Read Online The Light of Asteria by Elizabeth Isaacs - Free Book Online Page A

I knew I couldn’t
take much more.
    “Yes,” I whispered.
    For a moment, everything went blank, but then
my stomach flipped and something shuddered in the depths of the
green.
    I can’t help it, I thought
defensively. I find it a double standard you can read every
thought of mine and I’m supposed to be okay with it, but now you’re
upset when you find out that I can feel what you’re feeling. Vulnerability obviously was hard for him too.
    Protection was winning the battle of the
emotions raging. I felt comforted … he wanted to protect me more
than he was angry. Gavin leaned close.
    “I know you can’t help it.” His deep voice
was as panicked as his emotional state. He seemed to be trying to
suppress it with a great deal of effort.
    The clanging of the cowbell
rang throughout the store. Mrs. Brown waddled in; her shrewd eyes
curiously raked over Gavin. I tried to pull my hand away, but
Gavin’s grip held. My mind raced as I glared at him ... she was a
huge gossip . He grinned and released me.
    “Hello, Nora dear. The
Vernors wanted me to stop by and pick up a few things for the
festival.” Mrs. Brown’s voice was a little higher than normal. Her
eyes twinkled with the knowledge that she had obviously walked in
on something.
    “What do you need?” I asked
politely, trying to act like it was an everyday occurrence that
someone sat ridiculously close to me at my place of employment.
Gavin’s green eyes danced with mischief.
    “Mr. Vernor said he had a
few bags in the back marked ‘fall’. Could you check for me please?”
She pointedly stared at Gavin, waiting for an introduction. He was
enjoying himself immensely. I was tempted to ignore her, but that
would really start rumors flying.
    “Mrs. Brown, I would like
for you to meet Gavin Frey. He’s in town to pick up some supplies
for his brother,” I explained ... that didn’t sound too bad. She
slowly smiled, looking like a Cheshire cat that had just caught the
most delicious mouse. Gavin stood and confidently walked to the
front.
    “Nice to meet you,” she
purred.
    “It’s nice to meet you too,
Mrs. Brown.” A smile played on Gavin’s lips as he took her chunky
hand with a small bow. She gasped, and I giggled as I ran to the
back.
    “Are you still in school,
Mr. Frey?”
    “Please, call me Gavin.”
Mrs. Brown tittered with pleasure. “I graduated last fall. My
brother and I own a farm east of here, and we require some items to
do repair work.” I could feel her undivided attention all the way
in the back room. She probably wasn’t even blinking. Where on earth
were those stupid bags?
    “I heard Vernors was the
best place to purchase quality supplies, and so we made the trip.
I’ve been very satisfied.” Gavin’s warm voice echoed through the
store. I pushed my way past the empty stock boxes, finally seeing
the white trash bags with fall scribbled in permanent marker. They
were on the top shelf … terrific.
    “Mr. Vernor will be very
glad to know that you’re so pleased. Have you found the customer
service to be satisfactory?”
    My pulse accelerated. I
jumped and tipped the bottom of the bag, causing both of them to
fall on my head.
    “More than you know, Mrs.
Brown ... more than you know,” Gavin murmured conspiratorially. I
froze. Great. I’m going to be on the front page
tomorrow.
    Gavin, stop
it, I thought, winding my way back to
the front of the store. I fervently hoped Rose hadn’t picked Edna
up for this lovely activity. Now I had to tell her.
    “Here you go, Mrs. Brown.
Hope that’s everything.” I tried to act normal.
    “Oh, I’m sure it will be
more than enough,” she smirked. “Have a good day, Nora dear …
Gavin, it was so nice to meet you.”
    “The pleasure was all
mine,” he crooned. She actually blushed. I bet she hadn’t done that
in years.
    Gavin chuckled, as the
cowbell clanged farewell to the town gossip.
    “Now you’ve done it!” I
laughed. Really, the paparazzi would probably be here within