“Last one there’s a rotten egg!” Beth declared as she Changed.
Liam and Naomi quickly followed, and leaped after her. They charged through the woods, and Naomi pulled ahead of Beth just in time to reach the fallen log first. They were laughing and pulling on their clothes as the Pyr came racing along the path, panting, his tongue lolling out.
“Slowpoke,” Naomi teased as he Changed.
“Easy for you to say,” Liam said, bent over with his hands on his knees, gasping for breath. “You cats are built for speed. My Pyr is built for guarding!”
“Okay, I forgive you.” Naomi smoothed out the wrinkles in the shirt he’d just pulled on, and leaned up to kiss his cheek with a loud smacking noise. “You rescued me from that zoo, so you’re my hero, even if you can’t keep up.”
Liam gave a mock growl. “I am so biting you next time I’m my Pyr.”
She tossed her head. “If you can catch me, big guy.”
“If you two are done flirting,” Beth said plaintively, “can we go back to the inn? I need to get my room key, and unpack, and all that fun stuff. I guess I’m going to have to figure out what I’m going to do now, but that can wait. Right now, I just want to be happy!”
“Sounds good to me,” Liam said, and Naomi nodded.
Beth slid her hand into Naomi’s. “I hope they have a room close to yours,” she confided. “We’ve been apart too long.”
“Amen to that!”
When they entered the lobby, however, Angus tilted his head, his dark eyes gleaming. “So, twins.”
“Yes!” Overflowing with happiness, Naomi pulled Beth up to the desk. “Angus, this is my sister, Beth. Beth, this is Angus, he owns the Bed and Breakfast, along with his wife, Renee, who is the most fabulous baker, ever.”
Angus aimed one of his warm smiles at Beth. “We’re very pleased to have you here, Beth.” He turned his attention to Naomi. “How would you feel about changing rooms?”
She blinked at him. “What?”
“We have a family suite available on the second floor in back. Two adjoining rooms with a shared full bathroom between them, as well as a shared balcony.”
“Oh, perfect!” She beamed, while Beth seemed speechless.
Angus’s smile encompassed them both. “We didn’t think you’d want to be parted, after all this time. I’ll have Martin bring Beth’s luggage up to the suite, then he can give you a hand moving your things, Naomi.”
“I’ll help, too,” Liam offered. “You girls can move Naomi’s clothes and stuff over, while I pack up the books in those folding boxes.”
“Yes, but, oh!” Naomi grabbed Beth’s hand. “First I want to take her to meet Renee.”
“No need to take her anywhere, I’m here,” Renee announced, coming into the lobby, her face wreathed in smiles as she hugged first Naomi, then Beth. She pulled back, staring at them, arms akimbo, her hands planted on her wide hips.
“Well, just look at the state you’ve gotten into,” she scolded Beth. “You look as bad as your sister did when she first arrived. What did you two do, starve yourselves in unison, too?”
Beth ducked her head guiltily, but Naomi just hugged her twin tight.
“Go easy on her,” she told Renee. “She’s had a rough year… even rougher than mine.”
“I can imagine, if she’s spent the last year in the Sanctuary.” Renee’s voice gentled. “You’ll be fine now, though. We’ll get you fattened back up in no time.”
“She really will,” Naomi assured her twin. “Wait until you’ve tasted Renee’s baking… you’ll think you’ve died and gone to heaven.”
Together they went up the steps, Liam trailing behind.
It was a full hour later that all of Beth’s belongings had been brought up and unpacked, and Naomi’s had been moved from her old room and also put away. Beth headed to her room for her phone, with the stated intention of sitting out on the balcony while setting it up. Naomi let her go, saying nothing, but bit her lip, well aware her sister had already set up the phone back in the Sanctuary. She thought her sister was still weak, being still far too thin and emaciated looking, and she gazed after her worriedly.
Liam’s arm came around Naomi’s waist, and he pulled her close, nuzzling her hair.
“She needs you,” he breathed softly so only she could hear. “You two need to spend time alone.”
