Lee: Emerson Wolves—Paranormal Erotic Wolf Shifter Romance (15 page)

“You are.” Kimber looked at Lee. “So are you. I don’t know what I would have done without you, Lee. I really don’t.”

“You would have muddled along until you came to the conclusion that someone was out there waiting for you and you had to find me.” He laughed when she slapped his knee. “Lunch, restaurant, then home to do homework. I have to leave in a few days for California. There’s a restaurant there that everyone is raving about that I must go and see to. As much as I would love for the two of you to come with me, Miss Hannah here needs to get her classes all worked on.”

As they left the courthouse, the courtroom they had left was quiet. Neither of them mentioned it, and as they made their way out into the warm sunshine, Kimber thought of all the things she could do with the money. First and foremost, she was going to do just what Sloan had asked her to do about the large mansion her aunt had lived in.

The art community house was going to be great, and it would be something that her mom would have enjoyed too. Thinking about the name of the place, she decided to talk it over with Hannah and Lee.

Then there was the insurance money. Kimber was going to live for a very long time. Forever, she supposed. And when she’d talked to Lee last night, he said he was willing to have her change him as well. The thought of the two of them spending lifetimes together was scary, but also wonderful. The only thing that concerned her was Hannah. But they had time for that.

Cash and the rest of the family were in the diner when they arrived. Almost as soon as they walked in the door, they were greeted like they’d not just seen them an hour ago. Hugs were passed around like a basket of bread at dinner, and the kids were given small gifts, things that meant more to them than anything that they could have picked for themselves. As Kimber sat down, all the women, including Mabel, sat with her. She knew an ambush when she saw one.

“We’d like for you to cook for the next meeting of the minds. That’s not what it’s called. It’s actually the Planner Committee for the town, but we meet every Monday.” Sloan handed her a list of the members and she saw her name on it. Before she could ask her about it, Sloan continued. “We come up with things like the Christmas Ball, which will be here before we know it, as well as the Thanksgiving Parade. And we, of course, eat.”

“All right.” She laid the list down. “But I decide what we eat. I want to try some new things out, and this would be a good way to test them. If you’re okay with that.”

“Are you kidding? Guinea pigs for you? Hell yeah, I’m there.” Jack laughed. “Besides, I think that we should have a family discount to this place. Do you have a name for it yet?”

“I do. It’ll be called Emerson’s. That’s all.” Jack grinned. “And before all that creative gunk that you have going on in your head goes spilling out, I want you to do me one thing. I want the advertising to be low key for a while, and the menu to be something that I can change daily without taking away from the style that you’re going to give us.”

“I can do that.” Kimber wanted to make her swear, but she was afraid that she’d hit her. There was something about Jack that made Kimber think that she was a time bomb just waiting for someone to mess with her. And when they did, she was going to be all over them so that nothing was left to even identify. Addie giggled.

“She’s harmless. Unless you piss her off. And that is yet to come.” They all stared at Addie. “No, I’m not going to tell, but I would like to suggest one thing. That when she gets here, Graham’s mate, we surround Graham like wagons in a war zone. He’ll need us more than anyone has ever needed an Emerson until now.”

“Graham? You meant his mate, right?” Addie shook her head at Sloan. “Is it bad? Will he be…is he going to be hurt?”

“Yes. Badly, too, if we don’t protect him.” Addie smiled. “You know that things can change, the outcome might be different? If we’re there for him, he’ll survive.”

“We will be.” Addie nodded at Sloan and looked at Kimber. The smile that she had on her face was soft and full of humor. Kimber asked her what was wrong.

“Your restaurant is going to be a huge success. Not only that, but you will be the talk of the town for years to come when you open.”

“But no pressure, right?”

They all laughed, and Kimber tried not to think of what Addie meant. Her thoughts immediately went to her falling on her face, a flat out stupid move that would have them all laughing at her. When Addie put her hand on her arm, Kimber felt the fear go away and be replaced with calmness and well-being. Nodding, Kimber told her she was fine now. And she really was.

And with that, they ordered their food. Kimber looked around again. This was going to be the best thing that ever happened to her and her child, and she could not wait for it all to come together. The house, the restaurant, and the new committee she was on…Kimber was in heaven.

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Kathi Barton, author of the bestselling series Force of Nature, lives in Nashport, Ohio with her husband Paul. In addition to writing full time Kathi likes to spend time with her eight grandkids, three children and three children-in-laws. She writes to relax and have fun.

Her muse, a cross between Jimmy Stewart and Hugh Jackman brings them to life for her readers in a way that has them coming back time and again for more. Her favorite genre is paranormal romance with a great deal of spice. You can visit Kathi on line and drop her an email if you’d like. She loves hearing from her fans.
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