“Thanks, man.” Chandler ended the call, and when I went to put my phone down, I noticed I had a new notification.

  A text from Madison. A smile crept up on me.

  I just found out you’re friends with my brother! Small world. Whatever he tells you about me, don’t believe him. Unless it’s something awesome. Then it’s 100% true.

  I chuckled and sent a text back.

  I actually just got a call from my friend, Chandler. He thinks you’re way too good for me. See you tomorrow night.

  I stared at my phone like an idiot for a couple of minutes. Just when I gave up and pulled off my shirt, another text lit the screen.

  Wolf Pack Bar at six o’clock. See you then!

  I reread her text again. Was I looking forward to seeing her? I’d given up on dating after losing my brother. No woman had ever caught my wolf’s attention anyway.

  After the mess with Caldwell pairing up mates, and me pretending it wasn’t happening until irreparable damage had been done, I didn’t deserve a mate anyway. She was better off without me.

  So what the hell was I doing offering to meet up with Madison tomorrow night? There was no way I’d allow myself a one-night stand with Chandler’s sister. That was far too complicated. Not only that but if we kept running into each other, it would be too easy to get caught in a convenient relationship. But I was done settling and it wouldn’t be fair to her anyway.

  She’d never have all of me.

  Enough. I was getting miles ahead of myself. Meeting up with Madison wasn’t a date and it wasn’t a relationship. Tomorrow night was just having a beer with someone new in town. This was how you made friends. Nothing more.

  My phone buzzed. One more text from Madison.

  Looked up the Wolf Pack Bar on Google. Tomorrow is karaoke night! Prepare to drink enough to sing.

  I laughed, the sound echoing through my empty house. Laughter was rare around here. I stared at my phone with a smirk. First off, I wasn’t tone deaf, but I also wasn’t Freddie Mercury. Secondly, I was more of a sing in the shower kind of guy. The thought of singing in a bar, in front of people, didn’t terrify me, but it didn’t sound like fun either.

  I fired off a reply.

  Not sure they have enough beer for that.

  One last reply came through.

  Can’t wait to find out.

  And standing alone, half-naked in my bedroom, I realized something.

  I couldn’t wait, either.

  My Friday passed in a blur until my last ranch call. A mare with colic. Horses usually passed a blockage after treatment, but when they didn’t, things could go south fast. After pumping her belly full of mineral oil and giving her a shot of dipyrone, she seemed comfortable. I left her owner with instructions to continue watching her and my cell number in case the situation didn’t resolve.

  I parked my truck at the vet hospital, quickly sterilized all my equipment, and headed home for a shower and change of clothes. It didn’t seem to matter how many times I reminded myself that this wasn’t a date. I couldn’t stamp out my eagerness to see her.

  I was probably just lonely. I should’ve been visiting a bar for companionship. Someone who was not my packmate’s baby sister.

  I hopped in the shower and caught myself singing under the spray. It took me until I hit the chorus to remember the name of the song: “Bad Things.” I smirked as I rinsed my hair. The theme song from the True Blood TV series. Chase and I used to watch the show every week, laughing about the way the shifters were portrayed. We’d had many discussions about the ramifications of the paranormals being “out” in the world, and he used to love postulating about whether or not vampires really existed.

  Fuck. I missed him. The night he’d been shot still haunted me.

  I got out of the shower, toweling off as I shoved the painful memories aside. No time for that right now. I’d have plenty of opportunities to relive the nightmare of holding him in my arms while he bled out later. Dammit. I pinched the bridge of my nose, forcing the emotions into a box.

  Tonight would be a nice escape. Nothing more. I went to the closet and decided on a pair of jeans and a black button-down shirt. I left it untucked and rolled up the cuffs, hoping I looked like I was meeting someone for a casual business meetup instead of a date. In front of the mirror, I ran my fingers through my wet hair, inspecting myself to see if I looked like a vet having a beer with a client.

  Hell, if I knew.

