“Help?”
“With what to wear! Show me what you’ve got!” Jessica bounced on her toes in joy.
Lillian stepped aside to let the other woman into her home. With the shock of finding the girls at her door still running through her, she silently turned to her room. Jessica followed closely behind.
Reaching her closet, Lillian turned around.
“I can’t believe you two are here. Why are you here? I mean you said, but why?” she blundered out.
“Because we know it has been a while since you’ve done this. And a first date always calls for a little girl help. Plus, it’s with my dad so you have enough to be nervous about without adding what to wear on top of it,” Nina explained as she waddled into the room.
“What she said,” Jessica confirmed by pointing at Nina as she settled into a spot on Lillian’s bed.
“Nina, are you OK with this? Because if you aren’t, that’s OK. We don’t have to do this.”
“Lillian. I love my dad. I do. But he’s a nut case and I told myself years ago if he found a good woman who could put up with him, then I am all for it. You are that woman Lillian. All I’ve ever wanted was for him to be happy. And you make him happy.”
“Nina, I don’t like your dad because he’s a little out there. That’s a plus, but not the only reason. I like him because he’s a kind, wonderful man. He makes me laugh. He’s gentle with the pack children one minute and can carry on a serious conversation with me the next.”
“He makes your heart skip a beat and butterflies flit in your stomach. He makes you think about the future. One you both share together,” Jessica inputted with a smile.
A teary-eyed Nina nodded her head in agreement.
“We know because we’ve felt the same thing with our husbands. Mates. Whatever,” Nina choked out a laugh.
The women laughed at the choice of language. Even though they had all had time to adjust to the word, ‘mates’ still sounded foreign to their ears and on their tongues.
“So, you’re really OK with this?” Lillian double checked with Nina.
“Yes. And I couldn’t be happier about it,” she grinned.
“Well I think it’s cute. And I am so happy the two of you are going for it! Now, lets find you something perfect to wear!” Jessica declared.
Lillian watched the two women in her bedroom and an intense, strong feeling of love filled her. These women gave up their time to help her get ready. All because they cared about her and about Stanley. It was a strange thing. Something she had missed out on over the years. Something she now had a chance to experience and make memories with.
The women stayed long enough to help Lillian decide what to wear before needing to head out themselves. After saying their goodbyes and promises to see one another at the party, Lillian turned to her newly selected outfit with excitement. It was time to get ready for her date. With a man she was becoming more and more positive, was the one.
~
Stanley stood in front of his mirror and adjusted his tie. It was one of his favorites. It was silver and had sparkles all over it. Actually, the thing was one giant sparkle. And it looked fantastic paired with his deep forest green suit. He decided not to go too over the top and picked a white shirt and black shoes. He looked mighty fine, if he did say so himself. A smile played at his lips. Tonight was the night. He finally was getting Lillian Jamison on a real date.
A loud knock directed his attention to his front door. Swinging it open, he found his daughter and her husband, decked out for the party. Nina wore a sparkly gold dress with a pair of matching flats and a royal blue coat. Her hair was curled around her face and she wore just a touch of makeup. His daughter looked beautiful. And his son-in-law looked nice too, he admitted. The man wore a dark suit with a tie that matched his wife’s dress. They looked perfect together.
“Well, don’t you two look nice! You my dear Pinky, are a vision!” he exclaimed as he kissed her cheek and let them into his house.
“Thanks Dad. We wanted to stop by on our way to the party. See how you are doing.”
He blinked at his daughter as if her head had completely rotated on her neck.
“What she means Stanley, is she wanted to check up on you before your date,” Gabriel ratted his wife out. She threw an elbow into his gut and he just grinned down at her as she scowled.
“You weren’t supposed to say it like that Gabriel,” she mumbled.
Stanley let out a huge laugh. He liked his daughter’s mate more and more every time they spent a minute together.
“Well, neither of you have anything to worry about. I’m just about ready to head on over to the party and meet Lillian.”
A sudden thought occurred to him as he looked into the face of his daughter.
“Are you OK with this Nina? Because if you aren’t, I don’t have to do this,” he asked his daughter. She was the most important person in his world. If she wasn’t completely on board with this, then he wouldn’t do it. It was as simple as that.
Nina’s laugh was just as unexpected than if she had yelled.
“That is almost verbatim what Lillian asked me earlier!”
“You’ve seen her?”
“Yeah, Dad. Jessica and I went over to her house earlier to offer her help. We knew it had been a while since she had done this so we thought she might want a hand in picking out an outfit. But she asked me the same thing and I’ll tell you the same thing I told her. I just want you to be happy Dad. And from what I can tell, Lillian makes you very happy.”
“She does. I haven’t felt this way about a woman since your mother.”
“Then you know it is right and true,” Nina confirmed with a smile.
