Mabe's Burden by Kelly Abell Page B

driveway.
    “ Oh shit,” Mabe
muttered.
    “ Hey, isn’t …?” Meg eyed her
older sister.
    “ Yes, I believe it is. I bet
he’s come to check on his disaster victim. Mabe, be nice. Let’s
hear what he has to say.” Mara vacated her chair to stand by the
porch railing.
    The driver’s side door opened. Aaron
Shaw climbed, or more like unfolded, out of the car.
    “ My, he is a tall fellow,
isn’t he?” Meg mumbled out of the side of her mouth.
    “ Shut up,” Mabe admonished
through clenched teeth.
    He waved as he sauntered up the
sidewalk. “Hi, ladies. I just wanted to stop by to see how Mabe
was. Rumors ran through the pub her arm was broken.”
    She held up the cast.
    “ Oh shit, I’m sorry.” He
climbed slowly onto the porch. She got a brief surge of
satisfaction seeing him wince, but he hid it well. “Of course I’ll
pay your medical bills.”
    “ Why?” she asked. “It was my
fault, too. I’m not destitute. I can pay my own medical
expenses.”
    “ Pull in your claws,
Sheikra,” Aaron retorted. “I’m not here to fight with you. I just
wanted to make sure you were okay.”
    “ Come. Sit.” Mara pointed to
the chair next to her. “Tell us why our sister hates you so
much.”
    He eyed Mara warily. Hesitation covered
his expression. Mabe smirked. She’d be wary, too. She, along with
her sisters were a formidable trio.
    He sat in the wicker chair Mara had
vacated. She remained perched on the porch railing, waiting for his
response.
    He glanced at all three sisters in
turn, his gaze lingering on Mabe. “Um, I’m not sure why I’m hated
so much. I’m trying to help you ladies out of a sticky situation.
It seems pretty simple to me. You need money to pay off a debt. I
want to take advantage of a good investment. Seems like a win-win
to me.”
    “ Just what makes you think
we need money to pay off a debt? Who divulged this information to
you?” Mara inquired.
    He squirmed. “Look, if you don’t want
my help fine. My sources—”
    “ Gavin,” Mabe
supplied.
    “ Okay. Gavin told me of your
predicament. We do business together from time to time. When he
found out about your father’s gambling debt, he called me. He
thought it would be a great way to help you three out of an awkward
situation, keep you safe. I’d get a good investment.” He leaned
forward with his elbows on his knees. “I was trying to tell Mabe
earlier. I don’t think you understand who your father was indebted
to before he died. These guys play hardball. They won’t wait.
According to Gavin, Shane had already put them off for too long.
They either want the bar or the money.”
    Mabe sat up straight in the
swing. “You never mentioned the part about them wanting the
bar or the money.
What are you getting at here?”
    “ If they don’t get the
money, they’ll take the pub. They may run it or see to it that it
burns down to take the insurance money, but either way they’ll get
paid. The head of this crime family has enough resources to see it
through. I’m willing to buy it from you for a price which will
allow you to pay them off and still have enough to live on until
you decide what you want to do.”
    “ I want to run my bar,” she declared
stubbornly. “We will find a way to get the money to save
Shenanigans. We don’t need you running to our rescue like we’re
helpless kittens in a storm.”
    He glared at her. “I don’t think you’re
helpless kittens, but I also don’t think you’re aware of who you’re
going to be dealing with.”
    “ What makes you such an
expert on these people?” Mara wanted to know.
    “ Yeah,” Meg added. “I’m a
little curious myself. Helping us can’t be the only reason you’re
interested in this deal.”
    Mabe shot Aaron a smug
glance. “See, we aren’t easily fooled by a handsome, sexy face.”
Immediately, her face flushed. Why did I
say that?
    Meg exchanged a glance with her sister.
Mara pressed, “Answer the question.”
    “ I just want to help. Gavin
is a