  I inspected my face more closely. Should I shave? Nah. The five-o’clock shadow played right along with my casual meeting. If this were a date, I’d be freshly shaved and my shirt would be tucked in. I’d have a belt on and maybe black jeans.

  This was definitely not a date. Who was I trying to convince?

  I put my wallet in my pocket and grabbed my phone. Time to rock and roll.

  CHAPTER 4

  Madison

  I was counting down the seconds before I could leave the ranch. At ten minutes to five, a knock came on the doorframe to my office. I turned around to find a slender woman with silver streaks lining her dark hair at her temples. She wore black slacks and a black knit top with simple pearl earrings that matched her necklace.

  The most unlikely cattle ranch owner ever.

  “I’m not interrupting, am I?” Deidra Harlow toyed with the pearl pendant around her neck.

  “No.” I quickly scooped up the ranch receipts I’d been entering into the spreadsheet and set them on the stacking file. “I was just wrapping up for the day.”

  “Oh good.” She entered the office and took a seat in a chair across from me.

  My heart sank. So much for leaving on time.

  “I got away from the lab a little early, and I wanted to see how you were settling in,” Deidra said.

  I perched on the edge of my executive chair with an all-business smile in place. “It’s going well. I’m learning about vet bills and feed bills—it’s all pretty interesting—and I’ve been researching the industry associations to see how we can get Serenity Farms more involved. It’s all about networking, and the visibility might help us expand to new distributors. People can’t do business with us if they don’t know we exist.”

  Deidra smiled. “You have big plans already.”

  “I do. Finding new ways to expand businesses and develop new connections is one of my favorite parts of marketing.” It wasn’t a lie or some kind of please-the-new-boss bullshit. I hoped Deidra recognized the difference. The truth was, I wasn’t super excited to work on a cattle ranch, but now that I’d been here for a couple of weeks, my usual hunger for solutions had grown. And now the ideas were flowing.

  I felt like me again instead of new girl, new town, new job. Plus I was going to be an auntie soon. Life was changing fast, but I was still standing.

  Deidra asked a few questions about budgets and projections and finally stood up. “I don’t want to keep you after hours, but I made it home early and thought you might want a tour of the main house. I wasn’t here the day Jorge showed you around the ranch.”

  I glanced at my phone. It was already a quarter after five. I had totally forgotten about the time, lost in my goals and action steps for growing the business. The impromptu meeting was eating into my prep time before meeting Cole at the Wolf Pack Bar, but with Deidra’s busy work schedule off-site, this might be my only chance to see the rest of the facility.

  “I’d love a tour.” I slid my cell into my pocket and followed her out of the office.

  Serenity Farms boasted a modest two-room outbuilding about fifty feet behind the main residence. That was my domain. The compact space housed my office and a small utility room with a tiny bathroom at the end.

  When I’d interviewed for the job, we had talked over Zoom, and when I arrived after being hired, Jorge had shown me around the ranch and the outbuilding, but Deidra’s house wasn’t part of his tour. Until now, I’d never been inside. My brief encounters with Deidra since then had been in my office, not hers.

  Not that I’d ever met any cattle ranch owners before, but in the movies and on TV they were usually men in cowboy boots and big Stetsons. Deidra was a very intelligent, soft spoken scientist.

  After I’d found out the job was mine, I had researched Deidra’s background. She was a renowned biochemist connected to a biotech research company called Evolution Defense. From my googling, they appeared to be a federal defense contractor.

  I caught myself wondering, not for the first time, why she’d be interested in cows. I had no clue, but I was curious to find out.

  Her perfectly manicured fingernails clicked the keys of the electric keypad outside the back door, unlocking it. She turned back and gestured for me to enter. My eyes widened at the spacious, desert-inspired living space. There was a sunken living room area with a large fireplace and built-in circular sand-colored leather sofa. I walked farther inside, noting the gorgeous watercolor paintings and the sculptures spotlighted inside alcoves in the walls.

  Deidra stopped beside me and followed my gaze. “I can’t take credit for the decor. My interior designer is a genius.”

