Dire Wolf Mates - Chapter 98: Chapter 98

“Um, I’m sorry I am on a budget⁠—”
“What? Oh, no. It’s on the house. Derrick, he’s my man and the big boss, anyway, he insists all the staff be acquainted with the menu, and I have a hankering for a double bacon brisket burger with brie, caramelized onions, and fig jam!”
“What?” she laughed at what was clearly a pregnant woman’s fantasy burger.
“Don’t knock it till you tried it,” was all Lucy said as she led the way to a table by the kitchen doors.
A big man with blond hair held back by a bandana came out of the kitchen, mumbling beneath his breath. He stopped short when he saw Lucy and Gwen.
“Hey Lucy, is this the new hire? I’m Brock,” the man said, introducing himself.
“Gwen,” she replied, trying to keep her eyes inside her head.
The man was gorgeous. Then again, so was everyone she’d met so far. Of course, Weylin, the redhead who’d kissed her last night, was by far the most handsome. Not that it mattered, she reminded herself firmly.
“What can I get you ladies?” he asked, as Sheila, the stunning redhead whose party it was she crashed the night before, came over.
“Brie burger for me rare,” Lucy said without hesitation.
“Same!” Sheila said, sliding into a chair beside her.
“Got it, and for you?” Brock asked.
“Um, I don’t know⁠—”
“Come on, Gwen. You have to try it,” Lucy said encouragingly.
She imagined the tiny pregnant woman could entice the devil to drink holy water with those puppy eyes of hers and that wide smile. She was positively beguiling.
“Okay fine, I will have the brie burger also, but medium rare, please.”
“As you wish,” Brock replied and winked before stalking back to the kitchen.
“So, what are we doing?” Sheila asked when a third woman came running in and joined them at the table.
“Hey girls!”
“Tracey! When did you guys get back?” Lucy asked, hugging the woman up tight.
“About ten seconds ago,” a tall man answered for her, his smile wide and indulgent as the woman, Tracey, hugged Sheila next.
“Hi, I’m Tracey. Who are you?”
“Um, Gwen, I’m going to be working here,” she replied, smiling back at her.
How could she not? The woman exuded joy, and her grin was contagious. The man with her was clearly one of the owners of the bar, tall, muscular, and hotter than a rockstar, Gwen mused with a shake of her head.
“I’ll be back. Have to check in with Derrick,” Phoenix said, kissing Tracey quickly before he walked away.
“Hey Brock, put on another burger for Tracey,” Lucy screamed, smiling like a maniac. “I am so glad you guys are back. I thought you were going to miss the birth!”
“Not on your life,” Tracey told her.
Gwen sat, just absorbing their energy, and listening while trying to remain unobtrusive. As if sensing it, Lucy steered the conversation to include her, and she had never felt such gratitude.
They were really something. This group of beautiful females and their equally beautiful men, Gwen thought. Each of their guys checked in on them at some point during their hour long lunch, either texting or physically dropping by. It was not something she had much experience with, and Gwendolyn was intrigued.
“Okay, I have a question,” she asked, tummy full of the unsurprisingly delicious burger and hand-cut fries she’d gorged herself on.
“Shoot,” Lucy asked, going to town on the triple crème raspberry and white chocolate cheesecake she was eating for dessert.
“Did you guys like special order your boyfriends from a catalog or something?” she asked point blank.
The three women blinked, looked at each other, then busted out laughing. Tracey was wiping her eyes while Lucy held onto her pregnant belly and chuckled.
“Why do you ask that?” Sheila wanted to know.
“Well. I just never saw such good-looking men be so attentive and caring to their significant others. Seems too good to be true,” she said with a shake of her head.
“Okay, there’s a story there, woman, spill,” Lucy commanded.
Well crap. Of course, that happened. Gwen should have known better than to open that can of worms, but she was trapped now.
“Usual story. Small-town girl moves to the big city, becomes infatuated with a fast-talking handsome man, who uses her, empties her bank account, and breaks her heart.”
“The rat!”
“Got a name? I can have his legs broken by midnight,” Lucy growled, and Gwen laughed, stopping when she realized no one else was.
