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“What the hell, Riley?” I said, laughing, as everyone looked over to us.
He clicked away on the phone and passed it back to me. “There, all done. Those boys are going to drool.”
Even I could admit the photo looked hot as fuck, my wide smile caught mid-laugh. I was bent forth slightly, the girls looking plump and eager. I tucked the phone away after making sure I had my notifications the way I wanted them, feeling thrilled as the phone began buzzing away. If they needed something, they’d call.
“I’m not even going to ask,” Dustin said. “I’ll be back in a bit.”
“So are you together?” I asked once he left.
“See!” Riley exclaimed, pointing at me. “I’m not the only one who can tell that your bosses have the hots for you. Mark my words. I better get to be in your bonding party if you have a ceremony after all the run around you’ve been giving me.”
“It can’t happen,” Lindsay said, shaking her head. “Plus, I have a boyfriend already.”
“Oh my god,” Claire shrieked. “You made that tourist into a townie? Do the triplets know?”
“No, and it’s none of their business.” Lindsay laughed. “He decided to extend his vacation.”
“Oh, I’m sure he’s extending something alright,” Riley snorted into his drink. “He’s hot, I’ll give you that, but something tells me he’s up to no good.”
“It’s a good thing I like being bad then,” Lindsay said, draining the rest of her drink. “It’s about time I moved on from wanting things I can’t have. But what can happen is us getting out on the dance floor and breaking the night in right.”
I stopped myself from asking her why they couldn't be together as I followed the group out on to the dance floor. Riley stayed behind to watch our bags and wait for the pitcher, making us promise to come back soon.
The bar was getting warmer by the second as we pushed our way through the crowd. Claire, Autumn, Lindsay and I all started dancing, claiming the space as ours. The music thumped around us as we laughed and danced. We were in our own little bubble and for the first time in a long time, I felt like I found myself again.
Becoming a single mom didn't leave a ton of options for friends. I'd left some amazing people behind here and never found the right time or people to find new friends. Now I felt like I belonged. Holiday Hollow was quickly reminding me that this was home.
"Hey there." The deep voice in my ear was unfamiliar, and I tensed as someone's hands went around my waist. "I haven't seen you here before. Can I buy you a drink?"
I quickly pulled away, spinning to face the man putting his hands on me. He was older than me, with dark black hair and a grin that made me uneasy. The way his eyes raked over me, full of hunger, had a shiver of disgust running through me. Maybe he was someone else's cup of tea, but I detested the thought of any man that wasn't pack now.
"No, thank you," I said as kindly as I could manage. "I'm with my friends tonight and taken."
"I don't see anyone," he pointed out, ignoring the girls and eyeing the crowd for angry alphas. "How could any respectable alpha let a sexy little thing like you out of their sights."
"First of all, ew," Claire interjected, Riley suddenly behind her. The mate bond must have told him she was worked up. "She said no. Last time I checked, that's a complete, fucking sentence."
This time his eyes swung to my friend and he did the same, creepy gaze.
"How about you then, spitfire?"
"She's with me," Riley said, putting Claire behind him. Somehow, in that moment, Riley seemed to grow twice as tall, chest puffing out and his face hard. He was ready to defend us if we needed it.
"Alright, alright," he chuckled. "I'm here for a good time, not drama."
Finally, he retreated back into the crowd, leaving us to our night again. I didn't envy whoever was unlucky enough to end up under his gaze next.
I saw Lindsay pull another one of the triplets to the side, speaking to him quickly before he marched off determined and on a mission. I watched as he had a few words with the patron and then guided him out the door before returning to the bar.
"Mojitos are here," Riley said. He turned, and we didn't hesitate to follow. The vibe had been officially ruined, but the moment we had cold drinks in hand, swapping stories, it was right back in place.
We all ended up drinking our first ones rather quickly, the pitcher we had giving us just enough to pour another round.
"Okay, I can't hold back anymore. Spill all the gory details on that pack," Claire demanded before she turned serious. "I'm glad you came back. You and Cole were meant to be together."
My cheeks warmed. "I'm glad I'm back too. And that Cole and I are working through everything. As for the pack, well, we're still finding our footing. Taking things slow."
"Good," she said, surprising me. "You should set whatever pace makes you happy. It's not a race and you wouldn't get rid of them that easily anyway."
