Wolf Line

Epilogue

He’d come full circle. Jared leaned back in the comfy couch, looking around the familiar coffee shop with something close to wonder rippling through him. Across the table, his Alpha lowered a tray filled with coffees and goodies. Jared still couldn’t smell the damn stuff, but now it didn’t matter in the least, because at his side was his mate, her feet tucked under his thigh as she curled up tight against him.

“You two know how to make a splash.” Keil dropped his bulk into a chair before passing a mug to Keri. “I thought I’d heard of everything, but this is…” He seemed to search for a proper word.

“Entertaining?” Jared supplied hopefully.

Keil snorted. “Better than having to haul your ass out of the slammer. You’re a far more complicated guy than I ever imagined, Jared.”

Across the table, Tessa leaned in and snagged a chocolate éclair, sinking her teeth into the soft surface and groaning happily. She swallowed quickly before pointing the half-eaten goodie at her best friend.

“You still need to explain what made you take out Eden like that.”

Keri squirmed upward. “You know we’d talked about how maybe Chad was setting Jared up? But I couldn’t figure out any reason for him to try to mess up the cruise. I mean, I knew he wanted your brother back in charge, but Tony isn’t stupid, and while Chad isn’t the brightest flashlight on the block, even he had to know ruining the ship’s reputation wouldn’t be the way to keep his friend happy.”

Keil listened intently then wrinkled his nose. “So, there was no setup?”

Tessa licked her fingertips clean even as she shook her head. “There was a setup. Eden’s been trying to get Chad’s attention for the past three cruises, at least. My brother and I heard him talk about her, but he’s always had someone else he was involved with.”

“Including, he thought, Keri for the start of this trip,” Jared teased.

“Well…yeah.” His mate flushed nicely. Then her gaze narrowed. “You’re one to talk, Mr. Running away from my lover’s brothers. You gonna give me grief? Forget it.”

Jared backpedaled. She had a point. “Go on, tell us the final bit.”

Tessa shrugged. “Eden confessed. She knew if things went missing the two areas most likely to be accused of the thefts would be housekeeping or maintenance—the only groups with easy access to private quarters. She figured if she was sleeping with Chad, he’d be less likely to want to accuse her. After he’d complained about how much he disliked Jared, it was an easy step to drop some of her ill-gotten goods in a direction that made him look guilty. But, Keri, you slammed into her out of the blue. Spill…why?”

Keri snuggled against Jared’s side. “Honest? There was this art heist we learned about in school. The cleaning staff at one of the big museums were replacing priceless artwork with forgeries and rolling out under the guard’s noses unnoticed. When Eden got in such a twist over Jared grabbing her private cleaning cart, I wondered if there was something in there she didn’t want found.”

Tessa raised a brow. “So, like a total guess on your part is what you’re saying.”

Keri nodded. “Yeah, pretty much.”

Tessa flashed her two thumbs up. “You rock as a troubleshooter.”

Wild satisfaction rolled over Jared. Keri had saved their butts, because facts or not, it wouldn’t have been easy to explain to his parents what had gone down on the ship.

They all visited for a bit, everyone talking at the same time—easy conversation among people who honestly liked each other. Keri’s hand rested in his, and he rubbed her fingers lightly, his mind racing as he considered what was the best thing for them to do next. They really did have a world of options open.

“Ahem.”

Jared jerked to his feet. “Chad?”

The man’s usual bluster was missing as he clutched his hat in his hands and avoided eye contact. He sighed wearily, then noticed Keil, his eyes widening before he dipped his head politely. “Sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt. I’ll give you a call—”

“Wait.” Jared wasn’t sure why, but he pulled the chair from the table behind them and offered it. “Sit. You want a coffee?”

Chad paused then joined them. He looked across to Tessa and let loose another one of those sighs. “No coffee, but I do owe you an apology, Tessa, and since I was rude in front of others, I should apologize in front of them. I had no idea Eden would do something so bizarre. I would never have jeopardized the cruise. I hope you believe me.”

Tessa nodded slowly but didn’t speak.

“You did a great job. I hope you enjoy running the ship for a long time to come.” He rose to his feet and nodded, obviously ready to take his leave.

“Thank you for that,” Tessa said. “Only I think I’m going to leave the ship to Tony from now on. I’ll be sure to recommend he hire you on again.”

Chad’s jaw flapped open. “Really? I mean, really?”

Tessa shook a finger at him. “You’re a great coordinator, Chad. You just need to lay off the private vendettas with crew members.”

Chad glanced sheepishly at Jared. “Sorry about that.”

Jared lifted his mug. “Totally forgotten.”

Keri fidgeted at his side. “Tessa, you never said a word to me about not wanting to run the cruise ship next time out. What’s up?”

“You were a little distracted.” Tessa’s wide grin was echoed in the expressions facing them.

Yeah, they’d been a trifle distracted, although who could blame them? Even sitting there he was aching to run off with Keri again, find somewhere private and not surface for days. This mating thing—totally disruptive in more ways than he’d expected.

“Spill, girlfriend.”

Tessa wiped chocolate from her lips. “I can’t stand the ocean. I was borderline seasick the entire trip, and the only thing keeping me sane was the chocolate. If I don’t want to be a three-hundred-pound cougar, I need to find a dry-land place to manage. The ship was fun, and I know I did a good job, but Tony is welcome to it if he wants the job. I’m moving on to something that suits me better.”

Keri laughed. “Now the chocolate makes sense. But…good for you. Yes, you need to do what’s going to make you happy. I’m still proud of you.”

Tessa smiled, and Jared relaxed.

If Tessa wasn’t working the ship anymore, then perhaps Keri would be open to a little suggestion he had of his own.

He twisted her toward him and leaned their foreheads together. He spoke softly, just for her ears as the noise of happy voices rumbled around them. “You sad you don’t have a job anymore?”

She shook her head. “Unemployed—at least they didn’t drop me off in Greenland.”

He wasn’t quite sure what that meant. “So are you free to do something special with me? Like maybe find a nice artsy job here in the North?”

“I’m yours.”

The words were simple, but there was lightness in her eyes, a kind of a joy and brightness heating up quickly to something that made his body catch fire.

“I’m so glad to hear that.”

He ignored everyone around them. Ignored the fact his Alpha was staring and had a ton of unanswered questions. Ignored everything but his need to connect with his mate, because right then there was nothing on his to-do list higher than “kiss Keri senseless”.

So he did.