Jacob caught a glimpse of Cassidy’s eyebrows hiking up her forehead from the corner of his eyes. “Do I wanna know?”
A sly smirk crooked over his lips. “Probably not.”
“Well, good on you. Keep it up.” The truck thu-thumped over a divot in the road and the tools and equipment rattled around the open hatchback. “So your Beast is…contained?”
“Seems so.” Jacob could feel those eyes on him again, trying to crack beneath his surface.
“How many transformations have you got in you? Honestly. Until you go…full bear.”
Jacob’s grip tightened on the steering wheel. “Hard to say.”
“Hard to say or you just don’t want to say?”
He shrugged and tried to keep the tightness from his voice. Tried to sound casual. As though the harder he pretended he was okay, the more everyone around him would believe him. “Two. Maybe.”
“Christ.” He could hear the passenger seat grumble as Cassidy sank back into it. “What are you going do with that? You think you can just…go the rest of your life without changing? Ever?”
“We’ll figure it out.” Now Jacob’s voice was tense, reaching the tether on his patience.
“You and Holly?” There was more than a question in Cassidy’s voice; she sounded downright skeptical.
“Yeah. Me and Holly.” Jacob pulled the truck into park outside their client’s address and killed the engine. “Less talking, more working,” he told her, successfully putting a period on the conversation (for now, at least) as he got out of the truck and got to work.
Chapter 53
Holly couldn’t help but find it endearing when Trish walked on the Elmswood College campus as though she were stepping onto the red carpet at the Oscars. Her already big brown eyes widened to drink in every sight, every school building, and every student. Once they got closer to the admission building, however, Trish sidled up to Holly like a shaken Chihuahua.
“Relax,” Holly tried to reassure the young girl. “We’re just here for a visitor’s pass.”
Trish nodded, her voice no doubt locked behind a bundle of nerves in her throat. Holly remembered the feeling well. Even Holly—who had been to numerous schools to study and, ultimately, to teach—felt her insides butterfly with anxiety the first time she stepped onto a fresh campus.
She obtained the visitor’s pass for Trish and introduced her to the admissions facility as someone who would possibly being applying next year. At the ranch, Trish was well-spoken, bold, and determined. Outside of it, Holly realized just how sheltered the young girl was and she seemed barely able to squeak out her hellos and thank yous.
Holly ushered her through campus and gave Trish a quick tour before she had to run to class. Holly had three classes to teach that day and she let Trish sit in with her. Holly was happy to have the young girl in her class—it was refreshing, at least, to see someone actually paying attention to the lesson. On her lunch break, Holly brought Trish into her office.
“What do you think so far?” Holly asked as she settled in behind her desk.
Trish took a seat across from her. “It is really interesting…thanks for taking me.”
“Of course,” Holly said. “We’re family, right?”
“Yeah.” Quietly, Holly was hoping she might get Trish to open up, maybe talk about clan life. If anyone knew how to win hearts at the Red Moon Ranch, it would be someone who’d grown up there. Like Trish. And Holly was very aware that, even though things between her and Jacob had never been better, she could still use some points with the rest of the clan—specifically, Trish’s mother, Cassidy. Instead, Trish’s fingers played over Holly’s desk and then she knit her eyebrows. “Are these old newspapers?”
Her eyes had landed on the article from Eyes on Etna that Holly had photocopied from the lab. Holly hesitated, not sure how much she should tell the young girl, and then she said, “Yes…I’ve been doing a little research.”
“About what?” There were Trish’s eyes, ever-curious.
“About the area, mainly…around Red Moon Ranch.” Holly tried to keep it vague.
“This guy,” Trish said, pointing to the black-and-white photo in the paper, “Roger or Robin or something...like a hunter...right?”
Holly tried to keep a poker face. “How do you know that?”
Trish shrugged and then flipped the page, looking through it. “Mama Mae has stories...I used to love to get her to talk and just sit back and listen. They spent their lives here, you know? She and Pops.”
“You mean...your grandfather?” Holly asked, trying not to betray herself with the edge of excitement that lingered in her voice.