“We understand.”
“Alright.” Gerri nodded sharply. “Be ready for a possible date soon. It might be a little out of the ordinary, but I think it will work out for you boys.”
Theron glanced down at the delicious cake, no longer hungry. Figured that anything to do with a mate would be a new challenge. They hadn’t realized how much of a challenge it would be.
When Theron’s parents and their third passed in a forest fire, he hadn’t fully understood the difficulty of being part of the Alpha triad. He only knew that his parents expected it of him and he would do whatever was necessary to keep the reins on his pack. Even if it meant going outside the pack to find their third.
* * *
Tally had already changed into her pajamas when Mrs. Wilder sent her a text to come for some cake. The scent of the woman’s baking had filled Tally’s apartment and made her crave sweets like she was looking for a high.
She didn’t have to knock, Gerri opened the door before she even got to it. “Hi, Mrs. Wilder.”
Gerri rolled her eyes and motioned her into her apartment. “I’ve told you that Mrs. Wilder makes me feel old. And I am not that old.”
Tally grinned at the older woman’s pout. She sat down on one of Gerri’s pretty beige sofas. The cake was already served and sitting on the coffee table, along with some tea.
“Thank you so much, Gerri.” Tally didn’t worry about eating sweets late at night. She was too stressed to think about her body. Besides, she was comfortable in her skin, for the most part. Unless really sexy men stared at her the way the two in the elevator had. Like she was a feast and they were starving. That definitely made her wonder if she was missing something when it came to her body. Some kind of image she wasn’t aware of. Men didn’t usually go out of their way to smile at her like the two had that day.
“You’re very welcome.” Gerri sat across from her and picked up the notepad next to the cake at her side. “So, I’ve been thinking about your message.”
Tally knew she should have worded it better, but she couldn’t. The truth was, she needed help. “The ‘I need your help before I look like a loser in front of my family’ one?”
Gerri’s lips twitched and curved into a full blown smile. “You won’t look like a loser.” She waved a blue pen in Tally’s direction. “You have me now. I would never allow it.”
Tally thought of her ex and her family members. They were all so close. She’d always felt like the outsider in her own family because of Paul. Nita was the only one who knew her side and believed her. Everyone else had been taken in with Paul’s slick game. He knew how to work people into believing whatever he wanted. For a while, she’d been one of the people fully invested in him. Then one day, the blinders came off.
“Did you come up with anything?” Tally asked. A sliver of nerves made her hand shake. She hated being so up in the air. She couldn’t not go to the damn wedding. Paul had broken her off from the group and made it seem she was the one who had destroyed the relationship with Paul instead of him with his lies.
She had nothing to hide. So why should she be the one not attending. Fuck Paul. And the rest of the family if they felt she was at fault over a relationship too fucked up to work. She’d be damned if she let them push her away. If she didn’t go it would be her choice. Not their opinions that would do it.
“I did.” Gerri considered her for a long moment.
“Okay...”
“I have some questions for you first.” Gerri glanced down at her notebook.
Tally picked up her tea and took a gulp.
“Have you ever had a ménage?”
She choked on the tea she had in her mouth. Gerri passed her a napkin without batting an eye, as if used to that kind of reaction.
“Excuse me?” She coughed.
“Honey, you do know what a ménage is, right?” Gerri’s features crinkled in concern.
“Yes, I do. And no, I have never had a ménage.”
What the hell did that have to do with getting her a date for a wedding from hell?
“Would you be averse to one?” Gerri shook her head. “Wait, that’s wrong.”
Thank goodness she’d realized it was wrong to be asking her things like that.
“I mean, would you ever allow yourself to be involved with two men at once?”
She blinked. Her mouth hung open with surprise. She couldn’t even find a way to tell her that it wasn’t any of her business. Obviously asking the older woman for help had been a bad idea.
“Gerri.” She put the cup down, ready to stand. “I really don’t think—”