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“What kind of experience do you have in finance, Wheeler?” I asked.
His brows popped up and he leaned forward on his elbows, pushing something around on his plate. Wheeler’s mouth curved up at the corners and my, didn’t he look like a slick fella? “I have a CPA license. I’ve also done taxes, accounting, and worked as a financial advisor. Lots of rich assholes out there who don’t know how to manage their money. But I’ve dabbled in other things.”
I looked at Austin and we had a mental conversation.
“I may need your advice on something if you have the time. We can talk about it later.”
He licked the prongs of his fork, watching me carefully. “Maybe.”
“No maybes,” Austin said in a thick voice. “If Lexi needs your help, then you’re going to give it to her.”
“I’llgive it to her,” Ben said suggestively, and he wasn’t talking about accounting.
“Keep it up,” Wheeler warned Ben. “See what happens.”
Austin’s chair scraped against the floor as he rose from the table and delivered a palpable glare at Ben. There was no attempt to charge after him, and somehow it made him more menacing. Ben submissively walked across the kitchen and ate in the corner alone. Austin sat back down and my mom was the only one who didn’t notice what had just transpired between the men.
Everyone else did. Ivy stared at her plate, shoulders hunched, spreading her mashed potatoes around with a fork.
Mom sprinkled a dash of pepper on her steak. “I’ll go with you in the morning and see what you boys are dealing with. As a homeowner, I know a thing or two you wouldn’t think to check. I just hope you had an inspector come out and look at the foundation. Lexi, do you mind watching Maizy for the day? I won’t be able to keep an eye on her and I don’t think that’s the kind of place she should be running around in. There might be nails or loose wires.”
“Sure. No problem.” Mom didn’t bother asking me to go because she knew my stance on manual labor. Especially after the paint-thinner fiasco.
“Good. We’ll stop by the hardware store and pick up several gallons of white paint. Something always needs a fresh coat of paint and we might as well get started right away.”
“Mom, do you really want to be painting in this heat?” I argued.
Yeah, she did. That woman was born to redecorate. She just never had much room to do it in her small house. But the idea of a large home that was big enough to have once been a hotel? I knew she was about to die a little bit and go to heaven. I wouldn’t be surprised if she had them laying down wood flooring by sunset.
I leaned into Austin and spoke privately. “Did you clean up everything?”
The first thing my mom would see when she walked into the house was a mattress with tangled sheets, and I was sure I had left some of my things there. I didn’t want to give her the wrong idea of what kind of daughter she had raised.
Austin grinned, telling me visually thathell no,he hadn’t moved a damn thing.
Ivy finally piped in. “I can help furnish the rooms. I’m good with finding cheap or free furniture and fixing it up; just give me some money and I’ll work with a budget. People wait for trash day and put it on their curb, so if one of you can come along with me on those days, we can scope out some of the neighborhoods and load them onto a truck. Garage sales will get you bargains if you go late.”
“Why late?” I asked. “Early bird gets the worm.”
She pushed her braid off her shoulder and a strand of hair slipped in front of her nose. “Early bird also pays a fortune. The late bird gets the deal on leftovers, because the owners just want to get rid of it for any price at that point. People can’t see the potential in some pieces that look ugly or broken. I can. I see beneath all the glossy paint at the raw beauty below the surface.”
Hand to God, every man in the room was watching her like she was a prophet. Ivy had such a beautiful voice and the manner in which she spoke drew you to her words, as if everything had a deeper meaning. She could be talking about scrubbing a toilet and make it sound like she was teaching you a lesson about humility.
I smiled and took a bite of cucumber. Ivy was going to fit in well; she was exactly what this pack needed. They had somehow accepted her as a sister, even though she was insanely beautiful in an earthy way, with lush lips and delicate features. I had so much to learn about Shifters.
“You going to be okay by yourself?” Austin asked hesitantly.
“Sure. I’ll have to plan something fun with Maizy,” I said in an animated voice, grabbing her attention. I winked at her and she giggled while nibbling on a tomato wedge. “Maybe we’ll do Pretty Pigtail Day and make some homemade pizza. Would you like that, Maze?”
She gave it the weighty consideration only a six-year-old can. “Umm, okay. Can we play games like at the pizza place?”
I glanced at Austin, not wanting to let her play on Denver’s game system. “You got any kid games around here?”
He frowned a little and thought about it. “Cards?”
“Then I’m just going to have to kick it old school and show her how to play hopscotch.”
“Hide and seek!” she replied.
