by V. Vaughn
“Uh, I can probably get guys in here to get it done within the week.”
I smile at Parker. “Perfect. But do you mind if I move in before that?”
His face breaks into a huge grin, and he lifts me off my feet to kiss me. “We can get you settled in today.”
“Tomorrow. I want one more night with my mother.”
“Sure.” He opens the freezer door and retrieves her ice cream. “I’ll clean up when I get back.”
* * *
I sniff and grab a tissue from the box on the coffee table before us. Mom and I just watched Terms of Endearment. Each time I see the movie, it hits me differently. This time I realize how I’m my mother’s whole world. I lean into her. “When I have my baby, will you be there?”
“Of course I will. Are you afraid?” I told her that I was most likely pregnant, and she knows I plan to move in with Parker tomorrow.
“Not as afraid as I am of losing you.” I sit up and twist so we’re facing each other. “I’m worried you aren’t going to eat right or remember to shower.”
“I did all of those things when you were little. But you’ve got a nurturing nature and needed to take care of something. So I let it be me.”
“Why didn’t you ever date?”
“Your father hurt me badly, and when he left, I was a mess. I wasn’t the best mother during that time, so I decided to swear off men for a while. I guess it became a habit.”
I smile, and Mom starts to shake her head. She says, “I know that look. Don’t you dare think you need to find me a boyfriend.”
“What kind of daughter would I be if I stopped taking care of you?”
Mom throws a piece of popcorn at me. “I’m serious. I wouldn’t know the first thing about dating and am too old to learn now.”
“The alpha of my pack is a widower.” I grab her bowl of ammunition and add, “You might like what werewolves have for equipment.”
“Trixie! Are you talking about sex with me? Goodness, I like what Parker’s doing to you.”
I grin. “You have no idea.” I stand up to clear our snacks and say, “Oh wait. You probably do.”
Mom holds her hand up. “I’m drawing the line now. I can’t think about you that way.”
“Fair enough. But I’m not giving up the finding you a werewolf idea.” Glasses rattle as I pull the dishwasher open. “It would be good research.”
“Research? Now there’s an idea.” She tosses tissues in the garbage.
I walk over to wrap my arms around her waist and pull her in for a hug. “Mom, I may be moving out, but I hope you know I plan to talk to you every single day.”
She pulls away to place a hand on my cheek. “This is natural, sweetie. You’re supposed to move on with your life when you grow up. If you didn’t, then we’d just be creepy.”
“I like our kind of creepy. Just you wait. I’m going to hook you up with a werewolf so we can be.”
Mom kisses my forehead. “Don’t you worry about me. Go live the life you’re meant for, and give me grandchildren to play with.”
I think about the baby that is a tiny seed in my belly. I hug Mom again. “I will.”
14
“You’re sure Paul is coming.” Plastic wrap tears from the roll as I remove it to cover the potato salad I just made.
“Yes. I’m sure.” Parker places a hand on my stomach as he comes up behind me to kiss my neck. “I don’t know how much longer I can keep our secret. Do we really have to wait until twelve weeks?”
I turn to face him. “You don’t expect me to believe you’ve kept it a secret? Once I told my mother I was pregnant, you let it slip to a few people too.”
“You caught me. What can I say? There’s something about knowing my child is in your belly that strokes my ego and makes me want to brag.”
I place my hand on his chest, and his muscles flex under my fingers. He’s such a guy. “Eleven weeks is probably safe. You can tell people today.”
We’re having a barbecue for the Fourth of July, and I know Parker would love to announce our news to everyone at the party. I pull the bowl off the kitchen counter that is now regulation height. “Put this in the fridge for me?” And stop bothering me. I have so much to get done before people get here. I grin at how useful telepathic speaking is for getting my point across.
“Fine. I’ll go make sure everything’s ready for the bonfire.”
