Free Lauren (Keegan's Chronicles Spin Off) by Julia Crane Page A

paying attention to anyone.
    A whiff of coffee caught her attention. Lauren looked around and saw the familiar symbol of her favorite coffee shop. She turned and moved in the direction of caffeine, relieved to have something else to pass the time.
    The line was long, but she had plenty of time, so she took up her post at the end. When she made it to the front of the line, she smiled at the frazzled woman behind the counter. “Carmel mocha.”
    “Anything else?” The woman’s question was shrill, as if her nerves were on edge.
    Okay, so maybe working in an airport might not be that fun after all.
    “Umm, sure. I’ll have a piece of carrot cake.” Lauren figured it wouldn’t be enough to ruin her appetite for dinner with the girls.
    The woman told her the total, and Lauren paid with a twenty. She peeled a five from her change and tossed it into the tip jar.
    The woman met her eyes over the register and said gratefully, “Thank you.”
    “You’re welcome.” Lauren nodded and made her way to the end of the counter to wait for her order.
    As she watched the second barista—a tall, cute guy with a baby face—she noticed an old woman sitting nearby at a corner table. The lines on her face gave away her age, but her eyes were still young and alert. The petite lady wore a navy blue polka dotted dress that looked like it came from the fifties. She seemed to be watching Lauren.
    Lauren gave her a slight smile and looked away, studying the display case of sweets. A moment later, her eyes darted back to the woman; she was still staring.
    “Lauren!” the barista called as he shoved a cup and a bag over the counter.
    Lauren turned to get her drink and cake. As she walked away from the bar, she couldn’t help glancing over again. The woman inclined her head towards the chair across from her, a short white braid sliding across her shoulder with the movement.
    It wasn’t as if the old lady looked dangerous or anything. Lauren shrugged and crossed over to the table, standing awkwardly in front of the woman.
    The woman smiled sweetly. Her blue eyes danced as she intoned, “Have a seat, child.”
    “Umm, okay.” Lauren pulled out the chair and lowered herself into it as she placed her coffee and cake on the table.
    “You remind me of my granddaughter.” The woman’s voice was soft and crackly. “What’s your name, dear?”
    Lauren was relieved to find out that it was simply a coincidental resemblance that had driven the woman to stare, and not that the woman was a nut job. “Lauren, and yours?” Lauren blew on her mug before she took a sip.
    “Rose.” She took a sip from a steaming mug in front of her, her dark eyes studying Lauren. “I don’t see many of our kind anymore.”
    Our kind? Rose was a fairy? Well, that was pretty damn cool. “You’re a—?” Lauren raised an eyebrow.
    Rose chuckled and toasted Lauren with her mug. “Yes, dear. We both have wings.”
    Lauren almost choked on her coffee. She looked around to see if anyone had heard, but the place was too crowded and noisy.
    The old woman smiled sadly. “My granddaughter’s name was Sarah.”
    “Was?” Lauren couldn’t help but ask.
    “She died when she was about your age.”
    “What happened to her, if you don’t mind me asking?”
    Rose’s thin lips pursed, and then she let out a breath. “She fell in love with the wrong man.”
    Lauren stared down into her coffee, afraid to look up. Even though Rose was talking about her granddaughter, Lauren got the feeling she meant Tristen. She was probably just being paranoid.
    Slowly, Lauren lifted her head and whispered, “I’m sorry for your loss.”
    “Just be careful.” The woman patted her lips with a napkin and dropped it on the table. Then she was gone.
    What in the hell? Lauren glanced around the small coffee shop, trying to see where the old woman had gone.
    She had vanished into thin air.
    Had Lauren made the whole thing up? She reached across the table and grabbed the napkin Rose had