Page 98 of Horn in My Side
“No, I got it.Thanks for helping me.The pumps were tricky.It would have taken me hours to figure them out.”
“No problem, Mal.”
Morlak yawned.“I need a nap.We left San Francisco so early.But we should have dinner tonight.”
“I already made reservations at Blackbyrd,” Mal said.“It’s right here on Main Street.Seven thirty.”
“We’ll see you both then.”He clapped Mal on the shoulder, while Morlak gave him a side hug.
“Thank you for letting us stay and hang around, Jasmine.”Morlak pulled her into another embrace, this one less bone-crushing.“I really like this place.Vrig would be so happy to know that the shop will be in good hands.”
“And he’d be proud of you, Mal,” Karak added.“For the work you’re putting in.Now, let’s get going, Morlak.We were lucky they even had a room last minute.I don’t want them giving it away because we’re late.”
“All right, all right, hold your water horses, Karak.”She smiled and waved at them.“See you later.”
“I like your parents, Mal,” Jasmine said once the couple had left.“They’re super sweet.I mean, your mom is.”
“And Karak is Karak,” he said with a snort.“But don’t let that exterior fool you—he’s all mush inside.”Mal grunted.“I hope this surprise visit didn’t rattle you too much.”
“Not at all, and it’s nice they get to see you.”She paused, hoping he would bring up what he had said earlier.
The g-word.
“Well ...”He scratched at the back of his head.“All the animals are still in temporary holding tanks.They’re probably getting antsy.Gonna head upstairs and finish up.”
Disappointment flooded her, but at the same time, she was relieved.Maybe she shouldn’t say anything.She wasn’t sure she wanted to have that conversation with Mal.
“Uh, yeah, I should start my inventory anyway.”
A hand landed on her shoulder.“Are you okay?You sure you don’t mind having dinner with my parents tonight?You could always skip—”
“No, no.”She patted at his hand gingerly.“It’ll be great.Just try and keep me away from that burnt Basque cheesecake,” she said, trying to sound lighthearted.
He grinned.“All right.We’ll head over around seven fifteen.”
“Sounds good.”Averting her gaze, she hopped over to her computer behind the counter, then switched the program to their inventory system.“Can’t wait.”
Chapter Nineteen
MAL
Though his parents’ unexpected appearance had initially thrown him off balance, Mal had to admit it was not unwelcome.It had been months since he’d last seen them, and while he really should visit more often, there was never enough time between jobs.
Maybe if he’d come home or called more than just every few months, they wouldn’t have just shown up.While initially elated to see them, having Jasmine there had sent him into a panic.True, they said they wouldn’t hide their relationship from anyone, but he’d initially thought “anyone” encompassed those who lived within the greater Dewberry Falls area, not his kinfolk.Seeing his parents and Jasmine in the same space was like watching two different universes collide, and, rattled from the shockwave, his flustered brain was not quick enough to stop his mouth from calling Jasmine his girlfriend.
Perhaps even more surprising, was that Mal didn’t mind it at all.
He honestly thought he’d run in the opposite direction.But it all felt natural.Even last night, as they had dinner with his parents, as his mother kept saying things like “Mal, yourgirlfriend is so lovely” or “Jasmine, you sound like a great girlfriend”, he could not deny the warm sensation in his belly that spread all the way up to his hearts.Jasmine, ever so gracious, didn’t correct his mother.Was she angry that he had called her that?Or did she not mind it?Did she think she was his girlfriend?What would happen in a couple months—weeks, really—once she got her loan and he no longer needed to stay?
But what if I wanted to stay?
The more he thought about it, the more it sounded appealing.It had been years since he’d had an actual home; his apartment in Burlington didn’t count as it really was more like a storage locker at this point.Dewberry Falls had not only become comfortable, but somehow the community itself had wrapped around him like tree roots.He even enjoyed his every-other-Thursday-night training with the Volunteer Fire Department and going out on calls.
And then, as always, his thoughts circled back to Jasmine.Beautiful, sexy, and sweet Jasmine, who was now staring at him from behind the register, one eyebrow raised.
“What?”he asked.
“You’ve been holding that for, like, two minutes.”She nodded at the screwdriver in his hand, the tip pressed against a screw in the corner of the shelf that held litter.“I’m no expert, but I think you need to twist it to work.”
