by Rayna Tyler
“Oh yeah. Fine. She’s doing fine.” I couldn’t believe I was stammering like a teenager who’d been caught making out in the back of his parents’ car.
“So, what’s with the frown? Want to tell me what’s bothering you? You aren’t thinking about leaving, are you?”
“Possibly.” Any topic, including myself, was preferable to my sister’s continued discussion about Mandy. They were close friends, and I wasn’t sure how my sister would feel if she found out Mandy might be my mate. Is our mate, my wolf snarled.
“You’re doing that thing again, aren’t you?” She glared, moving to stand in front of me.
“What thing?” I tried to feign innocence, hoping it would work, yet not surprised when it didn’t. Berkley had the determination of an entire pack of wolves when she wanted something.
She propped her hands on her hips. “The thing where you think because we grew up differently, you don’t have a right to be here, that you don’t deserve to have a home like everybody else.”
“Maybe.” It was uncanny how one knowing look from her could make me—a grown and older male—squirm.
“Well, stop it. You know it doesn’t matter to Reese and me if we had different mothers. You’re still our brother, and we don’t want you to leave.”
“But I’ve been here off and on for almost a month and…” And I was getting comfortable, a completely new experience, and one that scared the hell out of me.
“No buts.” Berkley huffed. “This is your home, and I’m holding you to your promise. You have to stay and give it a try. One month is not trying, it’s barely getting your paws wet.” She snickered at her own humor.
“What about my wolf? What if I…” Lose control. It was something I struggled with regularly and the main reason I avoided humans and never settled down in one place.
“You won’t.” She patted my arm reassuringly. “You spent all day with Mandy. She’s human, and since I spoke with her before she left, I know for a fact that you didn’t hurt her.”
“That’s different. She’s…” My mate. I bit back the words, unsettled by how comfortable I was getting with the idea and not willing to share my suspicions with my sister.
“She’s what?”
“Nothing.” I could feel myself getting in deeper and glanced away from her prying gaze. “You and Reese don’t need me around to run the resort.”
“Nice try.” Berkley playfully punched me in the arm. “You know us better than that. Even without the terms of the will, we want you to stay. You’re family and not allowed to run.”
Our grandfather, a man I’d never met but who knew all about me, had made me a partial owner of the resort. The document clearly outlined stipulations requiring all three of us to remain together. I knew Berkley couldn’t care less about the legal specifications. She was more interested in developing a close relationship with her newly acquired family—mainly me.
“Besides, it would be a waste of time. You know I’ll track you down again and drag you back here, so save us both the trouble and say you’ll stay.
Of course she would, the tenacious little wolf.
She transformed her grin into a pout. “You’re my brother, and it would break my heart if you left.”
I could handle a lot of things, having my sister slap me with guilt wasn’t one of them. “You win, so stop already.” I was a foot taller than her, and it was easy for me to wrap my arm around her neck, pull her close, and ruffle her hair.
“Hey, don’t make me hurt you.” Berkley giggled, then snagged me into a quick hug before pulling away. “Speaking of quality time, why don’t you come with me to the bar tonight?”
“Where did you get quality time from me talking about leaving?” I was confused by her complete change of topic, something she did frequently.
Berkley waved her hand in front of my face as if she couldn’t figure out why I didn’t get it. “Simple. You’re not leaving. You are family, and family spends time doing fun things together.”
Suddenly suspicious, I asked, “How is going to a bar having fun?”
“It’s a good way to relieve stress and meet some of the locals.”
“Nah, I’m pretty sure I have a bunch of things I’d rather be doing here.” I crossed my arms and gave her a stern look.
“Like what, change into your wolf and chase squirrels into trees?”
“Very funny, smart-ass.” I reached for her again, but this time, she jumped back and dodged my grasp.
“I guess Mandy and I will have a good time without you.” She shrugged innocently.
“Mandy’s going?”
“Of course. It’s a girls’ night out, and you know what that means.”
It meant I wasn’t going to like the answer. “No, what?”
“It means dancing with a lot of hot guys.” Berkley shook her ass to mimic a dance move.
I was right, it wasn’t something I wanted to hear. Before I had a chance to offer any objections, Berkley was strutting toward the doorway leading to the restaurant’s dining area. “I need to go check on dinner. Let me know if you change your mind.” She winked at me over her shoulder, then disappeared from the room.
Mandy going out looking for guys with his sister spelled all kinds of trouble. The kind of trouble that would get a male killed if they even thought about going near her.
Mine. The growl was out before I could stop it. The thought of another man, any man, touching Mandy had my wolf prancing and sent me trailing after my sister to let her know I’d changed my mind and was going to show up at the bar.
Chapter Five
MANDY
“I’ll only be gone for a few hours. Are you sure you’ll be all right?” Ever since my father injured his leg, I’d hated to be away from him for too long. Call me overprotective, but the thought of coming home and finding him hurt again made me shudder.
Our home had two stories, and somehow he’d tripped and fallen down part of the staircase. I was the one to find him and still considered it a miracle he hadn’t broken his neck. Before the accident, he’d convinced me to temporarily give up my apartment and move back home to save money while I finished school.
