Lacy said, “You’ve been making people smile and laugh your whole life. You have the best heart, but you have to forgive yourself when you make mistakes.” I sighed, “It’s so hard because I’m so close to perfection ninety-seven percent of the time. SGAP thinks it’s him, but it’s me.”
We both jolted when we heard SGAP shout, “DYLAN!” I whispered, “Do you think he found out about Nathan’s friend date?” Lacy snorted, “Probably.” Clothes were snapped on us both and SGAP appeared with his brothers and their mates.
I grinned, “Now, don’t you all look rosy cheeked and have such a lovely, combined scent of your own and your mates. You’re welcome.” Darrin asked, “You set our dad up on a date?” Harold shrugged, “Good for dad really.”
SGAP growled, “Tell me you ran a damn background check, Dylan. You know people come after us for our name and dad can’t handle that right now.” I whispered, “She’s not looking for anything serious. We are just trying to get him off the sauce since the pups think they got him to stop.”
Jackson asked, “Does this woman know that?” I replied, “I had a lengthy interview process. Of course she knows and is in fact looking for some Alpha fun times only. She is not out for a ring or mate mark.” SGAP shouted, “THAT’S WHY A BUNCH OF WIDOWS WERE YOUR TERRITORY? You were interviewing them to date my dad?!”
I grinned, “You’re mad you didn’t figure it out, aren’t you? See, I think you didn’t want to know that’s what I was doing. You like your plausible deniability. You clearly wanted this to happen. Because I knew that you knew I was interviewing them. It felt like permission.”
SGAP rubbed his temples. Haley asked, “What the fuck is blind date? Are you all referring to his date by a characteristicshe cannot control? Is she fucking blind?! Because I’ll go hijinks on your ass. Also, I could fucking heal her. Is that why she’s here?”
Lacy explained, “No, she isn’t blind. A blind date is a set up where they don’t know each other.” I whispered, “She actually already knew him.” Harold snorted, “Well, she’s coming to dinner. So, we will all meet her.”
I cheered, “I know that’s right. I’m the Cheer Meister people! Just call me matchmaker. I’ll tell my client that it’s confirmed she’s working on the long game for friends with benefits.” Darrin sighed, “It’s a little soon for that, don’t you think?”
I replied, “Do you wonder why none of your brothers said that first, Baby Conners? It’s because they heard too much. I tried to bleach my brain, young Darrin, after all the things I learned. Alas, unless I want a Fairy to wipe my memories it’s a no go. The bleach doesn’t work.”
Haley gasped, “Did you fucking try to put bleach in your ears?!” I replied, “No, but I did google it.” Haley put a hand to her chest in relief. Lacy chuckled into my back. I said, “Now, let’s all get back and meet Nathan’s new friend.”
SGAP growled, “Where’s the damn file on her, Dylan?!" I replied, “Check thy email.” I took out my phone and sent the memo about how I was the one to give Nathan his Alpha Swagger back. I put in parenthesis (eventually, because she and I are playing the long game for friends with benefits).”
SGAP sighed after he checked his phone, “It would kill you to give pertinent details like the fact that I know this woman, wouldn’t it Dylan?” Jackson asked, “You do?” I grinned saying, “You’ve all met her as young lads.”
They all turned to me as I explained, “You even liked her and then we never saw her again. Probably because Mommy Queenie Meanie didn’t like her, but that’s more of a bonus in my opinion. It did jump her to the top of my candidate list though.”
Haley made a face behind their backs that I caught, but it meant I was right. Lacy linked, “Haley agreed with you.” I replied, “I know.” SGAP sighed, “Fine.” I laughed, “You were letting her come to dinner anyway because your dad’s happy. I got him away from the sauce for an entire day. Probably the evening too.”
I whispered, “They have evening plans. Maybe sexy time, probably not. It might keep him in the house for an entire evening though, away from the whiskey. Think of poor Beta Drake, who keeps running out of alcohol. I’m helping you, helping your dad, and Beta Drake save money.”
SGAP stared at me. I assured him, “I know, I’m the best. I accept gift cards, or for this one time exception you could agree THANKSGIVING IS A USELESS HOLIDAY STANDING IN THE WAY OF CHRISTMAS! Do away with it and declare it the pre-Christmas holiday.”
SGAP rolled his eyes. I waved, “It’s fine, you can think about it. Just wait until you see how happy your dad is. He’s with a woman who will compliment him. It’s going to take him by surprise. Poor Nathan won’t know how to handle it. I even made sure Porter and Karen were in town to help the blushing Alpha take compliments.”
I added, “Oh, and Ray’s here too because the Kyle’s are here. I invited the McAlister’s so we could meet the young dancing prodigy, but they are not coming. Honestly, I’m not shocked. Disappointed, but not shocked.”
Haley muttered, “That damn prank just won’t stop.” Fang sighed, “I wish we could convince her Melanie was real.” SGAP chuckled, “Melanie is real, Angel.” Haley asked, “Then where the fuck is she? The child is literally never around.”
Jackson sighed, “That’s true, but she’s real.” Haley continued, “Now, she’s a dancer. Enter more excuses for her not to show up to things. Do you remember how often Cassie was at fuckingdance practice, recitals, fundraisers for dancing, and so on. IT WAS SO MUCH FUCKING TIME!”
Haley waved, “It’s like they think children should eat, breathe, and sleep their interests in this damn realm. Heaven forbid they like multiple things. They will never have time to be a fucking child. That’s what’s going to happen to the prank, should she be real. I’m just saying, this realm refuses to let children be children.”
“Also, they run parents ragged. No wonder parents are so tired. They work all damn week, then their kids have activities every night and all weekend. It would drive anyfuckingone insane to not have time for themselves. It’s a whole scheming system, I’m telling you.”
I laughed, “We heard that rant back in the dancing days of young Cassie.” Haley clapped, “I should set up my own damn dance studio with normal activities. That way the prank has to end. Because why wouldn’t she be in my dancing troupe?”
I clapped, “YES! DO THAT!” Then we could meet her. SGAP snorted, “Angel, you don’t have time.” Haley snorted, “I can make the fucking time to end this three years too long fuck ass prank.” SGAP smiled at her, “We’ll meet Melanie eventually without a dancing studio.”
I sighed to my wolf, “He just proved it was a prank in his mate’s mind. Alpha bloods just can’t help themselves. We were so close to perfection. Because the McAlister’s would’ve enrolled Melanie with Haley’s dancing troupe.”
Fang grumbled, “No one wants us to cultivate that pup’s love for Christmas.” I agreed, “Right? It’s like they know we’d plan an EPIC Christmas together, and they don’t want it to happen. Maybe Dylanmas will convince them our meeting of the Christmas minds should happen.” Fang huffed in agreement.
Lacy chimed in, “So, let’s head up the main house and meet Nathan’s new friend.” I whispered, “His one day friendswith benefits.” Haley asked, “Have I met this fucking woman?” I answered, “No, because Mommy Queenie Meanie blacklisted her back when she was the Luna.”
Haley clarified, “So, are we talking about former Luna Stephanie?” I snorted, “Mad Max’s former mate? No, she was totally disappeared by the Ninja’s.” I whispered, “I’ll never tell I totally realized it was them when we met you guys.”
Louder I said, “No, this was before former Luna Stephanie’s time too.” Darrin asked, “Mom blacklisted her?” I replied, “You say that like blacklisting people wasn’t something Mommy Queenie Meanie didn’t do that all the time. It was actually her favorite past time. A woman hotter than her? Blacklisted. Nicer? Found a way to tear down or blacklist.”
