Entangled With Wolves

ssi

away from the deep forest be

n in my dreams had sucked my body dry of rest. I was certain I had

of secrets. As many times as I p

of being watched in my one-bedr

just a coincidence. However, I hadn't been here since I was a little gir

" Aunt Ta

my brain. She had on a black wide-brimmed hat with an oversized black

ore. She insisted I wear a hat to block

y during those thirty minutes of l

paper plates from t

f people I didn't know wafting in and out of the house today. I appreci

nned vegetables and outdated app

d brought them to the kitchen counte

oom but I didn't venture there to see the culprit

ss? Are you Je

e funeral awkwardly staring at me from a distance. Folding my arms, I leaned backw

Who's a

an aged face. He was the same height as me, which

ndmother's attorney. Do y

y living child. Maybe she left me something to remember

m very certain

o pay her bills. It had a small desk and two chairs. The smell of stale furniture hun

and faced

us. I didn't pretend to know what a will looked like but

specific about what she wan

both brow

go to Aunt Ta

yes, but since she stated for y

" I re

r love and care that I couldn't possibly afford. I leaned back in the high-back chair and laughed. "You're sure?"

on the desk. "Your grandmother was afraid that you may say that. When your

chair. She was right. Ther

ive this place a try, and then if you don't

job? A future? I was sur

my elbows against the desk. "

topped cold in the doorway. "What's going on? Mr. Henley, did

lder. "Her plane is leavi

toward mine. "You're lea

et back home. I had job interviews next week

m," I sai

The food is ready. We'll talk about

ted toward it. "You look over this and please

," I

at me. "I was hoping you could stay longer. Come on, I heated up that

ousin on my mother's side. While my father

ed into the kitchen with Aunt Tasha. He loo

hat mischievous grin. "Well, look what the

r thought he would be. I didn't remember his dad, David, bei

pulling back to look at the t

a few of

back in Denver, for sure. I knew they said many boys south of the M

ed po

d Seth," he said, pointi

meet you,

at them with a plate of food. "Here. Y

the funeral spoke to be polite while I made my way into the dining area. T

bologna and homemade biscui

of the table. "It's really good to see you, Jes

week in Denver. It's a new world being t

mous lopsided grin.

id, pushing my fo

didn't look up from my plate.

working at

up above Jacob's head. Two of Jacob's fri

r presence that sh

hair was wind-blown as if he'd been running. The same inten

tly to see if I was p

is was

Jessica, this is Mason.

work. I just stared at him

m this gawking man. "Nice to meet you," I whispere

on the kitchen counter. You can join us. We're a

,

an in the room. How would I state my case

at the sight of him. There was something magnetic. The other three chatting

down. "Now, let's talk a