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Ellie saw me coming and waved, running down the beach to meet me and nearly tackling me into the sand. “Took you long enough, slowpoke.”
I laughed, slinging her arm over my shoulders. She was already well on her way to getting drunk. “I was helping Mom. With stuff foryourwedding.”
“I know,” she sighed. “But you still took forever.”
Warren waited, amused smile on his face, hands in the pockets of his board shorts. I shook my head as we approached. “Gotta keep better track of her.”
“There’s never a time when I’m not,” he said, his eyes only on Ellie.
My sister looked at me. “Want a drink?”
“I’m gonna say hi to the guys first.”
She giggled. “I get you. Letthemget the drinks. Smart.”
I handed her to Warren and watched him pull her close, lifting her off her feet before kissing her. For a long time I thought Ellie would be happiest with a pack until Warren came along. He worshipped the ground she walked on, complementing her vibrance with his steadiness. They truly were good for each other, and it showed.
Eyes were already on me. Through the wavering, heated air above the reaching flames, Rowan stared at me. Vaughn too. My feet started moving before I decided, and this felt different, because I was approaching them with entirely different intentions.
Vaughn caught me first. He swept me up the way Warren had Ellie, purr rolling through both of us. I froze. It was the first time any of them had purred for me.
How long had it been since I felt an Alpha’s purr?
Far too fucking long.
I relaxed, choosing to lean into the feeling and not fight it. Vaughn kissed my cheek. “Missed you today.”
“It was exhausting.”
“Want a drink?”
“Honestly? Not really. I want to relax, but I’m not sure getting drunk is what I’m feeling right now.”
Rowan stepped up next to us. “I can help with that.”
“Oh?”
He pulled a little case out of his pocket. “A hobby of mine.”
The case held hand-wrapped joints that were so neat they could have been professional. My eyes widened. “Really?”
“Why so surprised?”
“I don’t know. I just didn’t get the feeling you were a stoner.”
Rowan’s laugh echoed across the beach. “I’m not. I like it, but it’s not an every day or all the time thing. My sister deals with chronic pain, and my dad had cancer. I started growing to help them out. Turns out I enjoy it. I have edibles too, but I think you might need something that kicks in faster.”
“Is your dad…?”
“He’s gone.”
I winced. “I’m sorry.”
Rowan handed me one of the small joints. “Don’t be. He had a great life, and he was ready. Does me growing bother you?”
“No,” an inelegant snort fell out of me. I covered my mouth and nose with my hand. They heard it anyway, though they didn’t say anything. “I grew up here, remember? Most people were doing things harder than weed.” And there were far worse things.
Vaughn lit the joint for me, and as soon as I’d taken one breath, Hawk stole it from me.
