I would figure something out. I was good at negotiations. I’d spent years in a world where everything was about the deal and I’d had to be ruthless to make a name for myself in the corporate world. And, I was. I was very good at what I did. So good, that I’d taken our small family handmade furniture business and turned it into a multi-million-dollar corporation.
Now, I was facing the deal of a lifetime. Dames was one of the biggest chain retailers in the world. The merger had the potential of quadrupling revenue. Patterson Furniture was already in the big leagues. This merger would be like winning the pennant.
There had to be a way to extricate myself from Chelsie and this damned engagement delicately, without killing the deal. It wouldn’t be easy. Chelsie was determined. She wanted to follow in the steps of her sorority sisters, and get married.
Correction, she wanted a wedding, a wedding dress, a wedding shower, an engagement, engagement parties, and a fucking engagement trip. A year of festivities all centered around her. Why had Chelsie’s motivations not been clear until now?
To be fair, I’d never paid attention to them before because, well, I supposed I hadn’t cared. She’d wanted to marry me, the marriage would help secure a billion-dollar deal, that was good enough for me.
How was I supposed to know I’d find a mate who would turn my life upside down with her sweet cupcake scent… and her cute button nose…. and her plump, round ass…Fuck!
I finally gave up on sleep just before the sun rose, and regretfully took a hot shower, rinsing Carter from my body. I dressed and headed down to the dining room before Chelsie woke up, and set up at the broken table at the side of the room.
I stared at my laptop. The same information I’d poured over and analyzed for months was displayed on the screen. Normally, I’d get into it and easily focus, but not that morning. All I could think about was the night before. I wanted to run through the woods again. I wanted to chase Carter.
After years of ignoring my wolf’s base desires, suddenly I was in a unique position where my own desires aligned with his. I found myself staring out the window beside me, watching nature come alive.
Helen’s Corner was tranquil and beautiful. So much different from the city. Being here inspired me to want to work with my hands. I hadn’t been involved in the hands-on, creative part of my business in years, but suddenly I had an urge find a block of wood and saw and plane and carve it into something beautiful. I closed my laptop and sighed.
I remembered times when I was a child, when my dad and I would work on custom pieces together in his shop. He’d wrap his large hand around my small fist and together we would router grooves, and sand rough edges. He taught me the way his father taught him. I’d known all my life that I would continue in the family business. I was a Patterson; it was in my blood. Geez, I hadn’t relived those memories in years.
I pulled my phone from my pocket and checked the time. Early, but he’d be up. He woke up before the sun every day. I scrolled through my recent calls, thinking I’d find his name that way, but he wasn’t anywhere near the top. The farther I down scrolled, the worse I felt. It’d been a couple of weeks since I’d called him.
The asshole in me wanted to put the phone away and ignore the niggling guilt. It’d been too long, though.
I dialed his number and watched a couple of squirrels playing outside.
“Son?” My dad’s strong voice blared into my ear, reminding me of the slight headache I’d earned from not sleeping much the night before.
“Hey, Dad. How’s it going?”
“What’s going on, Alec?” He said something to someone in the background and then cleared his throat. “Hold on, son.”
I made a face. Apparently, my dad had been in bed with someone.
“Sorry about that. Now, tell me what’s wrong.”
I laughed. “Nothing’s wrong, Dad. I just realized I hadn’t called in a while. I wanted to catch up with you. Sounds like you’ve got something going on there.”
“Mind your own business.” He laughed, always the easy-going man. “You sound different. What’s going on? And don’t be secretive like me.”
“Nothing. Nothing’s going on. Not yet, anyway.”
“Business or pleasure?”
“A nasty mix of both.”
He grunted. “That’s never good. Why don’t you talk to your old man about it?”
“I’m not ready just yet, Dad. Soon, though.”
“I’m always here.” He cleared his throat again and I could hear him grinning. “I’ve got some ideas of new designs I was thinking of running past you. While I’ve got you, I may as well bother you with them.”
