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An Excerpt From: CALEB’S WOMAN
Copyright © EVE
VAUGHN, 2008
All Rights Reserved, Ellora's
Cave Publishing, Inc.
“It’s official! I’m now a business
owner! I’m so excited. For once in my life, I finally have something
to call my own!” Sommer McGregor
squealed, twirling around with her arms out. She wanted to jump up and
down, shout to the world her fantastic news and celebrate.
“I’m happy for you, hun.
You’ve finally done it, and it’s all because of a chance
meeting with that psychic.” Nina’s voice was full of smug
satisfaction, as if she were really the one responsible for Sommer
opening up Afternoon Delights, a catering service specifically created to
make corporate lunches and fulfill orders for business functions, and
specializing in hand-dipped chocolate confections. Sommer
had the foresight to have a store as her main base where she could sell her
treats to people off the streets, but her bread and butter would be the
catering.
Sommer shook her
head at her zany friend’s declaration. “Nina, you know
I’d had this planned for a while.”
“But you were dragging your feet. When Madame
Natasha did your tarot card reading, I think it was fate that your card was
the Ace of Pentacles.”
Twisting her lips to show her disbelief, Sommer
could only stare at Nina for a moment before dignifying that claim with an
answer. “Oh please. I don’t even remember that stupid reading,
let alone what the Ace of whatever you just called it is.”
Nina sighed with the impatience of one trying to get a
point across to someone who just didn’t get it. “The Ace of
Pentacles. You should study the tarot, you’d learn a lot.”
“No thanks. I’ll take my chances not
knowing. Since it seems that you’re dying to tell me what it means
though, by all means, knock yourself out.”
“It could mean many things such as a new business
venture, new beginnings, prosperity and happiness. It certainly points to
your success. Isn’t that exciting? It’s in the stars, my
friend,” Nina gushed.
Sommer rolled her
eyes. God save her from this zany woman. “Fate is what you make of
it. The only one who can control my destiny is me. I’ve sent out
flyers and contacted people who may be interested in my services to make
this a success.” She tapped her chest with her palm. “I
did all the leg work. I’m not going to make it because of what some
stupid card says. Besides, I already have one client who wants me to take
care of a series of business seminars they’re having in a couple
weeks. If all goes well, they’ll use me again and I’m sure
they’ll recommend me to their associates.”
Nina twirled one of her long braids with her finger.
“What about your father’s company? He’s an executive at
Masters and Son. They’re huge. It would be a coup if you landed an
account with them.”
Sommer groaned,
wishing Nina wouldn’t keep badgering her about this particular
subject. She’d already made a conscious decision not to use her father’s
business. No, that would be the easy way out.
The reason she’d started her venture to begin with
was to prove to everyone, and mostly to herself, she could make it on her
own without the help of others. All her life she’d been coddled and
cosseted, having to fight for every ounce of independence, which
she’d come to value.
Her parents meant well, but they were much too
overprotective. And it wasn’t just them, but her extended family as
well. The pack. Sommer would never
be able to explain to any of her human friends what it was like growing up
human among the Wulfen.
The obvious difference between her and the two people
who raised her was their skin color. Her parents were white and she black,
but that had never been an issue. They’d made the effort to infuse
some culture into her life, making race a trivial matter. It was only
outsiders who made a big deal about it.
The Wulfen factor
was the much bigger issue.
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