Barney, surprisingly, seemed a bit grumpy, but she wasn’t sure she had the balls to ask him what had crawled up his ass and died. Instead, she continued to quietly set the table, allowing the two Hunters to mull over what she’d seen and heard in the spirit world. They were still waiting for Gabe to arrive. He’d had to answer an emergency call just before his shift ended, so he was running a little bit late. Chloe was setting a place for Sarah as well, hoping Gabe’s mate would come.
The men really needed to mend their fences with each other. Gabe and Jim were trying, but both of them were stubborn as hell. Her sessions with Sarah after her beating had helped her mend fences with the Omega, but there was still an underlying tension between them whenever Gabe or Jim was mentioned that Chloe wanted resolved. Gabe was a good friend of hers, who’d stood by her when she’d needed someone who wasn’t a relative.
Spencer started doing wheelies, much to Chloe’s amusement. “I dunno, but it ain’t me.”
Barney turned and stared at Spencer, the scowl lightening slightly.
“What?” Spencer, up on two wheels, started rolling backward, almost knocking Ryan over. “Sorry, dude.”
Ryan shook his head and sat at the dining room table, a beer in hand. He took a swig and set the bottle on the table. “More importantly, what does Julian’s presence have to do with all of it? If anything happens to him, Cyn will be upset. Then Glory will be upset.” He grinned, his teeth turning into fangs. “Then I get pissy.”
“Down, tiger.” Barney edged his hat back. “Papa Bear has this one covered.”
Ryan’s brows shot up. “Oh? Do tell.”
“I—” The doorbell interrupted Barney. “That must be Gabe.”
“I’ll get it.” Jim headed for the front door, and Chloe, smelling that the biscuits were just about done, headed into the kitchen. She pulled the biscuits out of the oven and began putting everything together, the hot biscuits smelling like heaven next to the spiciness of the chili.
She ladled the chili into a serving bowl and carefully picked it up, aware her left hand could spasm and drop the damn thing all over the place. But she was determined to do this, to make her body work despite its handicaps. She was aware Ryan watched her every move as she took the bowl and placed it in the center of the dining room table with a relieved sigh. “Ryan, can you get the butter for the biscuits, please?”
Ryan followed her into the kitchen. “How are you, kiddo? The doc treating you all right?”
She shivered. “Hell yeah.”
Ryan gagged as he opened the fridge. “Please don’t make me picture anything that involves you naked.”
She giggled and grabbed the basket full of hot biscuits. “At least I haven’t had sex in a public place.”
He rolled his eyes at her and followed her into the dining room, where Gabe and Sarah were greeting Barney.
Barney, on the other hand, looked like a cornered mouse. It only took one look at Gabe and Sarah to understand why.
Heather stood with them, smirking at the huge Grizzly, her hands on her hips. “What’s wrong, Boo-Boo? Weren’t expecting to see me?”
“Why are you here, Frodo? Don’t you have a ring to destroy?”
“You’re avoiding me.” Heather took a step forward. Chloe hoped Barney didn’t see the nerves riding her cousin. Heather was generally afraid of larger men, and the fact that her mate had turned out to be a Grizzly easily Alex’s height, if not taller, had to make her apprehensive.
“Duh.” Barney took another step back. “I don’t have time to sit around eating elevensies no matter how cute a little Hobbit you are.”
Heather glanced pointedly toward the steaming chili and biscuits. “Sure does look like dinner to me, Boo-Boo.”
“Are you one of those people who buys a haunted house and plans their curtains around the ghost’s tastes?” Barney shook his head. “What part of ‘don’t want a mate, go away’ don’t you get?”
Heather tilted her head. “The whole don’t want a mate, go away part.”
Barney snarled.
Chloe set a place for Heather right next to Barney’s chair. If the big, bad-tempered Grizzly was what her cousin wanted, Chloe would help her get him. “Dinner’s ready.” Chloe settled down, smiling when Jim sat right next to her. “Hope you bike it.”
“I love chili and biscuits.” Jim grabbed the huge bowl, growling at Ryan. “Mine.”
Ryan stared at Chloe. “Can’t you put a muzzle on him or something?”
Jim turned to Chloe, still clutching the chili. “Next time he shifts, let’s tranq his ass and sell him to a circus.”
Chloe rolled her eyes and stole the ladle out of the chili, pouring some into her bowl. “I’m hungry.”
Jim immediately put the bowl down, putting some biscuits on her plate. “You want butter?”
“You two are so sweet it’s disgusting.” Barney nabbed the basket of biscuits and took five. “You should make candy.”
“You should shove a biscuit in your craw before Jimmy rips your throat out. In fact, I’ll help.” Heather did just that, shoving a biscuit in Barney’s mouth, much to his obvious shock. “Now. I heard something about white shifters?”
“Hmph fd u fr ft?” Barney swallowed hard, barely chewing the biscuit. “I mean, how did you hear that?”
Heather hitched her thumb toward Ryan, who shrugged. “Family.”
Barney grunted. “Right.” He pointed toward Heather. “You’re not a Hunter.”
“But I’m just like Chloe. I’m half Fox, half Bear. If they went after her because of that, what are the odds they’ll come after me?”
From the arrested expression on Barney’s face, that hadn’t even occurred to him.
“The rest of my family would be in danger as well. We have the right to know what’s going on.” Heather crossed her arms over her chest. “So they sent me.”
“Why?” Chloe and Ryan were doing their best to keep everyone in the loop. Why had they sent Heather?
Heather shrugged. “Not sure, but here I am, on Uncle Will’s orders.”
Ryan and Chloe exchanged an amused glance as Heather once again focused on Barney. Sure she was here as a liaison. And Uncle Will was the most innocent man on the planet.