A New Beginning. Joycee Clark
Mariah. “No, nothing, just humming a tune.” Mariah said. Lucca and Garret both smiled enjoying the moment. Mental message to Lucca from Garret, “Wait until we get our hands on Dean, he has a lot to answer for!”
The guys set up equipment, rearranged Mariah’s furniture to her liking, and offered to fix supper for her. The small talk had been enjoyable and she found out more about the area and the town of Cedar Creek that was the closest town. Though small it did have a few stores for supplies and groceries. But she was anxious to call Maranda and unload on her. That’s what twin sisters were for, and she had plenty to unload! The guys were very polite, helpful, and very gallant. They wouldn’t let her carry or lift, or anything involving reaching, they would do for her. Guess I need to add step ladder to my list, she thought with a giggle after they left.
Chapter Seven
Maranda answered before the phone finished its first ring. “Tell me, tell, tell, tell me! Mariah laughed at her twin and answered “What is it you want me to tell you Maranda?” Mariah teased. “I finally arrived at my destination. The cabin is awesome, I love it already! Or maybe you want to hear about the two absolutely gorgeous hunks of male flesh that helped unload my car, set up my computer equipment, moved my furniture around for me, and then offered to fix me supper? Maranda wasn’t laughing. “No Mariah! I’m talking about the emotional surge I felt earlier this afternoon that nearly knocked me off my feet, and I am not falling for the gorgeous hunk bit, I know better!” Maranda finished.
“Maranda, I was serious. The emotions must have come from when I first saw them approaching my SUV. Wow, they are hot!” Mariah answered. Maranda tried again, “Since when did you even notice males, if they are hot or not, no there has to be something else, fess up Mariah, now! Did your wolf pack come in, is that it?”
Mariah sighed and tried to explain, “I know it’s unusual for me but for the first time I’m away from home, Maranda, they don’t know. No one here does. It’s a new start for me. My history is a complete secret. They are not going to look at me with pity, or make fun of me, because they don’t know! Surely you, of all people, understand. I can be a different person here, with more confidence and belief in myself since I was 17. Changing my attitude was one of the reasons I took this job. I don’t want to be withdrawn and alone my whole life. I thought you and Skeeter, and Sparky would be happy for me. Maybe I should have talked over some of the thoughts I had on the matter before accepting this job.”
“No, no, no Mariah. I just didn’t think to look at it like that. I still kinda feel sorry for myself because you left me here. I never thought you would ever leave me. Of course it’s wonderful. I haven’t heard you this excited in forever. I love it, I love it for you, I love you being free and excited about life and what it holds. You know I’m the selfish one, I just didn’t think, I guess, and I freaked out a little. Now I guess I’m a bit jealous! Really gorgeous huh? Do they have brothers?
Both girls laughed and eased back into their twinness. It was nothing for them to talk for hours, but it was usually Maranda doing the talking unless Mariah had found a new wolf pack online to study, Normal warmed them both up and information flowed, questions were asked and answered and neither could quit smiling.
Meanwhile, “Dean!” Both guys shouted at the same time, “Where are you hiding?” Dean came out of kitchen smiling at Garret and Lucca, knowing what they were shouting about.
“Strange, you didn’t tell us, in fact avoiding telling us, that the scientist staying in our cabin was a female. A gorgeous female, young, with all the right curves in all the right places, Brown haired, brown eyed, sexy female.” Garret finished but couldn’t stop smiling regardless of trying.
“Well, I knew it was a female, the company that leased the cabin told me that, but I didn’t know any more than that until I looked her up online. She is pretty nice to look at.” Dean supplied.
Both Garret and Lucca growled. Dean looked at them frowning “Oh come on guys, already?” “Yes”, they both replied in unison. “Ours, got it!”
“Well you guys keep telling me at meetings that we need females on our mountain, so I thought this would be a start.” Dean said. “I didn’t know you guys would take possession her first day here, by the way did everything go okay?” Dean finished with a gentle smile.
“Yes” Lucca was the first to answer. Unloaded all her equipment and got it set up, moved her furniture where she wanted it. But she wants at least two more locks on her front door and she wants to order interior steel shutters for all the windows Turn the place into a fortress.” Dean frowned. So, Garret added. “First time away from home and all. Never been alone before, so she wants the security up the where Sasquatch couldn’t get in.”
Food was the next thing on their minds, so they headed to the kitchen, Garret hollered over his shoulder, “We aren’t done yet, we want to know what you found in your search, and what other plans you have up your sleeve for the other guys.”
Chapter Eight
Lucca went to the back room to look for locks and Garret fixed their breakfast, plus extra for Mariah.
“Let’s go check on our Lady.” Garret hollered as he bagged the food and Lucca came out of the back room with locks. The guys debated, do we bring her flowers, candy, take her to town to eat, wine and dine her. They were puzzled were to start. “Lucca, I guess we should play it by ear to start with. Not push her too fast, or come on too strong. She’s not used to guys apparently, she would barely make eye contact yesterday”. Garret observed. Lucca replied,” I think there is more to it than that. Maybe just extremely shy. It’s a beautiful day for this late in the year, we’ll make the best of it.”
“Maybe she has a boyfriend back home.” Garret questioned “We’ll have to get more info. from her and see what and when we should let her know we are interested in her.” Lucca nodded, “we are going to have to tell her about us at some point, we’ll just have to figure out the right time. She seems scared of something or someone. So today will be info gathering, then we’ll look her up tonight the way Dean did and see what else we can find out.”
As they reached the door, already thinking of it as Mariah’s cabin, they noticed she had a chair propped against the door with a vase balanced on the edge, so if someone did indeed try to get in, she would know it. Even if she was fast asleep the crashing vase would alert her.
The guys politely knocked, when Mariah removed the towel from the door window and saw who it was, she smiled at the floor and removed the vase and chair then unlocked the door the allow them entry.
“We didn’t know if you are a coffee drinker so we brought juice too, as well as breakfast.” Lucca said as soon as the door was opened. Garret added “And locks too, heavy duty locks we’ll put on after we eat.”
Mariah backed up to let them enter. The guys noticed she had been busy since they left the night before. Hanging curtains, making a list of what was in the cabinets and what she still needed, making it her home. Her bed was made and had three extra pillows and blankets on top, all in shades of blue, and her suitcases looked empty and ready to be stored away.
Mariah brought out plates and glasses for the juice and the three sat down and had a quiet breakfast. There was tension in the air, but no one knew where to start a conversation.
Lucca finally jumped in with “So Mariah, where are you from? What made you decide to study wolves? Do you have siblings? When do they bring your wolves?”
Mariah laughed but didn’t answer right away. She looked back and forth between Lucca and Garret and finally said,” I came here from Sweetwater, California. I have a twin sister. We are the youngest of four girls. My parents were killed a couple years ago in a freak accident, I have loved wolves as long as I can remember, I wear a size 8 shoe, can shoot a handgun, rifle, and crossbow, as well as weild a knife, axe, and machete. That should answer most of your questions, or did I miss something?
She was offended but didn’t know why. The guys looked like they were going