Free A Wolf's Mate by Vanessa Devereaux Page B

including Jake, the identity of his dad. Maybe it was wrong to keep
a secret like that but she was scared he’d go looking for him and in some way
that monster would corrupt her perfect son.
    “What’s
your son like?”
    “He’s
a foot taller than me which isn’t surprising because his father was six three.
He’s also a great football player like his father. He’s a junior at the
University of Florida, doing very well and I think he’s probably going into law
which will mean more schooling. He also has a very nice girlfriend. My fear is
he’ll marry and make me a grandma at the ripe old age of thirty-seven.”
    “You’d
make the sexiest grandma I’ve ever seen.” He squeezed her hand again.
    Yeah,
her son would fly the nest for good one day and she’d be all alone. She took a
deep breath glad that she finally told him about Jake. Best thing was he didn’t
seem to care.
    “We’re
almost at Maisey and Lucas’ place,” said Nick pulling onto a driveway of a
townhouse on the outskirts of town.
    They
got out and Nick carried the slow cooker to the front door and rang the doorbell.
Maisey answered, dressed in jeans and a sweater.
    “Come
in and I’ll take this for you,” she told Nick. “Lucas just called to say he’s
on his way and not to eat all the chili before he gets home.”
    “Too
late we ate it on the way here,” said Nick.
    “You
wouldn’t dare,” said Maisey. “Come on through to the kitchen. Take your coats
off, and make yourself at home.”
    Ava
followed Nick and Maisey through to the back of the house. She stopped to look
at the photos on the wall.
    “Are
these your parents?” she asked looking at one of a couple standing by a lake.
    “Yes,
that’s the folks.”
    They
looked an older couple and Ava guessed they’d had her later in life. She looked
at the next one of them; her dad was holding a cello, her mother a violin.
    “Do
you parents play?” asked Ava pointing at the snap.
    “Yes,
in the Montana Symphony Orchestra,” said Maisey.
    “Wow,”
said Ava.
    “They
were also university professors,” added Nick.
    “Really?
What subjects?” asked Ava.
    “Dad
taught physics and chemistry, Mom, math and statistics. And yes, they hate that I own a yoga studio and follow in neither their academic or cultural pursuits.”
    She
knew what it was like to try and live up to your parent’s expectations. Her
father had been in his grave close to a decade but she was still trying to fill
his shoes, doing things that she knew he’d approve of more than she actually
wanted to do herself. Maisey was proof you could break free.
    “In
fact, why don’t you come with me tomorrow. It’s Charlotte Renner’s baby shower
and her sister-in-law Lilly is throwing it. My mom will be there and I’d love
you to meet her.”
    Ava
saw Nick give Maisey a sly glance. Did he not want her to hang around their
mutual friends in case she got ideas that the two of them were getting involved
or what was the deal here?
    “No,
really. I don’t know them and I’d be imposing.”
    “If
you come along with me then it’s the perfect way to get to know everyone,” said
Maisey raising her eyebrows and looking at Nick.
    Something
was going on between these two, but she
wasn’t quite sure what.
    “Okay,”
Ava finally said.
    “Great,
I’ll come by and pick you up around nine a.m.”
    “Oh,
and I’m not at the same motel now. I moved.” She looked at Nick.
    “You
didn’t like it or what?” asked Maisey.
    “Too
many complaints about noise.”
    She
wasn’t going into too much detail, but now it was her, not Maisey who glanced
slyly at Nick.
    “Well,
just let me know where it’s at and I’ll be there.”
    The
door opened and in walked a tall, dark-haired
man around the same age as Maisey.
    “Hi,
sorry I’m a bit late. Did some overtime and I’m starving,” he said, taking off
his jacket.
    “Lucas,
meet Ava. Ava my fiancée.”
    Ava
put her hand out to him. He shook it and
she detected a similar