obvious Tess loved her job, and she was very good at it. In no time at all she was
running a blow dryer over Kayla's hair, and rubbing a little pomade in her fingers
she touseled it just so. "Thanks Tess, now I don't look like a little boy anymore."
Kayla laughed.
"Oh, Kayla, you're beautiful. Nothing about you says little boy! And if anyone
thinks that they're clearly lacking all common sense." Emma immediately said.
Kayla seemed taken aback by the compliment, but Tess wasn't.
"Exactly what she said. It takes a special kind of woman to pull off this look, one
with an innate sense of style. And you my dear have it in spades." Giving Kayla a
kiss on the cheek. "Come on Emma before your hair is completely dry." With a
squeeze on Emma's shoulder she knew was a quiet thanks for what she said to
Kayla, Tess got to work.
An hour later they were saying their goodbyes. Emma's hair felt lighter on
her head. "Your hair looks like flowing fire now Emma. I love it!" Kayla said as
they were leaving. They picked up a pizza from the place a few doors down in
the strip mall. "I've got loads of DVD's at home, and I should have enough wine.
We should be set." On the drive outside of town Emma texted Kian.
"What are you gonna do without me tonight?""Watch a game, drink some beer. Listen to my brother snore. Kayla booted him
to my place tonight. Rather have you here. You smell good ;)"
"Tell him to snuggle you if you miss me too much. :P"
"Yeah, right! Have fun babe."
"I already am! We got haircuts......"
"I'm sure I'll be getting a call soon from my Mom then. Knowing Tess she is
already on the phone with her."
"I liked her, and Kayla said she made my hair look like fire."
Kian sent her a fire emoji, so she sent a kissy face back. Then he said "See you
tomorrow, miss me."
"Always." Emma answered as they pulled up at Kayla's house.
Emma reckognized it since she passed it on her way to Kian's every time.
Kayla had the first house on the private drive Kian lived on. She knew all the
pack lived close together, but he hadn't pointed out who lived where. It was a big
old farmhouse, two stories, light blue with a large front porch painted white. "The
house has been here for over a hundred years. When my grandfather was young
he built the private drive and bought up land all around here. That way the pack
could buy chunks of it for their own homes. It's where I grew up. Mom left it to
Kole and I to share. Kian already had his place by then."
"It's lovely Kayla, I can almost see you three running around as kids." Emma
said. The inside was all done in jewel toned shades with white trim. Richsapphire blue walls, teal sectional couch, bright yellow throw pillows, wooden
coffee table painted a glossy ruby red. The kitchen had white cabinets with a
gorgeous shimmering blue granite countertop. It shouldn't have worked, but
somehow it did. It was comfortable, and inviting, the kind of place meant for
gatherings.
"I like alot of color. Kole bitches that its too much, but he doesn't change it."
"This place screams you. I can see why my rental looked so boring to you."
Nodding her head Kayla set the pizza down. "Red or white?"
"Never red." Was Emma's immediate response.
Laughing Kayla got them out glasses "got it." Wine and pizza in hand they settled
on the couch.
Two movies and three bottles of wine later Emma and Kayla swore they
would make this a regular thing. Kayla headed up to bed, asking if Emma wanted
to come up to the guest room. Too tired to bother she grabbed one of the
blankets tossed on the couch and told Kayla she was good where she was. That
way she wouldn't wake her when she got up for work. Feeling thankful she
remembered to set her alarm and plug her phone into the charger earlier she
drifted off to sleep.
Chapter 9
Starting the shower the next morning Kian shouted for Kian to get his ass
out of bed and start the coffee. "It's your damn house." Came the muttered
response. Knowing once Kole was awake he was up Kian hopped in the shower.
Hearing his phone ring while he was mid-shampoo Kian rinsed off quickly. By the
time he was out the ringing had stopped. A voicemail dinged as Kian wrapped a
towel low around his waist and walked out of his bathroom. Turning it on speaker
to listen while he pulled on jeans, navy blue thermal henley for the day.
"Kian, I will be out of state for a few days, I expect you to handle everything while
I am gone. Put Kole as foreman at the site, you stick to the office. I'll be letting
Cathy know. We can discuss your place in my pack upon my return. I suggest
you use this time to evaluate whether this Emma is worth it." Russ ended the
voicemail.
Shaking his head, Kian definitely needed some coffee after the bomb his
uncle just dropped into his lap. Gulping down his first cup of scalding coffee
before it had the time to cool he fried up a half dozen eggs, and a pound of
bacon. Kian was slathering butter on a stack of toast as Kole walked in. Freshly
showered himself, his hair was still wet. Kian looked up from the toast, "Whoa,
whats got your eyes glowing already?"Playing his voicemail to Kole, Kian sat down to eat. Putting the food in his mouth
and chewing mindlessly. "Holy shit man." Kole loaded his own plate with food.
"I honestly don't get why this pisses him off so much. She is a shifter for
chrissakes." Kian said polishing off his first piece of toast.
"A broken one. Guess he doesn't think the next generation of Deckers should
come from Emma. Have you considered that your pups might not be able to shift
either?"
"That doesn't matter to me Kole. I love her."
"Look, I like her, she seemed to have pulled the stick out of your ass that's been
there since Dad died." Kole said. "Maybe Mom can talk to him? But
