Page 15 of Misbehaving With Minotaurs (Haven Ever After #8)

“Well,” I glance up Sycamore where the diner comes into view, “there’s a den of ophiotaurii that settled in the northwestern corner of the haven, and they’re mostly bad news.

They cause a disturbance in town; they steal cattle.

They’re a general nuisance, and Alarion’s gotten involved with them.

” I sigh. “I’ve heard they’ve even ventured outside the haven into the human world a time or two.

To what end, I’m not really sure, but they’re dragging Alarion into it with them.

” I rub her fingers gently. “That call was from Bishop Rygold, our sheriff, reminding me that if I don’t come home and deal with Alarion, he will.

We still don’t have a keeper, so it’s Rygold or nothin’ keeping the peace. ”

Catherine frowns up at me. “What about your brother?”

I shake my head. “He can’t handle Alarion, not since his mate passed. He’s lost to the pain and grief of her death, and most times I call, he’s drunk or doesn’t answer.”

Catherine clutches my forearm a little tighter. “Sounds like you need to take a trip home?”

I nod, then smile down at her. “Well, it doesn’t have to be all bullshit.

Why don’t you come with me this upcoming weekend?

Pine Gulch is beautiful, Alarion’s nonsense aside.

” I waggle my brows at her. “Let me show you a good time in a place that’s a little more country than this.

” I dip low. “It’ll be easier to keep me a dirty little secret if we’re away from prying eyes. ”

Catherine laughs. “What am I going to do about Annabelle?”

I glance skyward as I consider that. After a moment, I look down. “What do you usually do when you want a vacation?”

She grumbles, “I don’t take vacations. I’ve never left her.”

My mouth drops open. “Never?”

“Never.” She looks up. “I’m not opposed to it; I’ve just…

well, I think I’ve been hiding out here.

This is where I took my first mate and where he tried to rip everything I loved from me.

I’m tied to Ever in a way I could never be to another haven.

So, I haven’t left.” She looks off into the difference. “For better or worse.”

I’m not sure how much to reveal here, but I work at Hearth Headquarters. News of the warlock Wesley’s attack on Ever and eventual death reached us there.

“I’m sorry he did that to you,” I offer quietly.

Catherine squeezes my forearm a little tighter. “Me too, Nor. But we don’t have to talk about that just now.”

I check to make sure there aren’t any cars coming before I guide her across. When we stop in front of the diner, I smile down at her. “I won’t pry about Wesley, although I’ve seen the news, of course. But if you ever want to talk about him or what happened, I’m here, alright?”

She smiles, but it seems forced. “I know, Manorin. Thank you.”

She doesn’t want to discuss him right now; that much is clear. And it’s probably for the best because, if I learn more about the male who hurt her, I’ll want to dig him up just to murder him.

I pinch her side playfully. “So, we going to Pine Gulch this weekend then?”

Her smile grows broader. “I bet I could ask the Hector girls to watch over Annabelle for me. I’ll comm them after breakfast to check.”

Good, I think to myself, because there is a single bed situation in our future, and I’m gonna put her in the middle of it while I give her everything she needs.

“ W alk me through this again,” Arkan says, staring at the stack of papers we’ve been looking at for the last half hour.

“You’re looking at a substantial budget for pulling in talent.” It’s not the best news for me to give him, but I don’t know what he expects going from a volunteer part-time team to a team of pros.

Arkan frowns. Next to me, Catherine’s quiet, smiling up at a big pegasus waiter as he clip-clops past us.

The Keeper slumps down into his curved centaur bench, crossing his arms as he jerks his head toward the stack. “Obviously I knew this was going to be a need, but I didn’t realize just how much of a budget jump it would be.”

Catherine clears her throat. “Keeper, if we’re going to go in on skyball, we absolutely must go all in.

Big budget, flashy new players. We should probably consider rebranding the Misfits a little.

Abemet did the logo way back in the day.

If we can attract even one or two skyball games here per season, we’ll more than make up for that cost over a few years. ”

Arkan nods. “Okay, here’s the thing I don’t want to say, but I feel I have to say because I aim to be transparent.

” He looks at me. “You’ve sensed this, but I’m the primary driving force behind this change, and obviously Catherine’s on board, but the rest of the haven leadership needs more convincing.

Any additional budget would need their approval. ”

Catherine reaches across the table and pats the stack of papers.

“That’s where I come in. We need a grassroots initiative to get the excitement up about skyball.