Stanley pulled his daughter into his arms for a hug as best as he could. Her stomach was large with his first grandchild and kept getting in the way of good hugs. He pulled away and backed up a few steps.
With his arms outstretched, he asked, “OK then, what do you think? Am I presentable for a date on the town?”
“You look great Dad.”
“Fantastic Stanley. Lillian won’t know what hit her,” Gabriel added.
“Then let’s get this show on the road!” he replied with all the giddiness of a teenager on his first date.
With his daughter’s blessing, a peace washed over Stanley. He knew his relationship with Lillian was right. He knew it was the long-lasting kind. And tonight was the first step towards that. He couldn’t wait.
Chapter 7
Lillian stood to the side of the party. The town hall was decorated in golds and silver. It looked like a New Year’s Eve fairytale. People wore their very best as they floated around the dance floor and the table breaming with food she brought over from the diner. Laughter reached her ears as she craned her neck, looking for Stanley.
As excited as she was for this date, nerves still racked her body. It had been a long time since she went out with a man. She smoothed her sweaty palms down her black pants. They were really more a thick legging Nina and Jessica helped her to pair with the gold and silver shimmery tunic top that she had found shoved in the back of her closet.
Knowing that she would never find Stanley by standing on the sidelines, Lillian took a huge breath before stepping into the throng of people. She made her way onto the dance floor. If there was one place Stanley Carmichael would be, it would be in the middle of the dance floor! She stood under the disco ball, looking for her date. For only a moment, the sea of people parted just enough for her to make him out next to the drinks table. His eyes rose and met hers before he placed a finger to his lips and winked. What was this man doing? She started toward her date right as he slipped a flask out of his jacket’s inner pocket. He unscrewed the cap and poured something into the punch bowl. He made sure every last drop made it into the punch before striding her way. As he approached, he pocketed his flask and grabbed her hand as he walked by.
Stanley pulled her into the middle of the dance floor and brought her into his arms. It was then she got
a good look at what he was wearing. His forest green suit looked fantastic with his silver glittered tie. It was just the sort of outfit she would have expected him to wear. Well, maybe not expected. She had fully expected him to wear something much flashier. Maybe something with lights?
“What did you do?” she asked in a loud whisper with a nod toward the punch bowl.
“Oh, just a little something to liven up this shindig!” he replied merrily as he twirled her out.
On the outward twirl, she caught a glimpse of several people around the table, sipping the now spiked drink. A smile crept across her face as she twirled back to face Stanley.
“What did you place in it?”
“Just a little extra juice from the South,” he hinted with another wink.
Juice from the South? Lillian wasn’t positive what that exactly meant.
Stanley must have been able to see the confusion stamped across her face.
“Shine, Lillian. Just a touch of Moonshine,” he leaned in and whispered conspiratorially.
Her eyes grew at the mention of the illegal alcohol. She knew it was something that was made in the mountains that ran through the south. It was also known to be extremely strong. And at the amount Stanley placed in the punch bowl, was more than enough to make this crowd tipsy after one cup.
“Is that wise? What if children want to drink that?”
“Don’t worry. The kids have their own bowl. Besides, you can’t have a punch bowl at a party with adults and someone not add alcohol to it. There’s a rule about it.”
“A rule, hm?”
“Yes, a rule. It’s stated right there in the fun-crazy-person handbook.”
“I must say I am not familiar with that book,” she teased.
“Stick with me long enough, and you will be fluent in it!” he pronounced with a wide smile as he dipped her.
Lillian let out a huge laugh at the silliness of the man. He was always doing something to make her laugh. There was never a dull moment around him.
And there was no one else she could see. Stanley occupied all of her attention and she didn’t really want it any other way. He was very good at making her feel safe in the little bubble they made for themselves. That bubble made it possible for them to get to know each other and ignore the whispers aimed at them.
Even now, she could hear them. She knew that some people wouldn’t understand them. But she didn’t care. Why would it bother her that he was the town’s crazy grandpa? He was entertaining, made her laugh, made her feel safe and protected, and most of all, he made her feel loved. He made her feel things she had never felt before. And she knew that she made him feel things he hadn’t felt since the death of his wife.
Murmurs and whispers didn’t bother her. She knew the town would eventually see him for the amazing man he was. And she would be sitting there holding his clothes as he danced down Main Street in his bright blue aluminum space suit, giving thanks to Venus.
As the couple danced the night away, they watched person after person react to Stanley’s spiked punch. She saw the smirk on Nina’s face when she realized what happened and turned to look at her father. All he did was look thoroughly innocent.
Lillian never laughed as hard or as much as she did that night. She never felt happier. Light shown in Stanley’s eyes every time he looked at her. She could see the same emotions that possessed her, flash through his eyes. The night couldn’t have been more perfect.
Suddenly a shout rang through the crowd. People started to gather around the disco ball in the middle of the dance floor. It was time for the count down!
