“You should go full time,” Lynn suggested, her tone laced with judgment.
Denver huffed out a breath and scooped a spoonful of mashed potatoes on his plate. “I make a shitload of money just working four nights a week, Lynn. We don’t give cheap tips like humans. Most of these rich immortals have money to burn and Packmasters pay well when they get good service.”
“Watch your language around Maizy.”
“Shitload,” Maizy sang, and Denver quickly snaked his arm around her head and covered her mouth with his hand, smiling sheepishly.
Lynn turned to watch Ivy carry in the pot roast.
“Do you guys always eat together?” I asked Reno in a quiet voice.
He nodded and leaned in close. “When our pack gets bigger, we’ll eat in shifts to make sure no one eats alone. That’s how a family maintains a good foundation. You look pretty tonight.” He spoke quietly and no one heard him over all the chatter. His bedroom voice made my belly flutter.
I smiled and put my hands in my lap, turning my ring around my finger. It suddenly popped off and rolled beneath the table. Nice job, my inner voice said. You managed to walk in the room successfully without tripping, so you decided to throw your jewelry underneath the table? Smooth.
Since I couldn’t scoot the bench back, I squeezed between the gap and crouched underneath the table. The ring had rolled by Wheeler’s foot and he must have noticed, because he appeared under the table with me.
Everyone chattered at the table and I froze as Wheeler held the ring between his fingers. “I know what you did,” he whispered. “I have access to the account, and I don’t know what the hell you’re up to, but Lexi is going to know about it.”
“Please don’t,” I begged.
“You okay down there, April?” Lexi asked. “Or do we need to call a search party?”
A few laughs overlapped and someone started coughing.
“Sorry, just a second. My ring fell off,” I explained in a loud voice. “It’s not what you think,” I whispered back to Wheeler. “Please don’t say anything.”
His eyes narrowed and he handed me the ring, holding it between his fingers until he finished serving his warning. “You tell her the truth or I will. It’s her business and livelihood—not your Monopoly money to play around with.”
When I climbed through the gap and sat in my seat, I was certain my face was the color of a tomato.
“Is something wrong?” Reno said in a low voice.
“No, I’m fine. It’s hot under there.”
I smiled mechanically and slipped the ring on my shaky middle finger, afraid to make eye contact with anyone.
Wheeler knew I had stolen from Lexi. Wheeler knew I was a thief.
The roast came out delicious. Spirits were high as we drank, laughed, and shared wild stories of childhood. It seemed like an ordinary get-together and I could hardly believe that these people were Shifters. Since Maizy and Lynn were comfortable with these guys, it made it easier for me to trust them.
After two glasses of wine, I had forgotten about Wheeler’s threat. He kept his eyes on his plate while explaining to Denver how to replace a part in his truck.
“Are you dating anyone special?” Lynn asked me, leaning around Ivy who sat to my left.
I had no idea how to answer that in front of Reno, so I held my wine glass in front of my mouth and bit on the rim.
“Mom…” Lexi chastised her in that voice that implied she was getting too nosy.
“What? I’m only asking what her situation is,” she said conversationally. “It’s a perfectly legitimate question to ask a single girl her age. We’re not getting any younger.”
Denver laughed and pushed his plate forward.
“Can I be excused?” Maizy asked, standing up from the table. “I want to read my new book about Peter Pan.”
“Skedaddle!” Denver barked out. Maizy giggled and disappeared around the corner.
“Well, April? Who are you seeing these days?” Lynn folded her napkin and placed it on her plate.
Lexi cleared her throat and shook her head at her mom.
Time froze when I felt Reno’s heavy hand rest on my right thigh. He gripped it firmly and our elbows touched. Something about being in his presence felt electric, and the warm sensation of his hand on my body almost made me spill my wine. I set the glass down and touched my hot cheek.
“There’s someone,” I finally answered to end the bickering between mother and daughter.
“Is it serious?” Lynn pressed.
“I’m not sure yet.”
Lexi’s brows popped up in surprise and she smirked at Austin. He frowned and rubbed his jaw as I’d seen him do before when in a contemplative mood.