When he was alone, Wyatt decided that he was going to finish up the painting tonight. Or at least until Sidney called him to meet her for dinner. It was just going to be him and his dad going in. The rest of them had kids to take care of. Wyatt couldn’t wait until he and Sidney had some of their own.
It took him another three hours to get the other rooms painted. Painting them all one color certainly made it easier in deciding on what needed to go where. Putting the last empty can by the door, he was interrupted again. This time it was Meggie from the pack.
“I’m so glad you had me meet you here, Wyatt. There is so much going on at the packhouse now what with spring cleaning, I was glad to be able to get away.” Wyatt told her that she could use him as an excuse to get out of cleaning whenever she wanted. “Well, aren’t you the sweetest thing. I have you a staff lined up if you want to know about them.”
“Nope. I trust your judgment. I’ll need some outside help as well—you were told that, correct?” She said that Sidney had given her a lovely list. “Good. Just tell me when they can start, and we’ll get them all settled in.”
“They’re working now. Your mom was at the packhouse yesterday, bringing us some of the things that she’d picked up for little to nothing at the garage sales going on, and told me to call her when they were ready, and she’d let them in. I think she was worried that you and that little missus of yours were up to your ears in dust.” Wyatt told her that they didn’t have enough furniture for much dust. “I saw that too. It’s good that you’re filling out your home the way you are, slow and sure, instead of going out and buying things that you decide later that you can’t stand.”
“I don’t think that Sidney would let me do that even if I tried.” Meggie agreed with him. “Levi is going to paint the walls in here. I think I’m going to have to open another office for kids to just come in to see his work. He was as excited as I was about asking him to do it.”
“You’re all such good boys, you Stantons. Your mother and father, they did right by you six. I wish more people had raised their kids half as good as your parents did. I think there would be a lot less violence in the world. Your momma, she would have slapped you silly had you tried some of the things that I’ve seen the younger kids doing. And the backtalking? My lord, Wyatt, I would have slapped my kids into next month had they tried that stuff on me. I just don’t know what’s up with this here world anymore.”
“I know what you mean.” After giving him the list of names, with social security numbers, of his new staff, he told her that he was thankful for her help. “And if you ever need anything, Meggie, you know that all you have to do is give me a call. I’ll be there for you.”
“Lordy, I know that too.” After giving him a hug, she left him to his work. She told him that she hoped he liked his new staff, and he assured her that he would.
All he’d planned on doing today was painting one room. Not only did they get all the rooms painted, but he’d gotten the staff taken care of. Talked to Levi. Had himself another project to do, as well as figured out that he was going to enjoy working for himself more than he’d ever dreamed he would.
Just as he was pulling into the driveway to their home, he heard from Sidney. He was glad now that he’d connected his phone up to his car Bluetooth so that they could talk while he drove.
“You’re going to be pissed off when you see what I’ve gotten. I just couldn’t help myself.” He asked her if she’d had a great time. “Oh, yes. I had a lot more fun than I thought I would. And your mom was right on wearing comfy. I think my feet have decided that they’re never going shopping with me again. Are you coming into town?”
“Yes. I just have to pick up Dad, and we’ll be on our way. I’ve spoken to the rest of them, and they seem to be busy.” Sidney told him that Dane had taken care of that. “I don’t know if I want to know what that is supposed to mean.”
“Neither do I, but I guess everyone is coming in and bringing the kids. I don’t know where we’re eating, but wherever it is, you had better tip well. I have a feeling that they’re going to ban us from ever coming back if you don’t.” He told her that he’d keep that in mind. “I hope you’re bringing a truck. I got so many blow up things for the yard that I think we’re going to be the hit of the neighborhood. I was thinking you should put a couple of them in front of your new offices too.”
“That’s a wonderful idea.” He told her what he and Levi had talked about. “He’s excited. I have a feeling that it’s going to be the best looking offices ever. I’m sure he’ll love doing it too.”
“You are such a jewel.” That made him laugh. No one had ever called him that before. “What I meant to do was butter you up for when you see what I’ve spent. Your mom, just so you know, got more than I did. I think we’re going to be in big trouble when the holiday rolls around. I even got this giant turkey that blows up. He waves and everything.”
Her laughter was infectious, and he was glad that he was going to be able to have a giant turkey in their yard if it made her this happy. As he contacted his dad to tell him he’d be by to pick him up, he told him that he’d better be prepared for a lot of Christmas.
“Your mother just told me. My goodness. I thought we had too much last year. Oh well, so long as she’s happy, then I’m happy.” Wyatt told him that was what he’d said to Sidney. “Now there is a pistol. Her and your mom, I have never seen two people get on as well as they do. I’m glad for it. Maybe she’ll be able to calm your mother down a bit. She sure has gotten sassy lately.”
“I’m thinking that you love every minute of it too.” Dad laughed, and Wyatt told him what Levi was doing for him. “Also, who do I have to contact about the doctor on call for the high school?”
They talked about that for the rest of the trip. Wyatt pulled into the restaurant just as his other brothers did. It was going to be a good evening. He thought that it might be even if they were eating in a dive. Having his family around, eating, and having a good time, it was the best thing in the world as far as he was concerned.
