Total pages in book: 203
Estimated words: 199654 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 998(@200wpm)___ 799(@250wpm)___ 666(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 199654 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 998(@200wpm)___ 799(@250wpm)___ 666(@300wpm)
She sees me and waves. I wave too. We exchange knowing smiles. We’re both freshly wifed and feeling overjoyed with how Fate worked in our favor.
I see Ivy and Amie, who wave at me from one of the cluster of picnic tables. Amie pats the spot beside her.
Tyson, Mase, and Riley are standing by the big coffee urn together, obviously in conversation, but looking this way with joy on their faces while waiting for Jase to join them. They’ve got coffee cups in their hands instead of alcoholic beverages.
I wave giddily before I kiss Jase’s jaw and rush toward the girls.
Before I get where I’m going, I glance over my shoulder and he’s stopped before getting to the guys. He’s watching me. And his eyes are full of heat.
He likes my gold dress. Second time was the charm, I guess. He’s already told me he can’t wait to get me back home and out of it.
I still caught a faint hint of the pheromone despite Mom taking it to the drycleaners for me, but I’m over my mortification. Well and truly over it.
Stacy and Caroline are serving food to children. Misty is on the dancefloor with some of the kids, all of them dancing in a circle.
“This is awesome!” I say, about to sit beside Amie, but my parents are rushing this way to greet me.
“Oh, you came!” I say.
Mom is examining my mate mark with a big smile.
After I hug them both and we exchange quick pleasantries, Mom rushes toward Skye and Lucy, who come in with more food. Dad wanders toward the coffee urn.
“Look at you!” Amie says, bumping my shoulder with hers as I sit. “I think someone spent the past few days learning what all the fuss is about in the most delightful way!”
I blush while also nodding enthusiastically.
Malachi walks by and waves with a smile, calling out, “Congratulations!”
I wave back, glad he’s not holding a grudge against me.
“We need your full mating story,” Ivy informs. “But let’s save that for a girls’ day. Maybe tomorrow?”
“Maybe next week,” I amend.
Amie elbows me playfully. “I hear ya, girlie…”
I then fill them in on our planned trip and promise we’ll do lunch before we go.
“So? What happened today with Sherry?” Ivy asks.
I tell them about run-in with Sherry, but I speak as soft as I can, so I don’t affect the otherwise awesome vibe here tonight.
56
JASE
The possessive beast within me doesn’t want to share my mate’s attention. But the rest of me likes what I see. Pack members showing her support, the way she’s done for all of them.
She’s surrounded by others who value her, which is what she deserves.
She’s in a huddle with some of the council mates. By their expressions I’m sure they’re discussing this morning and that cunt formerly known as my sister. I push thoughts of that away, so I don’t storm to my childhood home and finish the job of strangling her, sedated and pregnant or not.
“A world of emotions on that face,” I hear and turn my head toward Riley who’s to my right.
He says, “Liked that look on your face a minute ago when your eyes were on her. Now you look like you wanna kill someone. Welcome to life as a protective alpha mate. How are you dealin’ tonight sharing her attention?”
“Wanna scoop her up and take her home until it’s time to go on our trip.”
And now I’m thinking about the fact that when we’re on the trip we’ll be dealing with more than just our friends, family, and pack members. We’ll be dealing with complete strangers. And we won’t be able to shift while we’re gone.
Shit. What was I thinking?
“Soon as you get back, I’m taking Rikki on a little trip, too. She’s got some shit to sort out back in Marblehead for one of her cases. After that’s done, I wanna take her to the Caribbean and do nothing but eat grilled fish, drink out of a coconut, swim and more than all of that… fuck.”
“Speaking of Marblehead, your in-laws hitting the road soon?” I ask.
“Some of them are already gone. Don’t mind havin’ them around, honestly. Rik’s close to her sisters and always happy when her family is nearby, but I’ll sure be glad when things settle down for us all.”
“You and me both,” I mutter.
Riley’s father comes over and after he congratulates me, they get caught up in conversation, so I grab a cup and pour a coffee, taking in more of what we’ve got going on here.
But then Riley’s mom comes over with Mitch Blakely and his wife, so Riley looks at me and says, “Right. Gonna check that for you right now.”
“Thanks, bro. Appreciated,” I play along.
Riley makes his exit with his teeth gritted.
It’ll be nice when Mitch Blakely no longer has reasons to be here so much, reminding Riley of all that shit he and Erica went through.