by Cara Adams
The next question was, how could he spend time with Chloe? It was disappointing that Forest didn’t seem to like her, but that was too bad. Ny wanted her, and if necessary, he’d share her with one of the other brothers. Forest could hardly complain if he disliked the woman so strongly.
One obvious solution was to suggest Chloe stay here instead of out at Damien’s house. That would give Hunter, Damien, and Jaz the privacy they deserved as a newly mated family, but since Chloe clearly expected to spend time with Jaz, maybe she and Jaz wouldn’t like that suggestion.
During a break in the conversation, Ny asked, “What about accommodations? There’s one hotel in Towler, but it only has maybe twenty rooms. I suppose some families will live in Towler already, so they’ll be able to take in a few guests each. But what about everyone else?”
“Can’t they camp?” asked Jaz. “You said the Alpha has a big property.”
“Most desert families have camping equipment, so I agree. Maybe the older people would be happier in a hotel or staying with a family, though. But for everyone else, it’s only a few days, so camping would be fine.”
Around the table, conversation ramped up as people suggested various ideas. Hunter disappeared for a few minutes and returned with a notebook and a pen, which he handed to Jaz, and she and Chloe bent their heads over it and began writing down everyone’s ideas. Ny sat back in his chair, smiling at the way everyone was working together and problem solving. This was part of a being in a pack or a larger family that he loved. People cooperating and working toward a common goal together. Even Forest, who apparently still thought it was a stupid idea, was listening intently and making occasional suggestions.
Ny looked at the time and got out of his chair. He set the coffee pot on to percolate and then rummaged in the pantry, collecting ingredients and putting together a platter of cheese, crackers, avocado dip, and some celery and carrot sticks. It wouldn’t be as popular as the cinnamon sticks, which had long since been all eaten up, but it was good nibbling food and would stave off any attack of the munchies these wolves were developing.
He leaned on the counter, watching the interaction and bi-play between the people sitting at the table. Chloe was bright and sparkling, fizzing with ideas and bouncing them off Jaz and everyone else. The others were watching her, smiling and attentive, except for Forest, who still had a deep frown on his face.
There was no reason for Forest to be worried right now. Everyone was under his roof, safe and sound. Forest wasn’t a vindictive person, liable to take offense because everyone else thought the party was a good idea and he didn’t. Although he might be silently hoping the Alpha refused to agree to it.
So what was his problem? Forest was the oldest brother, the firstborn, a manager, an organizer, a worrier, and a Dom. But none of those categories really applied right now.
Once again Ny decided that if Forest was unable to like Chloe it was too bad. Ny wasn’t going to give her up. He’d woo her himself, or, if one of the other brothers was adamant about sharing her, he’d share with them. But he wasn’t going to stop his pursuit of her.
But did Forest really dislike her? He was frowning at her again. Or possibly still. He certainly didn’t approve of her coming here alone or of the plans for the ball. But was his disapproval deeper than that? Did he object to her lighthearted and bubbly personality? Was that the problem? Did he need a more serious, more measured sort of woman? Well, fuck that. Ny had no intention of trying to take the fizz and bubble out of Chloe. It was part of who she was and part of what he liked about her.
Fucking hell. He should have been walking on air because finally, finally, a woman who was available and who appealed to him had turned up in Junctionville. Instead, he was on tenterhooks because Forest mightn’t like her.
Well fuck it. He wasn’t going to stand back and wait for Forest to make up his mind. Ny’s mind was already set, and Chloe was his.
“Chloe, I’m sure everyone expects you to stay here with us tonight, but what are your plans after that? Would you like to remain here in the house for a week or so?”
He hoped she’d say yes but wasn’t sure. Would Hunter and Damien want to be alone with Jaz, or would they want Jaz to have her friend visit with them?
