Loco's Love [Brac Pack 9] by Lynn Hagen

me.”
    Tangee rolled his eyes at the possessive declaration. Could Loco be any more caveman?

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    “Come inside.” Windstorm ushered them in. “Sit. I’ll bring drinks.”
    He watched as his uncle disappeared into another room. The man was handsome, just like his dad. Tangee was proud to be a part of his family.
    “All I have for you is orange soda. Is that okay? Jasper insisted I stock it for you.”
    The redheaded wolf, along with his uncle, waited for his reply, hopefulness in their eyes that they had gotten it right.
    It really wasn’t. He enjoyed any kind of juice, but how could he hurt their attempts at trying to please him?
    “Yeah, all the mates at home drink it.” He prayed they wouldn’t see that he was only placating them. Loco knew but kept it to himself, and for that Tangee was thankful.
    Windstorm took a seat next to Tangee, with Loco on his other side. “So how is your mom? You have a little sister? Where do they live? How have you been? Was your life good? Did your mom remarry?” Question after question shot from his uncle’s mouth.
    Tangee held a hand up to silence him. The inquiry was making him dizzy. “My mom has arthritis really bad. Yes, I have a little sister, but my mom never married. She adopted her. My life’s been okay, I guess. She lives in the city, in a small house with Melonee.”
    “Melonee?”
    “Guess she stuck with the fruit theme.” Tangee smiled shyly. This was so overwhelming.
    His uncle laughed once again. “Guess she did. Arthritis? I’m sorry to hear that.”
    “I wanted to ask you about that.” Loco leaned around Tangee to look at Windstorm. “How can she be sick if she was mated?” Windstorm sighed. “You are aware of the healing properties in our saliva?” Loco nodded. “Since she no longer engages in, er, copulation, she no longer has the immunity. She has, for lack of a better term, reverted back to being human. Does she look youthful?” Loco’s Love
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    Tangee and Loco nodded.
    “That’s a problem.”
    “How?” Tangee was alarmed. Was there something else wrong with his mom?
    “She won’t live to be a thousand years old like the rest of us, but she will age differently than humans. When she is sixty, she will look in her late twenties. Questions will be raised. Do you think she will agree to move here, with me and my son, Heaven?” Tangee lowered his head as he shook it. “She says it’s too painful to have reminders all around her of what she lost.”
    “That’s what she said when Sky died and I tried to get her to move here. Do you think that I could possibly talk to her again?”
    “You could try. I’ll give you her address and phone number, but you know, I have to tell her I talked with you and gave you her information.”
    Windstorm nodded. “Understood.”
    They spent the rest of the afternoon going through pictures and stories of what Sky was like growing up, especially how forgetful he was.
    Tangee soaked up everything his uncle gave him.
    When it was time to depart, Tangee finally felt a sense of heritage and belonging, but he was also sad that he had to leave his newfound family.
    “Heaven isn’t here right now. Would it be okay if I sent him to you?” Windstorm was asking Loco’s permission. This ticked Tangee off. He was a grown man. Why should Loco have to give his permission?
    “Sounds good. It will be nice to have more family around,” Tangee answered for himself.

    * * * *

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    Lynn Hagen
    Cody grabbed his vibrating phone off of the counter as he made a fresh pot of coffee. “Yello.”
    “Is that any way to answer your phone?”
    “Jazz! How’s it hanging?”
    “Limp and to the left. How the hell are you, Code-man?” He laughed.
    “I’m hanging in there. How are you doing with Zeus?” Cody finished preparing the coffee and then walked into the back office.
    “We’re doing fine. But I do have something to tell you.” Jasper and his secretive crap. “You never could hold a glass of water,”