Page 2 of Misbehaving With Minotaurs (Haven Ever After #8)

Ohken sighs around the big tusks that stick up from his lower jaw.

“I never thought the day would come when I’d need more help or have to consider expanding the General Store, but I am.

Wren and I talked about hiring an architect to design a second floor, but I haven’t bitten the bullet yet.

I’m not getting nearly enough time at home with her, and that’s a problem for me. ”

I smile. I had the privilege of watching him fall in love with Wren Hector. And I watched her triplet sisters and their young aunt, the blue witch, all fall in love, too. Ever’s been awash with love stories in these last few months.

That almost makes my smile fall. I’ve been working on my own love story.

It’s not going well.

I risk a glance at Arkan’s father, Vikand, who rests comfortably on a long centaur bench by his son’s side.

Like always, the brilliant centaur appears lost in thought, arms crossed over his broad chest and pale eyes glazed.

Arkan says something, but Vikand looks across the table at me.

A soft smile tips his black lips upward.

Even from here, my succubus senses are strong enough to pick up a wash of pheromones from him.

He’s always found me attractive, but he’s quiet, shy, bookish to the extreme.

I’ve been pursuing him slowly, certain he’ll never make the first move.

I return the half smile. After this meeting, I’m asking him out.

When he glances away from me and up at his son, who’s still talking, I shove that thought away. I need to focus because this meeting is important to Ever’s future.

Arkan barrels on, thankfully oblivious to my temporary inattention.

“I want to get ahead of the growth because I believe what we’ve seen so far is just a trickle.

Now that it’s easier to come to Ever, I predict our tourism will grow by leaps and bounds.

We need more restaurants and inns. Actually…

” his voice trails off as he sinks down onto his forelegs, pointing at a rolled-up tube of paper on the giant round table in front of us.

“This is a set of old plans from a very long time ago when Ever was created. It wasn’t the final design, obviously, but some elements could be reused now.

Town Hall provided these to me when I spoke with her about potential expansion.

” He looks around the table with a smile.

“She’s on board, by the way, excited even. ”

I’ve seen these plans. I know what he’s going to show us before he unrolls them. I was there when the various options were originally designed. But it’s still fun when he rolls the paper flat and sets paperweights at each corner.

“There,” he says, pointing to a street at the far end of Main, just before the Historical Society and Town Hall.

“The reason there’s currently the grassy area between the last shops on either side of Main and Town Hall is because there was always meant to be another cross street there.

We need it now. And I need to be courting business folks from other havens to open locations here.

Restaurants, coffee shops, gift shops.” He glances at me. “Probably inns, too.”

“Let’s take a step back for a second. Do we want to grow Ever?

” Alpha Richard, a handsome shifter male with white-flecked black hair, stands and points at the edge of town.

“I’m not saying we don’t; I’m just asking if we’re all in agreement that we do .

All the new homes springing up are beginning to encroach on Shifter Hollow territory, and my people are getting antsy.

Which again, is fine if that’s what we want.

But we’ll need to expand Shifter Hollow too.

The shifters, centaur and pegasi need more space.

” He stares at the old plans before looking up at Arkan. “My population is growing.”

Arkan nods. “Don’t I know it. These old plans don’t account for that, but I think it’d be easy enough to expand the ward and grow Shifter Hollow’s surface area too.” He glances over at me. “Can you see any complications with that, Catherine?”

It sounds like he’s just asking my opinion as a member of Ever’s leadership team, but he and I know the question goes deeper than that.

I’m involved in haven creation in a way few monsters know about.

Not even everyone in this room is aware.

But Ohken looks over at me, his expression neutral.

He’s been there when I’ve used my unique power. He’s seen what I’m capable of.

I smile up at Arkan. “We’re not close to any human towns. There’s only forest around us for a hundred miles in every direction…plenty of space to expand into. It’s wise to think about this growth now.”

I look around to the gathered monsters, wonderful beings I’ve known, some for centuries.

“Our growth rate is only going to increase, and as Arkan mentioned, tourism is on the rise thanks to the new portal station. We never had much tourism before since it was such a pain to travel between havens, but now?” I run my fingers over the slightly curled old plans.

