Read Online Soul Protector by Amanda Leigh Cowley - Free Book Online Page B

and self-assured during the whole incident; I found
it hard to believe he’d actually been worried. If that was the
case, he’d done a brilliant job of hiding it. And I was grateful.
I’d been traumatised enough about the switch-back, and Dan had been
the rock that got me through it. If I’d known he was anxious too,
it would have been even more of a nightmare.
    I realised he’d stopped talking
and was staring at me. I really should have looked away after a
couple of seconds, but our eyes kind of locked together. The mood
quickly changed as all thoughts of the previous night disappeared
and the atmosphere became charged. It was so strong I felt the
little hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
    After a few long seconds, Dan
blinked and looked away. When he looked back his expression had
returned to normal. He began talking again, using the same casual
tone as before. I pulled my hair forward over my ears, hoping to
distract from how shaky I felt. What was that all about?
    “But you’re all good now,” he
was saying. “And you know the rules, so it shouldn’t happen
again.”
    While he was speaking I managed
to regain my composure, so when it was my turn to talk there was
only the hint of a waver left in my voice.
    “It definitely won’t happen
again. I told you, I’m not switching from now on.”
    “You sure about that? Never say
never...”
    I smiled at his optimism. The
only part of being a Soul Protector I was embracing was meeting
Dan, the rest of it I was happy to leave behind.
    After arranging to pick me up
for our trip to the Office on Friday, Dan left. I closed the door
behind him and leant back on it, grinning from ear to ear.
     
     
    ~~~
     
     

CHAPTER 7
    .
    Mum and Terry
    .
    On the Thursday morning, I’d
had a text from Mum asking if I wanted to pop round for tea that
night. I knew she’d been worrying about me since the whole Mike and
Michelle thing blew up, and because I’d moved away from home she
liked to check up on me regularly and make sure I was still eating
and breathing.
    She said it would just be her
and Terry, her boyfriend. I smiled to myself. Terry was a lovely
man, and he clearly adored Mum. After everything she’d been
through, I was so pleased she’d found someone to make her happy. I
couldn’t help feeling torn though. As much as I wanted to see Mum
and Terry, I didn’t fancy making small talk with Michelle if she
turned up, allegedly out the blue.
    I sent a text to Mum to say I’d
be there, but as long as it was only her and Terry. I hated making
life difficult, but I just wasn’t ready to forgive Michelle yet. I
hoped Mum would understand.
    ~
    Nisha was sorting through some
courier packages as I entered reception that morning. The long
shiny black hair that I wished was mine, fell forward as she leaned
over the forms in front of her, blocking her view from anything
other than straight ahead. She heard my footsteps, stopped what she
was doing and looked up.
    “Hey, Gracie, are you feeling
any better?”
    “Yes, I’m all good now,
thanks.”
    Her face lit up as she
remembered something. “So who was this mystery fella who rang in
for you yesterday?”
    I forced a laugh to give me
time to think.
    “Oh him? He was just a friend… of my Mum’s ,” I finished hastily.
    She narrowed her eyes as she
looked me up and down. Nisha was gossip central in our office, and
nothing happened without her knowing about it first.
    “You seem jumpy, Gracie
Reynolds. What are you hiding?”
    “No nothing, honest. I’m just
not feeling a hundred percent yet.”
    “Hmm. We’ll see,” she said, a
sly smile forming on her lips.
    Damn . How did she do
that? I knew she wouldn’t leave me alone until she found out
more details. Well, she’d be in for a long wait.
    I stopped at the machine
en-route to my desk and got a hot chocolate for Arthur and a milky
coffee for myself. I popped Arthur’s drink on his desk and mouthed
hello so as not to interrupt his phone call.
    When Camille