White Tiger

Her breath came fast, her need to rush to the safety of the pickup overwhelming. From the vantage point of the passenger seat in Charlie’s truck, Addie watched the three Shifters move on together toward the hardware store.

The tiger one turned around, and Addie was sure she felt his stare go right to the truck, and to her inside it.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The second incident wasn’t so much an incident as it was Charlie. In spite of Addie’s nervousness at seeing the Shifters, Charlie followed the plan of stopping at the big grocery store a few exits down the freeway and loading up with food and other supplies.

No Shifters appeared, and Addie told herself to relax. Those Shifters couldn’t possibly have known who she was or that she even knew Kendrick. She was just another Texas girl shopping in town with her elderly relative.

She made herself enjoy picking out the foodstuffs she’d use to create meals and buying kitschy toys for the cubs, but she remained nervous until they had the truck loaded up and were heading back out of the city.

Once they were on the road, Charlie decided to grill her. “You and Kendrick aren’t husband and wife, are you?” He gave her a stare as perceptive as any Shifter’s.

Addie’s face went hot. “No. We’re not.”

Charlie shrugged, hands on the wheel. “Well, now, I’m not a stickler for getting a piece of paper saying a couple is together. I grew up in the sixties and was a wild boy for a time. Edna and me lived together for a couple years before we finally tied the knot—to the relief of our parents.” He chuckled in memory. “But that’s not what I meant. You two aren’t together at all. It’s like you’re strangers.”

“Sort of,” Addie said. “Kendrick was a customer in the diner. I came here with him to help him look after his cubs.” She paused as Charlie watched her, the man knowing there was more to it than that. Addie groped for explanations, uncertain of her own motives. “I wanted to make sure the cubs were all right. And Kendrick. I just wanted to.”

“Uh huh. But he doesn’t wear a Collar like those Shifters we saw did.”

“I know.” Addie closed her mouth after that. What Kendrick had told her could get him killed.

“Hmm.” Charlie pulled out around a slow car on the two-lane highway then concentrated on getting back before an oncoming eighteen-wheeler reached them. “You need to be careful, honey,” he said as soon as he was back in the right lane. “Shifters aren’t like us. I don’t mean he’s evil or anything, but they have different ways of looking at things. I mean, I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if we got back and found him and his cubs gone. Nowhere to be found.”

“I know,” Addie said, glumly this time. She feared that too. Kendrick had no obligation to her. He’d sprung into her life and could disappear back out of it without much effort.

“So don’t pin your hopes on him,” Charlie said. “You’re a nice young woman. I’d hate to watch you get your heart broken.”

“It might be too late.” Addie let out a sigh. “I’ve been burned in relationships before. You’d think I’d learn to be cautious.”

“The heart does what the heart does,” Charlie said. “We can’t pick and choose who we fall for. Nothing’s that nice and neat. You might find yourself madly in love with someone who doesn’t have any feelings whatsoever for you back. It’s the chance we take.”

“You and Edna worked out,” Addie said. She’d seen plenty of pictures of the woman around the house, from very young woman to an older woman still flushed with the beauty of her youth.