Free Romance: Wanted by the Alpha Lion (A BBW Paranormal Suspense Romance) (Heroes of Shifter Creek Book 2) by Clara Moore

later.”
                  Matthew sat down. “I’m not ready for that. I’m not ready at all for that.” He shook his head. “For God’s sake. I just got out of jail. My life is in shambles. I haven’t even begun to figure out what I’m going to do to get things back on track. There couldn’t be a worse possible time to think about having kids.”  The magnitude of what Jenn was looking for was overwhelming.
                  “I don’t think you should call her,” Ada said, nodding her head and turning back toward the kitchen. “Not for tonight, if there’s no sense in it. But I do think you should talk to her.”

 
     
     
     
     
     
    6
                  “I’ll tell you what,” Charlie said. He’d had two whiskeys and was started on his third. The whole crew was gathered around a bon fire. Not only were the flames good for celebrating, they did an admirable job at keeping any curious coyotes from wandering too close. “It’s damn good to have you back here in civilization, baby brother.” He patted David heartily on the back.
                  Matthew noticed Saba’s lips tightening at the corner. She said nothing, but bent her head as she fussed over Hafez.
                  “It’s good to see you,” David replied. He’d not had as much to drink as his older brother, but he’d had his fair share. “You’ll have to let me know when we get to the civilized part.”
                  Freddie and David looked at each other. Sean stood up and said, “Time to throw another log on this fire. Who wants to help me?”
                  Charlie leapt to his feet. He wasn’t exactly steady, but he was enthusiastic, following the ranch hand across the yard to where the scrap wood pile was.
                  “You all right, man?” Matthew asked David.
                  “What happened to him?” David asked, nodding toward Charlie. “He’s different.”
                  “Different how?” Matthew asked.
                  “Bossy.On edge.” David shook his head. “He’s like a cat in a room full of rocking chairs. Anything’s going to set him off.”
                  “It is the baby coming,” Saba said. David looked at her, and she shrugged. “My husband was the same way both times. Knowing a child will arrive soon makes the father tense inside. Like a spring pushed back.” She shifted her legs, settling baby Hafez more comfortably in her lap. Then she made a fanning motion with her hands. “Any thing can make them go like this. After the baby comes, they are fine.”
                  Freddie nodded. “He’s been that way for about two months.” He glanced at Ada, who was slowly making her way back to the bonfire after one of many trips to the bathroom.  “I think things are getting real for him in a hurry.”
                  “Running the ranch, starting a family,” Matthew said, in way of explanation. “It’s a lot. I’m not sure he’s handling it perfectly, but he’s handling it as best he can.”
                  “Stress sucks, man.” David drained the last of his whiskey. “Stress sucks bad.”
                  Thy watched as Sean and Charlie awkwardly tossed a thick log onto the bon fire. It sent a curling cloud of sparks up into the vast Texas night sky, each one an orange dot that climbed higher and higher into the thin air before winking out.
                  “Pretty,” Matthew said.
                  “Pretty,” David agreed. He refilled his whiskey and looked over at his brother. “You’re not drinking?”
                  “Can’t,” Matthew said. “The minute I have one, I know my probation officer will just happen to stop by to see what I’m doing.”
                  “Man, you worry about your PO too much,” Freddie said. “All