know you’re right, but I made a promise, and I keep my promises.”
I strode toward her and sat on the coffee table. “Then I’ll go. You interview the other two prospects, and I’ll drive up to Oklahoma and work my magic. We can call each other and compare notes. You can make me a list of questions if there’s anything you want me to ask him. I’ve worked with you long enough that I know what you’re looking for and how to negotiate a deal.”
Her eyes glittered with tears. “You would do that? What will your parents say about you going off alone?”
I laughed and leaned back. “My parents are the most liberal people I know. Now that we’re on our own, we don’t answer to a Packmaster. It’s hard to get used to, but we don’t require anyone’s permission. That’ll change if we ever join a pack, but let’s make the most of it. You made a promise, and because of the whole family thing, I get it. But no one from my old pack is going to bat an eyelash. I’ve gone up there a few times on hunting trips, plus it’s only for a day or two.”
She clasped my hands in hers. “Everything’s going to work out. It has to! Can you believe we’re going to open our own boutique? A store called Moonglow, and we’re located on Starlight Road. That’s a good sign. The fates are watching over us.”
“Of course they are. We’re fashionista rock stars. Not everyone’s cut out to be a moonshine dealer.”
We laughed long and hard, laughter you can only share with your best friend. The kind that ends in tears, cramped stomachs, and embarrassing snorts. The kind that measures a friendship, reminding you just how unbreakable that bond really is.
Time was of the essence, and we were in survival mode. Hope had spoken with all three dealers on the phone and scheduled meetings, but that meant losing time needed to prepare for our grand opening. Somehow we had to race out of town, secure a deal, and haul ass to get back and set up the store.
The first thing we did was figure out transportation. Since Hope had to drive to San Antonio first then back up to Waco, I told her to keep the car we shared. That worked out for the best because borrowing one from her old pack would only raise questions, and we didn’t need the added stress of Lorenzo Church sticking his nose in our business. He was extremely protective of his daughter, and that would never change, whether she was twenty-four or six hundred. That was just the way alphas were. It was easier for me to borrow a car from my family without receiving the third degree.
When the doorbell rang, I finished changing into my pajamas and dashed down the hallway toward the front door. “Coming!”
Hope flattened her back against the wall as I rushed past her into the living room.
Out of breath, I swung the door open and looked up at a tall man with large brown curls. Uncle Will had the kind of messy hair that women swooned over, not that he ever noticed.
He held a set of keys between two fingers and jingled them. “May I ask what this clandestine meeting is about?”
I snatched the keys and stepped back to let him in. “Can I get you something to drink?”
The door closed behind him. “I would love some absinthe.”
“I see your sense of humor is still intact.” After padding into the kitchen, I pulled a bottle of root beer from the fridge. “Thanks for coming on short notice. Sorry to be all secretive about borrowing your car, but take a seat, and I’ll explain. And don’t worry about paying for a cab to get home. That’s on me.”
Will swaggered over to our large kitchen island and sat down. After setting the bottle in front of him, I switched on the mosaic pendant lights, the soft glow from the three bulbs illuminating the granite countertop.
“How’s the family?” I asked, taking a seat across from him.
He popped the lid off his bottle, and a small cloud of moisture hovered on the rim. “Eager to attend your grand opening.”
“Well, they don’t have to come if they don’t want to. I mean, I’d love for them to come, but if they’re busy—”
“We’re coming. Do you think we would miss the most important day of your life? You seem more nervous than usual. Mustn’t worry. It’ll be