I grabbed a pad of paper and my favorite pen from my briefcase. Dad’s ideas were gold. “I’m ready to start production in a week.”
He laughed, pride clear in his voice. “Okay, let me tell you about them first.”
A smile stretched across my face as, just like that, talking to my dad cleared my head, eased my problems, and brought my feet firmly back on the ground.
11
Carter
Grunting in annoyance, I splashed the glass mixing bowl into the soapy water in the sink and glowered over my shoulder at Muddy. “You’re making me work under inhumane conditions.”
“Most women would be happy to run into their mate at work.” She rolled her eyes and pulled my batch of cupcakes from the oven. “So, you run into him a time or two? What’s the big deal?”
I spun around and waved a whisk at her. “What’s the big deal? The big deal is that he was inside me last night and I’m avoiding him today!”
I’d been hiding in the kitchen since arriving. I’d had to pass through the dining room, but I’d done it like a coward because even though I’d arrived extra early to avoid him, Alec was already in there.
I’d waited outside for a half hour to squeeze in behind the delivery guy. I wasn’t proud of my actions, and I know Alec scented me. Not sure if he saw me though, and I didn’t know what else to do.
“You’re a hot mess.” She sniffed the cupcakes and grimaced. “Ugh… What are these?”
I snatched a cupcake and sniffed it. They smelled overwhelmingly bitter. That could be a problem. I bit my lip as I unwrapped it, then I took a nibble. I immediately spit it into the trash. “Baking soda. What the hell?”
Muddy raised her eyebrows. “Girl, you’ve got to figure your shit out. You’re becoming me in the kitchen.”
I winced. That wasn’t good. I threw the ruined cupcakes into the trash one at a time, each throw a little more forceful than the last. I’d completely lost my baking mojo since Alec had arrived. “I must have used baking soda instead of flour.”
“It seems to me that you’re sexually frustrated and can’t bake while your mate is near.” Her eyes trailed to my neck. “It’s going to be like that until you do something with that man. Like get his claiming mark on you.”
I shook my head. “No! No, no, no! I’ve got enough going on.”
“Like what?”
“Jellybean, Cannon and Matt, being new in town. Just to name a few.”
“I’m calling bullshit. Jellybean isn’t here right now and when she does get back, she would love to have a male figure around. Besides, the girl never met a stranger. Cannon and Matt don’t need you worrying about them. They’re happy and going to be starting their own family soon. And you’re not new in town, anymore. Your shine wore off, baby.”
“Hey!”
She laughed. “Okay, you’re still shiny, but you’re one of us, not an outsider. You’re just making excuses, Carter.”
“It doesn’t matter. I feel like I have too much going on and that’s what counts.”
She heard a commotion in the dining room and moved that way. “You’re going to be miserable as long as you’re fighting it. Is that what you want? Misery and disgusting baked goods?”
I didn’t get to answer as she swept her way into the dining room to see what the noise was all about. I stared at the door that swu
ng closed behind her, part of me wishing I could see through it so I could spy on Alec. I wanted to know what he was doing, what he was thinking. Would he even want to see me? Not that it mattered.
Muddy swept back in with an armful of plates. Frustration was clear on her face. “That twat Mr. Manus is causing a stir.”
I looked at the plates and noticed that they were still full of the batch of croissants I’d prepared that morning. I’d never had a croissant returned. “What did he do?”
She grabbed one of the croissants and took a bite out of it. After chewing for a few minutes and then giving a pleasured sigh, she looked up and fury burned in her eyes. “These are delicious.”
Grunting, I gestured towards the freezer. “They were already made. Last week. Pre-mate.”
“I’m going to go out there and give that asshole a piece of my mind.”
“What did he say?”
She dropped the returned food into the trash. “He announced to the room that he’d had a bite and it was vile. Said he even found a hair in his. His wife backed him up. They’re on a smear campaign.”
My face reddened. “You’re kidding.”
“Nope. They’re out of here.”
