Free Seeing Spots by Zenina Masters

Chapter One
     
     
    Sable Musgrave sat at the table with her family and enjoyed the companionship of her parents, grandparents and siblings.
    Her nephew paused the conversation by piping up, “Aunty Sable, when are you getting married?”
    All forks and knives paused as the air got heavy.
    “I don’t know, Dean. I haven’t found anyone yet that I could marry.”
    He frowned. “You should marry someone tall, ‘cause you are tall.”
    “Good logic.”
    “And he should have a pool and maybe an airplane.”
    Sable winked at him. “Come to me with your list after dinner and I will see what I think is suitable for my search.”
    The gathering laughed and everyone resumed eating.
    Dean didn’t know that Sable’s childhood sweetheart had died when he was seventeen and her family had refused to let her go looking for another. He just knew that he wanted an uncle with a pool. Kids were fairly direct in those matters.
    Sable was almost sure that her broken heart had healed. After a decade, she was more than willing to take it for a test run outside of her protective family and friend circle.
    She was willing to jump and see where she landed.
    After dinner, she was sitting with Dean, and he was carefully writing out his wish list as only a six year old could. When the list was finished, she kissed him on the head and gave him a hug. “Thanks, buddy, I will use this list.”
    He beamed and went to hop onto his father’s lap.
    Sable carefully folded the letter into eighths and tucked it into her pocket. She headed to the kitchen to help clear up after dinner, and her mother was with her three sisters-in-law. “Can I help?”
    Dione smiled, “You can put the pots away. I always mix them up.”
    Sable grinned and carried out her task while the other women talked about their husbands and how to best manipulate them. Sable poured herself some coffee and sat at the table. She took a deep breath. “Mom. I am going to the Crossroads.”
    The dish that her mother was holding slipped and Tammy caught it. “What?”
    “You heard me.”
    Her sisters-in-law were quiet. They knew what she knew. No one in their circle would have her. Brendan’s family was large and well connected. They would not allow her to find a mate. In their minds, she was Brendan’s mate and no amount of logic was going to change that. If she wanted to try at a relationship, she had to leave home, leave her friends and their society in search of a new life. A life with someone she could love.
    Her mother turned and sat next to her, taking her hand with one hot and foamy from the dishwater. “When?”
    “I have had the consultation and am going tomorrow.”
    Evanna smiled at her. “Good. Did you get Khris to sign?”
    That surprised Sable. “Uh, yeah. I met with him last week. I picked up hair from the bushes for yours and Father’s donations.”
    Her coalition leader had indeed signed the release for her to go to the Crossroads. He had also mentioned that if he wasn’t Brendan’s uncle, he would have pursued her himself. Related to one and related to all. That was the motto of the cheetahs. If she had never been engaged to Brendan, it would not have been an issue, but the engagement was a legal contract and that made her kin to all of Brendan’s family.
    Dating in the cheetah community was complicated.
    Her mother grinned and her sisters-in-law sighed with relief.
    Sable exhaled and sat back. “So, now for the hard part. Who tells Dad?”
    Suddenly, the clean dishes were back in the sink and Sable was on her own. She got to her feet and headed into the living room, meeting her father’s gaze and jerking her head toward the study.
    She entered it before him, and she took a seat in one of the leather wingback chairs near the fireplace.
    “So, fuzzy, what is your trouble? Is it Dean? His father already offered to have a talk with him.” Arthur Musgrave settled in the chair, his lean body still fit in his sixth decade.
    “No, he is great and gave me