Once Mated Twice Shy by K. S. Martin Page B

head with a
wrinkled arthritic hand.  “You should enjoy your life.”
    “I don’t think
that Mister Thompson is holding onto anything.  I think Mister Thompson isn’t
ready for change.  Am I right?”  His lips pressed together and Mister Thompson
nodded.  “It’s okay.  We understand.”  Jordan said.  “We’ll find another way.”
    “Another way?” 
Mister Thompson asked.  Jordan nodded. 
    “The last alpha lost
all of the money and he convinced me to challenge him for alpha.  I fell for it
and inherited an empty bank account and houses in foreclosure.  We hoped to
borrow against our land to buy the store so we would have an income.  Lettie
had money saved and that kept us out of foreclosure but I don’t know what we
will do next winter.  It all seemed perfect when Lettie came up with it. 
Everyone would get what they wanted, you could retire and move to Florida and
we would have the store.
    “I still have the
house and the land behind the store.  So if I sold you the store, I’m here in
the house without a job.”  Jordan pulled a face and sat back to study him. 
Jordan hadn’t mentioned the house or the land yet.  Sometimes it was best to
let someone think he had the upper hand.  He thought.
    “So if you could
sell the house and the land with the store, then you could retire?”  Mister
Thompson’s eyes cleared and he sat up straighter.  His chin came up and his
chest swelled.  “Gee, that’s a lot, I don’t know.”  Jordan stammered. 
    “I think it’s the
only way that I could do it Jordan.  I would have to sell the land, house and
store together.  I want to sell the store to someone who would care for it as
much as I have.  Someone like Lettie would appreciate it.”  Jordan smiled at
her.  “That would be a condition too.  She would have to be the manager as long
as your pack owned it.”
    “She was our pick
too Sir.”  Jordan clasped his hands lightly on the table in front of him.
    “Are you
together.”  Lettie smiled and nodded then showed Mister Thompson the mark. 
Jordan pulled his collar aside proudly showing the mark that she’d made on
him.  Mister Thompson’s eyes twinkled.
    “Now how long is
this for this time?”  He chuckled.
    “This is it.” 
Jordan’s eyes flashed at his mate.  “No more of this on again off again
bullshit.  We have made a fresh start, let go of our past and we are going to
act like grownups.  Lettie needs security and stability.”
    “I know she does. 
She reminds me so much of Missus Thompson, God rest her soul.  I think of
Lettie as a daughter.  I’m so proud of the person that she has grown into, of
how brave and independent she is.  I know that usually wolves are dependent on
their packs.  My wife was so frightened to leave her pack and come to live with
me.  Luckily, she loved me just a speck more than she loved the pack.”  He
smiled fondly lost in the memory.  “She wanted to retire to Florida someday. 
She wanted to sit on a porch and look at the ocean.”  He sighed.  “It won’t be
the same without her.  I would be all alone there.  At least here, I have my
employees to talk to me.  I don’t think that I want to sell Jordan.  Thank you
for the offer but I think that I’ll keep it a little while longer.”  Jordan
nodded in defeat and squeezed Lettie’s hand.
    “We’ll find
another way sweetheart.”  She grimaced and dropped her head.  “It’ll be okay. 
There’s always the other business that we discussed.”  Lettie bit her lip and
stood.  “Are you going to stay here and work or do you need a ride home?”
    “I’m going to
stay.  I want to finish resetting the cleaning aisle.  Is that okay Sir?”  He
nodded.  Jordan stood and shook Mister Thompson’s hand.
    “If you ever
decide to sell Sir keep us in mind.”  Jordan said.  Mister Thompson nodded and
went back into his office. 
    Jordan went home
disappointed and deflated.  “Damn it!”  He hissed