Chapter 8 #2
“Well, take a look at the articles, and feel free to ask me if you have any questions, whether you guys end up moving to New Mexico or not.”
“So, tell us all about the new pack,” Soo demanded.
She did, enjoying the conversation and proud of herself for keeping her focus on the ladies, not anything else that was happening in the living room.
When she noticed Jonas heading in another direction, and Brenda moving to talk to Joe, she figured it was time.
She worked her way over to them and met Brenda’s smile with one of her own.
“Brenda, it’s been so long. How was your trip out here?”
“Cindy, it’s so good to see you. I met your charming and gorgeous Jonas. You’re a lucky girl.”
“No question,” Cindy agreed. “So, you’re considering small-town living?”
Brenda shrugged. “I like to be open to new opportunities. I’ve been living in the same place for a long time, and this seemed like a good time to explore. Although, I have to admit, it’s smaller than I’d realized. And I’m not used to a pack only having one house and a tiny bit of land to its name.”
She gestured vaguely at the room, and Cindy took it as Brenda being as unimpressed with the house as she was with the town. But maybe she was projecting.
“Actually, this is a rental. The pack doesn’t own anything.” Yet, she didn’t add.
“Tell me about your work, Brenda,” Joe said. “Is it something that can be transferred to a new location?”
Brenda nodded. “I’m in insurance, so I should be fine.
But that’s going to be one of the tougher aspects of getting this pack going, isn’t it?
It’s a lot to ask a small town like this to support as many new people as you need.
” She looked at Cindy sympathetically. “Jonas mentioned he hadn’t found new work yet. ”
Joe’s eyebrows winged up, and Cindy was speechless. She wondered if Jonas had misled Brenda, or if Brenda had misinterpreted something he’d said. It didn’t appear to matter, as Brenda continued on.
“But I was so happy to meet Olivia, and learn that the truck stop job seems to be perfect for her.”
“Yes, being a manager of a large staff seems to fit perfectly in her wheelhouse,” Joe agreed. “Cindy, Bill is over at the food table, and he’s trying to catch your attention.”
She glanced over and found that Bill was holding up an empty platter. Laughing, she motioned for a minute and turned back to Brenda. “I’m sure we’ll have more time to catch up later.”
Walking off before the other woman had a chance to respond, she headed to Bill. “Jonas swears there was a backup platter of the spinach dip bites.”
“There was. Did you look in the kitchen?” she asked.
“Without your help?” He gave her blank face for a solid five seconds before cracking into a smile.
“Is this because I was talking to Brenda?” she asked.
“Hmm?” He managed to look innocent and intrigued at the same time. He was full of baloney.
She shook her head, linked her arm in his and headed for the kitchen. “We were having a perfectly pleasant conversation. Does everyone know that we have history?”
“I mean, it’s always hard to keep things from a pack, but when your pack is a grand total of twelve, it’s downright impossible.”
“Hmm, I guess. Did you talk to her? Never mind, don’t tell me, I don’t want to know your opinion yet.”
“She told me she was impressed that I was bold enough to carry off this sweater so well.”
He said it so dryly, she wasn’t sure if he was making it up or not. She stopped, examined his very nice cashmere sweater with large black and green horizontal stripes.
“Seriously?”
“Seriously. She seemed to think she was being quite charming.”
“Wow.”
They entered the kitchen, and of course found the tray of yummy artichoke and spinach dip cooked into little pastry cups right where she’d left them, in plain sight, available to anyone who wanted to grab them. She slanted a look at Bill, who just smiled and picked up the tray.
“You, go talk to people,” she told Bill. “I’m going to check in with Myra.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he barked and marched the tray to the food table.
She smiled as she scanned the room, spotting her best friend talking with Jonas’ mom. Excellent, she hadn’t yet had a chance to chat with Candace. The woman gave her a warm hug when she reached the pair.
“Hello, darling.” Candace kept her hands on Cindy’s shoulders, nudging her back so she could take a good look. “How are you doing?”
