Total pages in book: 203
Estimated words: 199654 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 998(@200wpm)___ 799(@250wpm)___ 666(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 199654 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 998(@200wpm)___ 799(@250wpm)___ 666(@300wpm)
“I’m… okay.”
Physically, anyway.
Valerie looks to Mom. “I can take care of the cooking. Or… we could both cook. I wanted a list of Bailey’s favorites. Then after the happy couple has their time together, we’d love everyone to come to my and Rob’s house for a big Blackwood-Creed family dinner.”
“We can sit down and make a plan. Share the load,” Mom says.
“How about if I cook for them first, then you can do round two?” Val suggests.
“Bailey doesn’t cook, so I’ll do round three after that, too.”
I roll my eyes.
Mom and Valerie have always been friendly. And I’ve never had a meal at Valerie and Robert’s home, but I have had Jase’s dad’s cooking at pack events and he’s known pack wide for his grill and smoker skills. Jase’s dad also makes the best carrot cake I’ve ever had.
If you’d asked me a few weeks ago how I’d feel about Jason’s mom and my mom cooking together for our honeymooning, I’d have been over the moon with the notion. Now, though? Not so much. I’m feeling nauseous.
“I’m gonna dash over to the house,” Val says to me. “Even though we cleaned it the day before he left, that son of mine can make a mess in no time.”
She flashes a smile but it’s shaky at the look on my face.
She adds, “I’ll go in now and give it a spruce up and then I’ll go shopping. Can you perhaps send me a text with some of Bailey’s favorites, Carrie?”
“Absolutely,” Mom agrees.
“I know you know Jase’s favorites. As kids he was here about as much as he was at home.”
“This is true,” Mom says. “And you’ve fed Greyson plenty over the years, too. How many times did those boys eat dinner here and then go over to your place together and eat again like they hadn’t just put away two helpings of whatever I cooked?”
Valerie laughs. “So true.” She looks at me and loses the smile. “You’ll make up, sweetie.” She pats my arm affectionately.
I give her a fake smile. Not because I’m trying to be fake, more out of self-preservation. Because she’s looking at me with a hopeful smile. And I would never have expected Jase’s mom to be so happy about it being me. Then again, I never expected to be so unhappy about it being me.
“I was surprised you were home already and I don’t smell him. I also don’t smell him on you, so… the spat…” She lets that hang.
“There was witchcraft at play. I left as soon as Dani arrived. She was going to work on getting Jase out of a protective bubble. I’ve since heard he’s on his way back. I just don’t… uh… know the details.”
“How bad was this tiff?” she asks. “You’re on the verge of tears.”
“I’ll sort her out,” Mom says. “We’re just about to sit down and talk about it.”
“Don’t worry, Bailey, I’ll sort him out,” Valerie decrees, then rubs my back. “It’s normal to be nervous about mating. I was terrified. And Rob and I… we weren’t friends. We were pretty much enemies, actually. He dated my best friend and broke her heart, ending their relationship just after Tiberius claimed Catrina. Because he knew it was only a matter of time before he’d find his own mate. What you two have been through isn’t unusual. Council alphas get weird when it’s their turn. They’re on alert all the time, watching for signs, you know?”
I shrug.
“And when he realized it was me…” Valerie’s expression goes dire. “We were both in shock. The whole pack was.”
Mom says, “And it all worked out.”
“It did,” Valerie says with a kind smile. “Our early days were rather volatile. But I can’t imagine my life with anyone but him. Even if I sometimes still want to throttle him.” She makes a fist and shakes it. Her expression changes. “It’ll be okay, Bailey. Promise.”
I wonder how Sherry reacted when she heard this news.
Since we were small, Sherry has taken immense joy in rubbing my nose in the fact that Jase would never, ever look at me that way.
Who knew that when he finally did, I would want nothing to do with him?
14
JASE
Her scent invades my system the instant Joel and me hit the four corners. Strangely, I also smell someone else almost as strong as I smell Bailey.
“Cicely?” I ask.
“Weird, right? Jared has no scent so it’s her scent in the area.”
“Stop, I need out.”
My wolf is chomping at the bit. My mate’s here. It’s time. Fucking finally…
He says, “Your girl’s probably at her parents. You’ll get to her faster if I drop you at the house.”
A responding grunt from me, realizing Bailey’s scent isn’t close enough to mean she’s in the library, means Joel continues through the intersection and thankfully he correctly reads the situation and speeds up.