Stanley led her farther into the crowd. Standing off to the side of the disco ball, they could see most of those gathered. Excitement shined on everyone’s faces.
“FIVE. . .”
“FOUR. . .”
“THREE. . .”
“TWO. . .”
“ONE. . .”
“HAPPY NEW YEAR!!”
The crowd counted down and shouted celebrations as a bomb of glitter went off and horns blew.
Stanley pulled Lillian into his arms. With just one look, Lillian knew exactly how he planned to ring in the new year.
He leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers. It started soft and slow. The pressure barely there but enough that it sent a shower of fireworks through her. Lights flashed behind her eyes and a warmth filled her heart. She wrapped her arms around his neck as his went around her waist.
“Happy New Year, Lillian.”
“Happy New Year Stanley.”
“I’ve had a sneaking suspicion, but that kissed just proved it. We must be fated mates,” he declared.
Lillian let out a happy sounding laugh, “We’re human Stanley! We can’t be fated mates!”
“Bummer. Because it feels like you were made for me.”
She saw the intent and sincerity in his eyes. The man meant every word he said. Her heart skipped at his verbalization of her feelings. She knew they were feeling the same things, but to hear it, made everything in her world click into place. This truly was the man she waited her entire life to find.
“Just because we aren’t fated mates, doesn’t mean we aren’t soul mates,” she pointed out with a smile.
“Soul mates. I like the sound of that,” he agreed as he smiled down at her.
“Me too,” she whispered.
Stanley bent his head as she rose on her toes. Their lips met halfway and locked. Standing underneath the disco ball, with the town celebrating the start of the new year, life could not have been better.
~
Across the room, Gabriel Stone stood next to his pregnant mate. On her other side, stood his Beta, Logan, with his own mate. Gabe looked out into the crowd at the members of his town. Of the members of his pack. They just rang in the start of the new year and for most, that would mean the start of new beginnings. But for him? For him it meant he was no closer to stopping the threat that lurked just out of his reach.
“Look at him! He looks so happy,” his mate, Nina, announced as she watched her dad making out with Lillian.
“I’m just glad they stopped denying it,” Logan remarked.
A small ‘umpf’ came from the man as his mate sent an elbow jab into his stomach.
“They weren’t denying it. They were being cautious,” Logan’s mate, Jessica, argued.
“I’m just glad to see him happy again. He has this light in his eye I haven’t seen since Mom died. I haven’t seen it in so long, that I forgot what it looked like,” Nina explained as tears pooled in her eyes.
“Now my mate, there is no need to cry,” Gabe tried to reason before his panic set in at having his fated mate cry.
“I know I’m just so happy for him!” she exclaimed as she turned into Gabriel’s chest.
The Alpha just shook his head as he wrapped his weeping mate in his arms.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say she got into the spiked punch,” Logan teased.
“Who even spiked it?! There are kids here!” Jessica asked.
“Who do you think? None other than my crazy father-in-law,” came Gabe’s wryly reply.
“Yeah that doesn’t surprise me. Hopefully Lillian will make him behave,” Logan asked with so much hope in his face, that everyone, including Nina, let out large laughs.
“I wouldn’t put money on it, Logan,” Nina remarked.
“Well, they make a cute picture. I’m glad Lillian is getting her happily-ever-after. This town really needs a light in this dark,” Jessica said.
No one could deny that Stanley Carmichael and Lillian Jamison, were anything but adorable. And Gabriel would never think the town and pack couldn’t use more light. The hunters were still attacking, but the latest were few and far between. Something that did not ease the Alpha’s concerns. At some point, their reign of terror would end. He had enough of that fear and hurt reverberating through his pack. And that was no more obvious than the absence of one pack member. His and Logan’s other best friend. Ben Carr. So, for
Ben, and as much as for his extended family and pack, Gabriel’s new year brought a renowned determination. His resolution was to stop the hunters once and for all. But a pause to enjoy the new love in the air, and the joys to come, seemed just what this Alpha needed for motivation.
Also By Amelia
The Wolves of Everett Hollow
The Mating Clause (Book 1)
Lobo Coffee House Love (Book 2)
A Word from the Author
Hey y’all! Thank you so much for picking up my book! I couldn’t have done it with all of the support around me. And of course, you! None of this would be possible without you!
If you loved this book, please drop a review on Amazon! You can also leave comments at Goodreads, my website, or Facebook! I’d love to hear from you!
Once again, thank you so much for picking up this book! I hope you enjoyed it!
About the Author
Amelia Parker lives in the suburbs of Georgia with her ever patient family and fur baby. She loves reading, baking, and drinking wine. Lots and lots of wine. When not writing or letting her imagination run wild, she’s fantasizing about her next romance. Or tacos. Probably tacos.
The Raconteur And The Waitress (The Wolves 0f Everett Hollow Book 2.5) Page 4