Chloe turned to look at Jaz, and it was Jaz who replied. “I think we’ll all stay here for a few days at least. Chloe and I will want some girl-time together, but it’ll be good to have all of you around as we brainstorm the ball itself and all the plans we need to make. You’ll also be able to help us think of the various families scattered around the desert and their needs.”
Good. If she was in the house, he’d have many more opportunities to get to know her better. And getting to know her better was his number one priority right now.
* * * *
Chloe had really enjoyed the meal and all the conversation. After spending so much time with just her family and the two wolves who worked on their cactus farm, Luther and Nicu, joining in a totally different conversation with people she didn’t know, and hearing all sorts of new opinions, was amazing. It absolutely reinforced her plan for the masquerade ball as a means of bringing together all the Nevada pack. Even Forest’s frowns didn’t bother her. She assumed he’d be like Tekoa and settle down when everyone else proved they could manage their tasks perfectly well without his help.
That was another thing. All these Wishram men were decidedly yummy. The only one she’d met before was Hunter, and he was in love with Jaz. Jaz had told her every one of the five brothers was tall, dark, and devastating, and she was absolutely correct. Hunter had seemed nice, as had Damien, of course, when she’d met them before, but Nyander was the man here who really appealed to her. He was so interested in her, so caring, and considerate and sweet.
Forest was very bossy and probably self-centered and arrogant, very much like her oldest brother Tekoa. But she knew how to deal with men like that. Out-think them and pull the rug out from under their feet often enough and they’d get the message and let her make her own decisions.
Hawk, Stone, and Yuchi she was just starting to get to know. She could already discern differences in their personalities. Hawk, the second eldest, was much more laid back and relaxed than Forest. Yuchi was the typical youngest child of a large family, very personable and able to get on with everyone. Rather like herself. Youngest kids had to be flexible to survive in a big family. Stone was a much quieter person. He didn’t have a lot to say, but when he spoke, it was worth listening to him. All in all, they were a fascinating bunch of people, and she was very glad she’d come to visit.
Chloe sat up in her bed for over an hour, going through all the notes she’d written down, making a timeline of things to be done, and a list of ideas and thoughts to explore with Jaz tomorrow. Even though she’d had a long day’s drive, she was still filled with energy right up to the moment when she put the notebook and pen down and lay down. Then she was asleep in moments.
Having left her cell phone turned off, she had no idea what time it was when she woke up. The sun was bright in the sky, but that didn’t give her any information other than that it was later than about five a.m. She tiptoed into the bathroom, but no one was there when she knocked on the door so she enjoyed a long shower before returning to her room and getting dressed. Armed with her notebook again, she made her way to the kitchen.
The house was surprisingly large with several passageways going in different directions. Chloe longed to explore them both but thought it might be construed as her being nosy, or bad mannered, so she took the hallway that she knew would bring her to the kitchen.
Once there, she saw a note on the countertop, telling her where various food items were stored. She couldn’t be bothered cooking eggs or bacon so helped herself to a large bowl of cereal and topped it off with orange juice instead of milk.
Jaz arrived with Phideaux while she was still eating and mulling over her lists of things to do. Jaz got Phideaux a bowl of water and then put some bread on to toast.
&nbs
p; “How many slices of toast do you want, Chloe?”
“I hadn’t thought that far ahead. Maybe two?”
“Excellent. This is a four-slice toaster so two for you and two for me. It’s hours since I had breakfast with Hunter and Damien.”
Chloe felt a pang of guilt. “Oh dear. Did I sleep in very late?”
“It’s not much after nine, and you did have a very long journey yesterday as well.”
“Actually, I stayed up late thinking about the ball and everything we need to organize.”
Jaz grabbed the toast, butter, peanut butter, and jelly and dropped into a chair beside her.
“Oh, tell me everything you thought of. This is going to be fun.”
