Maddie Wind River, the Alpha Femm of the pack, stood and tapped her spoon against the side of her teacup. She was Rennia’s aunt, and in charge of all the females of the Wind River pack. “Okay, everyone, let’s get started.” She smiled at the bride-to-be. “Kati, I don’t think you’ve met everyone here yet, so I’m going to start with introductions before we go any further.” Maddie turned to her right and nodded to Rennia’s mother. “Of course you know your future mother-in-law, Kitania. Next to her are my daughters Eloise and Elyne. Next is Laynee, and she’s mated to Kitania’s sons Eric and David.”
Maddie smiled and turned to the opposite side of the table. “Next we have Aurelia, uh, I mean Jennifer. Sorry! It’s going to take me some time to get accustomed to the name change.” Aurelia had been hunted by the government for years because of her special gifts. When she finally escaped, she was given a new identity so no one would ever look for her again.
Aurelia smiled. “No harm, Maddie. The guys always call me Aurelia. There’s nobody looking for me anymore.”
Maddie patted her shoulder. “Let’s keep it that way.” She turned to her left. “This is my sister-in-law, Ariane. She’s married to my brother, Michael, and that’s her daughter Kilana. Next to her is my very good friend, Melissa, and her daughter Cyndie. And last, but never least, is Lyssa. Her mother is my friend, Nanita, and it’s my understanding that she’s under the weather and couldn’t join us today. Is that correct, Lyssa?”
“Yes, she’s spending the day resting. The doc said she needed to take it easy for a few days and he’d check on her again.”
Maddie nodded. “Please let me know if she needs anything and I’ll try to stop by later today.”
Rennia rolled her eyes and cleared her throat loudly.
Maddie frowned and then flushed a dull pink. “I’m sorry, Rennia. I didn’t mean to leave you out of the introductions. I knew you’d already met Kati so I didn’t think it was necessary to repeat it.”
Rennia grinned. “No problem, Aunt Maddie. We’re cool.”
Kati stood. “It’s a pleasure to meet all of you, and I’m so very thankful you’re willing to help me plan this wedding. I grew up in a house with two male cops and no mother, so weddings are a little out of my comfort zone.”
Ariane laughed. “Don’t you worry, honey. Maddie is a born party planner. With her leading us, you’ll have a wedding to remember.”
Kitania snorted. “You could take that any number of ways, girl.”
“All right, ladies.” Maddie clapped her hands. “Let’s get to work.” She turned her to Kati. “The invitations went out yesterday since you already picked a date. Now we have to iron out the details. Every young girl, no matter how she grows up, dreams about what her wedding will be like some day. What did you dream of?”
Kati shrugged. “Pretty typical stuff. I dreamed of a long, white dress with lace over satin and sheer lace sleeves. And I wanted a veil that my husband could lift after they pronounced us man and wife. My dad would walk me down the aisle of the church, and there would be flowers and candles everywhere.”
“Well,” Maddie said. “We’ve got a good start at making those dreams a reality. The church is reserved down in Takoda, and your dad will be here to give you away. We just have to work on the rest.”
Elyne stood up. The girl was quiet, and very shy. She lived down in Casper working as a secretary in some bank. Everyone knew her greatest wish in life was to find her mate and have a family. “My contribution will be the dress. We can pick out the pattern you like best, and I’m going to make it for you. If you like, we can design something special together and it’ll be one of a kind.”
Kati’s mouth dropped open. “You can design a new dress and make it in time for the wedding?”
“Sure, no problem.”
Eloise put her hand on Elyne’s shoulder. “My sister is an awesome designer. She wastes her talent working in that stupid bank. You won’t be sorry if you let her do your dress.”
Kati wiped the back of her hand across her eyes. “I’d be honored to wear a dress that you design.”
“Okay then,” Maddie said. “That takes care of the bridal dress. You girls get together this afternoon and make some definite plans.”
“I teach at the middle school down in Casper,” said Kilana. “We used a local florist for the prom, and they did an outstanding job. I’d like to contact them with what we’re wanting and see what kind of bid they come up with. Everything they provided looked beautiful and fresh.”
Maddie picked up a tablet and pen from the counter and quickly wrote some notes. “Okay, get with Kati after this meeting and see what her favorite flowers and colors are, and get an idea of what it will cost.” She looked down at her tablet and then glanced up at Kati. “We need to know how many attendants, and what color you want your bridesmaids to be.”
Kati glanced around the table. “The guys and I talked this over, and they sort of gave me insight into who would be happy to be asked, and who would be horrified. We kind of want to keep things simple, so they talked to the brothers and decided that Macon, Zack, and David would stand up with them. I don’t have any women in my family to ask, so I was hoping that Elyne, Kilana, and Lyssa would agree to be part of the wedding.”
Elyne grinned. “I’d be happy to, Kati. I’m honored that you’d ask me.”
“Me, too,” Kilana said. “Are you gonna put us all in the same dress?” She glanced around the table and frowned. “Some of us are a little heavier than others and might not look good in certain types of dresses.”
Maddie frowned and then growled when Lyssa snorted. “If you can’t say something nice, don’t make a sound. Are you going to accept Kati’s invitation?”
