Clara closed the notebook. Record keeping was also important for hermitting. With no one around to witness her life but herself, it was crucial to write everything down. Not because anyone would come along and read it, but for herself. Countless times, she’d read back through her journals and found memories she’d already forgotten. In some strange way, it kept her feeling… real. It reminded her she existed even though she’d done her best to appear like she didn’t.
Being a ghost was hard.
Clara laid back on the rock, sighing. She’d rest for just a while. Then she’d head back to her camp and cook up those potatoes. She needed to carb load. Feed that layer of fat that would keep her alive through the cold months. And with the discovery of the lodge, this was going to be her easiest winter yet.
Clara smiled. Life was good.
Chapter Three
The knife sliced through the onion in short, quick intervals that banged out a staccato rhythm against the cutting board. Eagan was in the zone as he whirled through the prep work for tomorrow’s meals. Normally he’d leave this job to Bailey, his assistant. But Eagan had been sticking around the kitchen more the past few days, keeping his eyes open for any clue that would reveal the thief.
Gash had beefed up the monitoring, but there’d been nothing out of the ordinary lately. No guests missing items that weren’t in the lost and found. No food had been pilfered. No people who weren’t on the guest register or employees.
But the thief would be back. And then the hunt would be on.
All the cats had been alerted. There would be plenty of shifter noses sniffing around for the bastard.
Eagan moved on to the carrots, slicing the entire bunch of them into uniform medallions.
He wondered how Magic would handle the thief when they caught him. Magic didn’t like dealing with the police. More likely, he’d scare the human half to death and send him on his way.
Layna burst through the swinging kitchen door with an annoyed look on her face. Renner’s sister was oddly like the female version of Magic. She took no shit, but she gave a lot of it. Eagan guessed it was why the two of them managed the lodge so well.
She held the cordless phone out to him. “Destiny’s calling,” she said wryly. Then one side of her mouth lifted. “I’ve been wanting to say that forever.”
Eagan frowned, wiping his hands on a nearby towel. “Destiny? Prego by an asshole wolf Destiny?”
She rolled her eyes. “Do you know another one? Besides yours I mean. Your withered future? Your fate. Your—”
“Give me that, you smartass.” He snatched the phone from her grasp and she let out a laugh that reminded him of cartoon villain as she walked off.
Eagan pressed the receiver to his ear. “Hello.”
“Hey, Eagan, this is Destiny.” She hesitated as if gauging his memory of her.
“knocked up pasta lover. Yeah, I remember you,” he said, sarcastically.
“Ha. Ha. I wasn’t sure if I made a mark.”
Destiny was a bobcat shifter mated to one of the Dirt Track Dogs from Cedar Valley, the hybrid pack that Tana belonged to now. Recently she’d become their Elder—a concept Eagan didn’t necessarily understand. The cats didn’t have wise people to guide them.
“Barely,” he said.
“Hmm. I remember you being a tad nicer when I was visiting the lodge. Maybe I’m talking to the wrong Eagan. Is there another one around?”
“Nope. Just me.” He chuckled to break the tension. He wasn’t trying to be an asshole. “What can I do for you, Destiny? You got a prego craving? Need the recipe for that chicken marsala?”
Pregnant. Damn, what he wouldn’t give to have a female of his own to start a family with. Sometimes at night, he let himself dream about it. A female to love, belly swollen with a baby he’d put there. No midnight craving would go unanswered. Lasagna at 2am? No problem. He’d knock that shit out before she could blink twice. Then he’d feed her. She wouldn’t even have to pick up a fork.
Eagan’s thoughts turned dark.
The cats weren’t meant to mate. Only to procreate. They weren’t meant for love. Weren’t monogamous. He’d only hurt any female he chose. He’d seen his father do it. His grandfather even. If Magic hadn’t shown him a different way, maybe he’d have done it too, sleeping with as many females as he desired.
But when he lay in his bed at night, he didn’t feel like that kind of man. He felt like he could be happy loving only one female. For his entire life. Like those goddamn dogs. Like… Renner.
“Actually, now that you mention it, I would like that recipe. I’ve been dying for just a taste…”