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They were spending a lot of time together this morning and I bit back a smile. We'd all seen the connection between the two alphas, but they were possibly more stubborn than even Beatty. One glance at Bash and he had the same thought. He bit back his smile and jotted down a list quickly before handing it over.
"This should be everything."
Cole and Miller were out of the door within a few minutes, leaving us alone again.
"So, what kind of date ideas are we thinking? Mainly because I'm nosy," Bash said as he sat the notebook aside.
"You already have yours planned, don't you?" Dean asked. Bash smirked and nodded, not giving a single detail away. The man knew how to keep a secret, but of course would torment you with vague details along the way.
"Is yours an afternoon thing?" I asked. "It might work out to have yours then have a group one after, make a day of it."
"Good idea," Bash said, tapping his chin as he thought it over. "Definitely early in the day. I'd say we could swing dinner with you, Dean."
"I'll handle that part of the day then," Dean promised. Bash narrowed his eyes and I snorted. It was nice that Dean was never afraid to dish it right back to his mate.
My mind was already whirring with possibilities.
Then it hit me, the perfect date, but it wouldn't just be mine. Summer and I had gotten some amazing moments alone already and with all the other dates, I thought bringing us together might be more ideal. We had an entire future of dates and I could easily fit our moment in after.
The Summer Festival was already in the works. I'd seen the fairgrounds already in progress with Autumn's mate Boone helping the mayor build the booths. It held all of the fun Holiday Hollow had to offer, from games, to food, to activities.
But it also had one event I knew would be the perfect metaphor for our future.
The paper lantern lighting was a way to let go of your past and embrace the future. Commonly they were used at the new year, but here it was a way to welcome in the harvest season approaching. For us, it could be a way to come together as a pack... a family. Theo would absolutely love it and I could already picture Summer glowing in the lantern light.
Hopefully we could figure out a way to have us all together again, permanently by then.
With a warmth settling in my chest I turned to the pack to clue them in on my plan.
23
Summer
"Ihave arrived!" Claire's bright voice echoed toward the kitchen. I didn't bother to go to her knowing her and her pack would be carrying in the amazing goodies she brought. She wouldn't even let me pay her past the product cost, stating it was her 'Auntie' duties.
My jaw dropped as she swept into the room. She was only carrying a bakery box but her entire pack each had a stack of things in hand. When I raised my eyebrows she let out a nervous laugh and bit her lip.
"Look, I've got a few birthdays to make up for," she argued.
"No you don't, when I told you about Theo, you sent him cards for his birth and first two birthdays all at once!" I protested with a laugh, knowing it was too late to rein her in.
"Oh, believe me," Riley sassed. "This was the watered down version."
"Thank you," I told him honestly. “Although it’s frightening thatyou’rethe one to reign her in.”
"I invited half the town, it'll get eaten," Beatty said as she bustled in the room, wiping her hands on her apron and eyeing the boxes. "Let's put those all on the buffet table. I'll do the warm food on the island."
Claire and her pack arranged the boxes and when they finally backed away Beatty and I both were opening them, peeking inside.
"Holy shit, Claire," I hissed in disbelief. Whatever she'd charged me for did not include all the extras. "Just wait until you have a baby. Payback is a bitch."
She laughed and I noticed the guys looking pleased. It might not be too long before that was a reality if they had anything to say about it.
Claire had not only made a huge sheet cake that looked like a dirt track, she made actual edible trucks to go on top, including cookie crumb rocks and gravel. In the other boxes were cake pops that looked like traffic cones and tires, cookies with cute little trucks and the number three, and an array of sprinkle cookies that matched the colors for anyone who didn't like everything else.
She was insane. And I loved her fiercely for it.
Biting back tears I crushed her in a hug.
