Maxim (17 page)

“Well now, that would require you being around her, and like I said Banks, you should just give her some space,” River pleaded.  “I think she feels like she has no place here and nothing she can contribute.  She wasn’t happy at the furniture store.  I think Jonas is going to have her help interview some potential members so she feels like she’s doing something useful.”

“Are you crazy?  Hell, with her attitude she’ll run them off,” Banks warned.

“Come on, Banks.  She isn’t like that with others, just you and Jansen.  Maybe all of you need to get in a room together and work this out.”  River shrugged when Banks raised his eyebrow at her.  Holding up her hands, she added, “Just a suggestion; either that or just stay away from her.  Listen Banks, I know my sister, and she’s strong-willed.  She had to be, growing up.  Living in an orphanage most of their life does that to a person.  She doesn’t like people telling her what to do, and you sound like you’re ordering her around instead of giving her some advice.  Next time, if she’s hitting the bag wrong, then so what?  Just let it go.  Get someone else to tell her, and maybe she’ll take it better.  Better yet, take a different tack with her and stop demanding that she do it a certain way.  You’re way to bossy with her.”

“What did I do that’s so wrong?  I mean, we can’t say anything to her without her going off on us.  She actually threatened to shoot me yesterday when I told her her gun was on safety.”  River and Ash looked at each other, then broke out in giggles.

“Women,” Banks said and walked out of the room.

“Did you see your sister jump up and punch Banks in the nose?  She might have broken her hand with that punch.  I mean, Banks is a grizzly bear.  He’s nothing but muscle, and she hit him in the nose.  I just don’t get it, River.  She acts like she hates Banks and Jansen.” 

“Don’t you remember, Ash?  Hell, you said yourself how bad-tempered it made you when you met your mates and the mating pull started.  Larken and Larsen made you crazy.  I can totally understand why you panicked when you found out that they were not only twins, but also the lodge owner, the sheriff, and the Alpha and Beta of the local werewolf pack.  My God girl, I would have run for the hills. I almost did when I met mine.”

“I sure remember those days,” Ash said. “Thank God I had Nash to explain everything to me.  I tell you what, River, if it hadn’t been for him, I don’t know what I would’ve done.  Unfortunately, I was just like her for a while; I was scared to death of them, and it pissed me off that every time I saw them I wanted to jump their bones.” 

“It must be great to have such a long-lasting friendship.”  River looked at her friend with a far-off expression.  “I still remember the day that I met Nash at the lodge and he welcomed me into his family with open arms.  No questions asked.  He just welcomed me.  That shows great character.”

“Nash is one of the best people I know.  As a matter of fact, he just might be the answer to our problem.  He has nothing to gain by talking to Star and giving her advice.” 

“We don’t want him to end up bloody,” River warned.  “You know how sensitive your sister is about anything to do with Jansen and Banks.

“We need a plan to get them together.”  Ash rubbed her hands.  “I love it when a plan comes together.” 

“What plan you, big dummy?  We have to figure out one first.  We need to find some way to get them in the same room without them getting violent.  If we can do that, then maybe we’ll have a plan.”  River snorted.  “Preferably a room without any guns or knives in it.”

“It can’t be that hard,” Ash commented.

River knocked on Ash’s head.  “Helloooo.  Didn’t you just see my sister punch Banks in the nose?  Come on, Ash.  They hate each other right now.  How are we supposed to get them together without killing each other?  Because right now, I think my sister can take them.” 

“Do you think people can die from sexual frustration?  Because those three sure need to get some soon or they may kill us all.”  Ash chuckled.  “I think we need some help.  I bet Nash can help us with matchmaking.  He’s real good at getting people together.  When Larsen and Larken and I were first having trouble getting together, Nash was able to help us.  In fact, it almost ruined our friendship, but Nash is my best friend, so we got through it.”  Ash thought back on the day she’d told Nash that all he cared about was getting his Alpha a mate, that he wasn’t concerned about what she wanted. Thank goodness he was her friend and overlooked a lot of the cruel words she spouted at him.  It took her a while, but she’d eventually started to understand how the mating pull wreaked havoc on your body.  She only hoped that they could help her sister before she killed one of her mates.

“Yeah, I heard about that, and maybe we need a little bit more help from some others, too,” River suggested.  “Not saying he wouldn’t be helpful, it’s just that these three are all fighting it, and I don’t want to see a repeat of today.  So we need to work fast.”

“Like who?”  Ash asked.

“I don’t know; who do you think?”  River shrugged.  “This is going to be a hard one.”

“Please don’t say Reece and Jonas,” Ash complained.  “I don’t think your mates would be the right ones to help us out.”

“Are you crazy?  I know my mates, and they’d tell us to mind our own business.  I can hear them both now, talking to me like I was a child.”  River lowered her voice, trying to sound like Reece, “Now baby, just let nature run its course, and it’ll happen.  Just stay out of your sister’s business.”

“Men!”  Ash and River said in unison. 

“Exactly.”  Ash poured a glass of orange juice and handed it to River then drank out of the bottle.

“Did you just drink out of the bottle?  The same bottle that we all drink out of?”  River alleged. 

“Do you have a pen?”  Ash asked.

River frowned then looked over on the desk and gave her a pen.  She watched as Ash wrote her name on the top of the bottle.  Then to make matters worse she held the bottle up to her, “See this bottle here?”  Ash asked.

“Yeah.”  River answered then proceeded to watch her best friend like the bottle all around the top.

“It’s mine, but if you want some then I can share.”  Ash laughed.

“You are such a goober.”  River couldn’t help it but she started laughing.  “Okay, okay we’ll meet back tomorrow with some more ideas,” River agreed.

“You know who could help us, is your friend Mary.  You talk about what a great friend I have in Nash?  Well, I think your relationship with Mary is amazing.  She’s like your grandmother. She’s awesome, and she always has great wisdom about everything.  Plus, I think Star would actually sit and talk to her.”

  “You’re right. I’ll talk to Mary, and you talk to Nash.  Hey, what about Lilly — you think she’d help us?”  River grinned.

Ash’s eyes got big as she thought about her sister-in-law.  “You know, that might work.  Lilly has put together plenty of Valentine’s Day dances in the past, and people have always ended up finding their mates.  Maybe it’ll end up working for Star, Jansen, and Banks, too.  Just let her loose so she can work her magic.  It’s coming up in a couple of days, anyway.” 

“That might work.”  Ash rubbed her hands together, a gleam in her eye.  “Okay, now we have OVDR in order.”

“What the hell is OVDR?”  River asked, confused.

“You know, ‘Operation Valentine’s Day Romance,’” Ash explained.

“That has to be the worst name ever.  Goodness, come on you crazy girl; let’s go find Lilly.  Maybe she can come up with a better name than that,” River complained as she dragged Ash out of the gym.

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