Taming The Lion: BBW Paranormal Lion Shifter Romance (Gray Bears Book 5) by Natalie Kristen Read Free Book Online Page B

wanted to get Lorni to
laugh and start talking. There was something on Lorni's mind, she
could tell.
    After a pause, Kaylee put
down her coffee cup and said quietly, “You said you wanted to
get back to work. Do you want to go back to your shop, Lorni?”
    Lorni looked at her and her
eyes lit up briefly. “Yes,” she said at last. “I
do want to go back to the shop. But Loretta and Mac are worried.
They want me to just close the shop and move here and stay with
them.”
    “They care for you.”
    “I know they do. But
the shop...I can't give it up. Finley, my late husband, and I set up
Nuts and Bolts together. We were a team, a dream team. The shop
isn't much, but I want to keep the dream alive. I want my life back,
Kaylee. I want to go home and open up the shop. I'm going crazy
sitting here, doing nothing.”
    Lorni grasped her hand
tightly, almost desperately. “Would you do something for me,
Kaylee?”
    “Anything.”
    “Could you...drive me
back to the shop? I won't stay long, just an hour at most,”
Lorni pleaded. “I just want to see that nothing has been
broken or stolen.”
    Kaylee nodded. What harm
could it do? In fact, it might do her a ton of good. The poor woman
was driving herself to distraction worrying about her shop.
    “Okay.” Kaylee
pulled out her car keys from her pocket and stood up. “Let's
go right now.”

CHAPTER
EIGHTEEN

    Kaylee pulled up in front of
Nuts and Bolts and looked around at the few shops that were opened.
In the day, the quiet street looked peaceful and safe. There were
people strolling in and out of the small shops and the row of parked
cars along the street indicated that there were people working in the
tiny offices above the shops. It was very much cheaper to rent an
office space here instead of in the town center. There were a few
accounting and printing firms here, a dress shop, a cafe and Lorni's
hardware store.
    There was a constant hum of
activity during the day, and Lorni told her that Nuts and Bolts had a
stream of loyal and regular customers.
    “Of course we had more
customers when Finley was around, but even now, Nuts and Bolts is
doing okay. I am doing okay,” Lorni said. “We
started it together, but now, I'm running the business myself. I'm
proud of it, proud of me. And I'm sure Finley would have been proud
of me too. There's a small community here, at the edge of town.
I've been a part of this close-knit community for years. I don't
want to leave and move to the town center. I like it out here. We
all do. Loretta and Mac don't understand. They prefer a busier,
more bustling atmosphere. At night, when all the shops are closed
and the office workers have gone home, it does get very quiet. But I
have neighbors. There are people living here. True, there are quite
a number of empty houses out here but some people have recently moved
in. I moved here with Finley, and I want to continue building my
life here. I don't want to run from my life. I shouldn't have to.”
    They entered Nuts and Bolts
together. Kaylee looked around the neat little shop as Lorni
scurried around opening drawers and doors and checking her supplies.
Kaylee saw Lorni's face light up with enthusiasm and she had a spring
in her step as she bounded around her shop. She was in her element
here.
    “I can build you a
table,” Lorni said, grabbing a rag and wiping the layer of dust
off the counter.
    “What?”
    “I've been working on a
table,” Lorni said, flashing a broad, proud smile. It was the
first time she had seen Lorni smile and it was beautiful to see.
“It's almost done,” Lorni went on excitedly. “I'm
pretty good with my hands. Finley taught me some, and I picked up
the rest myself.”
    “I think you are
awesome,” Kaylee said sincerely. “You really belong
here, and Nuts and Bolts belongs to you. You're right. You
shouldn't have to leave. You have a right to your life, to be safe
right where you are.”
    Lorni beamed. “You
know what, I'm going to re-open my shop right