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Authors: Tess Oliver
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bounty on my head and make Rebecca hate me.”
“Really? Of course, he’s not here to tell his side of the story, now is he?”
Zedekiah vanished like a puff of smoke and reappeared directly in front of me. “You must be my descendant; you’re as cocky as a rooster in heat.” He glared at me from beneath the brim of his hat. “You stay away from that girl.”
I met his glare with one of my own. “No way. You had your chance. This girl belongs to my century and if she’ll have me, I have no intention of staying away from her.”
A third of the wood I piled up came cascading down like an avalanche of timber. I hopped out of the way before it washed me over the side of the flatbed.
“Have you kissed her?”
I regained my footing and stared down at the pile of wood I would now have to reload by myself back onto the truck. Then I glared back at my rotten ancestor. “Not yet, but a kiss is definitely in my future plans. So throw as many of your ghostly tantrums as you like. You’re not going to stop me.”
“The Crush men are no good for the Colton women. We just bring heartbreak and tragedy.”
“Don’t lump me in with you, dude. I don’t even own a gun. Plus I’m not in the habit of picking gunfights with the law.”
Another third of the wood fell down. I jumped out of the way. “I thought family was supposed to help each other.” I climbed down to start carrying it back up before Mitchell saw it and fired me. It was going to be tough loading it back on by myself. Now I was pissed. “Get the fuck out of my way, pops. You’re not going to scare me.”
He vanished but a burst of his wicked laughter cracked the air. “We’ll see about that, offspring .”
Chapter 12
At home, Mom had always assigned difficult, lengthy homework projects. My high school teachers’ assignments were easy and silly. I finished my homework in minutes. The rather
awful day at school had tired me out, and I’d drifted off into a nice nap until the front door slammed shut. I sat up with a start. Jasper had apparently snuggled up next to me. He sat up as well.
Nana’s feet seemed to be stomping toward the kitchen. I patted the dog on the head. “That is definitely not the sound of happy feet, Jasper.” We both scooted off my quilt and headed down the hall.
When I arrived at the kitchen, Nana was pounding the daylights out of her pie dough. Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t look up or acknowledge me. I walked over to the table, plucked off a ball of dough, and pushed it in my mouth. It was buttery and sweet as always. “Nana, what did that pie dough ever do to you?”
“Huh?” She glanced up surprised to see me standing there. She smiled and slowed down the wild strokes of her rolling pin. “It’s just I’m so angry.”
“I thought I heard the front door shut. Did we have a visitor?” Citizens from the town rarely came up the mountain unless they were hunting or looking for firewood.
“It was that sniveling, puffy-faced mayor from town. Ascott or Axescott or whatever his name is. Corrupt, fumbling idiot.” She began to roll the dough out like a woman possessed again. I placed my hand on her arm. “Are you making pie crust or shoe leather?” She stopped and relaxed her shoulders.
“I’ve never seen you so upset, Nana. What did he say?”
“He says Zedekiah has been seen in town, at the school.” She looked at me. “You didn’t tell me he showed up at your school. Or is it a falsehood?”
I took my hand from her arm. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, Nana. I didn’t want you to worry.”
She took hold of my face with her flour and dough covered hands. Her green eyes, now clouded with age looked into mine. “He didn’t hurt you, did he?”
I shook my head. She dropped her hands and lifted up the end of her apron to wipe the flour from
“Really? Of course, he’s not here to tell his side of the story, now is he?”
Zedekiah vanished like a puff of smoke and reappeared directly in front of me. “You must be my descendant; you’re as cocky as a rooster in heat.” He glared at me from beneath the brim of his hat. “You stay away from that girl.”
I met his glare with one of my own. “No way. You had your chance. This girl belongs to my century and if she’ll have me, I have no intention of staying away from her.”
A third of the wood I piled up came cascading down like an avalanche of timber. I hopped out of the way before it washed me over the side of the flatbed.
“Have you kissed her?”
I regained my footing and stared down at the pile of wood I would now have to reload by myself back onto the truck. Then I glared back at my rotten ancestor. “Not yet, but a kiss is definitely in my future plans. So throw as many of your ghostly tantrums as you like. You’re not going to stop me.”
“The Crush men are no good for the Colton women. We just bring heartbreak and tragedy.”
“Don’t lump me in with you, dude. I don’t even own a gun. Plus I’m not in the habit of picking gunfights with the law.”
Another third of the wood fell down. I jumped out of the way. “I thought family was supposed to help each other.” I climbed down to start carrying it back up before Mitchell saw it and fired me. It was going to be tough loading it back on by myself. Now I was pissed. “Get the fuck out of my way, pops. You’re not going to scare me.”
He vanished but a burst of his wicked laughter cracked the air. “We’ll see about that, offspring .”
Chapter 12
At home, Mom had always assigned difficult, lengthy homework projects. My high school teachers’ assignments were easy and silly. I finished my homework in minutes. The rather
awful day at school had tired me out, and I’d drifted off into a nice nap until the front door slammed shut. I sat up with a start. Jasper had apparently snuggled up next to me. He sat up as well.
Nana’s feet seemed to be stomping toward the kitchen. I patted the dog on the head. “That is definitely not the sound of happy feet, Jasper.” We both scooted off my quilt and headed down the hall.
When I arrived at the kitchen, Nana was pounding the daylights out of her pie dough. Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t look up or acknowledge me. I walked over to the table, plucked off a ball of dough, and pushed it in my mouth. It was buttery and sweet as always. “Nana, what did that pie dough ever do to you?”
“Huh?” She glanced up surprised to see me standing there. She smiled and slowed down the wild strokes of her rolling pin. “It’s just I’m so angry.”
“I thought I heard the front door shut. Did we have a visitor?” Citizens from the town rarely came up the mountain unless they were hunting or looking for firewood.
“It was that sniveling, puffy-faced mayor from town. Ascott or Axescott or whatever his name is. Corrupt, fumbling idiot.” She began to roll the dough out like a woman possessed again. I placed my hand on her arm. “Are you making pie crust or shoe leather?” She stopped and relaxed her shoulders.
“I’ve never seen you so upset, Nana. What did he say?”
“He says Zedekiah has been seen in town, at the school.” She looked at me. “You didn’t tell me he showed up at your school. Or is it a falsehood?”
I took my hand from her arm. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, Nana. I didn’t want you to worry.”
She took hold of my face with her flour and dough covered hands. Her green eyes, now clouded with age looked into mine. “He didn’t hurt you, did he?”
I shook my head. She dropped her hands and lifted up the end of her apron to wipe the flour from
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