ChangingPaths by Marilu Mann Read Free Book Online

up anything at the
hardware store or something.”
    She wondered why he didn’t look at her. God, was she that
abhorrent to him? She took a deep breath. That didn’t mean she couldn’t be
hospitable.
    “No, that’s great. Come on in. Aunt Willow sent over some
homemade soup, do you want to join us for lunch? She sent over more than we’ll
ever eat alone.”
    When he did glance at her it was as if she had three heads.
She bit her lip, hoping he didn’t think she was coming on to him. “You don’t
have to if you’re not hungry, I just thought…”
    “No. Thanks. I appreciate it and I’m always up for a bowl of
Willow’s soup.”
    “Good, that’s good then.” She led the way into the cabin and
through it to the small but ruthlessly cleaned kitchen. He followed, not close
enough to make her nervous but close enough that she could smell him. His scent
of fresh-cut pine wasn’t overwhelming like some caustic cleaner, but…clean,
comforting, and home.
    She ladled soup into three bowls, the peppery aroma of beef
broth, vegetables and meat rising up into the warmth of the kitchen. She added
some of the homemade fry bread she and Rain had made after breakfast. It was a
skill she thought she’d lost but the recipe somehow stayed in her brain. “Rain?
Lunch.”
    She didn’t have to raise her voice by much to have it reach
to the closer bedroom. She knew Rain had to have heard Gareth come into the
house. She looked up as her daughter came into the room, her curiosity evident
on her young face.
    “Hey.”
    “Hey, Rain.”
    At least her daughter had some manners, she hadn’t
ignored their guest.
    “Honey, you remember Gareth from last week, right?”
    “Yes, Mom.” Sarcasm. The teenager’s best friend and constant
companion. That along with the eye roll that followed was almost too
predictable. Setting a pitcher of water on the table, Harmony took her own
seat.
    “Well, eat up, everyone.” They all dug into the soup. After
the first few mouthfuls she looked up at Gareth. His hair swung forward again,
hiding the side of his face from her, and she marveled at the different colors
that played in the strands. From pale brown to almost white with a slight wave,
it was beautiful. When he glanced up she realized she sat there with her spoon
halfway to her mouth. Clearing her throat, she set her utensil down to pick up
her water.
    “So, how long have you lived here, Gareth?” Better. Much
more breezy. She forced herself to stay calm.
    “Nearly seven years.” His answer seemed abrupt but she didn’t
let that stop her.
    “And you work at the lodge? For Micah, right?”
    “Yes, Micah owns Wild Haven Lodge.” He glanced at her
curiously. She gave a nearly imperceptible shake of her head as she slid her
eyes toward Rain. She heard the unspoken “and is Alpha of the local Pack,” but
didn’t want to have that conversation with Rain right now. It was going to be
hard enough without tossing a stranger in the mix.
    “So, what exactly do you do there?” She shook her head. “I’m
sorry, I’m not trying to be rude, it’s just that I’ve been away for such a long
time and I’m trying to catch up.”
    “A little of this, a little of that. Something breaks, I fix
it. I also take care of the dogs.” He leaned back a bit.
    “Dogs?” Rain spoke again for the first time. Harmony noticed
she was sopping up the remains of her bowl of soup with a second piece of fry
bread.
    He nodded as he turned his face slightly toward Rain. “Sled
dogs, not pets.”
    “What about horses? Are there horses there?” The teen
snagged another piece of bread.
    “No, but there are plenty of those on the res. Your
great-uncle has some that are specially trained.”
    Rain paused with the bread halfway to her mouth. “Trained?
Trained to do what?”
    “Uh, let people who aren’t really good riders on their
backs.” He stammered slightly then shot a glance at Harmony. She was well-aware
that her uncle had horses who were trained not