Montgomery Family 4: Managing A Family Read online

  “How will she know when to meet us?” Lyle asked.

  “She’ll wait an hour or so and catnap. She worked today and I worked last night and slept a little today. So I’m sorta fresh and she’s sorta…wilted,” Ashley chuckled.

  “You two are pretty close, aren’t you?” he asked. “Don’t change the subject this time,” he interrupted, placing a hand over her mouth.

  Oh Lord! Come on, Lyle, be a pal. Yancey didn’t like how Myles was snarling. Thankfully food had arrived.

  “You never talk about yourself, Ashley. I’m interested,” he murmured to her. “Let’s talk about you and your friend. That’s got to be safe enough,” he entreated.

  Ashley didn’t say anything for a minute and then she answered him, “Yes, we are pretty close. I was advanced and went through high school early. Philly came to live with us and we did it together. We had a lot of fun.”

  Their dinners arrived and they chatted and ate. “Myles, do you plan to sit here until they leave?” Yancey finally asked him.

  “In a word--yes,” Myles snapped in response.

  “Take my car when you’re done here and I’ll meet you outside the college after they leave it. I’ll leave my clothes in the car. I’m going to see if I can find Philly.” Yancey decided his friend was on his own. His mate was near by, alone, and he wanted to try and catch up with her.

  He tossed some money down on the table and headed out the door before Myles could even respond. Once he gained the security of his front seat, he transformed, closing the car door, and loping off toward Surry Community College.

  As he entered the woods on the west side of the college, he smelled her scent. It didn’t take him long to track her down. She didn’t notice his arrival as he carefully made his way closer to her.

  She was teasing a bunny when he startled her.

  “You know that is pretty mean,” he kidded, cocking an eyebrow at her.

  She looked so cute with her wagging tail, haunches in the air and her arms and shoulders down.

  She jumped straight up and rolled over on her back, so taken aback was she. He walked to her and stood over her, leaning down to lick her face and whiskers. Finally, he let her up.

  “What are you doing here?” she blurted, still flustered from his surprise appearance.

  He grinned. “I heard there was a cute little Were taunting bunnies in the woods and I had to see if it was you. You’re the cutest little Were I’ve ever seen.”

  She ducked her head. “Sometimes I chase cats, too. I guess its something else I get from my father.”

  Yancey nuzzled her neck and cheek. “Sometimes cats need chasing. How come you’re here?” Would she tell him?

  “I’m meeting a friend here.” She lifted her nose to the air. “Oh! Here she is now. I’d better go.”

  She hesitated and then, maybe before she lost her nerve, she turned and licked his whiskers. She got a few feet away, and dashing back, licked the whiskers on the other side of his snout, too. When he didn’t move, she licked his lips and nose. Then she was gone.

  He sat there, bemused. She’d touched him! More than that, she’d licked him, kissed him voluntarily. Things were definitely moving in the right direction. Definitely. Shaking himself out of his daze, he dashed after her. When he saw Myles in his car, he stopped beside him. He could smell the anger pouring off of the other Were.

  Ashley stood by the driver’s side of her car. The big young man pulled her into a tight embrace and then he leaned down and kissed her. After a second, Ashley pushed him away and the man released her. He kissed her cheek, wished her a Happy Birthday and left.

  Ashley stood still for a minute and then she walked around, pulled out a blanket and draped it over the passenger seat, leaving the car door open. She turned toward the end of the parking lot, away from Myles and Yancey and waved. Headlights flashed and Sheriff Timmons’ truck drove past and turned onto the main road.

  Yancey saw Philly sprint around the side of the building and land in the passenger seat. She transformed and pulled the blanket around her, closing the car door almost simultaneously. Ashley drove away.

  Minutes later, Yancey and Myles left the college. They talked little during the drive, each man lost in his own thoughts.

  Chapter 11

  “Hey!” Riker Montgomery exclaimed. “Anybody seen the kids?” He looked around.

  “No, man,” muttered Lakon.

  “Hey? Where are Ashley and Philly? In fact…” Tav had suddenly realized his entire brood had gone missing.

