Free Mistakenly Mated by Sonnet O'Dell Page B

the floor.”
    Kerry placed a hand to her forehead and then shook her head back and forth. Her father needed to find better outlets for his anger.
    “He yelled at them to get the hell out of his house and never come back but they both wouldn’t budge. We got to the door and it looked like Caleb and your daddy were going to go mano a mano, so we booked it out of there. No one messes with your old man when he’s got a head of steam on.”
    “Did any of you see anything? Know who shot me?”
    “No. I’d tear the son of bitch a new one. Susan was crying all over Luka. He had to drive in the end ‘cause she wouldn’t stop blubbering.”
    Kerry smiled softly. Susan and she were very close and Susan often had her emotions in extremes.
    “She was worried about me.”
    “Still is. We’ve been callin’ and callin’ but you’ve been out of it. We promised whichever of us got through first would call the other. Susan says she’ll take your shift at Bart’s tomorrow.”
    Kerry cut him off. “No. I’ll go to work tomorrow.”
    “Kerry,” growled Paulie, getting all big brothers protective on her. “You just got shot. You cannot be thinking of working tomorrow. You need rest.”
    “I can’t not go in. I’ve never had a day sick and I’m going to heal so fast there isn’t any point in telling him I got shot. I might as well work. I’ll ask Bart if I can man the desk all day—that won’t be too taxing.”
    “I can’t talk you out of this, can I?”
    “Nope. Sorry. Tell Susan thanks though.”

Chapter Eight
    Bart had no problems when Kerry asked him if he’d let her man the desk for her entire shift. He hated to stand there, ringing up purchases. He preferred the dingy, dark smell of the stock room or the upstairs stacks putting out new books or re shelving misplaced titles.
    Kerry’s side twinged every time she had to reach for something but of the few customers they had, only one older lady asked if she were alright. Kerry assured her that she was fine. She rang up a book on knitting patterns for children’s jumpers and wished her a very pleasant day. Kerry practically had to sneak past her momma to get out of the house that morning. Luckily, her father left for work at the cotton mill early.
    Her mother called the store the minute she knew Kerry was gone and reamed her up and down for worrying her half to death. Kerry assured her mother about ten times that she would be fine. She told her how she’d managed to walk into work without any trouble. It was a lie because she’d been panting and out of breath when she reached the employee entrance. She assured her mom she would be home promptly at the end of her shift for dinner without any deviations before her mother finally got off the phone.
    The day looked like it would pass without incident until Caleb came storming in. He was more casually dressed than she’d seen him before. He wore the same tight black jeans she’d seen before but this time he wore a short-sleeved, dark blue T-shirt that strained at his biceps. He was also thunderously angry, balling his hands into fists. His shiner had already healed but he still had a pair of dark sunglasses sticking out of his pocket even though the day wasn’t as bright or warm as it had the last few days.
    “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he growled at her.
    Kerry straightened up her from her position. She’d been reading more chapters in What to Expect When You’re Mated . She slid the book back into her purse, expecting a fight on its way. Kerry sensed them, like a vibration in the air.
    “Hello Caleb. I’m at work right now. This isn’t the time or the place,” she said calmly. She hoped if she kept her voice calm, it wouldn’t escalate.
    “That is exactly my point. You shouldn’t be here. You should be at home, resting,” he said through gritted teeth. He looked around the near empty store and lowered his voice. “You aren’t well.”
    Kerry motioned for him to come closer to