Page 5 of Mr. Winter
“I’ll beat his ass myself. I just need to catch him outside.”
Mack’s snicker gets the attention of some of his fan club, and they shoot me dirty looks.
“I’ll argue your case and bail you out then.”
“And that is why I friended a lawyer. By the way, if I weren’t public relations for your family, I’d be talking big shit to that table of Mackies right now.”
He waggles his brows at my mention of his fan club. I’m forever being bashed online because they want him. I guess they don’t know what a best friend is supposed to be. I’ll fight over the Fairhope boys and almost everyone who knows me knows it.
We wrap up breakfast, and he walks me to my car. We both have busy days ahead of us. Kimberely arrived last night, and I have wedding planning to add to the list. I’m happy about it though. I’m glad those two are finally getting together.
Mack opens my door and waits for me to get in my car. His almost black hair has some streaks of blonde shine in the sun, but he covers it with his Stetson. It’s cut shorter in the back with it being longer in the front. The combination of dark hair and blue eyes makes him look like Prince Eric from The Little Mermaid. It drives bitches crazy. He hates it when we call him that, but we love it. I see a glimpse of one of the many tattoos he has in random places and shake my head—catnip for women.
I watch Mack walk to his truck in a tailored suit that makes him look like wet dreams and bad decisions. He stops, taps the brim of his Stetson, and blows me a kiss like he knows what I’m thinking.
I’m going to beat his ass.
Chapter 2
Espen
The magic barrier is waning, but it’s enough to last until the lighting ceremony. My grandfather was always up front and center for these events, but I don’t need to be the center of attention to set up the barrier. Papa was full of whimsy and loved to put on a show. The rest of the country didn’t realize what he was doing, but his mischievous personality loved performing magic out in the open without notice. I don’t need the love or fanfare. I can protect them all from afar—no distractions.
I rub the ring he had made for me to replace the staff. It looks like a basic ring made out of metal and glass, but it glows blue like my eyes when I use my powers. This year of rigorous training has made me more powerful than I’ve ever been, but I like wearing it since it’s the last thing he made for me. Besides, it’s nice having my hands free. Plus, it wouldn’t make sense if I were walking around with his “cane” in my thirties. I could lie and say my car accident left me with a limp, but there’s no need for that.
Doing my usual checks, I release my spectral self to roam the town unseen. I hear the rumors about me, but people don’t need to know who I am or be concerned with my friendliness to be protected. Floating into the diner, I focus on my favorite resident. She’s still attached to Mack’s ass, I see. She looks so beautiful with her dark brown skin’s radiant glow making her look happy and healthy. Her hair is pulled back into a sleek ponytail with waves at the crown of her head, and the free part puffing out at the nape of her neck.
I want to touch her. Physically staying away from Arden is the second hardest thing I’ve done under living in the memory of my grandfather. I appease myself by visiting her often in this form. I pay attention to the conversation when I see her face scrunch in concern.
“I still don’t know why or how he left, Mack. It bothers me…”
Shit.
There have been so many times I wanted to come back or see her, but it’d require me to be Jack. I lost the version of myself that she knew. I’m not full of mischief or whimsy like Papa anymore. Taking his place is heavy, and I’d given up being Jack once I realized that I’d need to grow up and fight epic battles for the sake of mankind while they remain blissfully unaware. It sounds like some shit from a movie or comic book. My fifteen-year-old self couldn’t handle that notion. I gave it up and could only return if I truly meant it.
Now, falling for anyone would be the severe chink in my armor, and Arden doesn’t deserve that kind of heartache. I’ve appeased myself by visiting her while she sleeps. She usually smiles and whispers my name. I can’t read minds, so the sleep state is the best way for me to check in on her. The pictures in her brain are something I can read like spoken or written language. So far, I know that she’s still mad with the way I left. She wants to punch her ex, Myron Kent, in the nuts. She’s still close to our friends from high school, and she’s doing her damndest to make this Christmas a success without my grandfather, even if that means dragging me out of the mansion.
The last part amuses me since she’s just as crazy as she was then, but I’m my own force. Staying away is for the best.
“No, it’s not, asshole.”
I open my eyes back in the mansion, and all my beings realign.
“DB, what did I tell you about being in my head?”
“My name isn’t Deacon Baldr,JACK!”
Even in my head, he says my name loud and annoying. “I’m Espen now. That’s the name on my birth certificate.”
“And Jack is your birthright and legacy. Also, it’s getting pretty cold here. Get out of your feelings, asshole.”
“Someone has gotten really annoying since inheriting their god powers.”
“This is much more convenient than a phone call. If I weren’t busy, I’d come kick your ass. We missed you and the rest still don’t know it’s really you. They think you’re some sort of disfigured hunchback with anger issues.”
I snort. “I wouldn’t say I have anger issues, just anti-social.”
“Well, if you’re so anti-social, stop fucking with my friend’s head.”
