Archer’s cheeks flushed, and he let go of my fingers, eyes downcast as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, Cici. You were good. You were the best.” He flicked his eyes up. “Of all the women. Ever. You were… everything I needed. And now that this conversation has skyrocketed all the way to awkward, I better leave so you can work on that vision board or watch TV.” He stood and chuckled at the short length of his shirt. “I’ll save you a seat at the dinner table.”
Chapter 19
That evening, I strolled across the backyard and admired the pretty lights strung around the back windows of their dining room. The rain had let up an hour ago, but more was coming.
Inside, people moved about, laughter and boisterous chatter making me pause on the steps. I gripped the rail and faced right, looking across the open space at the corner window of the dining room, which jutted out from the house. Melody raced around the table, Lakota chasing after her. I glimpsed Robyn and Montana stealing a kiss before moving out of sight.
What am I doing here? I’ll just bring everyone down.
A sonorous howl startled me, and when I turned, Catcher craned his neck to the sky and sang. Then he barked at me, tail wagging.
The back door opened. “Cecilia?”
I looked up at Robyn, my mouth open but nothing coming out.
“Come inside.” She padded across the deck and leaned over the railing. “Catcher, stay on the porch tonight. We have a guest. I’ll bring your food out later, okay?”
He barked and trotted off.
“Does he understand you?”
Robyn shrugged. “Sometimes I think he knows certain words. He certainly knowsfood. Come in.”
I looked at her pajamas. “Am I late?”
Glancing down, she said, “No. Don’t mind us. We’re not the type to dress up for family functions.” Robyn led me inside. At the end of the right corner, we wound up in the kitchen, which was five times the size of my old one.
The plates were stacked on the island, and the heavy scent of fried peppers and onions filled the air.
When Robyn disappeared into the dining room, I approached the island. “Can I help?”
Bear flicked off his hairnet and wiped his hands on his apron. “That’s mighty nice,” he said in a Southern drawl, “but I’ve got everything under control.”
A buzzer made him jump, and he yanked open the oven.
I collected the stack of plates and carefully made my way into the dining room.
“Whoa! Who put our guest to work?” Lakota hopped out of his chair and rushed over.
“Bear had his hands full,” I explained, letting him take half. I quietly walked around the table and set a plate in front of each person. Hope and Melody were seated closest to the Packmaster, and Lakota’s chair was next to his mate. When I finished, I lingered near the windows. “It’s pretty in here at night.”
Hope tapped her chin. “Someone get the candles. Let’s make it special since we have a guest.”
Robyn hurried out of the room.
Virgil flipped a flour tortilla onto his plate. “Shortcake, did you bring the butter?”
Mercy, who was sitting in a chair opposite me, looked around. “I could have sworn I brought it.”
“I got it,” I said, already making my way into the kitchen.
Bear winked as he walked by me with a large pan. “Hope you like fajitas.”
I noticed they had two refrigerators on either end of the cabinet.
Who has two refrigerators?
And large ones at that. When I opened the left one, I was astounded at how much food they had. Then again, a pack lived here.