  “I saw Tory and Serena heading for Mik and Elke’s earlier,” Tracey realized aloud, referring to her own young twin daughters.

  “That’s kind of curious, isn’t it?” mumbled Bethany, Riker’s wife.

  “Let’s go!” growled Yancey. His mate was over there and he wanted to be close to her.

  He gave Myles a shove and they all headed over to Mik and Elke’s house. They were the patrons of the Montgomery clan, Riker and Lakon’s parents, and surrogate parents to every male werewolf in the group.

  “It took you this long to miss your kids?” laughed Elke when they trooped through her kitchen door. “Go up those stairs there. Your father had a little overlook put in so we could watch them. Just keep it down.”

  Eight sets of confused eyes looked from her to the direction she was pointing. Sure enough, there was a set of stairs no one had noticed before through a new doorway in the kitchen.

  “Go!” she snapped to the large group of parents glutting her kitchen. “I’m busy here and you guys are just in my way.”

  Almost as one, they turned and moved toward the door she’d indicated. They had to sort themselves into a single line to go up the stairs.

  As they started piling into the small room, Mik curled a lip at them. “Just keep it down. They know I watch sometimes. You guys aren’t supposed to know what they do in here.”

  At first Riker was confused and then he heard the music. He moved closer to the window. His almost sixteen-year-old twin sons, Kaden and Kameron, were seated at drums facing each other. They were playing their hearts out and singing the Fleetwood Mac song, Monday Morning. Mikhel and Linkon, two of Lakon’s sons, played the keyboards.

  Riker was impressed at how good they were. They finished their song laughing and teasing each other. The group above the garage watched, awestruck, as the assortment of twelve young people and children sang, danced and cut up like seasoned professionals.

  Ashley was obviously the lead voice as they broke into Manic Monday, originally by the Bangles, and then flowed into the song Voices Carry normally performed by the group ‘Til Tuesday. Riker looked over at Myles who seemed uncomfortable with the lyrics.

  “Hey Baby,” he heard Kade say, “We want you all of the time.”

  “Yeah Baby,” Kam piped up, “We like it when you get out of line.” They were paraphrasing the words to the song she was singing.

  Riker glanced over at Myles and back at the tableau below. Ashley swayed over to Kaden and Kameron and put one hand on Kade’s right cheek and her other hand on Kam’s left cheek.

  “Hush, Hush,” she sang the refrain to them. “Keep it down now,” her beautiful voice quoted Aimee Mann and she undulated away, leaving two red-faced boys staring after her.

  After a brief few minutes of chatter and cutting up, Jacob began picking at his steel guitar. Soon, his younger brother Christopher joined in on the acoustic playing the melody to Bonnie Raitt’s Have a Heart.

  Ashley began singing again and Kade and Kam began playing along on the drums. Before long, Ashley and Philly were dancing together and teasing three of the teen boys, Christopher, Kaden, and Kameron. Twelve-year-old Kirin, Riker’s youngest son, sat near Victoria and Serena, Tav and Tracey’s nine-year-old twin daughters.

  Riker’s two eldest boys continued to flirt with the older girls until Lakon’s sons Jaymes, Mikhel and Linkon, and Christopher and Jacob, along with Riker’s third son Kirin, called Ashley and Philly over to them. A brief conference
ensued with the eight young people talking animatedly. Kaden and Kameron were busy teasing Victoria and Serena. As the crowd of older adults looked on, Ashley and Philly shrugged and grinned, moving away from the little group.

  Jacob and Christopher began playing the introduction to If You Could Read My Mind, one of Gordon Lightfoot’s most famous songs. Ashley put her hands on Kaden’s chest and walked him backward to the wall while Philly did the same thing with Kameron. Even at only fifteen, the young werewolves loomed over the petite women.

  Almost in sync, Ashley pulled Kaden’s head down while Philly pulled Kameron’s lips to hers. The older girls kissed the adolescent boys until Mikhel and Linkon called out “TIME!”

  Together, Ashley and Philly stepped back. Kaden and Kameron slid down the wall and landed on their rear ends, hard. It was as if they had choreographed it. In a sense, Riker decided, they had done just that. Grinning, Ashley and Philly linked arms and moved closer to the rest of the group.

