but she hadn’t expected Harry back so soon. He’d been planning on going to the nearest fast-food place to grab some breakfast sandwiches. She glanced at the clock. It had only been fifteen minutes, but he must be quick.
It had been fifteen minutes and she’d missed him.
She was in way too deep when she still wasn’t even sure she could stay in town. But then wouldn’t it be easier to start a new life somewhere else if she had Harry with her?
She shook off the questions because it was far too early to be thinking that way, especially since she knew Celeste would do her best to keep them apart. There would be a whole bunch of worries to deal with the minute they drove over the bridge this morning. Telling her mother she was dating Harry was the least of what she would have to deal with. She was taking the next hour or so to revel in the peace they had left before the storm. Because there was no doubt the storm was coming.
She threw open the door to let her boyfriend in and realized the storm was already here. Celeste Beaumont stood there dressed in a chic business suit, a Chanel necklace, shiny pumps, and a handbag to complete the feminine-power ensemble.
She had a frown on her perfectly made-up face as she glanced inside the cheap motel room. “Seraphina, is my nephew here?”
She shook her head, wondering if she could get out of this. She wasn’t ready for this showdown. “No. Harry isn’t here.”
It wasn’t a lie. He wasn’t here. Now.
Celeste took her sunglasses off with a sigh and waltzed into the room like she owned it. “Then where is he? And don’t tell me you don’t know. If you’re planning on dating him, you have to stop acting like a sad mouse every time I walk into a room. Stand up straight, child.”
Her spine reacted to the words, her shoulders going back. “I’m not a child.”
Celeste nodded her way. “Yes, that’s a much better tone to take. You sound like a woman. Now, where is my nephew?”
She wished she were wearing something besides that dumb beer T-shirt, but she’d kind of planned on seducing Harry into taking a shower with her before they headed back home. So she was left standing in front of the dragon without a bit of armor. But the mouse insult kind of pissed her off. “He’s getting breakfast. He should be back soon.”
Celeste squared off with her. “But he’s all right? I couldn’t get in touch with him last night. I was worried about him being out in the storm. He’s not from here. He doesn’t know what our weather can be like. I hadn’t even realized he’d left Papillon until Cal told me.”
Sera forced herself to look Celeste in the eye. No matter how she felt about Harry’s aunt, she understood the reasonable fear that would come from not knowing where he was. Celeste had already lost a son and a husband. Not being able to get in touch with Harry had to have been disconcerting. “I’m sorry he didn’t call you. He’s not good about charging his cell phone, but he could have used mine or the landline. It was inconsiderate of him to not let you know he wasn’t coming home.”
Celeste was quiet for a moment, as though deciding how to proceed. Or how to rake Sera over the coals. This was when the threats would start.
“I would appreciate it in the future if he’s going to stay out all night that you would have him call me,” Celeste said in a polite tone.
That was not what she’d expected. She’d been gearing up for a fight. Now all her insecurities came rushing back. “I don’t know if that’s my place.”
Celeste sighed as though disappointed in her. “The mouse is back. We should talk, Seraphina. It has recently come to my attention that you’re sleeping with my nephew.”
Since she’d only started sleeping with Harry last night, she was a little shocked it had already gotten around. Somehow she didn’t think Harry had found a way to call his friends and giggle about his night out. “Who told you?”
Celeste glanced at the bed, which looked like someone— or a couple of someones—had been rolling all over it. “No one has to tell me. I have eyes. Unless you’re going to lie and tell me he spent the night in another room.”
The mouse thing was getting to her. “I don’t need