Consumed (Gem Creek Bears Book 7), стр. 7
Gran straightened her back and adjusted herself so she wasn’t leaning against the back of the chair she’d pulled closer to the stove. “I’m always up around this time. You know I’ve never been one to sleep the day away.”
I ignored the chair and flashed her a smile, even though the sight of her gutted me. Maybe it was the dull lighting in the kitchen, or perhaps it was that my mind was looking for signs that she was unwell now. Whatever the reason, Gran looked exhausted. The wrinkles around the edge of her eyes were more prominent this morning, and her skin looked like crepe paper.
“For what? I mean, you’re not working at the diner anymore, are you?” I asked, popping a cherry tomato in my mouth, trying to ignore the urge to make her go sit down. She wouldn’t listen. I knew this. “There’s no need for you to get up this early.”
Gran frowned, and I replayed what I’d just said. Had my tone been off? Did it sound like I was telling her what to do? Neither would fly with her. She’d put me in my place quickly.
“No, I’m not working at the diner anymore. I quit so I can spend time doing what I want—like cooking an omelet with fresh veggies and herbs for my granddaughter first thing in the morning,” she insisted in a sassy tone.
“Right. I’m sorry. Thanks for the omelet, Gran. It smells good.”
“You’re welcome.” She glared at me. “I think the real question is—why are you up so early? You’ve never been an early bird.”
“It’s not by choice.” I laughed. “My alarm woke me. I forgot to turn it off before I went to bed.” I leaned against the counter and swiped another tomato and a basil leaf from the cutting board. I wrapped the leaf around the tomato and then popped them both in my mouth.
“Oh. Do you go into the gallery this early? Or is this when you start painting for the day?” Gran asked, making me realize how little we knew of each other’s daily schedule even though we talked multiple times a week.
“Neither. I wake up at five and go to the gym to work out,” I said.
Gran arched a brow, glaring at me. “Since when do you workout?”
I knew the question was coming as soon as I’d said something. Gran knew as well as I did that working out had never been my thing. I didn’t get the rush of endorphins people talked about having as motivation to continue torturing their bodies daily. However, I did find that it was another excellent way to keep my sanity, as well as my bear’s, while not shifting as much living in the city.
“A couple of months ago.” I grabbed for another tomato, but Gran slapped my hand away. “So, what have you been up to now that you aren’t working at the diner nearly every day?” I asked, hoping to change the subject. If not, Gran would figure out why I’d started working out and lecture me on the importance of shifting and taking care of my bear. She’d done so more times than I could count in the last year, and I didn’t want to hear it again.
“Everything I’ve always wanted to do,” she insisted.
“Like?” I pressed, hoping to keep the conversation rolling.
Gran flipped the omelet she was cooking like a pro. “Spending time in my garden, reading, sitting on the porch and watching the mountains, fishing, tubing.” She grabbed two plates from the cabinet and sliced the omelet in half with her spatula before sliding half on each. “Living.”
I watched as she made her way to the fridge. She grabbed a large bowl of fruit out and set it on the counter before spooning some onto both plates. When she was finished, she held one of the plates out to me.
“You went tubing?” I asked as I took the plate from her. “No way.”
Tubing down the creek wasn’t something I imagined Gran would ever feel comfortable doing. Heck, I’d tried to talk her into it so many times over the years. She always said no. I knew it was because when she was a kid, she went tubing with her best friend and her friend got lost. She was supposed to get out at the bridge but didn’t. Gran looked for her down the creek but wasn’t able to find her. By the time she gave up and found an adult to help, her friend had been gone for nearly an hour. They found the poor girl later that night, miles aways from where she should have been.
Since then, Gran hadn’t stepped foot in the creek.
“I did,” Gran said. “Rayna and Tobin, along with some others, invited me to go the other day.”
“I’ve tried to get you to go for years. You always told me no.”
Gran shifted her eyes from mine. “Things are different now.”
My stomach dipped. I didn’t want to think about why things were different. I didn’t need the reminder.
“And did you have fun?” I asked instead, trying to keep the conversation light.
“More than I thought I would.” Gran grinned. Light entered her eyes for the first time all morning, and my smirk widened.
I’d have to thank Rayna for inviting her.
“What’s on the agenda for today?” I asked as I popped a blueberry into my mouth.
“I have some work to do in the garden.”
“Need any help?” I asked. Working in the garden didn’t rank high on the list of things I’d like to do today, but spending time with Gran did. If being in her garden was where she wanted to be, then it was where I would be too.
“Of course. There’s always plenty to do.” A secretive smile twisted the corner of her lips, and I knew she was getting ready to drop a bomb on me. That smirk was her telltale sign, and my stomach