“What in the sam-hell is that woman doing behind our bar?”
“Oh good, you met Jordan, she’s doing a fantastic job.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
Porter was yelling just to make sure Paxson was hearing him. The music was blaring, which is a typical bar thing but the crowd they had tonight were all trying to talk over each other.
“What question?”
“Why is that woman working behind our bar?”
“What do you mean? She’s doing a fantastic job for her first night, and she has previous experience bartending so it was a perfect fit.”
“I mean, why did you hire her?”
“Because we needed a bartender. Joe quit this morning with no notice. Word must have gotten out that we hired a woman because the crowd is ridiculous tonight. It literally brought the wolves out of the woodwork. I think she could be good for business.”
“I don’t want her working here.”
“What do you have against her, do you even know who she is?”
“I do actually. She’s relation to that older couple that just moved to town and is joining the pack. She’s anti-pack and she really rubbed me the wrong way this morning when I met her.”
“Well this isn’t the pack Porter, this is our livelihood and we needed a replacement fast. She fit the bill.”
Porter turned back toward the bar and unfortunately, Paxson was right, the men were hanging on her every word. He couldn’t deny that she was easy on the eyes and watching the other men watch her made the hair stand up on the back of his neck. He wasn’t sure what that was about. But did he want a stranger mixed into their business that didn’t agree with the pack ways? If she was going to be hanging around, he probably didn’t have a choice. He would just have to find a way to talk to her, change her way of thinking.
From their conversation this morning and just now at the bar, that wasn’t going to be an easy task. She was as headstrong as he’d ever seen a woman and she made it clear she didn’t like him or what he stood for. So why did she accept a job at the bar he owned with his brother? Unless she didn’t know he owned it, which was possible. She was a smart woman though and he would need to keep his p’s and q’s in check if he planned on staying one step ahead of her.
“Hey Pax, maybe you could put her on the schedule to work tomorrow during the pack meeting?”
“I thought you said she was against the pack?”
“Yeah she is but, maybe if she has to be here to work, then she’ll overhear everything that goes on and it might be a good way to change her mind.”
“Why do you care?”
“I don’t.”
Not really.
“Her aunt and uncle really want her to stay here so I thought maybe that would help.”
“Yeah sure. Whatever you say.”
His brother was looking at him funny.
“What does that mean?”
“Nothing, just that you’ve never taken this much interest in a woman, in forever. Just sounds like you’re trying to figure out a way for her to stay because you want her to.”
“I just want her aunt and uncle to be happy. She’s all the family they have and they really want this pack venture to work for them.”
“Mmmhmmm, okay. I’ll let her know I need her here tomorrow to serve the guests.”
“Thanks. I need to get back to the office, is there anything else pressing?”
“Nope. Go do your thing.”
Porter turned, stealing a glance one last time at their new bartender, shook his head and walked away.
Jordan did not like to be the center of attention under any circumstances, or the topic of anyone’s conversation but after watching her new bosses, she knew exactly who and what they were talking about.
Originally, she’d taken the bar job for two reasons. Because she could use the extra cash, but also to find out more about the pack and their sketchy alpha. Why did he have to be so damn good looking? His brother was a site to see as well, but given the choice, she’d choose the Alpha. Not because he was an alpha but his looks were striking, more pronounced. The fact he was a little on the cocky side went with the title she guessed. Anyway, Paxson was already taken and she wasn’t down with being a homewrecker.
It didn’t really matter anyway, she wasn’t in the market for a man. She wasn’t relationship material. Her best choice had always been single. Easier to leave when she’s the only one. And by the looks of the bar crowd, she wouldn’t be leaving until the wee hours of the morning. Who knew the town had that many people in it? Were they all wolves? She did sense some, but others that weren’t. And they all seemed to get along well enough.
“Hey Jordan.”
She turned to see Paxson standing at the end of the bar motioning for her to join him. She handed two tall glasses to the man in front of her, put the cash in the register and headed his way.
“I know this is last minute but I was wondering if you would be able to come in early tomorrow?”
“Sure, I don’t have anything else pressing.”
“Thanks, I greatly appreciate it. We have a meeting and want to be able to serve the guests while they’re here.”
“Is that the pack meeting my aunt has been telling me about?”
“It is. Is that okay?”
It wasn’t but new job, new boss and all, she didn’t really want to say that.
“Yeah it’s all good.”
“We’ll be over in the other side in the conference room and I’ll help you as much as possible since you won’t really be able to see what’s going on in there.”
“Oh I thought it was just right out here in the bar.”
“Well, that’s not really feasible. We’re technically open for business so if any customers come in, I’m sure they don’t want to hear our entire wolf history. Heck some of them don’t even know we are wolves.”
“I get where that could be a problem.”
“Unless, of course, you want to be in on the pack meeting? I know your aunt and uncle will be there too.”
“Uhm, not really.”
“Not your thing?”
She shook her head but was hesitant to start her rant about wolf packs.
“Trust me, I get it. I’ve fought it for years, but after my parents died and it more or less left my brother and I in charge, it kind of forced my hand.”
“So, if you’re not crazy about it, then why are you a part of it?”
“It’s different for me now that I have a wife and a little one on the way. My priorities changed. It’s how we were raised anyway, I think I was just going through my rebellious faze. I hated the fact that my brother was in the position to tell me what to do.”
“That’s exactly how I feel. I want to be my own person, and not live under someone else’s thumb.”
“Have you ever been in a pack?”
“No. I bolted as soon as my legs would carry me. My parents died when I was young and to this day I believe their deaths had to do with the pack and I didn’t want anything to do with it. I was thankful for Aunt Meg and Uncle Mike but they didn’t want to have to raise a kid and I knew that. They didn’t push me to join either, until now. She asks me every time I’m around, which isn’t a lot.”
“So why are you here now?”
“I didn’t want them going through it alone. They’re getting older and it’s obvious I don’t trust anyone. Okay, besides you.”
He raised his eyebrows which almost made her laugh.
“I just didn’t want them to go into this new pack blinded.”
“I understand that. I think you have a misguided ideal of how a pack works though, and trust me, I’m not trying to piss you off. I just want you to understand. I kind of felt the way you do at one point but I was definitely misunderstanding how things really worked.”
“Yeah I doubt that.”
“I know, I know. But all I ask is don’t judge until you actually find out how it really is. Attend a meeting with your family a
nd just listen. Going doesn’t mean you’re stuck as a member, I promise.”
“I’ll think about it okay?”
“That’s all I ask.”
“I need to get back to the bar, the wolves are hungry.”
“Ha, that’s very funny.”
She smiled and turned back to a hopping crowd. It was going to be a long night.
…to be continued.
(I know, I’m sorry
Moonlight Mist: A Limited Edition Collection of Fantasy & Paranormal) Page 18