Page 20 of Secrets and Ruin

“I’m always down for free dessert.” Landon shrugged. “But you did make sure she didn’t poison us, right?”

“I wasn’t going to tell you I helped in case you didn’t like it. You’ll be sweet to Carey but not me,” I admitted softly enough that Carey wouldn’t hear. “But no poison unless werewolves are allergic to chocolate. I know you’re not, so don’t try that.” I listened to her shuffling around the kitchen, rinsing the dishes, and washing her hands before she got the cake. A moment later, she walked out with the cake.

“Here is it!”

Carey put her creation in the center of the table.

“It’s chocolate cake with Italian meringue as the icing,” she explained, holding out a knife for someone else to do the cutting. I took it, and she turned to Landon, who showed his surprise, totally caught off guard by what Carey had done. “I got Jacky to help, but she just guided me. It’s your favorite, right? I remember this was your favorite.”

“It is…” Landon confirmed.

“You’ve been down because Dirk is gone, so… I knew you were coming over for dinner tonight—”

She didn’t finish as Landon wrapped his arms around her in a hug.

I cut the cake, glancing at Heath, who only had eyes for his children at that moment. I grabbed a few small plates and put a slice in front of everyone, the biggest for Landon. We ate the cake, which turned out pretty good. When Heath finished his, he sighed.

“We’ll go to the Market on Sunday as a family,” he announced. “Once the others are back.”

9

CHAPTER NINE

Sunday came quickly. I woke up and got ready to leave. Carey was already up and ready to go. It was only nine in the morning, normally too early for her to be up, especially since she met Makalo, and they started staying up all night.

“They’re not due back for another couple of hours,” I reminded her. “You can sit around for a little while.”

“Yeah, but why rush to get ready later when I can be ready now?” she countered. “I get why Dad doesn’t want us to leave before they get back, but I am so excited. You know, I’ve heard about the Market, but they’ve never once considered taking me or explaining everything about it. It’s just been a pack thing. I’m excited. Once they’re back, I want to be out the door. I can’t wait to see it.”

“I’m glad you’re excited,” I said, smiling as I went about my morning routine. I emailed Oliver about the numbers from business the night before, glad to see Kick Shot was still making a profit. It had never done that while I was running it. Now mostly a silent owner, I distanced myself from being the public face of the company more and more. I was becoming too well known, too infamous, and that sort of attention on a business had repercussions.

Kick Shot was my baby, and thinking about it, it paralleled the changes in my life. I’d started with a tiny shack of a bar and no one to fill it except those who wanted to drink in a small place with no judgment. I had seen my tiny bar burned down, and the new thing built in its place was completely different. It represented a different time. Something with a foundation, something worth more than sentimental value. Something that didn’t try to hide from the world but rather looked like it invited the world in for a good time and good food. Just as I invited people into my world to find whatever they were looking for, be it safety and security, loyal friends to watch their backs or just a family.

Oliver and I had grown distant in the last year, but it wasn’t anything against him or me. He was a young man with a goal for the future, wanting to run successful businesses and be part of something bigger, but he was still a human. He nearly got hurt once, and he had taken a life to save Dirk’s. Letting him stay focused on Kick Shot and out of my troubles was better for his mental health. He liked being here, but one day, I knew he might ask to move on, and I accepted that. He would always be mine, but maybe one day, I would have a business outside my territory he could establish.

That’s not a bad idea….

Nodding, I started writing down that little idea. Something in the city for him, where he could manage the mansion and live there to keep it from being a cold, empty home. Dirk didn’t live with Oliver anymore, so there was no one he had to help with rent. He would probably enjoy the city more than the small town we lived in, anyway.

I’ll see what he thinks. There might be some niche we can try to fill in Dallas, and he can head the project. My siblings all own multiple businesses. I can manage two. Plus, it would be nice to establish that the city is mine with something, even though it’s not my official territory.

“You seem deep in thought,” Heath said as he walked in, followed by Landon, Shamus, and Ranger.

“Wondering if Oliver might want to move to Dallas and try something new for me. Maybe a new bar or a lounge….” Shrugging, I pushed my notes aside. “It’s a thought for another day. Do you four need the room?”

“No, they’re just following me around.” Heath found his favorite spot.

“Ranger lost his patience with the boys and called me. Kody didn’t want to deal with them, so I called Heath. He was already with Landon. Said we could bring them here and get a break until Teagan came back to claim them,” Shamus explained, grinning as he leaned on my window. “But now there are three teenagers in your living room.”

“So, we’re all hiding in here with you,” Landon finished, sitting in a chair opposite of my desk, Ranger taking the other one.

I gave Heath a look, but he only smiled, knowing what I was thinking. We had Carey, two teenage werewolves with crushes on her, and Landon in the same building.

Disaster was imminent.

“Well, that’s nice. I was just getting the Saturday report from Oliver and started thinking. I don’t have much going on.”

“You want him to manage the city for you,” Heath said, catching on to what I said earlier. “He’ll be the head of your mansion household, keeping it clean and ready for your family if they visit and managing whatever business you set up in the city.”

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