Once again time flew by as Chloe and Jaz talked about the ball and all the things they needed to plan for it. Chloe found it a truly special time. For years now the only other woman she spoke to for weeks on end was her mother. Whereas now, she and Jaz were sparking ideas and plans off each other so fast at times she could scarcely write them all down. Chloe jumped out of her chair and hugged Jaz. “It’s amazing to have a woman to talk to. Everything you suggest has been wonderful.”
Phideaux jumped up as well and began barking.
“Poor Phideaux. He’s been so good sitting here all this time while we’ve been talking. Should we take him for a walk?”
“Let’s do that. Come on, Phideaux.”
Jaz led the way out the sliding doors and across the deck into the desert. Chloe took a good look around to orient herself in the surrounding area and then followed Jaz. They ran up a low hill, climbed a few rocky outcrops, and then walked some more, the huge dog sometimes walking with them and, at other times, running ahead or stopping to sniff the ground.
Finally they stopped and sat on a pile of rocks. Chloe grinned as Jaz looked at them very carefully before she sat down. “Snakes are far more scared of you than you are of them,” she said.
“Uh-huh. What about scorpions?”
“Them, too.”
“Riiiight.”
Chloe laughed. “Hunter and Damien haven’t quite turned you into a desert woman yet.”
Jaz nodded. “I do like the desert. It’s so peaceful and, I don’t know, sort of harmonious. As if everything is perfectly connected to everything else. I’m not sure how I’ll do in midsummer when it gets really hot though. I might not move out of the air conditioning for a month or so.”
“You’ll get used to it. Dry heat is a hell of a lot easier to live with than humidity.”
“I’ll let you know.”
As soon as Jaz said that, Chloe felt a burst of happiness inside her. Jaz would let her know because they’d stay friends. They’d keep in touch, and she’d have a female friend again. Indigo, who she’d met at school, was still her friend, but they almost never spoke to each other except on Facebook, and that wasn’t an ideal way of maintaining a relationship. There was so much that couldn’t be said in a public forum in case it got shouted out to the world.
“What about you, Chloe? Hunter has four brothers. Do any of them interest you? Then we’d be sisters, which would be amazing.”
“I don’t know. Forest is very bossy, and Yuchi is too much like me. I rather like Ny.”
“Ny is nice. He’d make you a great partner. Besides, a man who can cook is always good to have around. That’d mean having Forest as well, though. Do you think you could get to like him? He’s a Dom. Have you ever been in a dungeon?”
Chloe looked up at Jaz’s face fast and caught the faintest hint of a blush. Hmm, maybe Hunter was a Dom as well.
“Wolves are naturally bossy, dominating, and possessive. Forest reminds me a lot of my oldest brother, Tekoa. It’s taken me a lifetime, but I’ve just about gotten Tekoa trained. I don’t know that I’m prepared to work that hard to get Forest to let me be myself. Although it might be easier because he hasn’t ever known me when I was small and weak. Hmm. I might have to think about that. Meanwhile, I’ll concentrate on the ball. That’s really why I’m here.”
“Maybe concentrate on Ny and the ball. That way you’ll find out if he likes you. And if he really does, maybe Forest will behave as well.”
Chloe laughed and high-fived Jaz. “That sounds like a good plan.”
* * * *
While Ny was cooking supper that night, he was entertained by Jaz and Chloe laughing and giggling in Forest’s office as they typed up and printed out their plans for the masquerade ball. He loved the sound of happy women’s chatter and laughter as a background to his chopping and stirring. It made him realize how much the house lacked with no females in it except when Jaz visited them.
It made him even more determined to make an opportunity to touch Chloe, maybe even to kiss her. He wasn’t sure how long she’d be staying here, and two days had already passed. He needed to get a move on if he was going to woo her in just a week.
He hadn’t figured out how he was going to manage that, but he supposed they could go for a walk in the desert. The stars were very bright out here at night, so far away from city lights. The sky was very black with no diffused or reflected light from anywhere, and that made the stars shine so much brighter. The desert was just as beautiful at night as it was during the daytime.
