Fearless The King Series Book One - By Tawdra Kandle Page 0,140

made me seem like a pretty anti-social person.”

Lela rested her head against her hand, in a gesture very reminiscent of her mother.

“I’m not trying to be difficult,” she said slowly. “I know I must seem like a real pain. I was a little anxious coming home anyway, because of the way Michael and my parents have been talking about you. I’m used to being the only girl around here. But I was prepared to get to know you, even to like you. Then when Michael told me last night… or maybe more when my mom convinced me this morning that he was telling me the truth… it really threw me. The idea that you can hear what I’m thinking—” She flushed and looked down, twisting her fingers in the weave of her sweater. “Sometimes I don’t always think the nicest things.”

“Lela, please, don’t. I really don’t want you to be uncomfortable around me. I can avoid hearing you under normal circumstances. And I promise, I don’t judge people based on anything I might accidentally hear.” The memory of Nell flickered through my mind, and guiltily I pushed her aside. Michael stroked my arm comfortingly, and I wondered if he suspected what I was thinking.

“I won’t say that it doesn’t bother me anymore. It’s something I’m going to have digest for a while. But I do want to get to know you. If my family’s history accounts for much, it’s a fairly good bet you’re going to be around for a while.” Her smile was warm and genuine, even if a hint of wistfulness remained.

Michael spoke for the first time since we’d come outside. “I’m glad you feel that way, Lela. Because you’re right, Tasmyn isn’t going anywhere. She’s with me—for always.”

Dinner was over, and Michael and I helped with the table clearing and dish washing. My father settled down in the living room with Luke and Poppy, and my mother was relaxing over a cup of tea with Marly, Gram and Lela.

When I would have joined them, Michael took me firmly by the hand. “Mom, if you’re sure we can’t help anymore, Tasmyn and I are going for a walk,” he announced. “We need to work off some of that excellent food.”

Marly laughed. “Good idea. We should probably all join you.” At the look on her son’s face, she laughed again and flapped her hand at us. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to ruin your time alone. I don’t think I could move from this chair anyway.”

Without discussing our destination, we walked to our favorite spot in the trees, in the small, protected border between the citrus trees and the evergreens. It was a treat to have it to ourselves today; in the past weeks, this section had been crowded daily as families stopped in to tag their trees for Christmas. Michael assured me with a roll of his eyes that it wouldn’t change any time soon, since those same people would be coming back to cut their trees or to buy the imported pre-cut trees. I had already committed my out-of-school hours to working at the nursery beginning the day after Thanksgiving. It was a dream job for me: I would be earning a little money for Christmas shopping, I would be able to see Michael, even if I couldn’t be with him the whole time, and I had the best bosses in the world.

But for today, our little section of this world was paradise. The sun was still shining warm, even as a light and chilly breeze fluttered the leaves around us. I hugged my sweater around me while Michael spread a blanket on the ground.

“And,” he said with a flourish, “I even scored us some dessert.” From the inside of his jacket he pulled a small plastic container with two slices of pie.

I groaned. “You cannot possibly be hungry, or think that I might be, after the meal we just ate. I can’t imagine eating for the next week.”

He looked offended. “I’m not saying we need to eat it now, I’m just saying we have it in case we need sustenance before we walk back.” He dropped to the ground and sprawled on the blanket. With his eyes still on me, he gestured to the empty spot next to him.

“Oh, am I invited to sit on the blanket, too?” I teased as I dropped down beside him.

Michael pulled my hand across his chest, so that I had no choice but to fall onto him, with my face