Page 81 of Brandt's Rule
“Good. I’d rather have a happy mate, than one that I have to force to be at my side.”
Tempest snickered.
“What?” Brandt asked.
“You could try to force me,” she said with a shrug and a wicked glimmer in her eye.
Barron started laughing. “Oh, this is going to be fun.”
~~~
“I’m going to miss you,” Bailey said, taking the key Tempest held out to her.
“It’s not like that. You can come see me whenever you like, just like when I lived upstairs. And I’ll come see you,” Tempest said.
“I know, but I’ll still miss you.”
“Remi lives on the same property. Just a little closer to the road than we do,” Tempest said.
“Can I come visit tonight?”
“Yes!” Tempest said, laughing. “And tomorrow.”
“Actually, we’ve got to get everything settled and in its place tonight, and we’re supposed to be going to the Christmas Festival in the next couple of days,” Brandt said. “So, can she let you know about tomorrow?”
“Oh, that’s okay. I’ll come some other time,” Bailey said. “I know you have to get settled tonight, and it’s the holidays and all. We’ll plan it for some other time.”
“Soon, definitely,” Tempest said.
“I’m not sure about exactly what day with Christmas and all, but we’ll plan something,” Bailey answered, not sure if she believed she’d get to see Tempest that much at all anymore now that she and Brandt were moving in together. There were already so many reasons to not see her tonight or the next day.
“Let’s get your things home and get them unloaded and put away,” Brandt said, feeling the uneasiness between his mate and her friend as they both stood there, not knowing what to say next. “I’ll follow you.”
Tempest nodded and turned toward the door, allowing Brandt to place a hand on the small of her back and guide her. She stopped and looked back at Bailey. “We’ll have lunch tomorrow for sure! I’ll come here and we’ll work out a day for you to come see Brandt’s house so you’ll know where I am.”
“Yeah, I’d like that,” Bailey said.
Brandt opened the door for Tempest, then looked back at Bailey. “Hey, Bailey?”
She looked up at him.
“Remi really thinks a lot of you.”
Bailey smiled shyly.
“I mean, a lot,” Brandt said.
“Thanks, Brandt.”
“You’re welcome. We’ll see you soon. Nothing is going to change between you and Tempest. I promise. It’s just with everything that’s happening with us, and the festival I promised to take her to see, and then everybody’s families demanding holiday visits…”
Bailey nodded, feeling better about the situation. “I understand.”
“I hope so. You mean a lot to Tempest.”
Bailey smiled again, then offered a little wave as he went out of the door and cast a last glance her way.
~~~