Over supper Chloe and Jaz laid out their plans for the ball and a gathering of wolves. Chloe had left space in her planning on the day of the ball for the Alpha to hold meetings or for people just to hang out together, as well as help in preparations for the night. Then, the following day, there was space again for the Alpha if he wanted to talk to people and for partygoers to help pack away the party tent and all the paraphernalia that was needed.
“People might want to come earlier or stay later to visit with family and friends as well, but that would be up to them. I expect the Alpha wouldn’t mind people camping on his property for a week or so. But we’d need to know how long to hire bathrooms and cooking gear and chairs and tables for,” said Chloe.
Ny nodded. “Chloe, you and Jaz have thought of everything. Your lists and plans are incredibly comprehensive. It’s going to be a huge project, though, to cater for maybe two hundred people, even if it is only for a few days.”
“People will help. We can do a cookout-style menu, and people will bring their own food and share it around. Men always like grilling a barbecue, and the women will make salads and things to go with the meat. Even hot dogs will do for a midday meal if there’s going to be a meal at night during the ball.”
“We ought to figure that out. Should we have a proper dinner before the ball or a supper during it?” asked Chloe.
Ny sat back and let the others argue. He didn’t care, but he thought people would want to take the time to dress up in their costumes, so an early easy meal and a later supper would likely be more popular. Maybe the Alpha would want to make the decisions anyway.
Chloe scribbled notes all over her printed sheets and then nodded. “Okay, tomorrow I’ll type up the alterations and send an e-mail to the Alpha laying the idea out before him. You’ll all be going and available to help, won’t you?”
“What about the gas station? Someone has to be here to keep it open for passersby. We can’t have it closed for several days,” argued Forest.
“Old Man Morgan and his wife will stay here for us. The two of them could easily manage just the gas station and the store. We’ll have to make sure there’s plenty of stock, but Mrs. Morgan will be able to work the till and make snacks and Old Man Morgan can do the rest,” said Hunter easily.
“He won’t be able to do any mechanical work though. And she won’t cook the way Ny does,” argued Forest.
“Lighten up, bro. We don’t want them doing a better job than us, or the locals will complain. No one will mind us taking a short vacation. No one will worry if, just this once, they have to get their tire fixed in Burton or Towler. Anything else can wait until we get back,” said Hawk.
Ny hid a grin. Forest was still frowning, but it was clear everyone else disagreed with him.
“Chloe, would you like to go for a short walk in the desert with me before bed?”
Ouch. That sounded suggestive. Likely because his mind was south of his belt buckle right now, but he hadn’t meant it in a dirty way.
Her big brown eyes looked at him in an assessing manner, but then she smiled, so he guessed he’d passed whatever test she was giving him.
“Thank you, I’d like that,” she said.
His own face split in a huge grin, and he jumped up, extending his hand to her.
“I’d like to come, too,” said Forest. Then he cleared his throat, “That is, if you don’t mind, Chloe.”
Now Ny had to look down so Forest didn’t see any signs of his smile. Poor Forest. He hated to have to ask permission for anything, but he was right. Chloe was totally free to choose who she would be with, no matter what any of them wanted.
“Okay.”
Ny led Chloe down the hallway where Mr. and Mrs. Wishram’s bedroom and private sitting room was, and which was now only used for occasional visitors needing overnight accommodation. He opened the side door there and led the way out into the desert. The land here rose very gradually, so it seemed as if they were walking on flat ground. But after about ten minutes, it became obvious that they were higher up, and there was quite a nice view out across the desert. It wasn’t like climbing a mountain or even a hill. But the vista was pretty even at night, highlighting the paler and darker tones of rocks and bushes, with the gas station and highway in the background.
He turned around and pointed for Chloe to look.
“Ah, that’s lovely. The desert is amazing,” she said.
That was his opportunity. “You’re pretty amazing as well. May I kiss you?”