  “I agree.” I nodded, staring at the Red Rock mountains through her seamless plate glass window. “This is amazing.”

  She seemed satisfied with my response as she pointed out different pieces of art until we reached the kitchen. All the appliances were oversized stainless steel and commercial grade. There was a walk-in freezer on one side, and another smaller door with a padlock on the other side.

  Weird.

  I turned to her. “Do you entertain often? This is an amazing kitchen.”

  “Occasionally.” She shrugged with a close-lipped smile. “I’m more of an introvert, but it’s ready for the caterers to take over when I need it. I have an apartment in Phoenix too when I need to be closer to the lab.”

  She exited the kitchen at the other side, and I followed her down a narrow hallway that split at the end. She gestured to the right. “The guest wing is on that side. We have four bedrooms available.” Then she glanced to the left. “The master bedroom is on this side.”

  “You have a gorgeous home.” I still wasn’t sure why I’d suddenly gotten the grand tour. “Thanks for showing me around.”

  She walked back to the foyer near the front door and stopped. “I was wondering if you would be available to attend a fundraiser that I’m hosting next week. You’ll be paid of course.”

  “I’d be happy to.” I forced myself to stop ogling her artwork and focused on Deidra. “Do you want me to promote the ranch for investors or…?”

  Her dark eyes sparked with…eagerness? “The fundraiser is for genetic studies, but the attendees are affluent business owners from all over the country. I’m currently looking for one or two investors in the ranch so we can expand and purchase more property in the valley. I’m hoping you can test the waters and see if we get any bites.”

  My pulse thrummed with anticipation. “My contract with you didn’t include bonuses or commissions, though. Could we negotiate some compensation based on my performance?”

  Her thin brow arched. I couldn’t tell if she was impressed or offended, but she reached out to pat my arm. “Of course. I’m willing to offer a three-percent commission based on the size of the investment. Will that work for you?”

  Yes! But I did my best to keep my expression even. “And what is our target goal for the ranch?”

  “One million dollars. For now.”

  It was getting tougher stay cool and not tip my hand. Quick math told me my cut would be $300,000. I could buy a nice home in Sedona with that. Plus, most of the boxes at my apartment were still packed anyway, so moving would be easy. I nodded slowly. “I’m in.”

  A genuine smile curved her crimson lips. “Good. I’ll write up an agreement for you and e-mail it over.”

  We walked through the house to the back door, but as we passed the kitchen again, I pointed to the padlocked door. “Does that lead outside or…?”

  She glanced at the door, and I swore her lips pressed tightly for a second before she answered. “Wine cellar. Some of the bottles down there are worth almost as much as the house.”

  I didn’t know much about wine, but this house had to be valued at a million dollars—at least. Could wine really be worth that much?

  We exited the main house, and she followed me back to my office. I picked up my purse, struggling to keep from checking the time on my phone. “Thanks for the tour and the opportunity to approach potential investors. I’m excited for the future of the ranch.”

  “I am, too.” She paused, then added, “I’ll expect to see you and a plus-one on Wednesday night for the fundraiser. Seven o’clock sharp. The dress code is black-tie optional.”

  Wait. A plus-one?

  She was at the door before I found my voice. “I need a date?”

  “The invitations are for couples. Yes.”

  But I was working. I tried not to frown. “All right,” I acquiesced. “I’m new in town, but I’ll find someone.”

  “Maybe your brother?”

  Now I did frown. Had I mentioned my brother to her before? Perhaps sensing my confusion, she added, “Didn’t you tell me you had a brother in Phoenix? I thought that was why you were looking for work in Arizona.”

  I didn’t remember saying that to Deidra. Could I have forgotten? “I could ask him.”

  “Good.” She smiled and left me standing alone in my office.

  Suddenly, I wasn’t as excited about the opportunity to schmooze with investors. I kept replaying her comment. My interview had been with a headhunter, and then a brief meeting over Zoom with Deidra. She’d told me about the employment package, health plan, and vacation pay. I barely spoke to her, and I had no memory of mentioning my brother.

