“Yeah, we were just worried.” Amber thumbed toward the house. “Kelos is at work and I didn’t expect you this early.”
Shawn grinned, his face pasty white. “It is early. But I’m due at the hospital later this morning and I wanted to see your nephew before I went in. I can get him the meds he needs and drop them back on the way home.”
“Thanks, Shawn.” She dropped her hands to her sides. “I’m so sorry about last night.”
“Are you kidding?” Shawn asked. “It was worth it just to see you meet Kelos. I would never have guessed you two would be mates.” His forehead creased. “Not because I don’t think you’ll make a wonderful couple…more because…”
“I get it, don’t worry.” Amber inclined her head toward the house. “Come and meet the children. And Margie.”
Shawn raised a questioning eyebrow. “I still can’t believe Fabian got married and had kids. I never saw him as a family man when he was younger.”
“He’s happy.” She nodded. “Margie and the kids make him very happy.” She hid a smile as she dropped her voice, “Margie is struggling with the house.” Amber pointed toward the dilapidated building. In the daylight, she could see just how much work needed doing. The cloak of night had been kind, hiding the worst of the work that needed doing when they arrived last night.
“It’ll look stunning once it’s finished. Kelos has great plans for the place. If only he’d release some of his funds, he could get it finished pretty darn fast. But he is a hoarder.” Shawn followed Amber around to the kitchen door where she stopped and knocked a couple of times.
“Margie. It’s only Shawn. Open up.”
“Only Shawn.” The doctor placed his hand over his heart. “I’m wounded.”
“You have not changed a bit.” Amber looked him up and down while she waited for Margie to come and open the door. “I thought fatherhood might have forced you to grow up a little.”
“If anything, Jane keeps me young.” He smiled wistfully. “She’s the best thing to ever happen to me, Amber.”
“I can see that.” Amber leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Shawn. “It’s good to see you.”
“I’m glad you knew you could trust me.” He hugged her back. “You know if Kelos hadn’t been there, I would have told you to stay.”
“I know,” she murmured into his chest. “But this is probably the best place for us. It’s secluded and no prying eyes twitching at their curtains trying to figure out who the bachelor doctor has staying over.”
“Margie. Let us in.” Amber knocked on the door again. “Margie.”
Margie turned the lock and opened the door. “Sorry, I needed to be sure.”
“This is Shawn.” Amber tapped her forehead. “Silly me, you didn’t exactly meet last night, did you?”
“I saw you from a distance.” Margie studied Shawn. “You looked drunk.”
“I was drunk. But I’m completely sober now, so let’s take a look at the patient.” Shawn stepped inside the house where Lauren and Elliot were waiting in the kitchen.
“I’m Elliot.” Elliot raised his hand. “Are you a shifter?”
Amber and Margie exchanged glances. Although Amber had told Margie about shifters, they had decided to keep it from the children for now. “Someone has been eavesdropping.”
“I was half awake in the car,” Elliot admitted.
“What’s a shifter?” Lauren knitted her brows together and folded her arms.
“I can shift into a cougar,” Shawn said bluntly.
“Can we see?” Elliot asked in awe, as if he had half expected the whole shifter thing to be made up.
“Not now,” Shawn replied. “I need to take a look at you and then get to work.”
“Oh.” Elliot did not hide his disappointment.
“But maybe I could come to visit sometime. I’d like you to meet my daughter, Jane, and I can shift and show you.” He pulled out a chair from under the kitchen table. “But right now, I need you to sit down and let me examine you. Is that okay?”
Elliot nodded and sat down on the chair. As Shawn listened to his chest and asked a barrage of questions, Elliot stared at the doctor as if expecting fur to suddenly sprout out of his ears.
“I’ll be back later with an inhaler and some other meds I’d like Elliot to try,” Shawn said a half-hour later after the exam was complete.
“Thanks, Shawn.” Margie seemed more relaxed now. “And the state of the house won’t make Elliot any worse?”
Shawn chuckled. “The house is clean, just a little drafty. Honestly, being out in the fresh air and getting some exercise will do Elliot good.”
“See.” Amber leaned toward Margie and nudged her.
Margie shook her head. “I’d still prefer a hotel.” She looked back at the house. “But I guess this will do. For now.”
For Amber, the house would do for the rest of her life. As would Kelos.
She could not wait for the dragon shifter to come home. The longer he was away from her, the more she missed him. Which was totally bizarre. And yet totally natural.
The world of shifters was strange and exciting, and she wanted to immerse herself in it. For the rest of her life.
Chapter Nine – Kelos
“Home.” He pulled his truck alongside Amber’s car, a sense of relief rushing through him as he sensed her inside. All day he’d been worried she might have decided to leave, to take her family somewhere else. Somewhere where no one would find her.
Including him.
But here she was.
Kelos opened the truck door and slid out. He usually finished work a lot later, but Mac had taken pity on him, with, he suspected, some prompting from Hex.
“Hi there.” Amber came sidling around the side of the house. “I was just checking if it was you.”
Kelos strode toward her, then a scent drifted to him on the air. “Shawn.”
“He came by earlier to examine Elliot. He said he’d be back later with the medication he needs.” She hung back, her hands clasped together as she watched him. “It’s good to see
