behind that punch.”
“I heard that,” Laura yelled.
“Damn woman hears everything,” Ty murmured. “Okay, Monty. I’m letting you go. Make things right with John. He won’t hold a grudge. And go see Sophie if it’ll make her feel better.”
“I will. I’m really sorry about this. But I’m telling you right now, I see those bears harassing her again, I won’t stop with broken bones. I’ll kill the bastards.”
“Perfect. Now take your testosterone somewhere else. I’ll deal with the bears. Oh, and a word of advice? Take a shower before you go see Sophie. You stink.”
“Dick. Later, Sheriff.” Monty flipped him off and left the office.
Ty worked some damage control with the bears and wolves, made a call to Burke to let him know the rowdiest member of his small pride would be returning shortly and to keep a leash, and preferably a muzzle, on the gray wolf. Then he signed a few things needing his attention and headed home.
On the short drive back to his place, he thought about the cats and wondered. Burke didn’t much care who joined his pride so long as the Shifter would give his or her loyalty. If things didn’t work out with the foxes, he and Julia could always move there. It would hurt to leave his family and the friends he’d made throughout his life, but he’d still see them every day. He just wouldn’t have that tight connection he’d always had.
He couldn’t imagine leaving Julia to fend for herself if push came to shove. To make a choice between his clan and his mate proved easy. Julia was his future. One he needed to return to before Gerald scared her away for good.
“I’m so glad you’re back. You worried me,” Gerald said, a lecture in his tone.
Julia groaned. “Go ahead, get it off your chest.”
She’d worked for Gerald for five years and knew the silver fox better than he knew himself. His glib tongue and roving eye masked a serious, responsible Shifter who wanted to settle down and support the community. Problem was, no woman could keep Gerald’s interest for longer than a few weeks at most. Julia had lost count of how many flowers she’d ordered for him. The Date Breaker Bouquet , for the lady who ails you.
Gerald frowned at her. “I wish you would have told me about your problems with Meghan.”
“Ty told you?”
“Yeah. He told me about everything. About Meghan, about your dad.”
Tears welled though she tried to blink them away. “I trusted him.”
“And he trusts me. If there’s a legal loophole in this town, I know about it. If there’s anything I can dig out of the council members, I’ll find it. Come on, Julia. We’re friends. You know I’d never betray you. And you have to know Ty won’t either.”
Rationally, she agreed with him. But it chafed her Ty hadn’t thought to ask her permission before sharing family secrets.
“So did you really propose to Ty?”
She leaned her head back on the couch and counted to ten. “No. I did not propose to Ty. The fox accepted an offer I never made, and somehow I’m wearing his scent.”
“Somehow?” Gerald murmured.
She blushed and snapped back, “I know how it happened. I just mean I hadn’t thought it would be anything more than, uh, something physical.”
“Bullshit.”
She blinked at Gerald and sat up straight. “What?”
“Honey, I’ve watched you two dance around each other for years. Whenever he’d come into the office, you avoided his gaze. But you’d watch him all the same. Not like anyone else who ever approached you. You gave them all the cold shoulder. Ty was different.”
“Come on, Gerald.”
“You know it’s true. You care for him, don’t you?”
“I guess.”
He scoffed. “You’d better get a little closer than I guess . That man will rip my head off for looking at you the wrong way, and Ty’s as close as a brother to me. Your problems are now his. And he’ll do everything he can to see that you’re happy.” He paused. “You’re happy at the office, right?
“I heard that,” Laura yelled.
“Damn woman hears everything,” Ty murmured. “Okay, Monty. I’m letting you go. Make things right with John. He won’t hold a grudge. And go see Sophie if it’ll make her feel better.”
“I will. I’m really sorry about this. But I’m telling you right now, I see those bears harassing her again, I won’t stop with broken bones. I’ll kill the bastards.”
“Perfect. Now take your testosterone somewhere else. I’ll deal with the bears. Oh, and a word of advice? Take a shower before you go see Sophie. You stink.”
“Dick. Later, Sheriff.” Monty flipped him off and left the office.
Ty worked some damage control with the bears and wolves, made a call to Burke to let him know the rowdiest member of his small pride would be returning shortly and to keep a leash, and preferably a muzzle, on the gray wolf. Then he signed a few things needing his attention and headed home.
On the short drive back to his place, he thought about the cats and wondered. Burke didn’t much care who joined his pride so long as the Shifter would give his or her loyalty. If things didn’t work out with the foxes, he and Julia could always move there. It would hurt to leave his family and the friends he’d made throughout his life, but he’d still see them every day. He just wouldn’t have that tight connection he’d always had.
He couldn’t imagine leaving Julia to fend for herself if push came to shove. To make a choice between his clan and his mate proved easy. Julia was his future. One he needed to return to before Gerald scared her away for good.
“I’m so glad you’re back. You worried me,” Gerald said, a lecture in his tone.
Julia groaned. “Go ahead, get it off your chest.”
She’d worked for Gerald for five years and knew the silver fox better than he knew himself. His glib tongue and roving eye masked a serious, responsible Shifter who wanted to settle down and support the community. Problem was, no woman could keep Gerald’s interest for longer than a few weeks at most. Julia had lost count of how many flowers she’d ordered for him. The Date Breaker Bouquet , for the lady who ails you.
Gerald frowned at her. “I wish you would have told me about your problems with Meghan.”
“Ty told you?”
“Yeah. He told me about everything. About Meghan, about your dad.”
Tears welled though she tried to blink them away. “I trusted him.”
“And he trusts me. If there’s a legal loophole in this town, I know about it. If there’s anything I can dig out of the council members, I’ll find it. Come on, Julia. We’re friends. You know I’d never betray you. And you have to know Ty won’t either.”
Rationally, she agreed with him. But it chafed her Ty hadn’t thought to ask her permission before sharing family secrets.
“So did you really propose to Ty?”
She leaned her head back on the couch and counted to ten. “No. I did not propose to Ty. The fox accepted an offer I never made, and somehow I’m wearing his scent.”
“Somehow?” Gerald murmured.
She blushed and snapped back, “I know how it happened. I just mean I hadn’t thought it would be anything more than, uh, something physical.”
“Bullshit.”
She blinked at Gerald and sat up straight. “What?”
“Honey, I’ve watched you two dance around each other for years. Whenever he’d come into the office, you avoided his gaze. But you’d watch him all the same. Not like anyone else who ever approached you. You gave them all the cold shoulder. Ty was different.”
“Come on, Gerald.”
“You know it’s true. You care for him, don’t you?”
“I guess.”
He scoffed. “You’d better get a little closer than I guess . That man will rip my head off for looking at you the wrong way, and Ty’s as close as a brother to me. Your problems are now his. And he’ll do everything he can to see that you’re happy.” He paused. “You’re happy at the office, right?
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