  Riker was chuckling softly until he glanced over at Myles and Yancey. Both men showed evidence that they were fighting their beasts. He was just glad that his boys didn’t behave that way usually. He’d really have to worry about keeping them alive. He was definitely going to have to talk to them.

  “You know,” Mik whispered to him, “You and your brother were exactly like that.”

  Looking over at Lakon, he saw his twin brother’s face stained red. He looked down when he heard Jacob begin singing. The boy had a deep voice that had an intriguing, vibrating sound. Tory and Serena, his younger twin sisters, lifted their violins and began to play.

  Damn, what a talented and good-looking family. No damned wonder my boys are all over Ashley. It won’t be long before I have to beat them off of Tav’s little twins. If Myles doesn’t kill one of them first, that is.

  He glanced over and saw that Ashley and Philly sat side by side with an arm around each other’s waist and their eyes closed, clearly enjoying the music. Kirin sat cuddled next to Ashley while Mikhel, Linkon, and Jaymes were seated on the other side of Philly.

  Lakon’s sons were riveted on Jacob and Christopher as if they were trying to memorize every move and sound the older boys made. Kaden and Kameron had moved closer to the group, but sat a little apart, duly chastened.

  Riker noticed that, as Jacob and Christopher sang and played, they looked at each other. Sometimes they’d smile or nod and otherwise indicate that a kind of unspoken communication was taking place between them.

  When the song ended, Jacob and Christopher put their guitars aside and shook hands. Redheaded Christopher moved over to his twin sisters and helped them pack up their instruments. Mikhel grabbed Serena’s violin case but Riker noticed that when Linkon reached for Tory’s, Kirin snarled at him.

  Both upstairs and downstairs, the groups began to disperse until Yancey, Myles and Riker were the only people who remained in the little room with Mik. Below, Riker saw Jacob towering over his sister and the little Were, Philly.

  Chapter 12

  “Well, Sweet Knees, are you heading off for an illicit assignation with your husband?” Jacob was apparently addressing Philly.

  “We’re not technically married,” Philly answered archly, “but yes, I guess I am.” She took a deep breath. “Maybe.”

  “He’s your mate and you’ve mated, you have his mark.” He ran a finger over the bite mark on the curve of her shoulder. She winced. “I’d say he’s your husband. What do you think, Ash?” Jacob had an arm around both girls. They were moving slowly toward the door.

  “I’ve got to side with the tall guy on this one, Philly. You know, Yancey has a house on this compound. It beats a four-hour drive each way--for both of you. You could just transform and turn up on his doorstep.” Ashley offered sensibly.

  “I’ll think about it, I really will. But can I …” she extended her open palm, letting her sentence trail off.

  Ashley handed her the keys to her car and gave her a hug. “Be careful, okay?”

  “Yeah,” Philly hugged her back and said, “Happy Birthday!” She headed out the door.

  Yancey headed out also. Now, Mik, Riker, and Myles watched Jacob and Ashley slowly moving toward the door.

  “How are you holding up, Ash?” Jacob asked his sister. “I heard you had a date last night? How’d that go? Your first ever, huh?”

  Ashley chuckled musically. “If three’s a crowd, little brother, I didn’t have a date. I had a crowd--with cameos by the great red wolf and Sheriff Timmons. I was in no danger of having a good time. No danger at all.”

  Mik and Riker looked at Myles who colored perceptibly. “I think I’ll run off downtown and lift some weights,” Myles excused himself, leaving Mik and Riker alone in the loft.

  “I think I’ll find the rest of the kids,” Mik murmured.

  I guess I’ll go corner the birthday girl, Riker decided.

  “Hey, little girl. Want a piece of candy?” Riker waggled his eyebrows at Ashley and put his arm around her.

  “Hey, Uncle Riker. What’s doin’? Is anyone at your house?” She stretched an arm across the back of his waist.

  “I don’t know, honey. I wouldn’t be surprised, though. What do you need?” He gave her a hug.

  “I’d love to take a shower and then a nap. You think there’s a place around here I could get that?” She does look pretty tired, he decided.