~*~
Sidney was going over the notes that Lucy had given her for the Mother’s Day tea that was in May of next year. It seemed sort of lame, she thought. Not the idea, but what was involved in having it done. She looked up at Lucy when she joined her in the dining room.
“I don’t want to be mean about this, but they have tea, cookies, and that’s it? I mean, there is nothing else here that I’m missing, is there?” Lucy shook her head. “This is not your project, is it? I mean, you might do it now, but I’m betting that you’re only working it, not in charge.”
“No, I’m not. There is a ladies committee that gets together on that one and decides what sort of cookies to have made for that thing. I believe they get reimbursed for the all-day lunches they have to discuss the cookies. The committee funding the event just pays whatever they say. They have regular sugar for the tea, not even some cubes to make it fun. And the cookies, as I said, aren’t even homemade, they’re store bought. If you ask me, it’s not even worth your time to go to it.” Sidney asked her if she did. “Yes. Every year like clockwork. There has been a huge decline in participants, too, as you can imagine. This past May I noticed that there were only fifteen people at it. Not even any children.”
“Who are the women?” After ten minutes, Sidney realized that she needed help. No one would talk to her about how she got in on the stupid ladies’ group. Calling Dane, she smiled when she answered the phone begging for something to do. “I do have something for you to look into if you could. There are four women I want to get in touch with about the Mother’s Day tea thing. They won’t allow me—and that was their word, allow me—to mess up their long-time traditions. I think it’s a bunch of bullshit. They’ve found a way to have a few lunches that they’re reimbursed for, and don’t care if anyone comes to that thing.”
“Give me their names.” Sidney not only gave her the name
s but their phone numbers as well. “You could have just kept that part to yourself. It’s one less thing I can do from here. Brayden is driving me insane. If he picks up his son one more time when he’s asleep, I’m going to knock him out until the baby is ready for college. Give me ten minutes, and I’ll see what I can do for you.”
“That sounds like him. He’s such a worrier. I think that he’s just excited.” Sidney asked her if she thought he was doing the right thing with the baby. “Oh, no. If he were my husband, I would have knocked him out days ago.”
Twenty minutes later, Dane showed up with little Brady. They had decided that calling him Brady would save a lot of confusion. Brayden wasn’t happy about it, but he knew to take a back seat to this one. Sidney would have called him Brady anyway, just to piss Brayden off a little. Dane handed off the baby to Lucy as she sat at the table with them with notes.
“I don’t know if this is what you wanted or not, but you are in charge of the Mother’s Day thing. Those women? Christ, they’re nuts. Did you know that last year the entire tea brought in about four hundred dollars? That’s terrible if you ask me. Anyway, after costs, they were in the hole for nearly seven thousand. Seven thousand. After doing some checking, I found out that not only were they charging their lunches, four of them, over the course of a year, but having their clothing dry cleaned after each lunch. Gas money to get there and back, when most of them walked to and from. And here is the kicker—they would get the cookies made at the grocery store. Then when they went to pick them up, the four of them would meet at the store to buy their weeks groceries and pay for them, along with the cookies, out of the fund.” Sidney and Dane looked at Lucy, who was laughing while she held the baby. Dane grinned as she questioned her about it. “Why do I have a feeling that you knew what was going on?”
“I knew that there was no profit for the thing. I don’t think there could have been with no one showing up all the time. I’m glad to know that they’re no longer in charge. However, what does surprise me is that— Well, I didn’t ask, but I’m assuming that they are still alive?” Dane said they were for now. “Oh dear, don’t kill them off. I want them to see how lovely a job Sidney and you do for this thing to get it up—”
“I’m not going to do this thing. No offense, Sid, but the thought of sitting around in a fancy hat and gloves sipping tea with a bunch of kids does not appeal to me.” Sidney just handed her the list of people that she had made up to ask for donations. “You heard me, right? I’m not going to be in on this.”
“I heard you. I’d like for you to see if you can get these businesses to donate something to the tea to be given away. Donate, Dane. Don’t strong-arm them into it.” Dane said she could do that. “Be nice, and thank them when they do.”
“You are absolutely no fun at all.” She looked the list over and picked up her cell phone. “What do I get if I can get them all to donate at least something? I need an incentive for this.”
“You don’t have to wear a fancy hat. Although, I was thinking that we could have a fancy hat contest, as well as cookie baking contest while we’re at it.” Lucy said that she thought that would be fun for everyone. “I thought so as well. Oh, Dane, when you get to the florist, ask him if he’d like to donate a pretty Mother’s Day arrangement for each table. I’ll tell him how many when we get numbers for it.”
By the time they were being served sandwiches, ones that she asked Sally, their new cook, to make up for ideas for the Mother’s Day tea, Dane had a great many donations. Even a few people that were willing to help out with tablecloths, as well as chairs.
“Do you think we’ll have that many people? I mean, this will be the first year that we’re in charge, so—” Dane pointed out again that she wasn’t going to help out. “Yes, I know that. But we don’t want to go overboard with this, do we?”