I held up my hands and shook my head. “No, don’t do that. Let me talk to them. It’s my fault. I upset them. I’m sorry, Muddy. Let me try to make it better before you go all dragon lady on them.”
“No, I’m the owner. It’s my responsibility to deal with assholes.”
“Muddy, let me just try.”
She stared at me for a few seconds before sighing. “They’re rude to you once and they’re out on their asses.”
I took off my apron and ran my hands through my hair. My mate was out there. I didn’t want to face him, but I wasn’t going to let Muddy suffer because of something I’d done. I wasn’t that big of a coward. My bear pushed at me to go out faster, but I dragged my feet.
“If I’m not back in ten minutes, come looking for me. And bring a bucket of ice water.”
She laughed suddenly, understanding my meaning. “Can’t trust your bear, huh? She wants her mate.”
I nodded. “More than I can even begin to explain.”
My bear pawed at me and chuffed happily as soon as I pushed open the door and walked into the dining room. Alec’s scent enveloped me and wrapped me in a warm embrace that curled between my legs and urged me closer to him. Maybe I was making a mistake leaving the kitchen.
I wanted to go to him. I knew I’d never feel that type of attraction for anyone else. The pull was real, and it was strong. I just…couldn’t. There was too much shit behind me, too much baggage to think that I could go forward with another man.
I spotted Mr. Manus and his wife sitting at a table to themselves off to the side, which meant they’d been bad mouthing me very loudly. I kept my eyes on them and fought the urge to glance at my mate.
Mr. Manus scowled and pursed his lips when I arrived at their table. “Yes?”
I forced a calmness to settle over me and kept my voice lowered but pleasant. “Hello, Mr. Manus. Mrs. Manus. I heard you had a problem with the croissants. I’m the baker here, and I pride myself on the quality of my recipes. Baking is my passion, really.” I was beyond aware that Alec was in the room, and it was a struggle to maintain composure.
“It wasn’t just us, young lady. No one could eat them. You might want to consider another endeavor because your baked goods certainly aren’t up to par.”
My blood pressure shot up and I folded my arms in front of me. “I’m sorry you feel that way, but perhaps I could prepare something else for you? As I said, baking is a passion of mine. I’ve even had guests enjoy my creations so much they’ve suggested I open my own bakery. I promise you, that if you give me a chance, I can make something you’ll enjoy.”
“Maybe you could transfer to housekeeping. Waitressing doesn’t seem to be your thing, and as a baker, you’re a flop. My wife and I certainly don’t trust you with our food anymore.” He’d raised his voice significantly to say that and then frowned. “Anything else?”
My bear was too riled to allow me to respond. In fact, I stood there for a few moments with my jaw hanging open. I wanted to scream at the man, but others were watching. Including my mate, judging by the ominous growl coming from across the room. Instead, I bit my tongue and forced a weak smile.
I was stiff-legged and rigid as I shuffled back to the kitchen. I slid through the door and slumped against the counter. Well, that completely sucked, but the worst part wasn’t Mr. and Mrs. Manus’s insults or my anger towards them.
The worst part was fighting my overwhelming desire for the man across the room who was pissed off on my account, and my longing to run to him and take comfort in his arms.
12
Alec
Rage unlike anything I’d ever felt coursed through me. I wanted to tear the man a new asshole for speaking to my mate that way. The only thing that kept me in my seat was that Chelsie sat across from me, enjoying the show. My wolf demanded that I defend our mate, to hell with Chelsie and what she thought. I had my business to think about, though.
“What’s wrong with you? What’s that sound you’re making? Are you... growling?” Chelsie’s annoying voice broke my red haze.
I looked up at her and winced. The sight of her made me feel queasy after spending the evening before with the woman I was meant for. I never noticed before how unattractive Chelsie was. “I’m not feeling all that well at the moment.” It wasn’t a lie.
She pursed her lips. “It’s probably the food. Apparently, it’s not very good today. Poor girl should stick to cleaning rooms like that gentleman advised.”
