Free Dancer's Heart by R. E. Butler Page B

and hugged her. “You’re
the best sister I could have ever hoped for.”
    “I always wanted a sister,” Dani said.
    Kammie stepped away as Dani introduced their
mom to Adam. Kammie and Row headed into the kitchen while Dani
said, “This is Adam Cruz. Adam, this is my mom, Alice Grayson.”
    Her mom smiled at Adam and hugged him.
“Welcome to the family.”
    Adam felt a little overwhelmed by her
immediate acceptance. “Thank you,” he said, emotion rising within
him. His own mother had died when he was ten. He remembered a lot
of things about her, but he especially remembered her warm hugs.
Dani’s mom hugged like his mom.
    Dani squeezed his shoulder. Tears pooled in
her beautiful blue eyes, and he let go of her mom with one arm and
wrapped it around Dani, drawing her into a three-way embrace.
    Both women sniffled, and Adam kissed his mate
on her forehead and said to Alice, “Thank you for trusting me with
your daughter.”
    Alice stepped away from him, but kept hold of
one of Dani’s hands. “I’m so glad that you found each other. This
kind of truemating doesn’t happen very often. Hold tight to each
other.”
    Dani brushed a tear from her cheek and leaned
against Adam as her mother turned to the stack of DVDs and began
loading them into the box.
    “Are you sure you don’t want to go to
Oakville to live?” he whispered in her ear. He wanted her complete
happiness. He didn’t think there was anything he wouldn’t do to see
her smile.
    “Are you ever going to stop asking me? My
home is here in Wilde Creek with you.”
    “I just want you to be sure.”
    “I’m sure.” She looked up at him, her eyes
glittering with unshed tears.
    “You can visit in the spring,” her mom said.
“And hopefully you’ll have some news about a grandbaby for me.”
    Dani blushed and smiled. “I like that
idea.”
    Adam growled softly. “Me too.”
    Kammie and Row came out of the kitchen, and
Kammie said, “We’re going to stop at the alphas’ house on the way
to dinner so I can leave the pack officially.”
    “Sounds like a plan,” Alice said. “Let’s get
to work.”
    “I didn’t do your bathroom,” Dani told
her.
    Kammie nodded. “Let’s start there.” She
tugged Row with her down the hallway. When they were out of sight,
Dani whispered, “The alphas are having a going-away party for
Kammie tonight. When they stop by in order for Kammie to leave the
pack, we need to go into the house with them.”
    “How nice,” her mom whispered back. “I’ll
just tell them that I want to meet the alphas because of you.”
    “You’ll like them. Brynn is very
down-to-earth and Acksel’s not too bad, either. We’d like you to
stay with us tonight, Mom.”
    She hummed. “So I can make you my famous
chocolate chip waffles tomorrow morning?”
    “That’s what I’m hoping for,” Dani said.
    Her mom kissed her cheek and smiled fondly.
“Whatever my baby girl wants.”
    Dani cast her blue eyes to Adam and
winked.
    They spent the rest of the day packing. By
the time they were ready to leave for dinner, everything was in
boxes, except the sheets on the bed, two coffee cups, and the
coffee maker.
    “You can take whatever’s left in the fridge
and pantry,” Kammie said as she buckled up in Row’s SUV. Dani was
sitting between Adam and her mom, and he put his arm around his
mate and squeezed lightly.
    “Thanks, Kam,” Adam said.
    Row parked in front of the alphas’ house,
which was dark. “I’ll leave the SUV on so you guys don’t freeze out
here.”
    “I’d like to meet the alphas,” Dani’s mom
said.
    Row turned in his seat. “Why?”
    “I’ve never met alphas before. Plus, I’d like
to meet the people who run the pack that Dani’s a part of now.”
    “I’m not really in the pack,” Dani pointed
out, “since I’m not a wolf.”
    “But you’re going to be working with Adam as
a steward, and…oh really, do I have to explain myself? I’m your
mother and I said I’m going,” she said, her