“We’re Stantons, Sidney. We do nothing by half measures.” Dane made a whooping noise that had the baby crying. After getting him settled again, Lucy fussed at her. “I just had him napping on my shoulder, young lady. What has you so loud that you had to startle this young child?”
“Not only are we going to need extra chairs for this thing, but we’re going to need a larger venue as well. I called Walter and asked him for a donation. He just told me that he’d help you out by giving you a two week, all paid trip to Disney. It’s for a family, and he said that he’d not put any stipulations on it about how many children went.” Lucy shouted then, but Brady, either because he was getting used to them or he was just tired, didn’t even stir this time. “Walter said that he’d make sure that you had the same thing for the next five years. Then, he said, he’d think of someplace else to have them go. I think that is about the best thing that I’ve ever known him to do.”
“We’re going to need more donations.” Laughing at the expression on Lucy’s face, Dane said that she was glad that she was a part of this. Lucy looked at her with a stern glare. “You have been a part of it. What’s it going to take for me to get that kind of help with the other two projects that I have going? One of them is for new books for the library. The other is the backpack drive that we have. I mean, with the success of this one, we’re going to need to step up our game on the others. Also, I hate to bring this up, but now that the nursing home is nearly built, we’re going to have to figure out how to get curtains in the rooms. Then crafts. Oh my, there is so much to do, don’t you think?”
“Curtains? Why don’t you ask if the residents would like to put in their own curtains? If not, then we find someone that loves to sew and ask them to help out. To be honest, I’d be afraid to put curtains in a room without knowing what is going to be in the room to match it.” Lucy told her that Denny had said the same thing. “You’re rubbing off on him, I guess. Crafts? I think I might have you covered for that. About six months ago, I was doing a story on how the crafting industry has been booming. People are taking the time to make more of their gifts and give them away. I put in some craft ideas that I got from each of the big four names that deal in those sorts of products. In return for that, because they had a nice up in sales, I was given a bunch of gift cards from a lot of places that add up to about ten grand. I asked about it, and my attorney told me that if I gave them away or donated them, it wouldn’t be the same as getting paid for the article. Not that it mattered, he said, as I’m freelance and don’t work for anyone in particular. So you can have those.”
“That’s so nice of you, Sidney.” Lucy looked at Dane. “And what is it I can expect from you on this matter, young lady?”
“You are a difficult woman to please. Has anyone ever told you that before? If they have, I think that it bears repeating. You just got donated ten grand in foo-foo stuff, and now you’re hitting me up for more?” Lucy nodded. “It a good thing that I love you, old woman. There is no telling what I might have done to you if I didn’t.”
“You love me, Dane?” Lucy sounded so disbelieving that Dane stood up and went to her. With the baby between the two of them, she and Dane hugged like there was never going to be another hug like it. Sidney snapped a picture of the three of them with her cell phone. “I love you girls so much. I’m so glad to have you two working with me on this. It’s been such a male thing around here for so long, I’ve always longed for some female companionship.”
About an hour later, not only did the other women show up to help out, but they brought the kids too. They were playing in the pool with the men while the seven of them got a lot more organized with projects, and Lucy had her day with the women.
Sidney loved this family. They supported you when you needed it and didn’t have a bit of a problem telling you when you fucked up. She supposed that really was Dane rubbing off on the lot of them. But it was good to know that if you asked them their opinion, their advice, you could count on getting maybe not what you wanted to hear, but what you should hear. Sometimes? Well, sometimes that could be a little harsh, but Sidney really didn’t mind. Fo
r the most part, anyway.
Chapter 8
Meadow was about as pissed off as a person could be. She’d seen Ricky with his uncle the other night, smooshing it up and having a nice dinner, the two of them. She couldn’t hear a word they were saying, but she knew, just knew, that they were going to blame this entire shit on her.
Really, it was her that had planned it all, but that didn’t mean she was going to take the fall for it. As soon as Ricky was brought in, cocky and smiling like the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders, Meadow wished for a gun. Christ, she’d blow all their fucking heads off.
The courtroom was called to order. She stood when told and sat down when told. Meadow had learned the hard way that if you don’t want to be hurt, you do what they tell you. She still had a couple of marks on her skin from being Tazed just a couple of days ago.
They’d had to take a room overnight, as the trial was being held in Columbus. The courtrooms were larger, she’d been told. Whatever, she’d thought then. To be able to stay in a nice hotel for the night would have been fucking fantastic. But oh no, all she did was trade one jail cell for another. She didn’t even have the fucking place to herself. Meadow didn’t like sharing shit. And having to share her toilet and airspace with another person made her ten times madder than she had been when they told her about the cell she’d be in.
Ricky was going to ask to have his trial date put off. Meadow’s attorney said that he thought it would be better for them both if they had separate trials. She’d tried to turn on him, to blame everything on Ricky, but the attorney said that it wouldn’t fly. Why she didn’t know, but that was all he’d tell her. Meadow had started keeping a journal of shit that wasn’t right so that she’d at least get a chance at a better trial. Or, at the very least, extend out her life for a few more years.
Wyatt: The Stanton Pack—Paranormal Cougar Shifter Romance Page 9
