank you for the soup.”
His face lit up. “Enjoy your salad. Though, if you want something more, I’ll happily put another order in.”
“Salad is perfect.” Especially with the huge helping of salmon on top.
“Enjoy.” He winked at Chatan and left them alone again.
Wanatoga could grow on her. Not that it mattered.