A small smile forms on my lips as I think about my plan. Paul, our alpha, lost his wife and true mate over a year ago. I’m told nobody’s ever had more than one true mate, and that makes him eligible for my mother. I think it’s time she got a man in her life too. But she’d kill me if she thought I set her up, so I decided it would work best if they met at a big party where neither one is uncomfortable.
I pull the grocery bag of plastic utensils out and rip open packages. The cutlery clatters as I organize it in a basket. It’s the strangest thing. Because I’ve never been one to have intuition, but something in my gut is telling me Paul and Mom belong together.
Male voices carry into the house through the screen door. I wander over to look. Ekton is here with his brothers, and they’re giving Parker a hard time about how his fire is built. I chuckle as Ekton begins to toss the logs off to the side so he can redo it.
Once Ekton discovered I was a wolf, he told me he’d always known. But he wasn’t sure how to approach me about it, because he sensed I didn’t have any idea. My feet tap as I step out onto the porch, and he notices me. “Trixie baby! How you ended up with a man that can’t build a basic fire is beyond me. But don’t worry. I’m schooling him.”
Muscles ripple when he removes his shirt, and I shake my head as I watch. “Jeannie is a lucky girl.”
One of his brothers says, “She sure is. She just kicked him to the curb last week.”
I glance at Ekton. “I’m so sorry.”
He waves a hand at me and hoists another log out of the fire pit. “Don’t be. She found her true mate.” Wood slams, and he winks at me. “She was just training me for mine.”
I turn my gaze to Parker. He unclenches his fists as he gives me a sheepish smile. I think he’s jealous of the friendship I have with Ekton, but he’s doing a good job of controlling it.
Pride surges in me as I think of his success with the all-girl football team. He’s becoming the kind of man I can imagine as a father. I put my hand on my stomach and blow him a kiss before turning back to go inside.
When I get there, my mom is coming in the door with her arms full. I race over to help. “I thought I told you to bring one fancy cocktail.” I link my arm through the handle of a canvas sack and am surprised by how heavy it is.
“I know. But I couldn’t decide. At first I got strawberries for daiquiris, and then the pineapple looked good, so I thought maybe a rum punch.” Her bags clunk on the counter, and I peek inside the one I’m holding before adding mine. There’s a variety of fruit juices in it.
Mom begins to remove items from her bag. “Look at this watermelon. How could I resist it?”
“Fine. But something tells me this is just a warning of what kind of grandmother you’re going to be. I expect my children will be showered with too many gifts.”
“Don’t you know it. But don’t call me a grandmother. That makes me sound so old, and I’ve got a few months left.”
I chuckle. My mom had me when she was seventeen, and thirty-six is hardly old. “Do you realize some women are just starting to have babies at your age?”
She glances over at me with wide eyes. “Perish the thought. You were all I ever needed.”
I hand her a sharp knife to slice the fruit, and the cutting board claps on the counter when I set it down. “I’m just saying you’re still a catch and have plenty of years left for love.”
“Who says I haven’t started looking?”
She pulls her shirt out and steps close to me as she says, “Look at this sexy bra I bought.”
It’s pink with black lace trim. “Nice.”
I glance up as Parker and Paul approach us. The look on their faces is priceless, and I cover my mouth as I giggle.
My mom turns around to them and lifts her hand in a small wave. “Hi.”
Parker says, “Paul Ryan, this is Caroline Quinn, my future mother-in-law.”
Paul takes her hand and kisses it. She says, “You sure you want to do that? Have you seen where that’s been?”
My alpha breaks into a huge grin. “That’s precisely why I wanted to. You do have a fine backside.”
I wink at Parker. “I told you they were right for each other.”
Mom says, “Goodness.” She makes a show of scanning him with her eyes. “And you’re the alpha. Come cut fruit with me, and I’ll tell you what I do for a living.”
My mate grabs my hand. “I think we should leave them alone.”