  But I had told Cole about Chandler. Could he have told Deidra?

  I wandered out to my car in a daze. Over the years, I’d gotten better about trusting my instincts and intuition, and right now, I was getting a bad vibe. I tried to shake it off. What would be the point in having the vet spy on her to find out she had a brother? Besides, Deidra was going to pay her handsomely for her work at the fundraiser.

  My car door squeaked as I opened it and tossed my purse inside. Without making a conscious choice, I walked over to the barn. Jorge was pouring grain in the feeders and craned his neck to see me over his shoulder. “Hey, Madison. I thought you already left. Is everything okay?”

  I scanned the wood beams over our heads and noticed two security cameras mounted there. Those didn’t have microphones, did they? Deidra certainly had the money for that kind of upgrade.

  I shook my head. This was paranoid nonsense. I focused on Jorge and forced a smile. “Yeah. I just had a tour of the main house. It was amazing. Have you been in there before?”

  “Once, yes.” He lowered the grain bucket and turned around to face me.

  He was taller than me by a few inches with dark eyes that sparkled when he smiled. He’d worked at the ranch long before Deidra bought it and renamed it Serenity Farms.

  “It’s much bigger now. Ms. Harlow expanded the main house after she moved in.” He glanced at the residence, his smile fading as if he’d remembered something…not good.

  It wasn’t helping me squelch my paranoia.

  “I guess I better get going,” I said.

  He jerked my way, as if he’d forgotten I was there for a second. He nodded, his expression warming again. “See you tomorrow.”

  “See you then.” I walked the rest of the way to my car, wishing I could’ve asked him more, but the cameras worried me now.

  I drove to the Wolf Pack Bar without stopping at home first. When I parked, it was already ten after six. The whole way over I did my best to push the uneasiness away, but it still licked at my belly, whispering that something wasn’t right.

  But was that “something” the ranch, my boss, or maybe the vet I was meeting for drinks?

  CHAPTER 5

  Cole

  I caught her scent before I even turned around on my barstool. Madison. I could tell by the faint smell of livestock that she’d come straight from the farm. No human would’ve noticed, but I wasn’t human.

  When I looked at her, she smiled and came over to me. “Sorry I’m late.”

  “Long day at the ranch?”

  “How did you know?” Her eyes narrowed slightly, as if she was sizing me up.

  I shrugged. Even if she’d known I was a werewolf, I was smart enough not to tell her she smelled like manure. Not my first rodeo. “Just guessing since you were a few minutes late.” I paused, taking in her wary expression. “Are you all right?”

  She huffed out a breath and took the stool beside me. “I think I’ve been binge-watching too much 20/20 or something.” She looked up at Ryker, our bartender and probably the largest werewolf in our pack, and said, “Can I get a Screaming Orgasm?” She paused and added, “In a big glass?”

  “Sure.” Ryker nodded and started mixing.

  Her drink order turned my head. Our pack owned the Wolf Pack Bar, and I’d tended it a few times. Enough to know she’d ordered a cocktail with vodka, Baileys, and Kahlúa, but hearing her say the word orgasm had parts of me imagining things I had no business thinking about. I studied her profile, reminding myself again that this woman with full lips, bright-blue eyes, and sun kisses across her pert nose was also Chandler’s sister. She was off-limits. But there was no harm in appreciating a beautiful woman. I could look.

  I cleared my throat, wrapping my fingers around the cold glass in front of me. “Rough day?”

  “Not really.” She shook her head and searched my eyes. “How well do you know Deidra Harlow?”

  I blinked, my hackles rising. “How do you know her?”

  She tipped her head like I was jerking her chain. “She owns Serenity Farms.”

  Fuck. The checks to my clinic were only signed by the ranch manager. I hadn’t known who actually owned the place, and I hadn’t cared. Until now. Chandler’s sister was working for the head of Evolution Defense, the same company that had tried to kidnap my Alpha’s toddler and had secretly used Wendy’s DNA for super soldier research.