“This is lovely,” she said.
Somehow he knew she meant more than the cabin, the glider, the view. “Yeah. It’s probably a good thing we didn’t realize how amazing it would be, or the wait would have felt torturous.”
“Seriously. Some mates are so lucky to find each other early on. But then again, I kind of like this version of me that you’re meeting. I mean, I liked me at twenty, too, but…”
“I know what you mean. On the one hand it would have been nice reaching this stage of the journey together, but on the other hand, there’s satisfaction in having become this person, someone I’m proud of enough to be your mate.”
She curled into him, her legs underneath her, her head on his shoulder. “You totally get me.”
He smiled and kissed her head. They watched a couple of birds chase each other in silence for a while before he prodded her into conversation.
“You met my parents. I’m an only child. What about your family?”
“My parents, my brother Bill, his wife Juanita, and their two kids, Danny and Sara, live in Texas. Bill and I get along great, and I love Juanita and the kids. I visit at least once a year. My relationship with my parents is kind of weird. We sort of tolerate each other. I can’t really explain why. I actually found out that my mom was assuming I would move back there eventually, but I honestly have never considered it.”
“Any particular reason? Other than the thing with your parents?” Which he figured he’d save questions about for another day.
“Not really. I started looking for a new job because my boss was someone I couldn’t really respect, and she was our fourth. Once I started looking outside the pack, outside the state, and realized I could go anywhere I wanted, I never looked back.”
“What was it about her that you didn’t like?”
“She wasn’t a good manager, made decisions that I thought were kind of sketchy, and while that didn’t have anything to do with the pack, it’s a difficult thing when you don’t respect your hierarchy.”
“I imagine so.”
“I worked for her for several months, then started looking for another job, and the rest is history. I loved St. Louis as soon as I visited, but I wasn’t sure how permanent it would be. You can like a pack when you first meet, but you can’t really know until you’re there a while, you know?”
“Definitely. The first impression is important, but not always the whole story. And things change. All packs have an ebb and flow, a reshuffling as the hierarchy changes, families grow, mates happen. It’s healthy not to feel you have to live and die with one pack.”
“I think a lot of people do feel that way. It might be part of what was wrong in Arizona. Myra hasn’t told me anything more than she’s made public, I just think that for the legitimate pack to have let the rogue pack exist, the members must have never felt they could go to National and get help, or even just move to somewhere more healthy. There had to be a feeling that they couldn’t leave.” She shook her head. “I’m making assumptions.”
“Maybe. It’s plausible. But if any of the original Arizona members end up in our pack, it wouldn’t hurt to keep an eye on the pulse of the pack, make sure it feels inclusive without being oppressive.”
“Yeah, you totally get me.” She lifted her head up to him and he kissed her lips. She tasted of red wine and promises of the future.
Geez, find a mate and he suddenly turned into a romantic fool. Funny how that didn’t bother him at all.
Chapter Four
Cindy snuggled in even closer to Jonas as they watched the sun sink to the horizon.
“Anyway, as it turned out, my first impression was spot on and St. Louis was a great pack. Happy and healthy, a good mix of young and old, ambitious and stable, serious and carefree.”
“Most people don’t give that much thought to what makes a good pack cohesive,” he said, sounding impressed.
She shrugged. “My blog is called This Layered Life. It’s about acknowledging and understanding the different layers we live with. Like, sometimes you come to the blog for a nice recipe, for an article about xeriscaping your lawn, or how to find a great hairdresser. That’s one layer, and it’s totally valid and necessary. But there’s more, right? There’s always another layer. Like, while you’re planning that Pinterest-style party for your three-year-old, are you budgeting for the basic bills, plus Christmas, plus the down payment on your starter home? If you don’t have enough to save for both right now, is it better to prioritize your retirement savings or your kid’s college education? If you hate your job, is it better to look for another one, consider going into business for yourself, or even consider some ways to make your current job better.”
“Wow. I’m impressed.”
“Oh, please, to have been halfway decent at your job, you must have been pretty good at looking beneath the surface. To find the right person for the right position, rather than just slotting people in where it was easy.” She poked his chest. “Go ahead, tell me I’m wrong.”
He laughed. “My woman is smart. This pleases me.”
“Hmph,” she said, but she was smiling. They held the silence for a bit as the sun finally dropped past the horizon in a glorious display that set the wispy clouds on fire. “I could definitely get used to the desert,” she whispered. “Remind me to add this place to my list of possible job opportunities for new wolves. The drive isn’t bad.”
“You have a list?” he asked.
“I have a lot of lists. I’m a fan of lists.”
