Page 40 of Brandt's Rule

“Daisy?” Brandt asked.

“Don’t pay too much attention to my brother. He has a lot on his shoulders for a young Alpha and gets all caught up in what he thinks he should and shouldn’t be doing. You know, wrong or right and all that. He’ll figure it out. He’s a good male.”

“Brother?”

“She’s my sister,” Brandt said.

Tempest glanced toward him briefly, then back to Daisy. “I can see it. A strong resemblance. But…”

“But?” Daisy asked encouragingly.

“You’re so nice…” Tempest finished.

Daisy and Hellen both laughed, along with everybody else while Brandt scowled.

“Does everyone know Bailey? Bailey is my best friend. We’re new friends, but best friends, too,” Tempest said.

Bailey beamed at Tempest’s introduction of her.

“I do,” Remi said, and his tone was filled with so much he left unsaid.

Bailey smiled, and blushed slightly.

“We do, if only from a distance,” Daisy said, warmly taking Bailey’s hand in hers and introducing herself. “I’m Daisy.”

“I know who you are. You and Remi were a couple of years ahead of me in school. It’s good to see you,” Bailey said.

“And we were a year or two behind you, but I know exactly who you are. You were always nice to me. Still are when I stumble in for coffee when I’m in town,” Hellen said. “Sometimes all I can do is grunt it’s so damn early, but she always says good morning and hands me a cup of caffeine.”

“Are you not in town often?” Tempest asked.

“I work for the Wild Life and Fisheries department. Sometimes I spend weeks out in the field, camping, hiking, keeping an eye on things.”

“Oh, how interesting!” Tempest exclaimed. “I would never have thought of that for a career! It’s fascinating!”

“Thank you! I think so. If you ever want to come with on an overnight trip let me know,” Hellen said.

“I just might do that! Thanks,” Tempest said.

“Ohhh! I love this song! Come on, ladies, let’s go show this place how it’s supposed to be danced to!” Hellen exclaimed, turning and heading toward the dance floor as ‘Honky Tonk, Bedonk A Donk’ poured from the sound-system.

All four women headed out onto the dance floor and fell right in with the line dance the rest of the women in the bar, and even some of the men, had already started. As they danced Tempest picked up the steps and obviously enjoyed herself.

“And just like that she becomes one of us,” Remi said as he watched.

“Seemed almost too easy,” Ronan said.

“Like it was meant to be,” Barron said.

Brandt shook his head.

“Even your sister thinks she’s pretty freaking awesome,” Barron said.

“She torques me. On purpose,” Brandt said.

“I think that’s a good thing. Seems like you’re kind of torquing her, too,” Remi said.

Brandt grinned.

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