Free My Furry Valentine: "In Between" 1.5 (Peculiar Mysteries) by Renee George Page B

could think about was Babe. Babe hadn’t appreciated the doc’s treatment protocol at the time and had made me promise to forgo healing by kissing in the future. “Nope.” I tapped the lid. “Better to heal up the old fashioned way.”
    Billy Bob laughed. It was rich and melodious. “No worries, Sunny. I added some kisses to the ointment.”
    Oh thank Heavens! It meant my face really would get better quickly. Slow healing was one of the many drawbacks of being human. “You’re the best.”
    He walked over, tucked his finger under my chin and gave my face a once over. “You really did a thorough job.” He placed a brotherly kiss on the top of my head. “But nothing that can’t be fixed.”
    “Thanks,” I said with genuine gratitude.
    “Glad I could be of service.”
    “I’ll bet you are,” Chav mumbled.
    Billy Bob gave her a wry glance, but before he could rebut, my front door flew open, and Ruth Thompson rushed inside.
    “Sunny!” she shouted.
    I stood up, alarmed at her urgency. “What’s happened? Babe? Is he hurt?” Ruth had been helping Babel settle into his official job as mayor of Peculiar. He needed an assistant and she needed a break from Doe Run Automotive, the business owned by her husband, Ed.
    “Jesus,” she whispered, her doe eyes (and I do mean doe) widened. “What happened to you? Did you fall into the fireplace?’
    “Focus, Ruth.” The baby kicked again, and I leaned on the table. “Just tell me the news before I go into premature labor.”
    Ruth inhaled deeply to slow her breathing. “Your almost in-laws are driving up here. They’ll be here this evening.”
    “Mom and Dad are coming tonight?” Chavvah said. “They weren’t supposed to arrive until the tenth. Where they hell are they going to stay?”
    Heart pounding, gut wrenching panic welled inside me. Bile burned my throat. I couldn’t entertain Babe’s folks for fourteen days, I was barely holding on to my sanity as it was. Besides, they’d already voiced their unhappiness about Babel marrying a human. I found those protests somewhat hypocritical because the Trimmels were integrators—therians who didn’t believe in isolating themselves in shifter-only communities. They believed the only way to survive in the modern world was to stay immersed in human culture. Ironically, they blamed me for their children’s choices. In their minds, it was my fault that Babel and Chavvah had decided to live in a shifter community.
    “I am so screwed,” I whispered.
    Billy Bob patted my shoulders. “Keep your chin up and your face greased.”
    “What?”
    “You have to layer the ointment on thick and leave it on your skin until it’s healed. The formula will make you look like you smeared on bacon fat, but it’ll be worth it.”
    Crap! Panic twisted inside me. “Can’t you just lick it better?”
    “Sunny!” Chav protested.
    Billy Bob grinned. “Not unless I want to get into a dogfight with a coyote.”
    “Fine,” I said grumpily. I opened the tub and grabbed a handful of the salve. Ruined face. Peed pants. Fat ankles.
    What else could go wrong?

Chapter Two
    To my relief, Babe had called me and promised his parents were coming for a short visit. Apparently, they wanted to meet their future daughter-in-law before the wedding. Go figure. My face felt better with Billy Bob’s healing salve layered on a quarter of an inch thick. I hated that my almost-in-laws first impression of Babe’s intended mate would be me looking like one of those Housewives of LaLaLand after a Botox and derma-peel party. At least, my lips weren’t bee stung and I could form expressions on my face.
    I smiled and wiggled my brows. Ow .
    Sorta form expressions.
    Anyhow, I’d been stupid, and I’d deal with the consequences.
    I rubbed my belly, took a breath, and opened my mind to visions. I wanted to know how the visit with Babe’s parents would go. Minutes passed. As usual, nothing came to me. I’d started doing readings down at the