Moonlight Kin 2: Aidan's Mate (Mid-Length Novel) by Jordan Summers

ridiculous!”
    Jenna pressed a button to roll down the window. Air rushed in, blowing the moisture away.
    You’re not his type. Robert’s seething statement rang in her ears.
    Judging by the appearance of those women, he’d been telling the truth. Jenna glanced in the rearview mirror. Other than the healing cut, she didn’t look too bad.
    A little underweight maybe, but that’s what happened when you couldn’t afford to eat everyday.
    She examined her features carefully. Her green eyes were okay. Better with a little makeup. Her mouth was too wide, her lips a little too full. Nothing could be done about her crooked grin or strong jawline.
    Face it, without plastic surgery you’re never going to be model pretty.
    Her gaze strayed to the road behind her. It was empty.
    She felt the same way inside. Like part of her chest had been carved out and she’d been haphazardly sewn back together.
    It dawned on Jenna that this was the first time she’d checked to see if someone was following her. She’d gone a whole day without looking. That had never happened before she’d met Aidan.
    There was something about the man that made her feel safe and protected.
    Jenna snorted in derision. “Don’t get used to it.” Today proved that wouldn’t be smart.
    Robert had made it clear that he expected her to be gone by the weekend. That didn’t give her much time. Since he was Aidan’s personal assistant, he could very well be speaking for his boss. What if that were the case? What if Aidan really didn’t want her around? Pain returned, shoving the unreasonable jealousy aside.
    Jenna pulled into Breakbend. This time she wasn’t lucky enough to score a parking space in front of the paper. She found a spot in a lot a couple of blocks away. Jenna gathered her purse, then locked the Rover.
    Busy shoppers had Main Street humming with energy. Several men wearing lure-covered fishing hats strolled down the sidewalks.
    Must be some kind of tournament going on, she thought. Either that or the worst fashion show ever!
    Jenna got her first inkling that something wasn’t right, when she passed the coffee shop on the corner. It started with an itch between her shoulder blades. The itch became a crawl that crept down her spine. Carl’s dogged pursuit had taught her never to ignore her instincts.
    He was here.
    It was only a matter of time before he caught up with her.
    Jenna kept her pace even, taking care not to break stride or look around. Her gaze strayed to the windows that lined the storefronts. She searched the reflections for sudden movements, anything out of place.
    It had to be Carl.
    Who else could it be?
    Once Carl caught her, he wouldn’t go easy on her, especially after their last encounter. No doubt he didn’t appreciate having his balls shoved into his intestines.
    Somehow Jenna had to evade him for another day or two, until she could secure her interview and get her car repaired. Would be easy enough if she were in a city, but how could she hide in a town this small?
    The paper came into view. Jenna passed the entrance. She saw Molly wave, then frown as she kept walking. She waited for the crowd of people to thicken, then she ducked down and darted into a side street.
    The narrow lane gave her access to Puck Street, which ran parallel to Main, and went by the back of the Gazette building. When she came around the corner, Paul Welling was leaning against the back door, enjoying a long drag on a cigarette.
    “What are you doing? Why didn’t you use the front entrance?” He dropped the butt onto the ground and stubbed it out with his heel.
    “Got turned around in the crowd. Missed the door. Lucky I found you,” she said.
    “Turned around in this town?” Paul scoffed, then his brown eyes narrowed. “How’s the interview coming along?”
    “Good.” Her gaze strayed to the street. She didn’t see Carl, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t there. “I should have it finished by tonight. In the meantime, is there any