Caleb's Mate - Becca Jameson Page 0,52
declared, loud enough that the guys showed up at the entrance. Caleb and Hunter had wandered off a few minutes before, needing to stretch their legs. In truth, they had to be bored. They’d insisted on coming with Elena and Layla to go through their grandmother’s belongings though.
Granted, Elena hadn’t been disappointed. Even after two months, she didn’t like to be separated from Caleb for any longer than necessary. To the amusement of half the town apparently. For shifters, the intense magnetism was nothing new. They all experienced it when they met their mates, but for Elena, it was still unnerving. Just plain strange.
“What is it?” Hunter asked as he leaned over Layla’s shoulder.
She was scanning down the pages, flipping them every few moments. By the time Elena reached her side and plopped down on the concrete next to her, Layla was near the end of the journal. She was breathing heavily when she spoke. “Her journal reads just like Marge’s letters. Telling her sister all the things she was missing. No animosity anywhere. She was just as sad and lonely.”
“Why did she do it then?” Elena asked, leaning over to read the page Layla was on for herself.
“It got harder and harder over time for her to reach out and admit her stupidity. She was afraid Marge wouldn’t want to see her.”
A tear ran down Elena’s cheek. “That’s so sad. Marge wrote the same thing in her letters. She wanted to come visit. Force Mabel to see reason over the years. But she was afraid of rejection and wouldn’t take the risk. It was especially sad after Marge’s mate died. She missed Mabel even more, but Mabel was an unknown wildcard, and Canyon Springs was Marge’s family.”
Caleb squatted next to Elena and wrapped an arm around her. “Marge was a beloved member of the community. She was such an amazing woman. Everyone knew her. She would give a stranger the shirt off her back if they needed it.”
Hunter nodded. “Even after Josiah died, she was never alone. People visited her every day. She had her clubs and women’s groups too. And Josiah’s family adored her. Many of their nieces and nephews ran through that house while they were growing up.”
Elena lifted her face to Caleb and smiled through her tears. “I love having all those letters. Especially the ones she kept from her nieces and nephews when they wrote to her. I get it. She had family. She wasn’t alone.”
Layla reached out and grabbed Elena’s hand and squeezed it. “The important thing is that the cycle breaks with you and me. We will never allow anything to come between us.”
Elena nodded. “I keep thinking I should start a journal myself. Imagine if we had written to each other or at least sent emails for the two years we were apart. Instead, we both pretended everything was great, when really we were both struggling and unhappy. Afraid to tell each other. I hate that we were lacking so badly in communication that you sold everything and left LA when you came to Canyon Springs, and I never even knew it. I never want that lack of communication to get between us again.”
Layla leaned in to Elena. “It won’t. I promise. No secrets. I’ll call you every day and tell you what a failure I am at acting from now on,” she teased.
Elena laughed. “And when my book comes out, I’ll let you know how badly it’s selling.”
Hunter chuckled. “Both of you stop it. Elena, your book is going to kick ass, no matter what anyone says. And Layla…” He cupped her face and tipped it toward his. “The kids in Canyon Springs are beyond lucky to have an actual actress working in their theater department. Don’t sell yourself short.”
Layla sighed. “What I’m learning is that I’m woefully unprepared to work with kids. Thank God Elena will be in town to help me with my own.”
Elena chuckled. “Kids? You pregnant?”
“Nope. And not planning on it for a while. I’m having too much fun. Just saying. What about you?”
Elena shook her head. “I’m too greedy with Caleb’s time still.”
Caleb leaned closer, cupped her face, and kissed her gently. “You can be greedy and share the love you know.”
“He’s right,” Hunter agreed.
Elena looked at Layla and they both laughed. “Until we get Aunt Marge’s house cleaned out and figure out what to do with it, we don’t have time for kids.”
If anyone would have told them two months ago that they would quit