Read Online Insider by Micalea Smeltzer - Free Book Online Page A

before spotting us.
     
    I gave a small wave and Caeden grinned cheekily before hopping out.
     
    I opened the door and let Archie out. Caeden had let Murphy out and he was running around in merry circles. He saw a bird and took off after it. Didn’t dogs know that they couldn’t fly? If so, why did they chase birds? The bird is always going to get away.
     
    Caeden cleared his throat and must have decided not to say anything about the intense make-out session because instead he said, “Are the… uh… others here?”
     
    Charlotte was blushing profusely, her pale freckled skin turning crimson. She straightened her curly hair and said, “Yeah, I think they’re in the kitchen.”
     
    “Did you get a new car?” Caeden asked Bryce.
     
    Bryce’s hands were shoved in his pockets and he was looking anywhere but at his brother. “Uh-hmm, Stella died. This baby is Stella Jr.” He lovingly rubbed the side of the brand new Jeep.
     
    “Okay then,” Caeden said. “Well, I need to talk to everybody so you might want to head on into the kitchen.”
     
    Bryce shrugged away from the Jeep and took Charlotte’s hand. “You got it commander,” Bryce saluted Caeden.
     
    Caeden shook his head and turned to me. “His sense of humor never ceases to amaze me.”
     
    I snorted. “That was pretty tame. I called your house one time and he answered-”
     
    “Oh lord, I don’t think I want to know what he said,” Caeden grinned as he followed Bryce and Charlotte to the house. I kind of wished the garage was connected to the house. I hated being out in the open like this.
     
    Caeden took my hand as if he sensed my unease.
     
    “Well, I’m going to tell you anyway,” I smiled. “He said, ‘ Mel’s Taxidermy. You bag em ’ we stuff em ’.”
     
    “No, he didn’t!” Caeden laughed. “Wow, I don’t know why mom ever lets him answer the phone.”
     
    “I just wonder what strangers would think if they dialed the wrong number and he answered.”
     
    “They’d probably be thoroughly freaked out. ”
     
    “ Luckily I knew it was him so I just laughed. Does he answer his cellphone that way?”
     
    “You betcha , ” Caeden grinned and his dimple peeked through, taunting me.
     
    We went in the side door and straight to the kitchen. Amy was whipping up lunch. When she saw us she stopped what she was doing and smiled at her eldest son.
     
    “Give me a hug!” she said and enveloped him in her arms. “I know you were only gone a few days but I missed you so much! What will I do when you move out?” She kissed his cheek and moved to me. “And Sophie, I missed you too. I’m so sorry you had to leave in such a hurry and under such circumstances.”
     
    “It’s fine,” I said and hugged her back. “We needed to be here.”
     
    “I’m making lunch,” she said, as if we hadn’t noticed the mess behind her. “Homemade pizza. Are you hungry?”
     
    Even though I’d just eaten a sandwich my stomach rumbled. I blushed and looked at Caeden. “Yeah, I’m hungry.”
     
    “And I’m always hungry,” Caeden rubbed his flat stomach.
     
    “Good,” she clapped her hands together. She was just a total ball of energy today. “Go sit down and when it’s ready I’ll bring it.”
     
    Bryce and Charlotte were sitting side by side at the table; holding hands. Logan was sulking, at the end of the table, the front legs of his chair off the ground, and his blond hair combed back. He was scowling at no one and nothing. Dude needed a serious chill pill.
     
    I spotted Bentley’s dark head and was just beginning to scan for Chris when I saw that she was sitting in his lap. She nuzzled his neck and giggled. Bentley’s smile lit his brown eyes as he whispered in her ear.
     
    I turned to Caeden. “Holy hell, what happened while we were gone? Is it mating season for wolves?”
     
    Caeden’s blue eyes were wide. “Apparently so.” He paused at the head of the table and cleared his throat. “We have some