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“She’s not,” Mom said.
“Well, shit. Who’s your new mate?” he asked. “And why didn’t you tell us that you were in a serious relationship?”
“Because I wasn’t. Until it happened.” Malia sighed. “It happened by accident. And my new mate is Lucas Winter. He’s a cougar shifter from Boise.”
“LucasWinter?Is this some kind of joke?” Mom’s tone was sharp.
“Nope,” Malia said. “Believe me, we were both shocked. It was just supposed to be a date. A first date.”
She braced herself for an explosion from Dad.
Instead, he began laughing. “I’ll be damned. And they say that lightning never strikes twice. Sound familiar, honey?” he asked Mom.
She sighed and shook her head. “But you and I already knew each other since high school. We weren’tstrangers!”
“What?” demanded Malia. “Are you telling me that you and Dad—?”
Is Mom actually blushing?
Malia knew her parents had had a whirlwind courtship after Mom’s house burned down and Dad rescued her from being trapped inside, but they’d never sharedthisparticular detail.
“Yup. I had a huge crush on your mom for years,” Dad answered. “Finally convinced her to give me a chance. And then our beasts ganged up on us, and boom! Mated! It all turned out okay, though. Wouldn’t you say, honey?”
Mom sighed. “I suppose you’re right.” Her tone was laced with resignation. “Malia, has Lucas been good to you?”
Dad added, “Do you think he’ll do right by you?”
Malia nodded. “Absolutely yes. He’s been nothing but sweet and caring. I think he’s a really good person, just a little, um, rough around the edges. And maybe a little too trusting with the wrong types of people.”
She saw her mom relax. “I’m really glad to hear that he’s been treating you well. Have you informed Uncle Bill and Aunt Mandy about your change in status yet?”
“Not yet. I wanted to tell you guys and Rob first.” She was dreading the conversation with her pack’s alpha pair. As Malia’s mate, Lucas would be granted pack membership, which made her mating their business. Unfortunately.
Maybe I should move to Boise after all, she thought in a moment of craven cowardice.This weekend.
“Well, why don’t you do that right now?” Mom suggested. She gave Malia an encouraging smile. “Before they hear the news from anyone else.”
“You’re right,” Malia acknowledged in a resigned tone. “I’ll go use the phone in the conference room.”
Mom rose and gave her a firm hug. “I’m sure everything will work out for the best, just like it did for your dad and me.”
* * *
“You did WHAT? With the guy who’s a pal of Travis Bickham, of all people?” Great Uncle Bill didn’t raise his voice, but his anger and dismay were loud and clear over the phone line.
“Why, Malia?” asked Great Aunt Mandy. “Why on earth would you do something like that? You’ve always been such good girl, an example to the other young people in our pack. What will everyone think when they hear that Lucas Winter is your mate?”
Malia winced. The disappointment in her great aunt’s tone was harder to deal with than Great Uncle Bill’s expected annoyance.
Then she got mad.What are they expecting me to do about it now? Besides, they don’t even know Lucas. Not like I do. They’ve only heard some stupid rumors.
“They’ll think he’s a nice, hard-working family man with two adorable daughters,” she replied, struggling to keep her anger out of her voice. “Please, just give him a fair chance. He’s nothing like Bickham. I think he’s just the kind of person who gives everyone the benefit of the doubt.”
“Well, if you say so, dear.” Great Aunt Mandy didn’t sound convinced. “We’ll have a chance to judge for ourselves tomorrow night.” Her tone sharpened. “Youarebringing your new mate to our monthly potluck and meeting, right?”
Crap!With all of the excitement, she’d completely forgotten all about the pack get-together.
“Yes—yes, I’m planning to,” Malia said. “And I’ll tell Lucas about it tonight, but I’m not sure what he’ll say.”
