Page 34 of The Bear's Chosen Mate
Perfect.If they happened to accidentally run into Kaylee as she met with her friends, the more the merrier.
“Don’t worry about me,” James said.“Whatever it takes to make this happen, I swear I’ll get it done.”
14
Kaylee spent most of her morning doing menial tasks as reality snuck in far too quickly.
Between the mess of business emails she had to deal with and the private portraits she’d been hired to shoot, it was noon before she actually got to slow down long enough to let her brain catch up with everything else that had gone on.
It was a good thing the only work she’d had on the calendar during the past week had been for Borealis Gems, and all things considered, they’d probably understand why she’d rescheduled.Even though she’d only been gone a week, her apartment seemed colder and lonelier than ever.
Her email pinged, and she glanced over to discover a message from her parents.
Oh joy, oh bliss.
She debated deleting it unread, but because it had been six months since they’d last contacted her,andbecause she was a glutton for punishment, she clicked it open.
Hello, darling.I trust that all is well.
I deposited more money into the joint account in case you need it.Don’t worry.We don’t expect you to pay us back.
We have wonderful news.We’ve been asked to join a brand-new research project in the Romanian mountains.We’ll be here for at least another six months.
Unfortunately, that means we won’t be home next week, and I’d arranged delivery of a number of packages to the house.Some of it is delicate equipment that needs to be put into the shop immediately.I’ll forward the message when I get word it’s arrived.
Relying on you to make sure this gets taken care of.
Will update ASAP.
M&F
Kaylee let out an exasperated sigh.“Hi.Sure, everything is just peachy over here.I’m potentially going to end up mated to my best friend, if I can ever get my shit together enough to figure out what’s wrong with me.But of course I want to hear about your world travels in spite of the fact that you can’t bother to write me except when there’s something you need.Oh, but I’m sure if you throw money at the situation, that will make everything better.”
She stared at the computer screen, anger rising inside.
Inside, her cat snarled, furious and pissed off to the extreme, and that alone was enough to trigger action.
It took one deliberate click to send the email to print.Kaylee snatched the paper out of the tray the instant it was done so she could take it with her as she marched into the kitchen.
The entire time she rambled out loud as if having a reasonable conversation.“Of course, I won’t have anything to do between now and then, so I’m happy to drop everything in order to deal with your delicate items that were probably broken in transit.And when you do eventually open them, you’re going to blame anything thatisbroken on me.”
She grabbed a pair of scissors and laid them on the counter.
Then she took the piece of paper and shook it hard.“And that’s not to mention that the fact you won’t be here means you’re going to miss my birthday.Again.”
She took the paper and crumpled it into a tiny ball.Then she opened it up and crumpled it again.
She dropped the ball on the floor and stomped on it with her heels until the crinkled wad was a flat mess.
Then she opened it up, carefully folded it into a thin strip the best she could considering how crinkled the material was now.Strange how immensely satisfying it was to cut the mutilated origami into dozens of tiny strips.
She grabbed the mess, threw it in the sink, then put a lighter to it.The paper slowly caught fire, red crinkling along the edge before the entire bundle flashed upward.
As she stared at the flames burning in her kitchen sink, Kaylee straightened and let all of her annoyance pour out.
“You’renotallowed to do this to me anymore,” she said.“You’re not allowed to make me feel inferior or worthless because what I expect and what you give are two separate things.I have had enough.”
She folded her arms over her chest, feeling a little like a superhero as smoke billowed up from the paper.
