Moira Rogers - Crossroads

They could do it together . “I guess if it takes the Parker family trust fund to keep things going for a while, that’s what’ll happen.”

Luciano grinned. “As long as you and Nick know the score, I say that’s all that matters.”

“Damn straight.” Derek nodded to the cradle. “What do you say? Should we finish it up and submit it for approval tonight?”

“Don’t see why not.” Luciano bent and searched through the bottom of a set of large metal shelves. He came up with fresh sheets of sandpaper. “We can ask Michelle what sort of stain she’d like and do that tomorrow. If, uh, I can figure out how to do that.”

Derek laughed. “Don’t worry. I’ll show you.”

The sun had already begun to set over the foothills, painting the sky in dimming shades of purple and gray. Nick looked out the glass walls of the sunroom and rocked slowly, her hand on the arm of Michelle’s chair. “It’s beautiful here. Quiet.”

“Peaceful.” Michelle had her eyes closed, her expression almost serene. “I can’t tell you how much I needed peaceful.”

“You don’t have to.” Her sister’s pregnancy was starting to show, just a gentle rounding of her belly. “What did the midwife Luciano found have to say?”

Michelle’s hand dropped to her abdomen. “So far so good. My powers have settled out. She thinks as long as I stay calm and secure, I won’t have to worry about magical flare-ups.”

A little of Nick’s twisting tension eased. “Do you feel secure here? With Luciano?”

Her sister didn’t answer at first. The rocking chair creaked as she pushed her foot against the sun porch, the only other sound the gentle whisper of the television inside the house. Finally she opened her eyes and glanced at Nick. “I’m safe. Luciano has given me everything I need and stayed out of my way the rest of the time. But…I miss Aaron. Even before I fell in love with him, he was the only constant in my life. The only person who was always there. I don’t know if I remember how to live without him.”

As far as Nick knew, there was no way past that, and nothing to heal those losses but time. “I’m sorry, sweetie.”

Michelle’s sadness trembled in the gentle power that surrounded her, but it was a thousand times better than the chilling numbness of the first few days after Aaron’s death. “It’s getting better. I can breathe when I think about him now. Maybe someday all I’ll remember is how lucky I was to have someone love me that much.”

“I think that’s a lovely thing to remember.”

“It’s what he deserves.” Her voice hitched and, after a slow, steadying breath, she changed the subject. “How’s Derek? Is he recovered from the fight?”

“His shoulder’s going to take a while to heal, but he’s happy here too.” Away from New York, even away from his home. “It’s almost like relearning who you are, isn’t it?”

“No shapeshifter politics. No trouble around every corner, or people saying one thing and meaning another.” Michelle closed her eyes again. “Now I understand the allure of New Orleans. The chance to be just…a person.”

It was a chance Nick herself had snatched years ago, and she figured Michelle deserved it more than anyone. “Is it my turn to cook tonight? Derek’s turn,” she amended.

“It was, but since the men have been so busy with their mysterious project, I asked Gus to save us something from what he cooked up for the ranch hands. Did you know that Luciano’s cook is related to Alec? On Alec’s mother’s side, I think, so Gus might be a Parker.”

Which would make him a relative of theirs, as well. “Huh. It is a small world.”

“Mmm. He’s a good cook.”

“No kidding. Between him and Derek, I’m going to have to buy new clothes before we go home.”

Michelle went tense. “When are you going home?”

“Don’t know yet. Thanksgiving is coming up, and then Christmas…” The time she’d spent separated from Derek had crawled, but it was flying by so quickly now. “When I left Louisiana, I had every intention of staying in Manhattan. I don’t really have to go back. Derek does, at least for business trips, but not until after the holidays.”

Michelle clutched at her hand, hard enough to make Nick’s fingers ache. “I don’t know why I thought you’d leave me so soon. I suppose I still don’t believe it’s over. Derek did something incredible for us.”

Yes, he had. “It’s over, Michelle. This is your life now, and mine is with Derek. But he understands how important it is for me to be here with you right now.”

Michelle relaxed back into her chair. “Then I’ll have to thank him. I’m so happy for you Nick. Never think I’m not. Even with everything that’s happened, I’m so glad you have him.”

It would be hard to watch other people find happiness when your own had just been shattered. She’d felt a hint of it herself when she’d walked away from Derek to give Michelle and Aaron a chance, but that had been nothing compared to her sister’s pain. Derek had been alive and well, a fact Nick could cling to as she’d faced a dim future. “I understand. I’m glad too.”

“Good. You should be.”

They rocked in easy silence for a while as the sun sank behind the hills. The wind picked up outside, the chill seeping through the thick double-paned glass, and Michelle shivered under the heavy, hand-knitted afghan. “Luciano says we’re due a blizzard soon. I suppose that means all the snow we’ve gotten so far weren’t blizzards. I’m not sure if I should be delighted or terrified.”

“At least you’ve been in New York, so you’re almost used to it. Derek and I are going to spend all winter hiding under the covers.”

Michelle actually smiled. “You weren’t going to do that anyway?”

Nick blushed, and she nudged Michelle’s arm with hers. “I meant huddling for warmth.”

The front door opened, and heavy footsteps echoed down the hallway, followed by Derek’s voice. “Where are all the pretty ladies hiding?”

Just hearing him still made Nick’s heart race. “Back here, looking at all this cold, white stuff.”

Derek and Luciano arrived a few moments later, carrying a large wooden cradle between them. They set it down in the empty space behind the rocking chairs and Derek threw Nick a wink. “An early birthday present for Michelle. Or a really early birthday present for your nephew.”

Tears had already welled in Michelle’s eyes, and Nick bit her lip. “Derek, baby, can you and Luciano go see what Gus made for dinner?”

She had to give Derek credit, he had no trouble getting a hint. He nodded and jerked his head toward the door. “We’ll see if it’s ready too.”

“Thanks.” When they’d gone, she knelt in front of Michelle’s chair. “There are a lot of people who want to do things for you and the baby.”

Michelle squeezed her eyes shut, but it didn’t stop the tears from escaping. “It’s not that. I just—Luciano was trying to be nice, and I’m…”

Still missing Aaron. Nick rose. Michelle would need some time to compose herself. “I’m going inside. Why don’t you take a few minutes?”

“Thank you.”

Derek was waiting in the hallway, and Nick leaned her head on his chest. “The cradle is beautiful.”

“I was listening.” He didn’t sound at all repentant, either. His hands settled on her lower back. “Tell me if I need to back off. I don’t want to kill her with kindness.”

“Maybe a little, though Michelle can probably take it from you better than anyone else right now.” She tried to smile. “She can always chalk it up to you being kind because of me.”

His lips brushed the top of her head. “Then maybe we should pretend all those books Mackenzie and Kat rounded up are from me too. Though she might wonder when I spent time raiding used bookstores for books with naked men on the covers. Did you know about Mackenzie’s thing for pirate books?”