Amanda's Wolves(114)
After a round of hellos, everyone started filling plates, grabbing drinks, and taking seats in the great room. Rebecca carried in her blender full of whatever pink concoction she’d made and poured a glass for Mary and another for Jazmine, giving them the same speech about not drinking what the wolves offered.
Mary looked around. She’d been to the house a few times near the completion but not since Amanda moved in last week. “I can’t believe how fast you got organized. It looks amazing, Amanda.”
“Thanks. I didn’t do most of it. I’ll admit Sawyer is the heavy mover. I’ve been putting in a lot of hours at work.” Amanda loved the living space. The entire back of the great room was a wall of windows that let in enough light to keep the room cheery even on a dreary day. The carpet was a mixture of browns that were warm and inviting, with the darkest brown matching the suede furniture arranged around the giant square coffee table currently laden with food.
The kitchen was open and attached on one end. A lot of the design had been borrowed from the other three houses already built on various sections of the enormous shared property. Sawyer had done such an amazing job designing it that Logan and Amanda had held up their hands in surrender when he introduced them to the plans.
Logan teased Sawyer about any tiny detail that wasn’t perfect and would for the rest of their lives since Sawyer started building before consulting either of them, or even meeting them.
The noise level in the room rose with each passing minute as everyone chatted over each other in what seemed like ten different conversations. Amanda smiled as she strolled back into the kitchen to refill her drink.
After an entire childhood with a stifling mother who frowned at her and her sister every chance she got and kept their home quiet and restrained, having an enormous family in which everyone obviously loved each other was a godsend.
Sharon came up to Amanda and leaned over the island. “How are you doing? Settling in? I know we’re an overwhelming group.”
Amanda leaned across from her on the other side of the island. “It’s amazing. I’m so lucky, I have to pinch myself every day. But how are you doing? Want me to have Sawyer call Cooper again and yell at him?”
Sharon giggled. “No. Let him be. He’ll come when he’s ready. I’ll live.”
“I’m surprised he’s being so stubborn, especially since he knows he doesn’t have to share you with another man.” Amanda still wondered what it meant that the men in the Masters family all mated in threes and the women did not. Weird.
Sharon shrugged. “True, but on the flip side, it’s relaxing in a way, knowing who he is. At least I don’t spend my days scenting out every place I enter, wondering if ‘he’s’ in there.”
A knock sounded at the door, and before Amanda righted herself to head toward it, Jazmine stood from where she sat on a love seat with Mary. “It’s my brother. Forgot to tell you, Amanda. I told Jackson he could stop by and pick up some papers from me.” She climbed over Mary and headed toward the door, talking over her shoulder. “Saves him having to come all the way into Cambridge from Sojourn.”
Amanda hadn’t met Jackson Wolf. She remembered he was the safety manager from the logging association who found Roger Barkley to be cutting down more than his share, but she hadn’t crossed paths with him. She wanted to thank him for his help.
She headed to the front door as Jazmine opened it and ushered Jackson inside. “Come on in. I’ll grab those papers from my purse.” Jaz turned toward the kitchen.
Amanda held out her hand. “Hi. I’m Amanda Williams. I owe you a thank you for helping save my life last year at the logging site.”
Jackson Wolf was tall, over six feet, and muscular. His dark hair was thick and short. His skin was tan, and when he smiled at her, a dimple popped up on both cheeks. “Don’t be ridiculous. I get no credit for any part in that insanity. But I’m glad you’re safe.”
“Here you go.” Jazmine had returned to hand her brother a stack of papers.
“Thanks.” He turned toward Amanda again. “And nice meeting you. Sorry to interrupt girls’ night.” He nodded at Amanda, waved toward the rest of the room, and then ducked back out the door, probably hoping to escape the house full of women as quickly as possible.
Amanda turned around and found Sharon lowering herself into a kitchen chair. Her face was totally white, and she looked like she was going to faint.
A hush fell over the room.
Amanda glanced around, noticing everyone was staring at Sharon. “What’d I miss?”
Melinda hurried past Amanda toward Sharon, wrapped her arms around Sharon’s shoulders, and pulled her in to hug her against her chest. “Cooper Hamilton is not her mate.”