  “Why not go to Myles’?” he suggested, explaining, “He took off downtown. He’ll probably be gone a while.”

  “You sure?” she asked.

  “Yep, he just said he was going downtown. If I see him, I’ll let him know you’re there, okay?” Riker assured her. “He was pretty tired himself. He’ll probably workout and then stop off somewhere to shop for someone’s present.”

  “Someone?” she giggled. “And do you mean to tell me that men don’t buy presents months in advance?”

  “Honey, I love your Aunt Bethany with everything that I am, but most of her gifts from me were bought within an hour of giving them to her. That’s just how it is.” He laughed with her, giving her another squeeze. “Go to Myles’ house. It should be fine. Probably the safest place on the compound,” he assured her.

  “Okay” she smiled, stretching up to kiss his cheek.

  * * * * *

  Philly walked toward Ashley’s car. She had her head down, thinking. She wasn’t watching where she was going.

  When she hit the wall, she wondered vaguely who had built it there, and then braced herself to hit the ground. This particular wall came with restraining arms and an incredible smell. The smell of…déjà vu.

  “Yancey,” she whispered, trying valiantly to pull her nose out of his chest and look up at him.

  He gathered her against him, wrapping both arms around her. “Hello, Little Mate,” he murmured into her hair.

  She gave in and let her arms snake around his ribcage, her hands cupping his toned back. She rested her head against him. The feeling of being home was so overwhelming to her. Once again she felt her eyes fill with tears.

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered, apologizing for everything from running into him to crying all over him.

  “I’m sorry Little Mate,” he countered firmly. “I hurt you. I’m not a good mate. But, if you’ll give me a chance, maybe I can learn.”

  She began to cry in earnest and he lifted her, carrying her to his house and into the living room. He sat down on the couch with her on his lap.

  “I just--I don’t know--I’m s-s-sorry,” she sobbed, unable to control herself.

  It felt like more than now that she was crying for. It felt like she was crying for her whole life. She knew that Yancey wasn’t responsible for her whole life. It was because she just felt so raw.

  She still felt like everything was new and different about her days and she didn’t know if she could handle it. She sobbed into Yancey’s chest as he held her and rocked her.

  “Go ahead and cry, Little Mate, I’ve got you now. I’m not going to let you go,” Yancey cro
oned, continuing to soothe and comfort her.

  She hadn’t meant to fall asleep.

  Chapter 13

  Ashley showered and grabbed one of Myles’s large tee shirts and pulled it over her head. Under it, she wore only a flimsy, lacy thong. Her plan was just to grab a nap and be up and out in a couple of hours. She was exhausted, in spite of what she’d told Lyle the night before.

  Crawling into the bed, she was glad that Myles kept a top sheet on it. He didn’t need it really. It was a human habit. Everything smelled like him and Ashley inhaled deeply. Yes, she was hurt by his behavior, but she loved him. She always had and she probably always would. She pulled a pillow into her arms and pretended that it was Myles. It wasn’t long before she drifted off to sleep.

  She awakened briefly when she felt something warm and solid behind her. She imagined that it was Myles and scooted back against him, pulling his muscular arm over her.

  “Can I hold you in my sleep, Princess?” he murmured, and it sounded so much like Myles. This was such a good dream. The best she’d ever had.

  His voice sounded slurred but she knew he didn’t drink. It wouldn’t have any effect on him if he did.

  “I’m cold, Myles,” she whispered sleepily.

  Later, or sometime in her sleep, her dream was enhanced by the feeling of warm lips on her neck, licking and nipping. She wiggled more snugly against dream Myles and pulled his arms around her more securely.

  “I love you, Myles,” she mumbled to her warm Myles pillow.

  “My Princess, I’ve loved you for so long,” her pillow rumbled back in Myles’ rich English timbre.

  She felt strong hands under the t-shirt and imagined them to be Myles. Slowly they moved up to cup her breasts. She groaned as her nipples hardened against his palms. He rolled his hips against her and she felt his hard erection pressing into her rear.

  “Touch me, Myles, mate with me,” she begged in a whisper.

  She was dreaming, and this time she’d hold onto the dream. It felt so real.