Legend Has It Book II ~ Complete

Chapter 11 Esther Cursed

PHOENIX

Esther spotted us within moments of us finding seats in the dining room.

“You son of a b***h!” She blurted and marched my way.

My mouth dropped open. I had never heard Esther curse before!

“How dare you not warn an old woman! How dare you rob me of the chance to decorate!” She was fuming as she made her way to our table. “But damn it’s good to see you!” She threw her arms around my neck and held me tight, her anger dissipating somewhat.

“Needed change,” I managed to say despite the grip she had on me.

“You still could have warned me!” She lightly swatted me. “I’m afraid pot roast is all I have ready at the moment.”

“Perfect.”

“You’re in trouble, too,” Esther said to Gen,” but not as much. You’re still relatively new here and I know this one is a handful.”

“Thank you, Esther. It honestly never crossed my mind,” Gen apologized.

“HE should have known! I’ll send Zack or Kylee out shortly. Looks like you’re going to have a crowd.” I looked up to see my brothers and waved them over.

“We had no idea who Esther was cursing at,” Philip laughed. “Should have known it was YOU.”

“Yeah. Should have known. Hey, there’s Dan and Natalie.”

“Perfect!” Now Gen could offer Natalie the Gamma position. “Sit,” I told the boys and waved Dan over.

Gen immediately insisted Natalie sit by her. “I have something to discuss with you.”

We settled into easy conversation as Zack and Kylee served us large bowls of tender roast with potatoes and carrots. I had thoroughly missed good old comfort food and good company. It felt so good to be back!

“Are you boys able to stick around for a bit? I need to borrow Natalie for a few minutes.”

“I’ll definitely wait for her,” Daniel offered.

“Thank you, we’ll be back shortly.”

“Dirty gossip?” I asked when the ladies were out of earshot. I’d missed that, too.

“Natalie bit me first,” Daniel lowered his collar to show off his Mark.

I waggled my eyebrows. My old friend had finally gotten laid. I looked at my brothers. Philip had a sad face. He wasn’t getting any apparently, but Parker looked uncomfortable.

“It’s too soon to talk about,” he muttered. “Phoebe’s been hanging out with Chance some, but it seems almost professional to me.”

“Hmm. Watch her.”

“You don’t trust our sister?” We all laughed. She was a McClaran after all. We were oversexed and attractive, but with brains, too. Chance seemed like a good kid. I just hoped they were careful.

“We think Esther has a crush on Dr. Lockwood. Watch her if he comes in,” Philip advised.

We chatted easily until Gen and Natalie returned.

“Gentlemen,” Gen said. “I hate to interrupt your hen party, but I’d like to introduce you to my new Gamma.”

“Oh, Punkin’!” Dan practically leaped from his chair. “This is great! Do I get to train her?” He asked Gen.

“I was hoping you would!” She replied. Dan picked Natalie up in a hug and swung her around.

The air almost sparkled as I thought, ‘life is definitely getting better.’

{~>*•*should, but I didn’t want to. I spotted the easement where the tractors came and went. There was a copse of trees I could park under.

“It’s going to be a little bumpy,” I warned her. She took me in her mouth and sucked with her hot mouth. I sucked in a breath.

Oh, Goddess!

“Nat—holy hell.” I threw the car in park between the trees. “Let me slide the seat back,” I managed to say through clenched teeth. She sat up and removed her shirt—it either had a built in bra or she simply wasn’t wearing one today.

I tried to pull her towards me so I could suckle her breasts.

“No,” she shook a finger at me. “I’m not done tasting you.”

“Nat—,” her mouth was on me, sucking again. “I won’t. Last. Long.” Damn, her mouth was hot.

Her skirt was riding up so I copped a feel. No panties, either! I plunged a finger in her v****a. She was hot and wet there, too. She moaned and took me deeper into her mouth until my tip hit the back of her throat.

