Page 94 of Fated to the Wolf Cowboy

Sydney walked over to my refrigerator and started grabbing things from it until her arms were loaded.

“I’ve got it. Come on. We’re going to my place while this smoke airs out. I don’t care if you get dressed of not. Up to you if you want to do the slutty walk of shame through the neighborhood or not, but hurry. We don’t have a lot of time.”

I ran to the bedroom and got dressed, passing Brady in the hall.

“I think Syd’s got a plan,” I said, excitedly giving him a smooch before moving on.

Tossing on a shirt and a pair of lounge pants, I didn’t even bother with underwear.

“Sorry, no distractions allowed in my kitchen, and clearly you were one big distraction here. Come along, Tricia,” Sydneysaid as I grabbed some of the stuff she was carrying and followed her to her house.

“Sorry,” I mouthed to Brady on the way out.

“I’m never going to live this one down, am I?” I whined.

“Relax. No one needs to know,” Syd assured me.

“Speak for yourself. This is too good not to share.”

I groaned.

Together they helped me whip up some sort of stew. It wasn’t what I’d planned, but it smelled wonderful and would at least feed everyone.

A few hours later, the smoke was all gone, the table was set, and we weren’t eating takeout.

There was no reason for me to be nervous, but it felt like a big deal hosting all of Brady’s siblings and their families.

Everything seemed to go off without a hitch.

“This stew is delicious. You’re going to have to give me the recipe,” Peyton said. “Parker’s on his third bowl already.”

“It’s yummy, Aunt Tricia.”

I hated taking the credit for, but my pride allowed it anyway.

We had finished eating; the kids were playing in the backyard; and the rest of us settled into the living room.

The night was going just about perfectly until Luke sniffed the air.

“Why is it so smokey in here? There are no fires reported on the range that I’m aware of.”

“No, but there was a giant anaconda,” Jessie said.

I made the mistake of looking at Sydney as we all dissolved into a fit of giggles.

Peyton gasped and looked back and forth between Brady and me. I knew she knew.

“No! That’s why we didn’t have the chicken you were planning to make?”

We laughed until we cried as my cocky, handsome, wolf cowboy proudly winked at me.

*****