Lyssa narrowed her eyes and bared her throat to the Alpha Femm. “It would be my honor to stand up with my pack sister.”
“Thanks,” said Kati. “I think we should all pick the style of dress together. That way you can all try it on and pass judgment if you think you look good or not. As for the color, I’d like each one to be different so it’s like a moving rainbow.”
“Oohh,” Maddie cried. “That sounds beautiful!”
“What about the reception?” asked Ariane.
“Kati, do you want just a simple reception with cake and punch at the church?” asked Maddie. “Or would you rather have a real party, with music and food and dancing?”
Kati’s smile lit up her face. “A party all the way.”
“What about your place, Rennia?” asked Elyne. “Will you be open by then?”
Rennia bit her lip as twelve pairs of eyes focused on her. She’d recently given up her teaching job in Casper to move back to the mountain and be near her family. They didn’t know she’d purchased a building in Takoda and planned to open a small tavern. Guess I should have never arranged the financing through the bank where Elyne works.
“What is she talking about, girl?” asked Kitania.
Elyne groaned. “I’m sorry, Rennia. I didn’t know it was a secret. I just got caught up in the wedding plans and thought your place would be great to host a party.”
Rennia sighed. “It’s okay, Elyne. I planned on sitting down with Mom and the Dads tonight.” She took a deep breath. “I bought the Bentley store.”
Maddie frowned. “What on Earth would you want with a big, old, run-down building like that?”
“I’m gonna open a little bar for the locals. We’ll have beer on tap and serve simple foods like pizza and burgers. There’s a jukebox and when I can, I plan on having live music from local musicians. It’ll be a place for the pack to hang out on the weekend, or a safe place to take their dates.”
“You’re giving up your teaching career?” Kitania scowled. “I thought you moved back here to take over the elementary classes for the pack.”
“I’m not giving up teaching, Mom. I’m only taking a year off to get the business up and running. After that, I can do both. I just have to hire on people I trust to run the bar.”
“B
ut your father and I—”
Maddie cleared her throat. “I’m sure Rennia has thought this over carefully. I’ve never known her to do anything impulsive so I’m sure she’s considered all the angles. We just have to trust her judgment.” Kitania took a deep breath and then leaned back in her chair and nodded.
“Do you think you’ll be open in time to have the reception at your place?” asked Elyne.
Rennia thought for a moment. “Yeah, we can have it there. I’m actually gonna open for business in just a few days. I was gonna invite all of you to the grand opening in about a month. I thought I’d give it some time to work out all the bugs and get some key employees settled in before I let anybody in on my secret.”
“Sorry!” Elyne whispered.
“Are you sure it wouldn’t be an imposition, Rennia?” Kati asked. “We can always just have a small reception at the church.”
Rennia stood and walked over to give her future sister-in-law a hug. “It’s not an imposition. I’m happy to do this for you and my brothers. I’ll give you a party you’ll never forget.”
The women all looked up when the back door opened. Maddie frowned when Kinnith and Synia walked through the door. “This was a female-only meeting, guys. Don’t make me break out the paddles.”
Synia chuckled. “Sorry for the intrusion, but we got a call from Kati’s dad.”
Kati jumped up. “Is anything wrong? Are they still coming?”
Kinnith walked over and pulled her into his arms. “Relax, darlin’. They’ll both be here day after tomorrow. He was calling to find out if we have any motels around here.”
Kati frowned. “What for? We already told them they could stay with us, or here with Maddie and Remus.”
Synia shrugged. “I think that’s the problem, love.” He glanced at Rennia and a wave of sympathy passed over his face. “He was pretty freaked out by what he saw in Tennessee. I guess he’s a little afraid to stay in such close proximity to us.”
When Kati’s shoulders fell, Kinnith pulled her close. “Relax, woman. He’s coming, and that’s the main thing. We can start changing his opinion of us once he’s here.”
Kati sniffed. “Where are they gonna stay now?”
“I talked to Zack,” said Synia. “He still has the lease on his apartment.”
“That’s right,” said Aurelia. “All the furniture is still there. When Zack bought the house here on the mountain we agreed to get all new furnishings so it would really be ours, and not mine or his. He had just signed another year’s lease so we kept the place.”
Synia nodded. “Zack said they could stay there.”
“My pop was okay with that?” asked Kati.
“Not exactly,” said Kinnith. “When he found out it wasn’t on the mountain, he said your stubborn brother could stay there and he was gonna stay with us. According to him, he wants some time to get to know us better to make sure we’re deserving of his little girl.”
Kati groaned and covered her face with her hands when all the women laughed. After a moment, she moved her hands and looked at Rennia. “Maybe it’ll be good for him to stay in the apartment, alone. He can spend some time getting to know the locals.”
Rennia’s mouth dropped open. Is she thinking what I think she’s thinking?
Maddie clapped her hands. “Okay, everyone, that’s enough for now. Kati, you get together with the girls and pick out a dress for the attendants, and then you can get with Elyne and start on your own dress. We’ll get some estimates on the flowers and candles, and meet back here in two days to compare notes.” She turned her gaze to Rennia. “I’d like to come by and see your place if that’s okay with you. It’ll give me an idea of suggestions to make for the reception.”