“The food is delicious, and the croissants are exceptional. That’s guy’s a whiny ass.” I made sure I said it loud enough that my deep voice carried across the room. When he glared over at me, I shot him a look that sent him scrambling to hide his face behind the pages of his open newspaper.
“Good grief, Alec. Did you catch something? You’re acting like a wild beast.”
She was right. My wolf was closer to the surface than he’d been since I was a teenage boy. He wanted out and he wanted to claim his mate. That is, after he took a few minutes to chew the face off the son of a bitch who’d been harassing her.
I sat back in my chair and took a deep breath in. I had to calm down and think clearly. Slim chance of that happening with Carter barely fifty feet from me. It was worse that she was avoiding me. Not that I could blame her. Not with me sitting with another woman.
Damn. How did my mate feel seeing me sitting with another woman? I hadn’t even considered what she might be feeling, or what she must think. Just the very idea of seeing her with another man made me angry enough I could tear the whole damn room apart. I needed to explain. I had to tell her the truth…
Would she understand? I’m not sure I would if the situation was reversed. I felt as though I’d swallowed a boulder. I suddenly found myself in a bigger mess than I’d realized.
“I’m going to run up to the bathroom. I’ll be right back.”
I just needed to get away for a second. I needed some air if I was going to be able to make it through a morning of “photo opportunities” with Chelsie.
Out of the dining room and down a small hallway was a guest bathroom. I stood in the tiny room and splashed water on my face, then stared at my reflection. I looked more like my wolf than usual. There was something wild in my eyes that I couldn’t hide no matter how many times I blinked and rubbed them.
I was exhausted. Exhausted, horny, desperate, and suddenly feeling lonelier than I’d ever felt in my life. Meeting Carter had brought out feelings that I didn’t know I was capable of. Without her, I felt incomplete.
I could almost taste how sweet it would be to have her to wake up next to every morning. I imagined quiet evenings in, wrapped up in each other, long walks and playful romps in the woods. I envisioned heated discussions and debates. I wanted to know everything there was to know about her. I had a
longing bordering on desperation.
I needed to talk to her, work things out, explain my position. I didn’t know why she was avoiding me. Shouldn’t she be screaming at me to claim her as my mate already? Everything in me wanted to claim her.
I shook my head and blew out a rough breath. I was hard again. It was difficult to be anything but when she was always on my mind.
Still feeling a weight in the pit of my stomach, I opened the door and stepped out to find Carter bearing down on me. Her eyes lifted and met mine and then she practically screeched to a halt. Her mouth opened and closed, moving like a fish out of water.
I reached for her arm. The bathroom would be a great place to talk. Or whatever.
Carter had other ideas. She flailed backwards and then charged back through the doorway into the dining room. A few seconds later, there was a crash and then I heard that whiny asshole’s voice screeching over the chaos of multiple people talking at once.
I hurried after her, trying not to be offended and annoyed that she ran from me. As I rounded the corner, I saw her sprawled out in front of me with her ass in the air. Wrapped in a pair of tight, worn blue jeans, she was sexy enough to revive my dick from rejected and wilted to hard as steel.
She was apologizing and trying to scoop up the broken pieces of a coffee cup. The old woman with the sour face was standing over her, a brown stain down the front of her white blouse. Her husband, the whiny asshole, was leaning down, getting closer to yell at my mate.
My mate.
My wolf threatened to emerge, and it was all I could do to not snap the old bastard’s neck. I still ended up grabbing his upper arm and jerking him upright. “Do not yell at her!”
He stuttered at the look on my face and blanched. “S—She spilled coffee all over my w—wife!”
My voice was a low growl, less than human even to my own ears. “I don’t care if she fucking murdered your first born. You will watch your mouth and treat her with respect.”
Carter had gone still and when I looked down at her, I found that she was staring up at me wide eyed in fear. She blinked it away as soon as she saw my confused expression, but I’d clearly seen fear. It was too late to take it back.
Wolf Boss Page 5