I raised my glass. “Not me. Pour me another.”
“Give her the whole bottle,” Simon said around a mouthful of dressing. “She deserves to spend the next three days unconscious. Bravo, love. You pulled it off splendidly.”
Justus sat to my left at the head of the table and Logan to my right. Page glanced over her shoulder at the puppy, which was sleeping in a box Finn had made for him. All we could see poking out of the plaid blanket was his tail. It made me wonder if a pet might curb some of Finn’s loneliness. Would a dog be the same as a packmate? Maybe it wouldn’t be appropriate. Some Shifters had negative views about owning pets. Something to discuss with Logan later.
When I tried to shove another cooked carrot into my mouth and my stomach gurgled in protest, I put my fork down. “I think I’m officially done.”
Logan swept my hair back and planted his warm lips on my neck, sending tingles down my body to all the right places.
Sadie rose from her chair. “Hey, you two. I have a surprise. Don’t be mad.”
I frowned. “Why would I be mad?”
She reached into a sack near the door and pulled out a tin. “I know you made desserts, but I figured I’d make a pecan pie. If nobody eats it, then I’ll just send everyone home with a slice. No biggie.”
Adam cleared his throat. “Slide that over by me and I’ll guard it for a little while.”
“Guard it with your mouth,” Simon added.
Sadie walked to the far end of the table and set the pie in front of Adam. He smiled up at her and winked before grabbing a small plate.
Meanwhile, Justus was too busy eating a turkey leg with his hands to concern himself over pie. Page normally admonished him for bad table manners, but she sat across from me, her eyes glazed over as she stretched out a yawn.
Logan’s phone suddenly rang.
I glanced down. “Who is that?”
“Be right back.” He stepped away from the table and strolled toward the fireplace, his voice low.
“Can I play with my toys?” Rose asked politely.
“Go on,” Justus said, watching her scamper across the room.
Finn reached over and pinched my arm. “Thanks for making those rolls. They were the bomb. We should do this every month.”
I laughed. “Only ifyoudo all the cooking. Itwaspretty great though, wasn’t it?”
Levi handed his plate to Adam. “Give me a slice of that pecan. And don’t be stingy—I want a big slice.”
It warmed my heart that everyone had helped out in their own way, even though I had specifically told them not to. We had plenty of chips, dip, sodas, veggie trays, and fruit to feed us for days.
I rested my chin against my fist and looked into the dark room lit only by firelight and a one-of-a-kind Christmas tree. Justus had turned off the projector before dinner so it wouldn’t overheat. When my gaze drifted toward Logan, I noticed him staring at the fire with his phone in one hand.
Levi drew in a deep breath and turned around. “Brother, what’s wrong?”
When Logan stalked toward the table, I noticed the black rim around his eyes was wider than usual, swallowing up the gold. He stopped at Rose’s empty chair and locked eyes with me.
I got butterflies.
When he spoke, his voice was low and serious. “I have to go.”
“Go where? You promised not to take any jobs this week.”
Levi and Leo simultaneously rose from their seats, their nostrils flaring. They were picking up a strong emotion, but I didn’t need to be a Chitah to see that something was wrong.
“Logan?” I said, my heart thumping. “Go where?”
He bit his lower lip and averted his eyes. “I know we discussed this last night, but I still had an open bid. The auction closed.”
