Gideon Bean (Auras & Embers Book 1) by Gwen DeMarco

Author:Gwen DeMarco [DeMarco, Gwen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-02-23T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 17

The sun was just cresting the horizon, barely beginning to lighten the sky as Gideon pulled into his usual parking spot in front of his apartment. His shift at the crematorium had been particularly long that night – uneventful, but long and boring, nonetheless. The sharp scent of formaldehyde that always clogged up his nostrils felt like it was still clinging to his clothes. He’d slid every corpse into the retort oven that night half expecting them to come back to life. Seeing Dacey rise from the flames had been haunting, but also exciting. The thought of her stirred something foreign in his chest, an inkling of fascination, and perhaps, an ounce of… He shook his head, trying to dislodge any thoughts along that path.

Gideon had less than an hour before he needed to be at the shell shack, and he felt like his stomach was trying to gnaw its way out of his body in hunger. Although, if he knew his mom, he knew to expect an interrogation served alongside his breakfast.

His entrance was announced by the familiar creak of the wooden floorboard and the soft chime of dainty bells his mother had hung on the door. The cushions on the worn-out couch in their modest living room had seen better days. Yet the little space was impeccably clean and had a comforting air about it, thanks to his mother.

As he walked into the kitchen, Gideon found his mom at the stove, deeply engrossed in preparing breakfast. “Morning, Ma,” he greeted her. “You need any help?”

His mother, with her kind eyes and brown hair with a few gray strands pulled back in a ponytail, looked up. A warm smile found its way onto her face. “Good morning, love. Did you have a good night?” she asked, but her eyes remained worried. He knew that she didn’t like that he worked at the crematorium.

“Yeah, it was a good night. Uneventful.”

Unlike the night before, Gideon thought with a wry twist of his lips. His thoughts were interrupted by his mother’s next question. “Will your new friend Dacey be joining us?” she asked. His heart stuttered at the mention of the bennu shifter.

“Not today, Ma,” he offered nonchalantly, fearing his mother might see through his transparent emotions.

“Will we be seeing more of her?”

Gideon huffed a sigh, knowing exactly where his mother was going with her line of questioning.

“Probably not. Dacey lives in Tallahassee. Once she finishes her assignment here, she’ll be going home.”

“Are you two—”

“No, Mom,” Gideon interrupted before she could finish the question. “We are just friends. I barely know her.”

“Well, if she’s still in town on Sunday, you should bring her to church. It would be a good way for you two to get to know one another better.”

He shifted uncomfortably in his chair, staring unseeingly into his mug of coffee. One corner of his mouth twisted in a half-smile, half-wince. “Mom, y’know, I’m sure she would appreciate the invite – if she’s even still in town on Sunday, but…” he started.

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