Free Lost Alpha: Collection (bbw werewolf/shifter romance) by Jessic Ryan Page B

ok,” she said, patting him on the back. “It really is. I love you too.”
    “Thanks,” he said, still sniffling. “There’s some burgers already cooked inside. Have Duncan fix you one up.”
    “Are the girls inside?” Paige asked hopefully.
    “Lily is,” he said. “Lyric is off playing with that Lockhart girl. I can’t stand that family, they give me the creeps. But, I just can’t deny her friends. It’s hard growing up in a town this small.”
    “Have you ever thought about getting out of here, Billy?” Paige asked, turning serious.
    “Why would I do that?” Billy asked.
    “I don’t know,” she said. “Mom and dad did it.”
    “Mom and dad retired. They’d done their duty and were ready to relax.”
    “Well why can’t you do your duty somewhere else?’ she asked. “Somewhere better than here? Somewhere where you can be selective about the girl’s friends?”
    “And shut down the store?” he asked, his mouth hanging open.
    “Why not?” she asked.
    “You know granddaddy opened this store way back!” he said, his voice starting to rise. “I can’t just sell it off. It’s been in the family for forty years! It’s a landmark in Wounded Bow.”
    “It’s the only landmark in Wounded Bow,” she said. “I understand, you have duties, but I don’t.”
    She turned and walked into the store, leaving Billy alone at the grill. She couldn’t believe she had just said that, but she had to tell him what she was thinking eventually. Hopefully he read between the lines and this was an icebreaker. She waited just inside the backdoor, expecting Billy to burst through at any moment to ask her what she meant. Instead she heard the radio flip on and the sounds of Big and Rich began filling the air.
    She rolled her eyes and continued into the store, finding Duncan behind the counter like he had been that morning.
    “Hey Paige-turner,” he said, giggling at his pet name “You want a burger?” 
    “Of course,” she said. “Where’s Lily?”
    “Over here, Aunt Paige,” Lily said, turning around in her seat. The store was set up like a normal convenience store, but off to one side there were several diner style booths for people to eat. Most of the time the restaurant area was filled with regulars drinking coffee and talking about politics, but today, only Paige’s beautiful niece occupied the area.
    “Hello, pretty girl,” Paige said, walking up and hugging her niece. She didn’t have to bend too far, Lily was growing fast. She was going to be tall just like her dad and aunt. She had long brown hair that she usually kept tied back and she wore thick glasses that just magnified her bright blue eyes. She was fair skinned, like everyone in the family, and she was starting to develop the same curves her aunt had.
    “Dad said you had some big guy at your house earlier,” she said. “Is that your new boyfriend?”
    “No,” Paige said. “He’s just a friend, but he went home.”
    “So you’re not with that fat guy anymore?” Lily asked, her eyes narrowing.
    “Why does everyone think he’s fat?” she asked.
    “Because he is,” Duncan said, plopping a burger down in front of Paige.
    “Everyone is fat compared to a beanpole like you,” Paige said, winking at him.
    “Don’t knock it until you try it, girl!” Duncan yelled, heading back for the counter.
    “No, we broke up,” Paige said. “Why is it so dead in here?” The store was usually a lot busier on Sundays, but today it was empty.
    “I don’t know,” Lily said. “Guess nobody wanted a burger today. Guess what Aunt Paige?”
    “What?” Paige asked, feeling the excitement in Lily’s voice.
    “Our mom is dating a new guy that agreed to pay for her to drive down and pick us up for Christmas! We’re going to spend all Christmas break with our mom!”
    Paige felt her heart fall a little. She knew it excited the girls to see their mother; it was rare that they did. Tammy Faye had left Billy for an oilfield worker that