Page 92 of Reluctant Rogue

Naomi nodded. “Yeah, I know, but it’d make more sense than you Changing and attacking the man you loved.”

“Yes, that’s true.” Beth’s eyes misted over. “We’ll never know, I guess. What does Liam say?”

“He’s one hundred percent sure that I’d never turn Rogue. Even though, it’s his life on the line. Literally.” She giggled suddenly. “His animal is a Great Pyrenees. He says, if my cat Changes and attacks him, all he has to do is Change and lay on her, since he weighs, like, five times more than her.”

Beth joined her in giggling. “That’s funny. I remember seeing his animal when he first came to talk to me. A Great Pyrenees, that’s that big shaggy white dog from the Alps region, right?”

“Mmhmm. There’s also a Great Pyrenees… a real one… that lives here at the inn, along with a small tabby cat that lays snugged up in his fur.”

“Oh, that’s cute.” Beth grinned.

“It is, and get this. Their names are Tony and Maria.”

Beth burst into delighted laughter as she made the connection. “From West Side Story!”

“Yep. And the bed and breakfast is called the West Side Inn. Anyway, they are just too cute together. They hardly ever move, either. They just always lay around like that.”

“I wish I could see them.” Beth’s voice was filled with longing.

“I’ll get them on video, or show you on FaceTime,” Naomi promised. “I’m going to come up to Ohio in a couple weeks, when I have a full weekend off work from the library, and see you. I’m going to bring a ton of stuff, we can watch movies, and have chocolate and ice cream and popcorn, and do manis and pedis.”

Beth’s squeal of delight over the phone almost shattered Naomi’s eardrum, and she held the phone at arm’s length. “I guess that was a yes?”

“Yes! That sounds so fun!”

“Awesome. I’ll pick you up some more clothes, too, and a robe and slippers. We’ll get you all comfortable, Beth.”

“I don’t mind, really,” Beth reassured her. “I mean, at least it’s not a prison-prison, you know? And I’m not stuck with Mom and Beatrice anymore. It could be so much worse. I’m lucky, really. I have this room, and I even though I can’t go out except under escort, I get to order meals from the kitchen and it’s really good, and I can ask to go outside to Change and play whenever I want. And I have you.”

“I’ll come to visit as often as I can. If only that place were closer,” Naomi sighed. “But Liam says we’ll make it an adventure, we’ll come up and spend the weekend in a hotel, and he can meet with, I dunno, Council members and talk official shifter business stuff while you and I have girl time.”

Beth’s smile was wistful. “He sounds like a keeper.”

“He is,” Naomi said, sighing. “If only I knew what to do.”

“I think you should go for it,” Beth said suddenly. Naomi could see her sister sit up suddenly on the bed, curling her feet under her, just as Naomi liked to do. “You have all those people around you, Naomi, there to support you. To stop you, if your cat should go bad. But they say she won’t, and they have experience. They have knowledge we don’t have. We hadno one, Naomi. No one to ask, to talk to, to confide in. We just had each other, and neither of us knew anything about shifters except what Mom and Beatrice taught us. If they insist it’s safe for you to be with Liam, I think you should listen to them.”

“I’ll think about it,” Naomi promised. She suddenly found herself fighting back a yawn. “I think I could sleep now.”

“Yes, me, too. G’nite, sis.”

“Good night, Beth. Love you.”

“Love you more.”

With a smile for the familiar exchange, Naomi swiped her phone off, and nestled down into her pillows, pulling the duvet up over her shoulders, and was asleep in minutes.

Chapter27

Liam pacedthe length of the inn’s front porch and back, as he waited for Naomi to come downstairs. He found that his hands were clenched with anxiety, and he forced himself to relax. It was going to be okay. He hoped they weren’t doing the wrong thing, although they needed to know. What if…

“Stop!” he told himself, passing one hand over his face. He had to settle down, and have confidence that everything would be all right.

“Talking to yourself now?” Naomi teased as she stepped outside. She came to him, her hand sliding into his.

“Oops, you caught me.”

She shot him in inquiring glance. “So, what’s up? Do you know?”