We make our way outside, where people are milling around, and I greet members of the Winter Valley Pack. I’m happy to see Katie and Devon, and we spend time chatting. They’ve been wonderful in helping me assimilate into my new family.
The barbecue goes well, and by the time it’s nightfall and the fire’s roaring, I steal away for a moment alone. I’m down on the dock when Parker finds me. He says, “Word is out that you throw a great party.”
He wraps his arms around me, and I gaze up at him. “It’s easy to do when you’re working with crazy werewolves. I think they’d be happy anywhere there was food and alcohol.”
I lean my head against his chest and inhale the scent that wraps me in a cocoon of love. I try to imagine what my life was like before Parker. But it’s a distant memory that’s faded compared to what I have now. “You make me the happiest woman alive.”
Parker grips my arms, and I lift my face up to him as he says, “You’ve done the same for me.” He lowers his mouth to mine and kisses me tenderly. His hands move down to cup my bottom, and I meld my body to his. He murmurs in my neck, “I love you more than I thought possible, Trixie.”
Thick hair slips through my fingers as I hold the back of his head. “I love you just as much.”
My mother’s laughter carries over to us, and I glance toward the water in her direction to discover she’s in a canoe with Paul. I whisper. “Look at that.”
Parker nuzzles my neck and says, “I think she might help heal his broken heart. Every man deserves a good woman in his life.”
I pull away to gaze into the green eyes that I plan to see when I’m old. I realize Parker has melted through my icy facade to warm me up in every way. “And every woman deserves a good man.” This time when we kiss, I imagine we’re giving each other the pieces that were missing to make us whole.
* * *
Caroline Quinn can give her heroines a happy ending, but she can’t seem to find a date. Until alpha, Paul Ryan walks back into her life. Can he convince her he’s worth the risk? In Fated…
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More Winter Valley Wolves:
As bundles -
The Lindholms
The Wakefields
The Quinns
Or Singles -
Brindle
Bosun
Berch
Ergan
Ekton
Esher
Chosen
Fated
Destined
V. Vaughn also has a bear shifter serial - Called by the Bear.
Complete Edition
Called by the Bear Parts 1-3
Called by the Bear Parts 4-6
Called by the Bear Parts 7-9
Tempted by the Bear :
Tempted by the Bear - Parts 1-3
Tempted by the Bear - Parts 4-6
Tempted by the Bear - Parts 7-9
Tempted by the Bear - Complete Edition
Rocked by the Bear is Coming in February 2016
Andre
Adrian
Aleck
Aaron
Desired by the Bear is Coming Spring 2016!
Part II
Fated
Winter Valley Wolves 8
Caroline Quinn writes romance, so you’d think it would be easy for her to do relationships. The truth is that while she can give any heroine a happy ending, after decades of being a single mother who swore off men she struggles to find a guy she wants to date. Although, there’s one sexy werewolf she’s interested in, but after one fun afternoon on the lake Paul Ryan left her high and dry. When he’s suddenly around at every turn she discovers there’s a reason she can’t keep him out of her dreams. Now she has to decide if fate’s plan for her is worth the risk.
Paul Ryan is the alpha of the Silver Lake Wolves and without a mate. When he met Caroline Quinn, all his senses buzzed with the electricity he used to feel for his late true mate. But he wasn’t ready for a second chance and let Caroline go. When Paul runs into her months later he can’t resist the pull of their fate, and he doesn’t want to. All he has to do now is convince Caroline they’re meant to be.
15
Boxes of microwave dinners stare back at me from behind the glass doors in the frozen food section. A woman pushes a cart with a loose wheel, and it rattles as it goes by me. Why do all my choices seem to be red and green? Did some marketing team decide that stop-and-go colors make you more likely to purchase a quick meal? I’m on a deadline, and I really shouldn’t be wasting time trying to figure out dinner.
I smile to myself as I employ the method my daughter, Trixie, and I used to use for making this tough decision. Tugging at the waistband of my oversized sweats made even baggier by multiple days of wear, I peek inside my pants to see the color of my panties. Nude. That means chicken.
