I’m hoping to find out.
Normally, I wouldn’t ask but it sounds relatively safe. Do you want to come
along for the ride?”
Stunned, she gave a nod. “I would. Let me put some
things away and then we can go.” They could finish the prep for their Christmas
dinner later. This meeting took precedence in her mind over everything else.
Carson was responsible for Jakob’s tension the last
couple days, and for the pack being on edge. The sooner it was all resolved,
the sooner things could return to normal. Or the version of normal that they
lived anyway.
When Jakob pulled his
truck into a spot outside the diner nearly an hour later, Holland shot him a
look. She’d been sure they were heading to wherever this Carson fellow might
be. Biting her tongue, she slid from the vehicle and followed him inside.
Seeing Grady, Nix, Tia and several other pack
members in the diner, she suddenly realized they were in the right place. Not
sure what to do, Holland hung back while Jakob stalked toward a corner booth where a man sat, no other diners nearby. She took
a seat at the counter and looked to Grady, maybe he could provide some insight
into things.
“Carson,” was all he said.
It was enough. Jakob would share the details when it was time. Until then, she’d sit back and watch.
Should it be necessary, she would jump in, but had the distinct feeling the
others would get there much faster than she could hope to.
Startled when Leona set a cup down and filled it
with coffee, Holland pressed a hand to her chest.
“Sorry, sweetheart. Figured you might be here for a
while yet.”
“Thank you.”
“Did you want anything to eat? Providing that these
boys and Tia haven’t cleaned us out with what appears to be stomachs that are
actually bottomless pits.”
Stifling a laugh, she shook her head, and sipped at
the coffee. “I’m good for the moment, thanks though.”
“You let me know if you change your mind.”
Leona spun away to head down to the counter’s other
end. Peeking around a wolf, Holland noticed a couple older gentlemen munching
on their meals while staring with fascination in Carson’s direction.
A loud bang had her whipping her head around. Jakob’s lips were drawn back in a snarl, and if she wasn’t
mistaken, he had claws happening too. Stunned to be witnessing more evidence
that he wasn’t human, she discovered zero fear. The thought had her frowning
while attempting to analyze her feelings, the drama at the table falling away
into the background.
Jakob had never done anything but make her feel completely safe. He was
definitely overprotective, but even that showed how much he cared for her. He
could be bossy. What man didn’t get that way from time to time? And if she was
going to be fully open at least internally, she could be fucking bossy too when
the situation called for it.
Hell, she’d bossed him around early that afternoon.
He’d seemed to like it if she hadn’t misinterpreted the expression on his face.
Until today, Holland would never have considered bossing Jakob Nichols around. Nor would she have dared. She’d never been comfortable enough
around him to try. Until today.
What had changed about today? Mainly meeting the pack, or rather the majority not including the young
ones who’d all been supervised for winter activities. Taking another sip from
her cup, she continued to mull over the day’s events. But she wasn’t coming up
with anything that stood out to explain her change in regards to Jakob . Then again, maybe there wasn’t a rational
explanation for it. Love wasn’t exactly rational.
Nearly spewing out her coffee, she ended up
coughing, and a wolf patted her back. “I’m good,” she wheezed. “Went down the
wrong tube is all.”
“You’re supposed to drink it, not try to breathe it
in.”
“ Ya think?” she asked,
not even worrying about the snark she heard in her
voice.
The wolf let out a laugh but it quickly faded away
under the buzz in her head. Holland was in
Normally, I wouldn’t ask but it sounds relatively safe. Do you want to come
along for the ride?”
Stunned, she gave a nod. “I would. Let me put some
things away and then we can go.” They could finish the prep for their Christmas
dinner later. This meeting took precedence in her mind over everything else.
Carson was responsible for Jakob’s tension the last
couple days, and for the pack being on edge. The sooner it was all resolved,
the sooner things could return to normal. Or the version of normal that they
lived anyway.
When Jakob pulled his
truck into a spot outside the diner nearly an hour later, Holland shot him a
look. She’d been sure they were heading to wherever this Carson fellow might
be. Biting her tongue, she slid from the vehicle and followed him inside.
Seeing Grady, Nix, Tia and several other pack
members in the diner, she suddenly realized they were in the right place. Not
sure what to do, Holland hung back while Jakob stalked toward a corner booth where a man sat, no other diners nearby. She took
a seat at the counter and looked to Grady, maybe he could provide some insight
into things.
“Carson,” was all he said.
It was enough. Jakob would share the details when it was time. Until then, she’d sit back and watch.
Should it be necessary, she would jump in, but had the distinct feeling the
others would get there much faster than she could hope to.
Startled when Leona set a cup down and filled it
with coffee, Holland pressed a hand to her chest.
“Sorry, sweetheart. Figured you might be here for a
while yet.”
“Thank you.”
“Did you want anything to eat? Providing that these
boys and Tia haven’t cleaned us out with what appears to be stomachs that are
actually bottomless pits.”
Stifling a laugh, she shook her head, and sipped at
the coffee. “I’m good for the moment, thanks though.”
“You let me know if you change your mind.”
Leona spun away to head down to the counter’s other
end. Peeking around a wolf, Holland noticed a couple older gentlemen munching
on their meals while staring with fascination in Carson’s direction.
A loud bang had her whipping her head around. Jakob’s lips were drawn back in a snarl, and if she wasn’t
mistaken, he had claws happening too. Stunned to be witnessing more evidence
that he wasn’t human, she discovered zero fear. The thought had her frowning
while attempting to analyze her feelings, the drama at the table falling away
into the background.
Jakob had never done anything but make her feel completely safe. He was
definitely overprotective, but even that showed how much he cared for her. He
could be bossy. What man didn’t get that way from time to time? And if she was
going to be fully open at least internally, she could be fucking bossy too when
the situation called for it.
Hell, she’d bossed him around early that afternoon.
He’d seemed to like it if she hadn’t misinterpreted the expression on his face.
Until today, Holland would never have considered bossing Jakob Nichols around. Nor would she have dared. She’d never been comfortable enough
around him to try. Until today.
What had changed about today? Mainly meeting the pack, or rather the majority not including the young
ones who’d all been supervised for winter activities. Taking another sip from
her cup, she continued to mull over the day’s events. But she wasn’t coming up
with anything that stood out to explain her change in regards to Jakob . Then again, maybe there wasn’t a rational
explanation for it. Love wasn’t exactly rational.
Nearly spewing out her coffee, she ended up
coughing, and a wolf patted her back. “I’m good,” she wheezed. “Went down the
wrong tube is all.”
“You’re supposed to drink it, not try to breathe it
in.”
“ Ya think?” she asked,
not even worrying about the snark she heard in her
voice.
The wolf let out a laugh but it quickly faded away
under the buzz in her head. Holland was in
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