Tuesday Teaser 9/30/14: Sky & Rose

It’s time for another Tuesday Teaser! After Rose and Sky arrived in Omaha, Mayor McGrath invited them to supper. During the conversation over dinner Rose learns a lot about what Omaha is like, and she despises it. She despises the mayor too, but she feels sorry for his wife. Years ago, they had two children, a son and a daughter. The daughter has died in childbirth, and Rose is told the son is gone too.  She examines the pictures of the children on the walls and the boy, who appears to be 16 or 17 in the last picture, reminds her of someone.

“Thank you for a lovely evening,” Sky said. “And for your generous welcome to my bride.”

As he escorted Rose past their hostess, Mrs. McGrath reached out to catch her hand. “Please do come and visit, Mrs. Wolfe. It would be so nice to get to know you better.”

Rose held the fragile hand. From this angle she could just barely see the last portrait of the McGrath’s son. The expression on his mother’s face meshed with a memory and something clicked in Rose’s head. “What was your son’s name?”

The gaunt face showed brief surprise. “Ryan. Ryan Thomas McGrath.”

Rye Thomas. Rose’s breath left her in a rush. She opened her mouth to say something, but changed it. “I’m very sorry that I brought back bad memories earlier.”

Mrs. McGrath pressed her fingers. “Not at all. Some memories can hurt, but others bring joy. Do come again soon.”

“Thank you, I will.”

She could hardly stand to wait until she climbed into the backseat of the car next to Sky to tell him her discovery. But as soon as she opened her mouth to ask him if the McGraths’ son was really dead, he closed his over it. Any thought of the Rye Thomas Trading Company flew out of her head. This wasn’t a quick peck. It was a hot, overwhelming onslaught of tongue that froze her in place. She flashed back to the hallway of the den, eight years ago, when he’d pinned her against the wall and kissed her with unschooled savagery. A tiny pang of fear was squashed by trembling, uncertain passion. And just as she began to relax into the kiss, he lifted his lips and replaced them by his fingers.

“Hush, darling.” A flick of his lashes reminded her of the driver in the front seat. “We’ll be home soon. Then we can finish this.”

So, it looks like we’ll be seeing old faces in Wolf’s Princess. Good thing? Bad thing?