“f**k, Nat—,” I cried. “Please—if you don’t want me to c*m in your mouth and I’m damn close,” I warned again. She sucked harder. “Nat—“ I bucked and exploded down the back of her throat. She sucked and swallowed every drop.

What an awesome first blow job, I thought, but it pained me that Nat didn’t get off, too. And she was going to have to wait, because across the field, was my Memaw in a tractor heading right for us.

{~>*•*<~}

CHANCE

“I’m taking you off the first trip,” Morty decided. “You need to be here for the ceremonies. Don’t worry, there’s still plenty to do here. I spoke with Gen yesterday and we’re working on a schedule, but wanted your input.”

Morty passed a sheet of paper across his desk. “Beta training with Conrad,” I read. “My choice of a few hours each day or 2 full days each week.”

“What do you recommend?” I asked Morty.

“I think that depends,” Morty paused. “On your level of interest in my niece.” I felt the embarrassment rising in my cheeks.

“For the record,” Morty continued, “I approve of your friendship and it’s none of my business if you’re, uh, more than friends. I was young once, however, and know what it’s like to be unmated and in the company of a pretty girl. She will be helping us out in the mornings. If you choose to train with Conrad a few hours each morning, you could ride together, but then be on different duties. If you choose to train two full days a week, you would probably end up working with her the other three.”

Morty didn’t miss a thing and I made sure to choose my words carefully.

“Phoebe and I have an understanding,” I smiled. “Neither of us really have any other friends, as I’m sure you’re aware. We have discussed the pros and cons and have shook on it. I am comfortable with whatever Beta Conrad wants as his schedule is way more intense than mine.”

Morty seemed pleased with my answer. “Perfect. I’ll send the final schedule to your room—I presume moving in is going well?”

“I plan to spend my first night there tonight. The paint is finally dry.”

“Excellent. Little Ashlyn is surely pleased.”

“The only saving grace I have as mom’s last ‘baby’ to leave the nest.” We both laughed.

“I’m a younger sibling, too,” Morty acknowledged. “Ok, well, today, I’m sending you to the Bradley’s place to load their irreplaceable items. Mr. Bradley warns the Mrs. wants to take everything except the kitchen sink. We set a limit of five totes, but you can let her have six. You’ll be her favorite for a while,” he chuckled. “She makes a mean chocolate chip cookie and I’m sure you’ll be rewarded with plenty.”

“Thank you, Morty. I do love cookies!”

“Here’s the directions. Good luck, young man.”

Morty was right and I played off letting Mrs. Bradley have a sixth tote pretty well I thought.

Mrs. Bradley insisted I take two dozen cookies with me when I left. “I’m sure you have friends to share with.”

I didn’t tell her I only had one I actually enjoyed, but gladly accepted the gift. “Thank you, Mrs. Bradley. I’ll be sure to save some to share.”

I had tried not to think about Phoebe, but I’d been reminded of her twice today.

Whatever will be, will be, I reminded myself.

It won’t hurt to share these cookies with her. She was buried in a research paper and might welcome the snack.

Dan and Natalie were in the storeroom cataloguing totes when I returned. I had an idea.

“What are you two doing tonight,” I asked.

“Oh, you know,” Dan answered. “Newly Mated stuff. Why?”

“No, I don’t know about newly Mated stuff.” I shook my head. Maybe this wasn’t going to be a good idea, after all.

“Chance is moving into his new room tonight,” Natalie explained for me. “Do you want some help?”

“If you can keep Dan’s mind out of the gutter,” I laughed. “I have cookies from Mrs. Bradley.”

“Oooh, yummy!! We have pumpkin pie from Nat and Memaw. They had a little bake off yesterday,” Dan spread his hands wide to indicate the bake off was anything but small.

“We'd be happy to help. We can’t just eat dessert, though,” Natalie remarked. “I could whip up something. Is Phoebe joining us?”

There was no teasing in Natalie’s words. Just a simple, natural question.

