lifted her chin and met their challenging gazes. She would control her own destiny.
Then she turned her head and met Summer’s eyes, and was wrapped in such warmth she forgot all about the men. She remembered hearing that Summer was a witch, and smiled when she introduced her to her cousins, Meg and Tara. The women were a study in contrasts. Summer was of medium height and build, Meg was short and curvy, and Tara was tall and sleek. They pulled her into their laughing circle and Chloe liked them all immediately.
She relaxed and listened closely as Summer talked with the other two and watched the crowd for her parents. They were using the event to meet up with old friends from other packs and hadn’t managed a visit yet. Her parents weren’t concerned. They expected her home soon. And just like that, Chloe felt Billy watching her again. She looked up, and saw him standing just a few feet away, his gaze steady and calm.
Summer leaned over to her. “He’s not sure if he’s welcome over here right now. He doesn’t want to upset you.”
Startled, Chloe turned her head to meet Summer’s eyes. Had the other woman read her mind while she wondered why Billy didn’t approach? Summer took a sip of her drink and watched Summer over the rim of her glass.
“We’re all naturally curious about what’s going to happen between you two.” The knowledge that she was the object of speculation upset her nearly as much as knowing everyone expected her to eventually submit to Billy. Her eyes watered and she shook her head.
“I don’t think I can,” she whispered to Summer.
She again felt an outpouring of warmth, and recognized it for what it was. Friendship and strength. It buoyed her, made her think that maybe she could face Billy, stand in a group and speak to him. But when she turned back to look, he was gone, swept away once again by the swelling crowd.
Surely that wasn’t disappointment she felt. She sighed and shook her head.
She was a mess. A confused, damaged mess. Why would anyone want her? Why would Billy Cagle, Beta of one of the most powerful North American packs and by all account a very together individual, want someone like her? Her internal monologue stirred her anger. She took a good look around, and noted the couples in the clearing. To her right, Trey stood with Tara pulled in front of him, his arms around her waist. Darius held Meg’s hand while she talked quietly to Tara. And even though he wasn’t touching her physically, Jackson’s eyes never strayed far from Summer and he made sure she always stood within easy reach. This is what Chloe should have had, a relationship that screamed intimacy, trust, and love. Was that what she missed most in her life? Was the lack of a love life why she felt less than whole?
She didn’t miss Wyatt. Not ever. But she often found herself daydreaming about last year, when she spent hours waiting for Billy to appear in the diner. She did miss that. Closing her eyes, she sighed and faced the truth. She missed him.
She had to get out of the crowd and go home, where she could examine this new revelation and decide what to do with it. Making up an excuse about not feeling well, she quickly said her goodbyes and made her way back across the clearing to her car.
It wasn’t a long drive to her house, which sat on a small rise with a stream meandering along beside it. The builder hadn’t bothered to construct the driveway across the water, instead opting to fashion a small parking area with a footbridge over the stream to allow access the house. She pulled into the slot and parked next to a familiar black SUV. Looking up at the house, she saw Billy sitting on the front porch and her hands gripped the steering wheel convulsively.
He sat in the glider, leaning over with his elbows on his knees and his head in hands. She considered leaving, and that thought dredged up a remnant of anger. This was her house, damn it. It was the first place she’d felt safe since she left her
Then she turned her head and met Summer’s eyes, and was wrapped in such warmth she forgot all about the men. She remembered hearing that Summer was a witch, and smiled when she introduced her to her cousins, Meg and Tara. The women were a study in contrasts. Summer was of medium height and build, Meg was short and curvy, and Tara was tall and sleek. They pulled her into their laughing circle and Chloe liked them all immediately.
She relaxed and listened closely as Summer talked with the other two and watched the crowd for her parents. They were using the event to meet up with old friends from other packs and hadn’t managed a visit yet. Her parents weren’t concerned. They expected her home soon. And just like that, Chloe felt Billy watching her again. She looked up, and saw him standing just a few feet away, his gaze steady and calm.
Summer leaned over to her. “He’s not sure if he’s welcome over here right now. He doesn’t want to upset you.”
Startled, Chloe turned her head to meet Summer’s eyes. Had the other woman read her mind while she wondered why Billy didn’t approach? Summer took a sip of her drink and watched Summer over the rim of her glass.
“We’re all naturally curious about what’s going to happen between you two.” The knowledge that she was the object of speculation upset her nearly as much as knowing everyone expected her to eventually submit to Billy. Her eyes watered and she shook her head.
“I don’t think I can,” she whispered to Summer.
She again felt an outpouring of warmth, and recognized it for what it was. Friendship and strength. It buoyed her, made her think that maybe she could face Billy, stand in a group and speak to him. But when she turned back to look, he was gone, swept away once again by the swelling crowd.
Surely that wasn’t disappointment she felt. She sighed and shook her head.
She was a mess. A confused, damaged mess. Why would anyone want her? Why would Billy Cagle, Beta of one of the most powerful North American packs and by all account a very together individual, want someone like her? Her internal monologue stirred her anger. She took a good look around, and noted the couples in the clearing. To her right, Trey stood with Tara pulled in front of him, his arms around her waist. Darius held Meg’s hand while she talked quietly to Tara. And even though he wasn’t touching her physically, Jackson’s eyes never strayed far from Summer and he made sure she always stood within easy reach. This is what Chloe should have had, a relationship that screamed intimacy, trust, and love. Was that what she missed most in her life? Was the lack of a love life why she felt less than whole?
She didn’t miss Wyatt. Not ever. But she often found herself daydreaming about last year, when she spent hours waiting for Billy to appear in the diner. She did miss that. Closing her eyes, she sighed and faced the truth. She missed him.
She had to get out of the crowd and go home, where she could examine this new revelation and decide what to do with it. Making up an excuse about not feeling well, she quickly said her goodbyes and made her way back across the clearing to her car.
It wasn’t a long drive to her house, which sat on a small rise with a stream meandering along beside it. The builder hadn’t bothered to construct the driveway across the water, instead opting to fashion a small parking area with a footbridge over the stream to allow access the house. She pulled into the slot and parked next to a familiar black SUV. Looking up at the house, she saw Billy sitting on the front porch and her hands gripped the steering wheel convulsively.
He sat in the glider, leaning over with his elbows on his knees and his head in hands. She considered leaving, and that thought dredged up a remnant of anger. This was her house, damn it. It was the first place she’d felt safe since she left her
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