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Have you read the first book in the Marked Over Forty series? Read on for a preview of Rex and Lori’s story,Forbidden Midlife Mate.
1
“Happy freaking New Year to me,”Lori Jensen muttered, poking at the touchscreen of her new fitness tracker. She’d just gotten it, and even though everyone made them sound so easy to use, she hadn’t quite figured the thing out yet. At forty-eight, she was experiencing the joys of perimenopause, and her doctor had pushed her to start moving more to ease her symptoms. Exercise wouldn’t stop her hot flashes, but she’d hoped it would at least get her energy and mood back on track. She couldn’t use the excuse of being a busy mom anymore now that Conner was in college.
“Oh, hell. Jogging is still good for me even if the damn thing doesn’t keep track of it.” Slamming her car door and making sure she had her keys tucked in her pocket, Lori got started.
Eugene was new to her, and not a city she’d picked for herself. It was…different, that was for sure. Everyone seemed to be outside all the time, and she couldn’t blame them, with the mild winter weather and all. It felt odd to be outdoors in January without a heavy parka, a hat, and thick gloves, but she had to remind herself she wasn’t in Chinook, Montana anymore.
She wasn’t the only one out for a jog that day. The wide gravel paths were bustling with people. Parents walked with their small children, who dragged them off to a nearby playground. A bicyclist or two rode by, and Lori picked up her pace. She was tired, but that wasn’t going to stop her. She could do this.
“Excuse us!”
Lori bolted to the right as a group of fit young college girls came darting past. While Lori had donned her sweats and a dingy old bra, these girls were slim and lithe in their stylish athletic wear, showing off their perfect shapes in their clingy leggings, form-fitting sports bras, and cropped hoodies. Their ponytails wagged as they passed by, mocking Lori for going so slow.
She snorted to herself, remembering how she, too, had once been young and lithe, thinking she’d remain that way forever. “Enjoy it while it lasts, ladies. Gravity’s a bitch.”
A loud beep had her looking down at her fitness tracker. It was finally working, or at least she was pretty sure it was. She had no clue what all the numbers and symbols meant, but it was obviously doing something. Good. She was really doing this. Not just the jog, but everything. This was the start of a whole new life for Lori, and she was determined to make the most of it.
Her muscles burned, reminding her that all the years of running the saloon with Chuck hadn’t been the same as getting proper exercise every day, even though she’d spent most of her shifts entirely on her feet. Of course, she probably wouldn’t have had to bust her ass so much if Chuck had bothered to do his job.
It was supposed to be fifty-fifty when they’d first opened The Wagon Wheel. It had always been Chuck’s dream, but he’d never had the money. Lori had just been given a small inheritance from a great-uncle, but the fact that the man she’d loved wanted her to be involved in his business had been sweet and flattering. They’d bought the cheapest old building in Chinook and transformed it from a sad little wreck on the outskirts of town to a hopping saloon everyone clambered to on the weekends. Even the weekdays weren’t too dull once Lori had talked Chuck into doing theme nights and serving better food. People were bored in their little town, so they loved the chance to see their friends over a beer while playing darts. They loved it even more when there were holiday parties, charity events, and pool tournaments.
But as hard as she’d worked, nothing was quite good enough for Chuck. Lori thought she’d made him happy, but she knew she was wrong when he ran off with the hostess.
Lori had let her mind completely wander, and with a jolt, she realized she’d gone way further than she’d ever thought she would. She glanced at the tracker on her wrist, wondering if she really had gone over a mile. That would explain why her lungs burned. Lori slowed to a brisk walk. She could feel her heart thumping, but it wasn’t setting her device off, so it couldn’t have been too bad.
Lori grinned. This really was a whole new start for her. This wasn’t the kind of thing she would’ve done if she’d stayed back in Chinook, listening to all the locals whisper behind their hands about how Chuck had run off, thinking she didn’t hear them. She’d never been happier about moving away because the last thing she wanted was for anyone to think she was doing this just to get back at Chuck. It didn’t have a damn thing to do with him, nor did anything else in her life. She was finallyfree.
A black shape fluttered in front of her. Lori turned to follow it, spotting the raven just as it landed in the grass on the other side of the path. It cocked its head to the side, studying her.
“Well, hello.” She paused, knowing she couldn’t stay still for too long and lose her momentum, but it had so much personality. “You look like you’re trying to tell me something.”
It opened its thick black beak and let out a jittering call before moving a few steps away from her.
“Oh, it’s okay. I’m not trying to hurt you. I’ve always liked animals. I mean, it’s not like I have any pets right now. I just moved here, and my landlord doesn’t allow them.”
Another cry issued from the raven’s throat just before it flew into the air, swooped between a few trees, and settled into a low branch.
“I wish I knew what you were saying.” But something inside her knew the bird wanted her to follow it. Lori had always felt animals knew far more than people, and she’d been looking for signs to let her know she was heading in the right direction by moving out to Eugene. Perhaps the raven was telling her just that.
When she reached the base of the tree, the raven swept off for another one.
The trail was getting narrower. Lori realized she hadn’t seen any joggers or cyclists for a while, and the trees were thicker there. Fear began to bloom in her chest, thinking perhaps she’d wandered too far, but she dismissed it. What’s the worst thing that could happen by getting in touch with nature a little?
“Caw!” the raven insisted.
“All right, all right! What’s so important?” Lori laughed. She left the trail behind as she followed the raven up the hill, wondering what Conner would say when she told him the story. He’d probably shake his head and ask her not to repeat it in front of his football buddies. The raven led her all the way up the hill, insistent as ever until they reached the top.
Then it was silent.
“You finally ran out of things to say?” she asked.
But the bird wasn’t looking at her anymore. It peered down the other side of the hill, its head twitching a little to one side.
Lori looked, wondering if the raven had spotted its next snack. When she turned, she realized the two of them weren’t alone. A group of people had gathered near the base of the hill on the other side. There had to be at least twenty of them. They sat around and spoke in hushed tones so Lori didn’t hear anything they were saying. Given where she was in the country, Lori figured it was a hippie gathering or something. She wasn’t going to bother them, but something caught her eye just as she started to turn away.
Looking back, Lori realized a dog was moving toward the group. No, not a dog. Awolf.It trotted up from the thicker part of the woods beyond the hill, its eyes yellow and determined. Her heart lurched in her chest. It was beautiful, the kind of thing she’d love to see up close, but it was coming right at them. Lori sucked in a breath to yell at the group, to tell them to get out of there.
