LITMIR.BIZ

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wolfan law mandated that the eldest male relative of a widowed she-wolf with children was responsible for their welfare, the pack probably assumed she had asked Rafe’s permission to start dating. “If anyone wants to know my business, they should ask me.”

      “That’s exactly what Rafe told them.” Grace’s grin deepened the dimples in her cheeks.

      “And why we waited until this morning to ask,” Nel said. “Although we were dying to come by yesterday. But we didn’t want to intrude, in case the date ran over.”

      “It wasn’t a date and I’m too old for a boyfriend.” Ronni humphed. “Bodie and I were simply at the same place at the same time.”

      “Sharing a blanket.” A teasing lilt gave Cassie’s voice a sing-song quality and she radiated with genuine warmth. Smart, even-tempered and uncannily insightful, she would make a wonderful Alphena when Brice succeeded his father, Gavin, as Alpha.

      “He got cold. It would’ve been rude not to offer.” A lame excuse. She-wolves did not arbitrarily share personal items with males. “I was just trying to act like a human.”

      The brows of all three human women arched in unison.

      “I wouldn’t share a blanket with a man I wasn’t interested in getting to know,” Nel said.

      “I would give him the blanket, but I wouldn’t snuggle beneath it with him unless I wanted other things to happen.” Grace’s green eyes sparkled.

      “I thought we were having brunch.” Ronni glanced around the restaurant decorated with rich, warm autumn colors. “I don’t see a buffet—are we supposed to order from a menu?”

      “It’s family-style,” Cassie said. “The servers will come around with trays filled with each course.”

      “I hope they start with coffee,” Ronni mumbled. “I could use a tankful.”

      “Me, too, sister.” Grace stared longingly into her empty china cup. “Rafe makes me drink the half-caf at home. Sundays are the only days I can indulge in the double-leaded stuff.”

      “I hope we aren’t making you too uncomfortable,” Nel said. “All joking aside, we really are interested and concerned about the things that affect you.”

      “That’s a perk of having us as family.” Cassie’s demure smile was hopeful. Until becoming Brice’s mate, Cassie had no family and few friends.

      Even though the entire Walker’s Run pack had embraced her, there was a small inner circle of absolute trust and Ronni was humbled to be included.

      “And we won’t stop pestering you until all the deets are spilled.” Grace leaned to the side, allowing the beverage server access to her cup. Once the coffee was poured, she lifted the cup to her face and inhaled deeply. “Oh, how I’ve missed you.”

      Nel and Cassie were served hot tea.

      “I’ll have what she’s having.” Ronni pointed at Grace. “And I’ll need a refill in about five minutes.”

      “Me, too,” Grace piped up.

      Despite the curls of steam rising from the cup, Ronni lifted it to her lips. The hot liquid sizzled her tongue and slid down her throat, spreading a comforting heat through her body.

      The three women continued to look at her but no further teasing ensued. It was up to Ronni to complete the bonding ritual by satisfying their curiosity or shut it down by changing the subject.

      If she did the latter, what was the point of coming?

      “Bodie’s daughter and Alex are friends,” she began. “Bodie and I ran into each other at Mabel’s. He’s been so busy at work that he hasn’t met a lot of people, so he sat by me at the football game.”

      “Where is he from?” Grace asked.

      Ronni shrugged. They hadn’t really talked about the past. Hers was too painfully close to catching up with her to mention.

      Nel picked up her teacup and blew over the rim. “Tristan said Bodie works out of the DNR office in Gainesville. He moved here a couple of months ago. His daughter and mother came a few weeks later.”

      “He’s a game warden?” Grace peered at Nel above her coffee cup. “Does the pack need to be worried?”

      “Well,” Cassie began. “When Gavin, more or less, told Bodie to stay out of the Co-op’s business, Bodie informed him that the wolf pack falls within the realm of his responsibility. Then, he pointed out that he has law enforcement power and is willing to use it.”

      Ronni choked on the coffee she’d swallowed. In essence, Bodie had unwittingly threatened the Walker’s Run Alpha. It was a very good thing that Bodie wasn’t wolfan.

      “What did Gavin do?” Nel asked.

      “He told Bodie what actually happened and what little the sentinels knew about the three poachers,” Cassie said. “Bodie really wants to catch them, too, and suggested working with our security team. Believe it or not, Gavin agreed. He feels that Bodie could become a trusted ally, eventually.”

      Speculative eyes landed on Ronni again.

      “Don’t look at me. I barely know the man.” Ronni took an unhurried drink of coffee.

      “What does your instinct say?” Cassie asked.

      At the moment, nothing trustworthy. Ever since Ronni had met Bodie, her instincts were a scrambled jumble of confusion.

      “Tristan really likes him,” Nel said when Ronni didn’t speak up. “Bodie reminds him of Mason.” Brice’s older brother had been Tristan’s best friend until rogue wolfans killed him. Brice had survived the attack because of his brother’s sacrifice, and no one in the Walker’s Run pack had forgotten the loss.

      “Then he must be a good man,” Cassie said quietly.

      “No pressure or anything,” Grace said, “but are you planning to go out with Bodie again?”

      “We haven’t actually gone out a first time, yet.” Friday night was simply a shared outing with their kids. And although she might want Bodie to invite her on a date, she’d rather wait until after the situation with Jeb was settled.

      Delicious scents wafted toward Ronni and she watched servers with loaded trays parade from the kitchen. Their table was the first served and a smorgasbord of food was placed before them.

      While Nel and Cassie began with fruits and lighter fare, Ronni and Grace dug into the meats and quiches.

      “I can see how the football game might’ve been an accidental meet-up, but grabbing pizza afterward, that was a date.” Grace licked the bacon grease from her fingertips.

      “The kids were on dates.” Ronni speared another sausage link. “Bodie and I were chaperones.”

      “He kissed you good-night, didn’t he?” Grace asked.

      “A peck on the cheek is not a kiss.” Actually, Ronni wasn’t sure what it was. Though Bodie’s lips had barely grazed her skin, her face had warmed and the heat had spread through her entire body. He simply stood there, eyes closed, until her tightly coiled breaths synced with his soft, rhythmic puffs and then he’d said good-night and walked away.

      “So, it was a non-date date.” Cassie nibbled delicately on a banana nut muffin.

      “That’s how Tristan and I fell in love.” Nel stabbed a strawberry using her fork. “We did a lot of things together, but neither of us considered them dates.”

      Ronni’s gaze fell to Nel’s baby bump becoming noticeable. What Nel and Tristan had done on their non-dates was fairly obvious, and an accidental claiming had resulted in her pregnancy.

      Since Ronni had undergone tubal ligation due to recurrent miscarriages and a problematic, high-risk pregnancy with Alex, an unplanned pregnancy would not be

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