Cindy sighed. “I’m fine, except for the part where people are worried about me for no good reason.”
“A very good reason. Because we love you.”
“It’s not like we’re enemies or anything. We’ve never even said a cross word to each other.”
“And that’s why no one is going to treat her badly in this house. Unless she does something now, of course,” Myra assured her.
Cindy opened her mouth to respond, but Myra apparently thought it was time to change the subject.
“The party turned out amazing, thank you for all your hard work. All of the food is delicious, but the Sriracha deviled eggs were amazing. What was that sprinkled on top of them?”
Cindy rolled her eyes but let the conversation be diverted. Besides, she was pretty happy with how the menu had turned out and wanted the feedback. “Garlic panko crumbs.”
Candace shook her head. “Those were good, but they had nothing on the crab-stuffed mushrooms. I definitely want that recipe. I know you’ll be putting it on your blog eventually, but I don’t want to wait.”
“Family never has to wait,” Cindy promised. “I’ll send you the recipe tomorrow.”
“You’re a good girl. And you have good teeth.” She leaned in close to Myra and Cindy. “I was not impressed with Brenda’s teeth.”
For a moment, Cindy could only stare. And then she remembered Candace was a dentist, and she started laughing, Myra right there with her.
“Oh, Candace, you’re the best.”
She felt Jonas with their bond, a moment before his arms wrapped around her waist and his chin came to rest on top of her head. He loved to hold her like this, she’d come to realize. And she loved it to. She leaned back into him.
“Entertaining my girl pretty well, I see. Thanks, Mom.”
“Anything for my boy.”
“I’ve been informed by three out of four of our hierarchy that you are barred from cleanup duty. They said as soon as you’re done with the party, we’re to leave and let the others handle dismantling and cleaning up. Luckily, since I helped, and I drove with you, I get to leave, too.”
“Oh, that’s not necessary.”
“Make that four out of four of your hierarchy,” Myra put in.
Cindy glared at her best friend. “Myra. You know I like to pack the party stuff away.” Carefully. To be sure it could be used again.
“I know. I know how you like it done, too, so I can see to that. Besides, tell me right now what your plan is for all the decorations.”
“I’m going to donate them to the senior center. I talked to a wonderful lady there, and she said she’d be thrilled to take the decorations anytime I wanted to donate. She was very excited when I brought her the football stuff the other day.”
“Right. So you’re giving the stuff away, which means if it’s not packed exactly how you like it, it makes no difference. But, I still promise to pack it up exactly how you like it.”
“Hmph.”
“I think you’ve been outmaneuvered, my dear,” Candace said. “And you certainly deserve to go home and rest after all the work you did here. I’ll help as well, and Myra can show me what you like, so that in the future, more people can handle that part of things.”
“Um…”
She didn’t manage more as Jonas squeezed her again. “Why don’t we start with the goodbyes?”
“Well, I can see when I’m not wanted anymore,” she teased. “Seriously, though, thank you.”
“Don’t be silly. You don’t thank us, we thank you. The party was wonderful, everyone had a good time. I’m really proud of the whole pack for doing what we asked and speaking to all the visitors.” Myra said. “But now it’s time to send those visitors home. Let’s make the rounds!”
Following their alpha’s directive, Cindy and Jonas gave his mother hugs.
Cindy turned to see who else was nearby and saw Olivia talking to Jen.
The conversation looked deep enough that she decided not to interrupt, and save them for last. They made their rounds, had words with all the visitors and hugs with all the pack members, closing it out with Jen and Olivia.
By the time she made it to the car, Cindy collapsed into her seat. “Okay. I didn’t realize quite how done I was.”
“You should listen to your alpha. And your mate.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” She was leaning back against the headrest, eyes closed, but she rolled her head towards him anyway. “It went really well, right? I wasn’t just imagining that?”
“It went really well. Our pack acted like a pack and some of the visitors will definitely receive invitations to join. And at least some of them will accept.”
She couldn’t quite suppress a yawn. “I want to hear all about your impressions.”
“Mmm-hmm.”