Rennia nodded. “I’ll be there today after three o’clock, Aunt Maddie. I’d be happy to show you around.”
“Okay then, girls. Let’s get busy.”
Everyone stood and moved toward the door. Kati grabbed Rennia’s arm and pulled her to the side. “If Ray stays in town at the apartment maybe you could spend some time getting to know him.”
Rennia sighed and shook her head. “Kati, he was pretty adamant about not wanting me near him in my shifted state. The fear was rolling off him. He couldn’t get away from me fast enough.”
“He couldn’t get away from your cat and your wolf. He’s never met Rennia Wind River.”
Chapter 2
Maddie pulled into a parking place near the front door of the old Bentley building. Old man Bentley operated a pharmacy with a soda fountain. He’d been in that location for thirty years when he passed away of a heart attack last spring. His family had argued about the property for months, finally deciding to put it on the market a couple of months back. She glanced over at Kitania. “What did Ethan and Latan say when you told them about this place?”
Kitania gave a very unladylike snort. “They’re trying to figure out a schedule where one of them is always here to watch over her.”
“That’ll be a mistake. You push that girl hard enough and she’s gonna rebel. They should be thankful she wanted to open a place here and not in Casper.” She opened the door and got out of the car.
Kitania fell into step beside Maddie as they made their way across the newly lined parking lot to the front entrance. “Don’t worry. I’m gonna sit them down tonight and lay down the law. She’s an adult, and she’s never been prone to making bad decisions for herself. They’re gonna have to step back and let her flex her wings.”
Maddie grinned and pulled open the heavy, black door. “You get ’em, girl.” She walked inside and took a moment to let her eyes adjust to the dark room. Along one wall stood a long bar flanked by tall stools with silver legs and brown leather tops. Someone had polished its wooden top to a glossy shine. The mirror on the wall behind the bar made the room look twice its natural size. Beer mugs lined the glass shelves beside the line of spigots that would dispense the beer on tap. Small round tables with straight-back chairs were scattered haphazardly in a semi-circle around the room, leaving the middle of the hardwood floor vacant for dancing. Each one had a small, decorative candle in the center. A raised stage, complete with microphone, took up one corner. Lights set into the low ceiling illuminated the entire room. An open door off to the right opened up into another room that appeared to be empty.
“Boy, she’s been busy,” Maddie said. “This didn’t happen overnight.”
Kitania nodded and moved further into the room. “I’m not really sure what I expected.”
“Well, it’s—” Maddie turned when she heard voices coming from a room behind the bar. Before she could investigate, the swinging doors flew forward and Rennia strolled into the room. Her face morphed into a smile as she hurried to hug first her mother and then Maddie.
Rennia pulled back and swept out her arm. “Well, what do you think?”
“I think it’s great, honey.” Kitania gave her another hug. “The place looks terrific. You’ve really been putting in some work.”
“Haven’t seen any kind of a sign,” Maddie said. “What are you gonna call the place?”
Rennia grinned. “Wyoming Wildlife’s Bar and Grill.”
Maddie chuckled. “More than a bar, huh? Are you gonna have a restaurant here?”
She pointed toward the swinging doors. “We have a good-sized kitchen back there. It’s not gonna be a full restaurant. It’s gonna be just what I call pub food. I’ve put in a pizza oven, and we’ll offer hot wings, club sandwiches, hamburgers, things like that.” Rennia nodded toward a wall beside the stage. “I’m putting a jukebox in there for when there’s no band. I’m hoping to have live music on Fridays and Saturdays.”
“How many people are you gonna have working here?” asked Kitania.
“Eventually, they’ll be two bartenders, one cook, two serving girls, and one bouncer. Then the live entertainment will be separate. For now, I’ve got a cook, and me, and another girl that will tend bar and wait on customers. I’m hoping I can get some of my brothers to d
onate a little time to act as bouncer until business picks up and I can hire someone full-time.”
“Where are you gonna get your bands from?” asked Maddie.
Rennia shrugged. “I haven’t got that nailed down yet. I can advertise, or find an agent and book them that way.”
“You might want to check with the local high schools and even the colleges down in Casper. The students are always forming music groups in hopes of making it big, and some of them can be pretty good. You could hold auditions and probably get them for not much money. At least until your business picks up.”
“That’s a terrific idea, Aunt Maddie. I’ll make some calls tomorrow.”
“Are you sure you wanna have the reception here?” asked Kitania.
“Absolutely! It’ll be great. I was just talking to Jonah, my cook. He said he can do any menu you want, and he knows where to get a killer wedding cake.”
“Jonah who?” Maddie asked. “Is he from around here?”
Rennia shook her head. “No, he’s from Casper. His boy, Jeff, was in my class. Jonah Rivers is a former Marine who’s now a single father. He was having difficulties making ends meet so I offered him this job and I haven’t been disappointed. He’s a good man who just needed a helping hand while he pulled himself up.”
“Remus is not gonna like you bringing strangers here.”
Do You Take This Cat [Wind River Pack 4] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 2