Howl For It
Page 14
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She nodded but didnt speak.
Raising a brow at himBenjis way of saying, Good luck with that one, little brotherhis older brother left, finally leaving Eggie and Darla alone.
Realizing he still had his arms around her waist, Eggie released her.
He felt bad. It had never been his intention to get between the sisters.
Darla Mae he began, but she cut him off.
I need to get dressed. She looked around until her eyes settled on a red bag covered in stickers from several different countries. She walked over to it and lifted it. Do you have a pickup truck or only that car?
I have a pickup. Everyone in Smithtown had a pickup.
Good. We need to get this horrid couch out of your house and we need to go food shopping. She marched past him. I need to bake.
Eggie didnt know if that word meant something else but he wasnt about to ask. Not when she was in this mood. So he just nodded and watched her head up the stairs. She stopped halfway up, though, and looked back at him.
I am so sorry for what my sister said to you, Egbert Ray.
He shrugged. She aint my problem. Shes Bubbas. Didnt mean to cause you any problems, though, Darla.
You didnt do anything. But I wont let anyone talk to you like that.. I dont care who they are.
You ready to fight the whole town then, darlin?
She pursed her lips and said without even a bit of hesitation, If I have to.
CHAPTER SIX
Considering the mood Darla had been in when they left the house, Eggie expected a confrontation with his Aunt Daphne, but Darla had walked into Daphnes furniture store with a big smile and even two hours later, shed lost it only when convenient for her to do so. How shed managed that, though, he still didnt know.
Look, Daphne had sighed, I just cant be running around, taking back furniture willy-nilly.
Oh, I know, Darla had said with what Eggie now called her deeply concerned expression. I know. Her smile had suddenly returned and Eggie had felt like the whole store lit up. But thats why we brought the furniture back in Eggies truck. That way you dont have to worry about having it picked up. Weve taken care of all that. Its all wrapped up nice and clean.
Ill have to sell it at a loss.
Back to deep concern. Oh, I know. I know, she repeated yet again. It had been her favorite phrase the entire time they were at the store. But think of the benefit of showing how important family is to you.
Daphnes eyes had flickered over to Eggie and back to Darla. Family?
Andthat had been the first time since theyd walked into the store that Eggie had seen something other than a smile or deep concern . . . he saw anger. Real. Raw. But she had hidden it just as quick and repeated, Family. Let me tell ya, Ive been livin round those Yankees in San Francisco for a while now and those people do not know about family. And it affects their business even in a big ol city like that. She leaned in and said low, So you could imagine how it would go over here in Smithtown. But that wont matter to you because when I start telling everybody from here to North Carolina what a wonderful store you have and how loyal a Smith you are to your kin, you wont be able to keep the wolf Packs out of here.
Daphne had sucked air between her teeth and looked back at her mate. Hed only shrugged, leaving it up to her.
All right, Daphne had finally said, shocking Eggie because that woman didnt care if you were blood, Alpha of the Pack, or the president of the United States . . . she didnt give nothing away. Fine. You know what you want to replace
That set. Darla had pointed across the showroom to a dark brown couch, a couple of matching king chairs, a coffee table, three side tables in mahogany, and a matching dining set.
Normally Eggie didnt care about furniture. He spent most of his life in trees with a high-powered rifle and scope, so whether he had chairs in a house he was rarely in or not didnt really matter. But he had to admit . . . when he did come home, it would be nice to come home to this.
But now, after Benji and Frankie had helped him with the heavy lifting, Eggie sat on all that fancy furniture and felt a little . . . out of place. And anxious. Sitting like this, doing nothing, was not really his way. Hed go into his kitchen if he didnt have a still-angry She-wolf baking in there. Although he would say that whatever she was whipping up smelled delicious.
Eggie glanced at his watch again. New furniture, grocery shopping, a family fight, and not even four yet.
What are you doing?
Eggie dropped his arm to his lap and looked at the She-wolf glaring at him from the entryway.
Uh
Your nervous energy is making me tense.
He was making her tense?
Well
What would you normally do if I wasnt here, baking delicious goods?
Uh . . . huntin.
Then go hunt.
Cant leave you alone.
If I need you, Ill howl.
As far as we know, youre still in dang
Out! She pointed at the front door. Ill call you when dinners ready.
