Tempered (A Daughters of the People Novel) (Daughters of the People Series) by Lucy Varna Read Free Book Online Page B

his mouth. “What catfight?”
    “Hawthorne and
Jeanne.” Jason knifed out a packet of butter into his grits and dumped in an
unhealthy dose of salt. “First Ladies of Fantasy Fiction panel at eleven
thirty.”
    Aaron dropped
the biscuit and checked his watch. Alarm shot through him. “That’s in forty
five minutes.”
    “Relax, man.
It’s being held here in the Hyatt. We’ve got plenty of time.”
    “Tell me other
people will be there.”
    “Sure.” Jason
rattled off the names of four other high profile female authors. “But the big
show will be your two ladies. Word’s already spread about their little showdown
yesterday over you.”
    “That wasn’t
about me.” Much. “You better not be spreading that rumor.”
    “Hell, man, it
came back to me, not the other way around. Besides, it’s a pretty accurate
recap. If Jeanne had opened her mouth one more time, I bet Hawthorne would’ve
wiped the floor with her.” Jason sighed dreamily. “God, I’d love to see that.”
    “Stick around,”
Aaron muttered. “It might happen.”
    They finished
their meal and paid the bill, then headed to the room where the panel would be
held. Jason protested the speed of their march through the hotel the whole way.
Aaron slowed marginally, trying to give the other man’s stubby legs time to
catch up. Hawthorne and Jeanne on a panel that would likely touch on the role
of women in SciFi and Fantasy. No good could come of that.
    They slipped
into an already packed room. Other con attendees poured in behind them, taking
places around the walls. Aaron’s gut sank like a stone. He’d hoped Jason had
exaggerated the rumor mill. Apparently not. The fist-sized anxiety in his
stomach punched and jabbed. Hawthorne was seated at the end of the panel’s
table with Jeanne on her left. Great. Why hadn’t someone sat between those two
or at least had the foresight to seat them at opposite ends of the table?
    Levi’s lithe
brawn sure would come in handy right about now.
    Dana waved to
them from near the front of the room. Aaron pushed his way to her, Jason in
tow, and plopped into one of the two seats she’d saved.
    She leaned
around Jason and caught Aaron’s eye. “I hear you and Hawthorne are an item.”
    Aaron shot a
glare at Jason and ignored the other man’s attempt at an innocent shrug. “We
just met.”
    “That doesn’t
mean you’re not an item.” Dana’s smile was just shy of knowing. “She asked me
to recommend you as a collaborator on a graphic novel she’s writing.”
    “I told him.”
Jason shifted in his seat and crossed his arms together on top of his round
belly. “He’s thinking about it.”
    “Think quickly,”
Dana urged. “The editor needs to find someone by the end of October at the
latest or we’ll miss a chance to release the graphic novel in conjunction with
one of her other projects.”
    The panel
moderator tested her microphone and the room went silent. Aaron tried not to
focus too much on Hawthorne, though it was hard. Dana had seated them on the
first row but to the side, not far from Hawthorne’s seat at the front. His gaze
was drawn to her again and again, to the quiet stillness of her posture and the
even tones of her voice. Unlike the other women, she sat back, away from the
microphone, and spoke only when addressed directly. She never looked straight
at him, but she didn’t have to. Every time he moved, her hand tightened
imperceptibly on her leather-clad thigh. No one else would notice such a slight
gesture. He only did because he’d made such a careful study of her, trying to
figure out what made her tick, trying to understand what unpleasant event had
happened to make her so leery of having a man above her.
    He’d deliberately
pushed his suspicions out of his mind. Hawthorne wasn’t a victim. He couldn’t
imagine anybody getting a jump on her and forcing her into anything she didn’t
want to do. That wasn’t her. She was controlled, aware of her surroundings, and
a fighter.