And at the end of it she unexpectedly burst into tears.
He released her hand after giving it a tender squeeze.“Aye, it’s all right, lass,” he said aloud.He pulled a couple of napkins from the holder on the table and passed them to her.“I ken what’s goin’ on.Not sure if yer aware, but Charlie an’ Chelsea were quite fond of ye.”
She blew her nose.“They were?”
He nodded.“I get it.An’ I respect ye for it.”He clasped his hands together, rested them in front of him on the table, and leaned in.His next words he whispered in that low tone no human could overhear.
“Yer parents love ye an’ yer siblings fierce.They’re good people.But they’re young, relatively speakin’.They’re both less than a hunnert, an’ they grew uphere, in America.Their parents, too.Me an’ Duncan an’ Charlie an’ some others, we all came over from Scotland an’ elsewhere.I’m more than old enough to remember fightin’ fer food an’ survival.
“But to yer mum?”He sighed.“It’s horrible, aye, what happened.It’s infuriatin’ to me even if I wasn’t Charlie’s best friend, an’ Chelsea was like a daughter to me.”His one blue eye grew a little bright, limned with unshed tears.“On top of losin’ first Louisa, an’ then Duncan the way we did all them years ago…” He sadly sighed.“But life goes on an’ we have to live it.Because, as we all were reminded, it can be short, even fer our kind.”
She nodded, dabbing at her eyes.“I want them to be proud of me.”
He kindly smiled, knowing exactly who she meant.“Charlie an’ Chelseawereproud of ye.Ye might not think they’d know ye out of the lot of all of us, bein’ how many we are now an’ scattered all across the country, but they did.They appreciated yer work ethic.That stood out wi’ ’em both.That ye wanted to make a name fer yerself on yer own.But we take care of ours, of course.An’ not everyone’s like ye, wanting to help take care of the pack the way ye do.Thatnevergoes unnoticed, lass.I promise.An’ when yer finished wi’ school an’ all, an’ ye take the bar, go see Trent first thing about a job.I can promise ye there’s one waitin’ fer ye.He handles the hirin’.”
She nodded again, reaching for another napkin.“My mom would be happy if I mated and got pregnant and dropped out of school.”
He softly laughed.“Well, she’s an omega, so that’s understandable.She’ll never feel your…drive.An’ that’s okay, too.Takes all kinds to make up a pack.”
“Thanks.I’m sorry she made you drive all the way over here for this.”
“Nah.Dinnae fash yerself o’er it.I needed an evenin’ off.Peyton an’ Beck are watchin’ the wee one.An’ I had a feelin’ that…” He circled his fingers in the air between them.“Thiswas the truth,” he finished.“She’s a good mum, bless her.I’ll call her tomorrow an’ put her mind at ease.An’ I’ll give ye my personal cell number.Call or text me if she gets too overbearin’ again.I’ll have a Prime take a swing by their place to have a comfortin’ chat wi’ her to calm her tits.”
He smiled as Gillian burst out laughing.“Oh, my god.Thank you so much.”She pulled out her cell and exchanged numbers with him.
“An’ I mean it,” he added.“Text me anytime.I’ll respond when I can.If ye call an’ get my voicemail, leave a message an’ I’ll return it when I’m able.But I want ye to contact me if ye need me.Or even if ye just wanna talk.That’s what I’m here fer.Promise?”
“Thank you, Badger.”
“Yer verra welcome.When we seein’ ye again over there?”
She knew he meant at the pack compound.“I’m off this weekend.I planned to drive over on Saturday and take a run.”
“Well, let me know when yer there and I’ll grill ye a steak or somethin’.Now then.”He patted the menu.“What do ye think I’d enjoy?”
“The double burgers are great.”
“Then that’s what I’ll take—loaded an’ rare, if ye please.Fries, too.An’ whatever soda’s on tap.”
She stood and grabbed her notepad.“Absolutely.”
“Ye mind a hug?”
“I’dlovea hug.”
He slid his bulk out of the booth.Badger was only 5’8”, but despite being only four inches shorter than him his Prime Alpha presence made Gillian feel like he…loomed, giant, over and around her.In a comforting way, though.
It’d be easier to picture him as a bear shifter instead of a wolf shifter, and one of the drawbacks to living in Spokane was she did miss family hugs.
She heard Badger received his scar and lost his eye long before coming to America, and his mate died in the attack.He’d never remarried and didn’t have any pups.But he was the exact opposite of creepy—he was the friendly uncle or grandpa everyone loved.
Unless you got on the bad side of one ofhisloved ones.
Then he was your worst enemy.Everyone in the pack knew if Badger was on your side it was like having an entire army on your side.
After she brought him his food an unexpected rush of patrons flooded them, and she didn’t have a chance to properly say goodbye to him.But he left her five $20sunder his plate and texted her.
Keep the change.;)