With the resort scheduled to open in a few months and having to deal with our company’s regular customers, I’d been putting in some long hours. I’d done my best to check in with him once or twice a day and made sure I was home every night.
Thank goodness for Barb, the retired widow who lived next door. She’d been great about keeping an eye on my father. She was the sweetest person ever, but get out of line and she turned into a military drill sergeant. It was exactly what my father needed to make sure he followed the doctor’s orders and stayed out of trouble.
The way Barb doted on him made me wonder if she secretly had a crush on him. My mother had been gone a long time now, and I would have loved to see my father find someone special.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d gone out to have some fun—certainly not since Craig—and I was looking forward to spending some time with Berkley. One night where I could let loose and not focus on the past or all the things currently stressing me.
“I’m fine. You know the doc says I’ll be able to go back to work soon, so stop worrying about me.”
Like the not worrying was going to happen anytime soon. “We’ll see.” I’d come too close to losing him and wasn’t taking any chances.
“Go, have some fun. I can always call Barb if I have any problems.” He wiggled his brows, and there was a mischievous glint in his eyes making me wonder if maybe the crush went both ways. “You need to get out more. Find a nice guy, go out on a date, hook up or whatever they’re calling it now.”
I widened my eyes, and my mouth hung open. I couldn’t believe my father, the man who’d threatened to shoot any of my teenage suitors with his shotgun, was insinuating that I should get laid. “Dad, there will be no hooking up or anything else.” Well, maybe for Berkley since she didn’t have a problem going home with strangers. I, on the other
hand, wasn’t having casual sex no matter how much my friend insisted a one-night stand would be good for me.
I was a great fan of sex, just not with a stranger. I preferred spending time with a guy and getting to know him before I jumped into bed with him. Though if I ever decided to make an exception to my rule, I would consider Nick. My mind filled with images of his intense silver-gray eyes, and I trembled, remembering how his strong hands felt when he’d held me.
“I want you to know if there is…if you do, I’m fine with it.” He cupped my cheeks with both hands and kissed my forehead. He gave me a reassuring smile laced with a flicker of pity. I knew my father too well and realized he was remembering what happened with Craig. Why wouldn’t he? He’d been there to witness the worst and most humiliating day of my life. One I’d spent the last year trying to forget.
***
“You ready to have some fun?” Berkley’s enthusiastic voice rang through the interior of her car. She was more than ready to have a good time, and it showed. She was decked out like a New York fashion model in a black spaghetti-strap top and slim-fitting pants that tapered at her ankles. Add in the matching heels that I couldn’t walk straight in on a good day, and my friend was dressed to kill. I wasn’t ready to “strut my stuff,” so to speak, and had worn a sleeveless blue blouse, jeans, and a comfortable pair of slip-ons.
“Sure,” I answered, filled with trepidation and not sure if I meant it. Even though our relationship had been long-distance for years, friends didn’t get any better than Berkley. She knew about Craig, and during the time we both referred to as “the incident,” had been away at college working on her marketing degree. I’d turned her down when she offered her support and had wanted to come to Ashbury and stay with me for a few days.
She’d even teased about ripping Craig’s balls off for me. Berkley might have insinuated that she was kidding, but I had a feeling she was serious and refused to let her miss school to help me deal with my love life.
She pulled her keys out of the ignition. “Great, then let’s go.”
She exited the vehicle, and I did the same, closing the door, then nervously staring at the intimidating wooden building. The Suds ’n’ Springs was an average country-style bar complete with an old-fashioned neon sign designed with gold lettering. As far as entertainment went, it was the nearest place within five miles of Ashbury unless you wanted to drive all the way to Hanford, which I didn’t. The likelihood of running into Craig was greater, and I was still feeling a little guilty about leaving my father alone. I wanted to be close in case something happened and he needed me.
The lot was already three-quarters full, and several couples were linked hand in hand and headed for the entrance. As soon as they opened the door, the low drone of music and bass filtered outside. For some reason, my feet wouldn’t move, and I contemplated whether to let Berkley drag me inside.
Coming here on Friday nights with Craig after our dinner dates had been a regular thing. Something I hadn’t attempted since I’d broken things off with him. He’d been the one to cheat on me, and I hadn’t wanted to deal with the memories or the sympathetic glances from the people we used to hang out with.
I’d been a tomboy growing up and had a small circle of local female friends. A couple of them had moved away, and the rest were either planning their weddings, raising families, or currently in relationships.
I’d grown tired of hearing how I should get back out there and find another guy. Having my heart ripped out once was plenty. After I’d refused numerous invitations to go out with the girls or be set up on dates, my friends finally stopped asking.
Berkley, on the other hand, wasn’t one to take no for an answer. She was convinced all I needed was a great night of sex—no names, no strings—and she was determined to make sure I got it.
Before I had a chance to change my mind, Berkley had me by the arm and was dragging me inside. The place was already packed, not surprising for a Friday night in a town with one movie theater and two restaurants.