“Oh, um, no, that’s okay. I was raised by my grandfather, who was a deacon at our church. He taught me you reap what you sow, and believe me that, pardon my French, asshole is going to get what he deserves,” Gwen told the three women who seemed to settle a little after that.
“So, you were raised by your grandfather?” Sheila asked.
“Yep. Pop is all I have. He’s older now, and I couldn’t care for him anymore. I got him a place though, at the Hope Springs assisted living facility. It’s truly the best place for him with his advancing dementia and osteoporosis.”
“I’ve heard of that place. It’s a fortune if you can get in,” Tracey said, nodding.
“Yep. That’s why I’m here. I need this job desperately, but I swear I will work my butt off. Please don’t think I told you that because I am looking for sympathy. I am a hard worker and I used to tend bar in the city, so I am sure I can keep up,” she blurted.
“Hey, easy girl. Look, I have really good instincts about people, and I believe you, Gwen. Besides, Weylin already said you were hired,” Lucy stated, eyes sparkling with humor. “After he kissed you silly.”
“He kissed her!” Tracey whisper-screamed, and Gwen felt heat rush to her cheeks.
“He did. But it was a mistake,” she explained, tucking her curly locks behind her ears.
“A mistake? How is kissing you a mistake?” Sheila asked loudly, just as he who should not be named walked into the bar.
The girls all giggled from where they sat in the dining room section, and Gwen whished the floor would just open up and swallow her. What was she getting herself into?
He nodded a hello to the table at large, and she felt curiously sad that he didn’t come over to say hi personally. But why should that be? It wasn’t like Gwen wanted him to single her out or anything.
“Alright, let me get this straight. Weylin kissed you when you came in for a job during Sheila’s party and now you are going to work here, but you don’t want him to kiss you anymore—is that right?” Tracey asked.
“Yep. She is here to work, not make whoopee with that redheaded he-slut,” Sheila quipped.
“Is he a slut?” she asked before she could close her mouth.
“Um, no. Not really. I mean, it’s not like any of us are virgins, right?” Lucy asked.
Gwen’s face really flamed then. Seemed like she was way out of her league with these women, and not just because of their attractive boyfriends, but because they understood men on a level she did not.
“Oh my, are you a virgin?” Sheila asked at a decibel that made Gwen cringe.
Seemed the entire bar went quiet at the impromptu announcement, and Gwendolyn steeled herself for the blowback.
“Ladies, that is no one’s business but Gwendolyn’s,” Lucy announced, and her glare seemed to reach everyone in the place.
Thank goodness it was early and there were less than half a dozen folks. Unfortunately, many of them were staff. It wouldn’t be long till the rumor mill got finished hurling that chunk of info around.
Sigh. Might as well own it, Gwenny.
“Yes, Sheila, I am still a virgin. My choice. I made a vow to stay celibate until I found the man I was going to marry. I just haven’t met him yet,” she replied with a shrug.
“But I thought you said you had a boyfriend⁠—”
“I did. In college. We had several very embarrassing discussions about my promise to wait to have sex until marriage that were very painful for me. Then I found my boyfriend in bed with my then roommate solidified my belief that I did well not to partake in anything of the kind with him.”
“What a jerk! I don’t blame you,” Sheila said.
“Yes, he was,” she replied. “But I suppose I should be thankful. If he hadn’t cheated, I might have wasted more time and I would not have returned home, even if it was with my tail between my legs. See, those extra years with Pop still lucid were worth the heartache.”
“Wow. Good for you,” Sheila said.
“Yeah. The heck with him. And I am glad you found your way here,” Tracey murmured, patting her hand.
“Bottom line, I am not here for a guy. I am here cause I need money, and I need it now. Pop’s insurance plan refuses to pay for Hope Springs, they want him in a state home. I went to look at the place nearest us, and I just couldn’t leave him there,” she whispered, eyes filling with tears.
“Oh honey, no, don’t you worry. You already got the job, now we just have to get through the formalities of training and paperwork,” Lucy said, nodding her head.
“But what if Derrick doesn’t think I am right for the position? I haven’t met him yet, and he is the big boss, right?” she asked.
Gwen had to admit, just hearing about the man made her nervous. Meeting him was not something she was looking forward to. But with the job market being absolute crap, she had little choice.