I think we should plan an exhibition game, get the Evertons excited about it.

The playoffs game was a huge hit last year…

we can bring that excitement back!” She glances at me.

“I wouldn’t plan to broadcast this outside of Ever but we can really do it up with painted signs and glamouring or decorating downtown. It’ll be fun.”

Surprise courses through me as I look at her. “First I’m hearing of this , Cath.”

She looks between Arkan and me. “It came to me overnight, but isn’t it the best idea?

” Clasping her hands together, she rushes on, “We can get specialty shirts made and have folks get together to paint signs, decorate Main Street. Really do it up and make it a big deal for town. That should get even our grouchiest of leaders on board, if the whole town is excited.”

Arkan wears a pleased, if amused, expression. “I love it. Let’s do it. Assuming…” He looks over at me, a dark brow curving wickedly upward. “You’re into this, right?”

I laugh as I look between them. “Oh yeah,” I stare right into Catherine’s gray eyes, “I’m into this.”

Her scent explodes, although I don’t know if anyone but me can tell.

A muscle under her eyelid twitches. I suspect she’s holding back from snarking something sassy at me.

Instead, she tosses her long hair over one shoulder and looks at Arkan.

“Manorin would have the entirety of my support in accomplishing this, of course.”

Arkan snorts out a laugh. “Shit, Catherine, I don’t think there’s a single thing you couldn't do if you set your mind to it.” His smile partially falls. “You really think you can get the others on board with an exhibition game? I think they’re tired of hearing from me.”

She sits back against the turquoise, red, and white bench seat and glances up at me with a big smile. “Leave it to me, boys.”

I cross my arms, matching Arkan’s stance.

“Well, there you have it, kid.” I grin at the young, ambitious Keeper.

“There would be the matter of my compensation, too, and I don’t come cheap.

We can talk numbers, but as you might imagine, you’re gonna have to pay me a shitload to come here and take this on. ”

Arkan’s characteristic smile falls a bit, but he nods.

“Of course. How would you feel about us announcing the exhibition game at a town hall meeting tonight? I’m calling one later to discuss expanding downtown’s footprint.

I think it’d be good timing even if we don’t have all the details hashed out. ”

“Yeah,” I say as I consider if there’s any reason not to. I can’t find one, and it’ll be nice to get the whole town in on skyball. “Let’s do it.”

H ours later, I’m standing at the corner of Main Street and Sycamore as a bell tolls, ringing throughout downtown.

Hordes of monsters exit every building and the homes back behind downtown.

Catherine mentioned earlier that town hall meetings typically happen either in town hall or at the gazebo, so I’d guess that’s where everyone’s headed.

“You lost, big guy? ”

Turning toward the voice, I smile at finding Morgan Hector standing behind me with her arms folded at her back.

I jerk my head down the street. “Town Hall’s that way, as I recall?”

She smiles. “Walk with me?”

I hold my elbow out for her, and she slips a hand through it, curling her fingers around my forearm.

She squeezes my forearm. “How are things going?”

Oh, she’s nosy. I kinda like that.

I glance down with a smirk as I guide us along Main. “In what way?’

She shrugs as if it could be any old thing. “Your time here. Thoughts on our expansion.” She clears her throat and looks up at me. “Catherine.”

The shortest version of the truth is probably best. Morgan knows Cath and I dated—we covered that much at family dinner.

“Ever’s lovely. I’ve got concerns about how widely the skyball expansion will be supported, but there’s a plan for that. Catherine’s an excellent hostess, as I expected. She’s literally made for that, you know.”

Morgan’s smile grows. “You know that’s not what I meant. You dated. There’s obvious chemistry. What’s up there?”

“Why?”

“‘Cause I wanna know.”

“Why?”

“I’m nosy.”

“We’re just friends,” I confirm as we pass by Ohken’s store, Fleur. “If you’re worried our past will at all affect who’s chosen for?—”

Morgan snorts out a laugh. “That’s not it, and you know it.

If you don’t wanna spill the beans, that’s fine…

I’ll just bug Catherine instead. I will find out though.

” She looks ahead with a soft sigh. “On another note, what do you make of our expansion? Is it in line with how you’ve seen other havens do it over the years? ”

I look at her with curiosity. As far as I know, she doesn’t sit on the town’s leadership committee even though her mate does.

“Nosy,” she says like she’s reading my thoughts.