“Did you get lost in the woods, sweetheart?” Roy asked. He was the baby but bigger than Ace. He kept his hair long, skimming his jaw, which he often pulled back, like it was now. He didn’t have a beard, but he easily delayed a few days between shaves. “I’m Roy, by the way.” He shook Summer’s hand next.
This was the house I grew up in. I didn’t like coming to the place. It was where my worst memories were. But in the years since our father was banished, Ace cleared out all evidence of the man and made changes. Updates. Fresh paint. A modern kitchen, and today, the scent of beef and garlic wafted from the crockpot on the granite counter. New furniture that Roy built. It became something different, but it was hard to let go of the past.
“Hi. Um, no. Why?” she asked.
“‘Cause big brother doesn’t leave the mountain,” Roy explained.
“We met at Cody’s. I’m a cocktail waitress there,” she told them.
Their eyes widened on me. “You went to Cody’s?” Ace asked, stunned.
Summer glanced between us, and I rubbed the back of my neck, suddenly feeling like something as simple as going to a bar on a Saturday night was so crazy. Or maybe I was. “Yeah.”
“Hell. We can’t even get you to go to a pack meeting with us, and you were all the way in town,” Ace said, shaking his head. He looked to Summer. “Our brother is a little shy. Doesn’t like crowds.”
She laughed then glanced at me. It wasn’t a teasing look, instead, gentle. “Oh, I know. We’re working on that, but I got him to go to karaoke even.”
My brothers’ mouths fell open. “Karaoke? Seriously? Did a tree fall and hit you on the head when you were chopping it down?” Roy asked, grinning. Ace crossed his arms and laughed.
He was kidding with me, but it still stung a little. “If finding my mate is the same as getting hit on the head by a tree, then yeah. Shoulda done it sooner if it led me to Summer.”
My brothers appeared flabbergasted. I didn’t blame them. I didn’t have much excitement in my life, and in the past few days since I’d seen them last, a lot had happened.
“Wow, Summer. You’re a great influence for our brother,” Roy commented.
With that, I agreed.
“Why don’t you join us tonight?” she offered. “We’re going… I mean, I’m the opening act for the Barn Cats in Missoula. I, um… sing.”
“Sing?” I said. “Baby, don’t make yourself small.” I glanced at my brothers. “She’s an artist. A songwriter. Her voice is amazing, and I’m not biased at all because she’s my mate. Natalie thinks so. The rest of Wolf Ranch who were there last night thought so, too.”
Their eyes widened. I wasn’t sure if it was because they were impressed that Summer was so talented or because I was raving about a woman. And that I’d been in town. At Cody’s. Twice. And I’d found my mate.
Lots of shocks at one time.
I barely stopped by to visit them unless we were talking business or Ace made his famous chili.
“She’s gonna be a fucking star,” I told them, and Summer blushed. I wrapped an arm around her and kissed the top of her head. “Come listen, and you’ll agree.”
Ace and Roy glanced at each other.
“Wouldn’t miss it,” Ace said.
Roy nodded. “Pick us up on the way into town. Maybe we’ll find our mates next.”
20
SUMMER
* * *
Being up on stage again felt amazing. I didn’t know why I was reluctant to return to performing, when it was as natural to me as breathing. The lights. The crowd. All of it.
As I sang my third song on the stage of Boondocks, a large country bar / music venue in Missoula, I looked out at the throng and drank in their energy. My friends were settled up close to the stage. We’d driven over in Boone’s big truck with Ace and Roy, caravaning with Natalie, Rand, and the rest of our friends.
Boone sat front and center, flanked by his brothers. All three of them were stacked with muscles and wore a protective air, like they were my bodyguards. Natalie and her bandmates were there as well, along with Rand, Cody, Riley, Rob, Willow, Colton, Marina, Johnny, and Emma.
I wore an outfit Natalie helped me pick out–a pink denim skirt with black fishnets, black boots, and a black crop top. I wore my black cowgirl hat with the pink band that matched my skirt. Unlike in LA, I blended right in here in Montana.