A chuckle makes me snap my head up, and I blow a strand of my hair out of my face as I realize I’m staring at Paul Ryan, the alpha of my daughter’s wolf pack.
Figures after all this time I’d see him at my worst. I write romance novels, and during crunch time I ignore the little things like personal hygiene and stocking my pantry. My bulky cotton outfit takes dumpy to a whole new level, and my hair hasn’t seen a brush since yesterday... I let out a sigh and say, “Hi, Paul.”
“Caroline. Making sure you remembered underwear?”
Damn him. This isn’t the first time I’ve made a fool of myself in front of Paul. When we first met, he walked in on me slapping my bottom as I asked my daughter, “Don’t you just want to smack it?”
My insides flutter in reaction to the sexy grin that covers his face. White teeth sparkle against his ruby-red lips like the heroes I’ve been writing lately. Paul Ryan is one hot werewolf, and even though he hasn’t called since we first met, I’ve managed to have a fantasy relationship with him anyway.
“Decision-making method,” I say. I take satisfaction in his confused look. “I’m on a deadline, and my cook up and left me when she decided to get married.” I shrug. “Kids these days.”
“Congratulations on being a grandmother. Those boys are quite precious.”
Grandmother. Trixie had twin boys two months ago. Not only did I never plan on having a child at seventeen, but I certainly didn’t plan on becoming a grandmother at thirty-six. “Thank you. And yes, they are,” I say.
For the Silver Lake Wolves, my grandsons are quite precious, because the pack needs children to continue on. Female werewolves rarely have offspring, so the male wolves seek out a human woman instead. Fate also ensures this ritual with true mate attraction.
Paul says, “It’s almost time to break out the canoe again.”
What? Last summer we met at a Fourth of July barbecue my daughter and her husband hosted. Paul took me out on the lake in a canoe, and we flirted shamelessly with each other. The evening ended with him walking me to my car and a promise he’d call. He didn’t.
I reply with a cool tone, “So it is.”
I glance at Paul’s basket to discover fresh produce and a bottle of wine. Suddenly the thought of chicken nuggets isn’t very appealing. I decide to go to the deli and get soup and a salad instead. I say, “Have a good night,” as I begin to walk away.
“Caroline, wait.” He grabs my arm to stop me.
I gaze up at him and his nostrils flare. Oh god, werewolves have a sensitive nose, and he’s probably smelling me since I haven’t had a shower today. Could I be any more disgusting? He probably thinks I’m mad about how he blew me off so I say, “You don’t need to say anything.” The heat of his hand has permeated my thick sweatshirt sleeve, and I tug my arm away. “We had fun at the party, and it stopped there. It wasn’t a big deal.” I walk off quickly before I further humiliate myself by letting him know otherwise.
When I get to the salad bar, I busy myself with deciding which soup smells the most appetizing. The curried chicken scent makes my mouth water, and since it fits the color of my panties, I pour myself a large container with the plan to make it more than one meal. I prepare a salad to match, and a chilled chardonnay from the cooler is cold in my hand when I grab it to complete my dinner.
I’m almost over my encounter with Paul when I get in line to check out. But as I set the food on the conveyer belt, I revisit my sad attempt at dating this year. I promised Trixie I’d get out there, but the truth is, I’d rather binge watch television shows on my computer than go to social engagements. While it’s easy for me to concoct ways for my heroines to meet their heroes, the reality is that it’s hard in real life. I’m lonely, and if I don’t do something to change it, I might end up as a crazy cat lady someday.
The bar code reader beeps as the clerk rings up my items, and she makes small talk with me as she bags my groceries. She’s a woman about my age, and I take notice of her neat hairdo and light touch of makeup. It makes me think that I should have given my public appearance a few minutes of effort, especially since I just ran into the one shot I had at a date in the last year. It’s time I try.