“Over there.” Berkley pointed at two stools next to the bar. After we were seated and ordered our drinks, I shifted sideways to face my friend and scan the room’s interior. The music, usually a mix of country western and rock, filled the room via some overhead speakers. An upbeat two-step was playing and the dance floor in the corner on the opposite side of the room was full of couples spinning and moving to the beat.
“My name’s Derrick,” the bartender said and set our drinks, a beer for me and a margarita for Berkley, on the counter. His hair, the color of beach sand, was layered away from his face, the soft curls lightly brushing over the collar of his buttoned shirt. He was built like a tank with broad shoulders and a thick frame and made me think he could double as the bar’s bouncer. He pretty much ignored me, his dark gaze locking on Berkley with appreciative interest. “Please let me know if I can get you anything else.”
“We’re good, thanks,” Berkley flippantly replied and slapped a ten-dollar bill on the counter. She picked up her drink, then dismissed him completely by turning away from the bar.
Derrick pressed his lips together tightly and shot daggers at Berkley’s back, then roughly grabbed the money off the counter. Apparently, disappointment wasn’t something he experienced frequently.
Being rude was so out of character for Berkley. Normally, she was friendly and outgoing with any man she met. I’d seen her flirt relentlessly whether she was interested in a guy or not. “He was cute, and interested.” I nudged her arm. “So why the cold-shoulder treatment?”
“Cats are sneaky, devious, and not to be trusted.” Berkley stated her belief in a matter-of-fact tone as if it were a written rule.
I glanced over at Derrick, who’d moved to the other end of the long counter and was talking to another customer. “He’s…I never would have guessed.” I took a sip of my beer, quickly averting my gaze so Derrick wouldn’t catch me staring. Even though he’d worked at the bar for a few years, I didn’t know him all that well. On the few occasions I’d chatted with him, he’d always been nice to me. “What kind?”
Berkley sneered. “A mountain lion.”
Bad luck with men was one of the things Berkley and I had in common. Though she’d never given me many details, I knew she’d been in a relationship a few years ago. A serious relationship that had ended badly. I couldn’t remember Berkley ever expressing a dislike for cats before, not even the domestic kind. Had the guy who’d dumped her been a cat shifter? If he was, it would explain her aversion to getting involved with one.
“The cute cowboy headed this way, however, will do very nicely.” Berkley took another sip of her drink, her eyes sparkling with interest.
I followed the direction of her perusal to the man stalking toward us with a confident swagger. His black suede hat was tipped back on his head. He was tall, wore a short-sleeved shirt that accentuated his broad chest, and his jeans clung to a nice set of thick thighs and long legs. Cute was an understatement, and even I had to admit the guy was drool-worthy. Now that I thought about it, a lot of the guys in the bar were lean towers of muscle. Were they also shifters? Had I been living in my own little world for so long that I hadn’t noticed? “Is he…”
“Wolf, definitely all wolf.” Berkley swiped her tongue across her lower lip as if someone had been dangling a delectable piece of chocolate in front of her.
The guy, wearing a cocky grin, didn’t stop until the front of his thighs were inches from Berkley’s knees. He gave me a brief glance, then trained his dark gaze on my friend. “Hello, sweet thing. Care to dance?” He held out his hand, his question more of a statement, as if turning him down was not an option.
Berkley swept her hand across her neck, flicking dark chestnut curls behind her back. She let her gaze slowly roam up and down his body, the specks of amber sparkling in her dark brown eyes, then gave him a satisfied smirk. “I’d love to.” After draining the rest of her drink, she set the glass on the counter and took his hand. She leaned forward, her tall,
shapely frame gliding gracefully from the stool. She winked at me, then held out her hand and let him lead her to the dance floor.
I watched my friend go and envied the way she embraced everything in life. Part of me wished I had Berkley’s confidence when it came to men. Another part sat there silently hoping no one would notice me.
The second part of my wish went unnoticed when I heard someone calling my name. I glanced in the direction of the man’s voice and smiled at the guy walking toward me. “Adam,” I said, taking note of my old friend. He was dressed in a pair of casual slacks and a button-down shirt, and appeared more businesslike and professional than the kid I’d grown up with. His dark hair was cropped short to his head, no longer worn in the straggly shoulder-length style I remembered.
I leaned forward and accepted his hug. “Tired of the big-city life already,” I teased and motioned for him to take Berkley’s vacated seat. From the time we’d become friends in high school, all Adam had talked about was his dream of becoming a highly paid IT consultant. Five years ago, his determination had paid off, and he’d acquired a great job in Colorado Springs.
“Not quite.” He grinned, straddled the stool, and set his drink on the bar. “I’m here on vacation. Came down to see the folks for a few days.”
“I’ll bet they’re glad to have you home.”
“Yeah. My dad still refuses to leave town, so it’s the only way I get to see them.”
I knew a lot of the older residents who’d been born and raised in Ashbury felt the same way. This was their home. They were comfortable here and had no interest in going anywhere else.
“You’re looking good.” He didn’t bother to hide his appreciative perusal, which lingered a little longer than you’d expect from a casual friend. “How have you been?”
Honestly, this new side of Adam made me a little uncomfortable, and I squirmed on my seat. “Good, staying busy…you know, the usual.”
