“Right,” a girl called from a low-slung limb. “Go right.”
Out of breath, I lifted my hand and did as instructed, veering off the beaten path.
A softer but ferocious growl made me think she had shifted to buy me time too.
“Left,” a girl said as a young couple bounded toward me. “Then right at the fork.”
A quick nod was all I had left for them, but I followed their instructions and came out in a glen with pine straw matting the ground and a rustic cabin backed up against a ravine. The only way out was the way I had come, and there were growls ringing out in that direction.
“I can’t believe I listened to them.” I smacked myself on the forehead. “They led me straight into a trap.”
The door swung open, and a tiny blond boy peeked around the corner. “Hadwee?”
“Yes.” I approached him slowly. “I’m Hadley.”
“Here.” He stuck out his pudgy hand in expectation. “Here.”
I took it, noting its softness and dampness, and let him guide me into the cabin.
“Hadwee, come.” He tugged on me. “Come.”
The tiniest coconspirator yet brought me to a living room big enough for a family of twelve to enjoy one another’s company without being on top of each other.
“Daddeee.” He ditched me and toddled off toward a lean male perched on the arm of a sofa. “Hi.”
“Good work.” He lifted his son onto his hip in a smooth motion that spoke of practice. “You get a cookie.”
“Cookieee.” The boy clapped then planted a wet kiss on the male’s cheek. “Mwah.”
Out of place, I didn’t know what to do with myself. “I’m not intruding, am I?”
“A beautiful woman dressed in a towel is never out of place.”
A cushion flew across the room and smacked him in the head while the boy giggled and wriggled.
“Ignore my mate.” A curvy woman with natural hair kissed the boy on the cheek and popped the male on the butt. “He means well.” She crossed to me and looked me up and down. “Hadley Whitaker.”
“That’s my name.” I checked to make sure my towel remained tucked. “Who are you guys?”
“I’m Kate, he’s Sam, and that tiny terror is Samzilla.” She shrugged. “It’s catchier than Sam Jr.”
“As a fan of the Godzilla franchise, I’m inclined to agree with you.”
“Rawr.” Samzilla hooked his tiny fingers into claws. “Rawr.”
“You’re on bath duty.” She squared off with her mate. “No bubbles in my hallway this time.”
“Bubbles?” Sam pulled on an innocent face. “In the hall?”
Samzilla hid his face in his father’s neck and squealed with laughter.
“That’s what you’ve got to look forward to, if you mate into this pack. Most of the time Sam is the one who comes out soaked and Samzilla is dry as a bone.”
“Not to be rude,” I cut in, nervous about Midas zeroing in on me, “but why am I here?”
“Midas is hunting you.” Her eyes twinkled. “You don’t want to be out there where he can find you, do you?”
The answer took a moment to form, and it was too late by then.
“You don’t know how happy this makes me.” She took me by the hand. “How happy it makes all of us.”
Better to play dumb than plant a dirty foot in my mouth. “That I’m being hunted?”
“He’s courting you.” Kate chuckled and hauled me into a large bedroom. “That’s a big deal.”
Especially for Midas.
For a second, I couldn’t tell if she spoke the words, or if I only imagined hearing them.
“You’re shorter and thinner than me, but I love a good maxi dress, and I have safety pins.” She opened the closet. “Blue, red, or animal print?”
“I’m not picky.”
“Then animal print it is. My mother-in-law keeps buying safari themes for me, and this is the best excuse I’m ever going to have for getting rid of one.” She pulled out a long dress with thin straps and a high waist. “Zebra okay?”
The print was so loud, I could barely hear her over it. “Zebra is fine.”
“Good.” She tugged it over my head then let it cascade to my ankles before reaching into the neck of the dress. She unfastened the knot on the towel, which dropped onto my feet. “I’ll get this washed and put back in the cabin.”
The communal dressing area in my previous job meant I didn’t mind a little public nudity among friends. “Thanks.”
“Hold still, and I’ll get you pinned so you don’t flash anyone.” She caught my eye, hers smiling. “Unless you want to, that is.”
“Um, no.” I kicked the towel away. “I’m good.”
About the time she announced me done, I noticed her angle her head to one side.
“He’s here.” She took a few steps to the left then back to the right. “Where do I hide?”
The urge to pinch myself and make absolutely certain I wasn’t dreaming surfaced again. “Why do you have to hide exactly?”
“Do you think I want him to know I aided and abetted you?” She scoffed. “Please.” She flipped a hand at me. “Samzilla let you in. I just didn’t kick you back out.” She winked. “If anyone asks, this was all his fault.”
“Duck into the bathroom with your family.” Catching the spirit, I walked out with her. “I’ll handle Midas.”
Once she was hunkered down with her mate and son, I strolled to the front door.
Midas, proving gwyllgi had excellent hearing, said, “Knock, knock.”
In my sweetest voice, I called out, “Who’s there?”
“Midas.”
“Hmm.” I inched closer. “Midas who?”
“Midas well let me in. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Hey!” I flung open the door. “I’m the funny one in this relationship.”
“Then you only have yourself to blame for rubbing off on me.”
Folding my arms over my chest, I inched closer. “So, you admit it.”
“That you’re a bad influence?” He tilted his head. “Yes.”
Barefoot, I kicked him in the shin. “That I’m funny.”
“I would say funny