“I haven’t asked her. She’s been working on a research project with Dr. Lockwood.” I hoped my voice sounded natural.

“I heard. She might welcome a break. If she can’t take one, I at least want her to try my pie.”

“I can’t MindLink her, but if I see her—“

“I can,” Dan offered as his eyes glazed over. “What time?”

“I—uh, still have to go load my things after we finish the cataloging.”

“Ok, I told her 6. Let’s get busy. Nat and I can help you load if you like.”

“You go help Chance load. I’m cooking,” Natalie insisted.

More and more truckloads if irreplaceables came in, but the three of us, and sometimes Carl, worked together like a well oiled machine and were finished by late afternoon.

Natalie drove Dan’s SUV back to the packhouse so he hopped in with me.

“Dude, this is the first time I’ve been away from Nat in a few days. I don’t like it!”

“Is that what it’s really like with the MateBond?” What better way to get some intel than from someone newly Mated.

“It is for me, but I know others who either don’t have it this bad or are f*****g liars,” Dan replied with a laugh. “Just you wait.”

“Whatever will be, will be,” I shrugged. That phrase had been on a loop in my brain.

“Dude. You are way calmer than I was at your age,” Dan stated matter-of-factly. “I didn’t calm down until about about a year or so ago. Before then, I was trying to make eye contact with every damn female I saw. I wanted to find my Mate so damn bad.”

“Oh, I want to find her. I just—I don’t know. I guess considering my dad’s history and the life I lived as a part time traveler instilled some patience or something in me.”

“Don’t take this as prying—as the butt of many jokes while Mateless for so long, that’s not my intent, but I’ve noticed you hanging with Phoebe. I didn’t have a smart, funny friend like her to ground me.” Was grounding what Dan thought Phoebe did for me?

“That didn’t quite come out right,” he added. “I don’t really know what your friendship is like, I guess. But I only had Phoenix and Conrad until Kelli came along.”

“Dan, listen. I’m trying my best not to make things awkward with Phoebe. I enjoy hanging out with her. I just don’t know if the protectiveness I feel for her is my upbringing or something more, but one guy already broke her heart.”

“Who? Who hurt my cousin? I’ll skin him!” Dan demanded.

“There’s no need for that. From what she’s told me, he was honorable and she’s already over it.”

“Ahh,” Dan looked disappointed he wouldn’t be dishing out punishment. “Was that nonchalance there for you when she first told you?”

“No,” I laughed. “I think I hid it well, but I had similar thoughts to yours. I guess I didn’t know she was your cousin.

“I’m Stella’s much younger nephew. No one knew about me for a few years—many still don’t. But that’s another story and I hope you won’t say anything. I’m not sure Phoebe knows. Well, she has to since we can MindLink—,” Dan was rambling. “Anyway, not to put any pressure on you, because I’m honestly not the one with the answers, but maybe you’ll be one of the lucky ones and the MateBond will be there in a year—s**t! What is today?? I haven’t gotten her a gift yet.”

“It’s the 25th I think. I haven’t gotten her anything yet, either. I didn’t know if that would be awkward or not. Our friendship is still new,” I admitted.

“Not awkward at all. In fact, it would probably be considered rude if you didn’t—again, no pressure,” Dan added when I let out a little groan. “You should ask her to be your date. Release one of her brothers from escorting her.”

“You sure know how to put pressure on a guy,” I groaned again.

“Would it help if we went shopping together?”

I sighed. “Not to burst your bubble, but I’ve been tinkering in the shop. I make jewelry if I’ve never mentioned it.”

“Perfect!! You can make her something pretty and I’ll get her a nice jewelry box. Maybe that will reduce the level of awkwardness for you?”

The thought didn’t give me any more anxiety than Dan already had. His idea was actually perfect. “That sounds good. If she agrees to be my date, can the four of us attend together so we can give her our gifts at the same time?”

“Absolutely!”

I was calm when I parked at the Guesthouse and looking forward to a double date.