Raising a brow at himBenjis way of saying, Good luck with that one, little brotherhis older brother left, finally leaving Eggie and Darla alone.
Realizing he still had his arms around her waist, Eggie released her.
He felt bad. It had never been his intention to get between the sisters.
Darla Mae he began, but she cut him off.
I need to get dressed. She looked around until her eyes settled on a red bag covered in stickers from several different countries. She walked over to it and lifted it. Do you have a pickup truck or only that car?
I have a pickup. Everyone in Smithtown had a pickup.
Good. We need to get this horrid couch out of your house and we need to go food shopping. She marched past him. I need to bake.
Eggie didnt know if that word meant something else but he wasnt about to ask. Not when she was in this mood. So he just nodded and watched her head up the stairs. She stopped halfway up, though, and looked back at him.
I am so sorry for what my sister said to you, Egbert Ray.
He shrugged. She aint my problem. Shes Bubbas. Didnt mean to cause you any problems, though, Darla.
You didnt do anything. But I wont let anyone talk to you like that.. I dont care who they are.
You ready to fight the whole town then, darlin?
She pursed her lips and said without even a bit of hesitation, If I have to.
CHAPTER SIX
Considering the mood Darla had been in when they left the house, Eggie expected a confrontation with his Aunt Daphne, but Darla had walked into Daphnes furniture store with a big smile and even two hours later, shed lost it only when convenient for her to do so. How shed managed that, though, he still didnt know.
Look, Daphne had sighed, I just cant be running around, taking back furniture willy-nilly.
Oh, I know, Darla had said with what Eggie now called her deeply concerned expression. I know. Her smile had suddenly returned and Eggie had felt like the whole store lit up. But thats why we brought the furniture back in Eggies truck. That way you dont have to worry about having it picked up. Weve taken care of all that. Its all wrapped up nice and clean.
Ill have to sell it at a loss.
Back to deep concern. Oh, I know. I know, she repeated yet again. It had been her favorite phrase the entire time they were at the store. But think of the benefit of showing how important family is to you.
Daphnes eyes had flickered over to Eggie and back to Darla. Family?
Andthat had been the first time since theyd walked into the store that Eggie had seen something other than a smile or deep concern . . . he saw anger. Real. Raw. But she had hidden it just as quick and repeated, Family. Let me tell ya, Ive been livin round those Yankees in San Francisco for a while now and those people do not know about family. And it affects their business even in a big ol city like that. She leaned in and said low, So you could imagine how it would go over here in Smithtown. But that wont matter to you because when I start telling everybody from here to North Carolina what a wonderful store you have and how loyal a Smith you are to your kin, you wont be able to keep the wolf Packs out of here.
Daphne had sucked air between her teeth and looked back at her mate. Hed only shrugged, leaving it up to her.
All right, Daphne had finally said, shocking Eggie because that woman didnt care if you were blood, Alpha of the Pack, or the president of the United States . . . she didnt give nothing away. Fine. You know what you want to replace
That set. Darla had pointed across the showroom to a dark brown couch, a couple of matching king chairs, a coffee table, three side tables in mahogany, and a matching dining set.
Normally Eggie didnt care about furniture. He spent most of his life in trees with a high-powered rifle and scope, so whether he had chairs in a house he was rarely in or not didnt really matter. But he had to admit . . . when he did come home, it would be nice to come home to this.
But now, after Benji and Frankie had helped him with the heavy lifting, Eggie sat on all that fancy furniture and felt a little . . . out of place. And anxious. Sitting like this, doing nothing, was not really his way. Hed go into his kitchen if he didnt have a still-angry She-wolf baking in there. Although he would say that whatever she was whipping up smelled delicious.
Eggie glanced at his watch again. New furniture, grocery shopping, a family fight, and not even four yet.
What are you doing?
Eggie dropped his arm to his lap and looked at the She-wolf glaring at him from the entryway.
Uh
Your nervous energy is making me tense.
He was making her tense?
Well
What would you normally do if I wasnt here, baking delicious goods?
Uh . . . huntin.
Then go hunt.
Cant leave you alone.
If I need you, Ill howl.
As far as we know, youre still in dang
Out! She pointed at the front door. Ill call you when dinners ready.
