Page 89 of Truth or Pack

“There she is!” a loud voice rang out. The omega woman was gorgeous, and definitely Holt’s mom. I could see the similarities, even though she seemed so soft and full of sunshine.

“Hello,” I greeted her, letting out an oof as she squeezed me in a tight hug. She smelled like pure mountain air, all sunshine and sweet grass.

“I’m so happy to meet you,” she said, those warm, brown eyes that matched Holt’s were shining with genuine happiness.

“Likewise,” I promised. “The ranch is amazing and the guys have sung your praises.”

She gave them a narrow-eyed look. “They better have.”

“Well, after meeting Ash’s parents and knowing mine, trust me, it was refreshing,” I reassured her.

She pulled me in for another hug. “Clearly it’s their loss, honey. Now, I hear it’s a celebration tonight. Tell me what you girls have been up to. Oh, I’m Leslie, by the way.”

Leslie turned and yelled out at the men standing nearby.

“We omegas need a round of drinks and snacks. It’s gossip time.”

They gave her an indulgent smile before disappearing. Soon, we had cocktails and a cheese board as we gave her all the details of our new venture. Her excitement only built ours. Hell, even Bea was enthusiastically joining in as she and Leslie talked logistics and numbers. Dani and I had the passion, but Bea was, apparently, our girl for making the business side happen.

“So, she’s in this with us, right?” Dani hissed, looking at Bea.

Bea stared back with shocked, wide eyes. “No. I don’t mind working for you, but..”

She trailed off as Dani and I both rolled our eyes.

“Oh shut up. Join us. We could use your business sense,” Dani argued.

“Plus, you ran that diner for years. They were idiots to let you go,” I challenged. “Tell me you don’t think this is a good fit.”

I crossed my arms, knowing she wouldn’t back down from a challenge.

Leslie chuckled. “Well, I think you three have this in the bag. Plus, I’ve been looking at investing in something new. I think I’d love to see this one thrive, if you’re interested in some backers. Actually, I have a few big names I think could join the list.”

“Wait, what?” I gaped. Having sponsors would mean that we’d be guaranteed to get the location we wanted. Plus, plenty of room to grow and adapt.

“Actually, I’ll give my lawyer a call, too. You can have him, just have him bill me. He’ll make sure you have the right kinds of contracts in place to protect you,” she said as she stacked a cheese cube on a cracker and took a bite.

My head was spinning. This had gone from a pipe dream, to a reality, to more than we ever could have imagined.

And having parental support? That was such a strange concept I couldn’t wrap my head around it. Somehow, I’d gone from being an omega against the world, one true friend just a call away, to having a pack, a family, and more friends.

That weekend at the lake truly did change everything.

It's been three years to the day since I posted the sneak peek of what was coming to Mystery Date with a Book, and it went viral. The video had kickstarted the business with my best friends and I faster than we imagined possible and we haven't looked back since.

Not only did it change our lives, but the town of Willow Lake. It was now a booming town of ‘mom and pop’ shops and the lake was a popular hot spot for vacation in the area. The only place that floundered was the country club just outside of town, and we weren’t sad to see it disappear.

"Are you sure you should be going into the shop today?" Ash asked, rubbing my swollen belly. The baby inside squirmed just a little but there wasn't much room in there for him or her.

"You just don't want to stay home with Liam and Gem today, do you?" I laughed. As if right on cue the twins ran into the room all smiles and giggles. They had energy in spades.

"Daddy Ash, fishin'?" little Liam asked, crawling on top of him.

"No, cycle," Gem told her brother before turning to climb on the bed. Her face was serious as she stared him down. She was as stubborn as her mom.

"What about both?" he asked them and that had them both beaming, argument forgotten before it could even start. "I was trying to talk Mama into going, too."

That traitor. He was going to try and use the cute faces of our children to get me out of work. Liam and Gem, both moved closer to me with their smiles going wide.

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