“Hey, Silva,” one of the five men seated at the table said. “Kind of working banker’s hours like old Mason here, aren’t you?”
She gave him a bright smile. “I would have arrived sooner if I’d known you would be here today.” She glanced in Tom and Elizabeth’s direction. After looking Elizabeth over, she offered a little smile.
Small towns, Elizabeth thought. She hadn’t expected all the notice and was glad to be with Tom, who would deflect some of the attention, she hoped.
“Silva,” Tom said in greeting as he took his seat next to Elizabeth.
“Tom,” Silva said as she put her purse behind the bar. Sam had glanced in Silva’s direction when she first entered the tavern, but when she went behind the bar, he ignored her completely.
Elizabeth tried to figure out the pack dynamics. If Silva worked for Sam, why was she late, and why didn’t he say something to her? He was definitely interested in her, yet he scowled at her and didn’t greet her. Then again, she didn’t give him the time of day, either.
Sheriff Peter walked into the tavern, frowning deeply. Without looking at anyone, he went straight to the most out-of-the-way table by one of the windows and took a seat.
All the other men watched him. So did Sam and Silva. Even Tom had turned to look at him, and not in a casual way. She recognized Tom’s concern for a pack member, and she admired him for that.
Silva hurried to take a bottle of water to the sheriff. “What’s wrong, Peter?”
“Nothing.” He barely acknowledged her and drank the water.
He’d been so friendly on the slope. What had changed?
Silva walked over to Tom’s table and said to Elizabeth, “You’re new in town. Staying long?”
Elizabeth leaned back in the chair and looked up at Silva. “This is what I’d call a small town.”
Silva pulled a phone out of her pocket, turned it on, smiled at it, then shut it off and tucked it back in her pocket. “Sure is, sugar. Everybody’s business is everybody’s business.”
Elizabeth couldn’t help but smile at Silva’s comment. She liked it when people were honest with her. Still, she didn’t answer Silva’s question about how long she’d be staying.
In her condition, Elizabeth figured skiing was out for now, and she really didn’t see any reason to stay any longer except to see North and meet with Hrothgar. As soon as she could do so, she’d make plans for a return trip home earlier than originally scheduled.
***
Tom had cast the evil eye at Silva when she brought out her phone. If she had the video of him kissing Elizabeth and thought to show it to her, he was… well, he wasn’t sure what he would do. But he didn’t want Elizabeth to know Cantrell was selling that moment—or couple of moments—he’d shared with Elizabeth to every member of the blasted pack!
He was glad when Silva slipped her phone back in her pocket.
Tom wondered what was up with Peter. Why hadn’t he joined the other men? He never sat alone, and all of them loved to visit with him. The sheriff was usually as good-natured as they came, levelheaded and a friend in a crisis. Tom didn’t remember ever seeing Peter looking so troubled.
“Do you mind if I have a word with Peter, Elizabeth?” Tom asked.
“Not at all. Go ahead.”
Tom didn’t want to leave Elizabeth alone, but Silva had kind of a sixth sense about things like that, and she stuck by the she-wolf’s side so she wouldn’t feel abandoned. When a pack member had a problem, it was up to the pack to help the wolf out.
“Thanks.” Tom turned to Silva. “Just get the lady whatever she’d like. I’ll have the usual.”
“I sure will, Tom. I’ve never seen him so down in the dumps, have you?” Silva whispered.
Tom shook his head, rose from his chair, and crossed the floor to where Peter sat. “What’s up, Peter?”
“My brother’s coming to town.”
Tom had never met Peter’s brother. Peter had joined their pack years ago, after his brother had left him for places unknown. Tom had no idea what the man was like.
Not waiting for an invite, since he knew from the way Peter stared out the window that he wouldn’t give one, Tom took a seat across from him. “You always figured your brother was in some kind of trouble. And that’s why he would never visit. You thought he wouldn’t offer for you to come see him because he was into something illegal.”
“Yeah,” Peter said glumly.
“So you’re the law. If he comes here and breaks any of our rules, you stick him in jail. What with us running the place, it shouldn’t be any trouble.” Because the jail was shifter run, it was probably the only one in the States where a shifter could be incarcerated without that causing problems. One cell block was strictly for shifters with minor infractions and isolated the wolves from everyone else.
“He’s bringing a mate,” Peter said.
Tom frowned, hoping Peter’s brother hadn’t gotten mixed up with a human and would bring a whole bunch of grief to the pack. “Is she a wolf?”
“I have no idea. He’s a loner. He’s stayed away all these years, and it makes me think he’s up to something less than legal. I just don’t want him to stir up trouble for the pack. I know my duty, but…”
“He’s still your brother.” Tom patted Peter on the shoulder. “I’ll let Darien know, and we’ll all provide backup to help out if he causes problems.”
“We loved to hunt and fish as kids before he took off and I joined your pack.” Peter sounded a little more hopeful, finally making eye contact with Tom.
“So maybe you can do that again.”
“I don’t know what he wants.”
“Don’t second-guess it. Just make the most of his visit. You never know. He might be ready to settle down and want to join our pack, if he doesn’t cause trouble.”
Peter looked back at Elizabeth. “What about her?” Now he sounded really interested.
“Kind of a mystery.” But Tom’s mystery. Not any other bachelor male’s in the pack. “Got to get back to her. Are you all right now?”
“Yeah, thanks.”
Tom glanced at the other men. They dipped their heads a little in silent acknowledgment that they could step in now and help out. Two rose from the table and walked over to join Peter.