Leopard Moon

Chapter Six

Kess awoke to a gnawing hunger in her stomach. She lurched up, confused as to where she was at first, then settled back down once she remembered the day before. Light was leaking in through the gap where the curtains met, but it wasn’t very bright. She checked her watch. It was only 7:30. She wanted to stay in the warm bed for a little longer, but her stomach groaned in protest and a stab of pain shot through her. Definitely time to get some food.

She rooted through her duffle for her only other clean pair of jeans and slid into them. The fire had burned itself out in the night and while the heat was on, it didn’t really warm up the monolith of a house, so she also nabbed an old sweatshirt and tossed that over her head before heading out in bare feet. Her hunger would not wait.

It was quiet, until she reached the first floor. The dining room was empty, but food was already set out. Baskets of muffins and breads sat near butter and jam and a toaster oven. Several boxes of cereal were laid out with bowls and carafes of milk sitting on ice. There was a row of small steam trays that contained scrambled eggs, sausage—both links and patties—and bacon. Juices and coffee and hot water for tea sat on a separate table. It was a ridiculous amount of food for just three people, but Kess wasn’t complaining at the moment. She could hear noise coming from what must be the kitchen. She put some bread in the toaster oven, piled a plate with eggs and sausage and stuck her head back there.

"Hello?"

Anita’s head popped up around the enormous refrigerator door that was blocking her view. "Hey Kess. How’d you sleep?"

"Like a rock," she replied, shoveling a huge forkful of egg into her mouth. "This is great, but do you always cook for an army? When you said breakfast, I didn’t expect so…much."

Anita laughed, then shooed her out. "My husband eats like an army. He should be down in a minute and you’ll see him inhale a metric ton of bacon before he leaves for work. Go get some before it’s all gone." Kess figured she must have looked quizzical because Anita clarified, "He works up on the mountain building log cabins. I pack him a lunch but he burns right through it."

Kess returned to the dining room and fixed herself some toast and a cup of tea. She went back and snagged some of the bacon and another helping of sausage and retreated to a chair at the end of the dining room table. She was going back for her third helping of eggs when the tread of heavy work boots clomped toward the dining room.

The barge of a man that entered caused Kess to choke on her toast. She had never seen anyone so built. Sure, there had been the hardbodies at South Beach and her own clan were no slouches when it came to size, but this guy looked like he could bench press the mountain and probably had. Repeatedly. He was easily six and a half feet tall, well over 250 pounds—none of which had bled to fat even though he looked to be her dad’s age—and solid as a redwood. Obviously he came and went through the doors of this house so he must fit through them, otherwise Kess might suspect they built the place around him.

"You’re Kess, right? I’m Bran." He engulfed her hand in one the size of a dinner plate. "Sorry I didn’t get to introduce myself last night."

He had dark hair shot through with streaks of grey, in both hair and beard. He was ruddy, the complexion of a man used to living outdoors. Blue eyes assessed her from beneath heavy brows. Then he smiled and his face lost ten years. Kess tentatively smiled back. "I went to bed early. I guess I’m not used to all of this fresh mountain air." She grinned ruefully.

"Mind if I join you?"

Kess shook her head and watched him as he packed his plate with the same amount of food it had taken her three trips to eat. Anita came out from the kitchen carrying a large metal lunch box and thermos. She placed these on the table, gave her husband a peck on the cheek and then went to get coffee for the two of them.