“We thought this might happen one day; that’s how these plans came to be.

I’m in agreement that we need to have these conversations sooner than later. ”

Arkan barks out a laugh. “Oh, I’m not done with my suggestions either.

” He opens his hands wide, grinning at the gathered group.

“We have a shiny new skyball stadium and a team that never practices. Even so, we almost won last year’s skyball championship.

I want to put a bigger focus on our team.

I’d like to attract regular games and court some rising stars.

There’s big money in skyball, and we don’t get a piece of that pie now. ”

Ohken lets out an uncharacteristic growl. “I don’t want to take more time away from Wren, even though I’m technically on the Ever team. You know most of us who play are part-time at best. I assume you’d want regular practices? We don’t do that now, and I don’t want to start.”

“I know we don’t.” Arkan crosses his arms again.

“But we should. Again, with the new portal station, it’s a rock-solid investment for us to do this.

It’ll bring tourism, and tourism will be good for everyone in this room.

” He shoots Ohken a pointed look. “I’m not suggesting you have to become a full-time skyball player, friend, just that we should consider investing in a professional team. ”

“He’s right,” I offer.

“Catherine, care to expand on that thought?” Shepherd, Alo’s younger brother, smiles at me from across the table. “Ever’s got such a wonderful small-town feel. Are we talking about losing that if we truly bring professional skyball here?”

I toss my long gray waves over my shoulder as I pull my thoughts quickly together.

“During last year’s skyball tournament, Ever was packed and busy, but it was the best weekend on record for sales at many of our shops and restaurants.

Money doesn’t buy happiness, but it can buy freedom.

I’m in favor of creating that opportunity for our friends and neighbors. ”

I look around at the group of monsters I’ve come to admire so highly.

“I have friends I haven’t seen in years because interhaven travel was previously such a pain.

That’s already changing because of the new Grand Portal Station.

Getting busier is going to happen whether we’re ready for it or not.

The pinch we’re feeling now is nothing compared to what’s coming.

I’m in favor of being ready. If we do it thoughtfully, Ever won’t lose the community feel. ”

“Exactly,” Arkan says, looking around the room as the others chat quietly.

“We need more infrastructure to support the growth. And, selfishly, I’d like to see us get a skyball coach, seeing as how we’ve never had one.

I have two candidates in mind, and I’d love to bring them both to Ever on a trial basis. ”

“Moving fast, aren’t you?” Alo lashes his long tail from side to side as he frowns at Arkan from his spot across the table.

Arkan stills. “Part of the reason I came to Ever was to usher in an era of growth. This haven hasn’t grown meaningfully in about two centuries.

That was fine for a time. But Catherine’s point about it happening either way is spot on.

We can be ready for it and provide everyone with a good experience.

Or we can ignore it and deal with the pains that’ll bring. ”

Ohken sinks back into his chair with a sigh, scratching at his stubble with the fingers of one big green hand. After a long moment, he nods. “I’m in favor of exploring this. At the end of the day, I want more time with my mate. Let’s keep Ever functioning like a well-oiled machine.”

Arkan beams, white teeth flashing in the fluorescent light from Town Hall’s auditorium ceiling. “I’m glad you’re all in agreement, because I have a call with Manorin Longhorn tomorrow about coming to Ever for a trial period.”

Oh my gods.

Manorin Longhorn.

I clasp my hands in my lap as I try to gather the thoughts that dash around my mind at that name .

Alo snorts. “Manorin Longhorn? Are you shitting me? He’s a fucking skyball legend.”

Arkan’s smile grows impossibly broad, stretching across his handsome face.

“He coached me when I was going through the Protector Academy. I tried to recruit him for my last haven, but he had no interest in leaving Hearth Headquarters or the Hellions. He agreed to take my call tomorrow, though, so I’m hopeful things are changing for him. I’ll keep you posted.”

He sighs. “I know it seems like I’m suggesting we move quickly, but if we can get Manorin Longhorn to come here and build a team, wow.

That would really be something. And I don’t see why we can’t do that and plan expansion all at the same time.

The stadium’s just sitting there unused…

” His voice drifts off as he looks around the table.