A bank of steam trailed Inara from the bathroom, her fluffy pink bathrobe cinched at the waist as she squeezed out her hair in a towel.
"Well, it's about time."
Halfway to her bedroom, she pulled up short and reversed directions to peek around the corner.
Seth sat at the high kitchen table, a stack of folders piled on top and one large coffee still wedged in the cardboard holder. "I fed everyone, dispensed their meds, changed the bedding and swept the floor. I even contemplated posting a few nudes on the internet while I've been waiting for you to get ready."
She snorted and padded over the rug to pry the large, dark-roast Grande from the tray. "Sorry. I had a hard time falling asleep last night and woke up with my head in a fog."
Pursing his lips, he narrowed his gaze as she blew into the little hole on the lid. "Buster?"
"Yeah." She took a sip. "Bonding with him wore me out more than I could've imagined."
But at least after the horrors she'd witnessed through his eyes, she no longer questioned what she was doing. Yes, he was a means to an end. A way for her to push past her fears and heal.
And yet, if anything was clear, he needed her just as much as she needed him.
They were going to get through this together. Grow, develop and come out the other side more peaceful for their efforts.
It was either that or she may as well stay in the cage of her own devising.
A sharp rap came from the sliding glass doors leading to the yard her home shared with the clinic. Rose breezed through as if riding a summer storm and smelling like a field of fresh daisies.
"Geez, I've been knocking next door for over twenty minutes." Her Bohemian print skirt swirled at the same spot tiny silver bells jingled on the chains around her ankles. A brown leather purse loaded with fringe hung from her shoulder to hip. "It's ten o'clock and, when you didn't answer, I flew into a panic."
Aw, crap. Inara hissed before downing another sip. "Darn it, I totally spaced sending you a text that I didn't have any appointments this morning."
And without it, Rose would've gone straight to the clinic like she usually did to touch base every day of the week.
"Yeah, well, you're lucky I got other things to worry about and don't have the energy to be pissed." Mounds of dark curls recoiled down her back as she rounded the counter for the fridge. Bottles clanked, she grabbed the pitcher and, after pouring a tall glass, she brought it her lips and chugged several deep swallows of peach tea. "I swear to God, she presses every single button. That woman has got to be possessed."
"Uh-h-h…" Seth turned toward Inara and placed his hand on his chest. "Is it just me or are her nostrils shooting fire?"
She laughed. "I'm guessing this frustration is about our lovely mother?"
Rose rested against the sink and shook her head. "She's all gung-ho about Chief Dixon's retirement party and keeps pestering me to bring a date."
Ah. Pulling out a chair, Inara waved her sister over to join her and Seth at the table. As kids, their parents had insisted they be homeschooled to develop, as well as shelter, their abilities. The environment had been loving and brought them closer as a family, but it hadn't really been all that conducive to making friends…including those of the boy-type variety.
"Oh, I don't know." Flipping a page, Seth leaned toward the report until his nose was nearly one with the print. "I can sorta see where Pip would eventually start thinking about wanting grandkids. Considering the pace her daughters are setting, she's probably worried that when the days comes, she'll be too old to hold them on her lap."
"You can see?" Rose hiked onto a chair and eyed their cousin, crossing her arms with such force they bounced. "I wish you'd just put on your glasses, already. It bugs me when you hunch over like that."
Marking his place with the tip of his finger, Seth cocked a brow and glanced up. "If I put them on, the lenses refract the light and I'm blind in a totally different way. Though I can't say I'm surprised you've managed to stay single. Those blue flames around your head are plain scary."
She huffed and finally faced Inara, chewing her bottom lip. "Who are you taking?"
Yeah, right. She snorted. "No one."
"Aw, come on." Rose tossed her hand in the air. "Why am I the only one who got roped into these shenanigans? It's only fair that you should be suffering the nagging along with me."
"It's a process of elimination." Seth closed the file, set it aside and brought over the next from the top of the stack. "Pip's coming atcha' one at a time to conquer and divide."
"And besides." Inara waved off the whole idea. "After what happened at the Quicksilver, it's obvious I've got shitty luck with men." Between the gold-diggers and mercy dates, thanks to her scars, she may as well draw a bullseye on her heart. "No, thanks. I'm going to the retirement party alone."
"Wait. What happened?" Rose sat forward and leaned in on her elbows. "I knew I should've gone with you guys last night."
"You didn't hear?" Tapping the top of his pen against the paper, Seth picked up his melting iced latte. "One guess who just got out of jail."
"Oh, no…" Her sister stiffened. "Shit. It's been three years already?"
She shrugged. "I guess Jason got out on good behavior or something, but I was never notified. Sucks, since I was told that was the routine procedure when it comes to stalker cases."
"I think we should pay a visit to the Chief and tell him how bad Tuolumne County effed up." Air gurgled in the straw as Seth finished his coffee and rattled the ice in his cup. "Though I may have to side with Pip on this one. Hooking up with the tall hunka-hunka who laid Jason flat would be a good step toward keeping you safe."
Please. Inara batted her lashes in response.
Rose's purse sneezed, and she plopped it on her lap to rummage around for her cell. "Aw, hell. I've got a client at the Shoppe in twenty minutes. Figures, just when stuff's getting good. Okay, I gotta fly. Don't discuss anything until the next time I see you."
Inara snorted. As if there was anything to discuss. But at least the timing had worked in her favor. She had a long afternoon of surgery ahead of her, bandaging Buster up.
Rose hopped off the chair and headed for the door, but stopped before yanking on the handle. "Darn it, I keep forgetting to make an appointment for Bingo. He's finally old enough now to get fixed."
Right. Inara nodded at Seth, who rolled his eyes and fished his phone from his lab coat. With a furry new kitty under her wing, Rose had turned into quite the doting mother.
"We've got an opening tomorrow at—"
"No, that won't work." She sighed. "There's a shipment of inventory being delivered and I promised Summer and Wynnie I'd clear my calendar. Got anything on Friday?"
Seth swiped his thumb across the screen. "Nine am?"
"Done." Rose dipped her chin and exited to the patio, bells jingling just like when she'd come in. "And I want details about this tall hunka-hunka. We're picking up right at the spot we left off."