Page 45 of Shifted Desire

Nope. Not going to ruin my good mood by being bitter about rarely being the center of attention. I’m a grown woman, not a petulant teen, and Max wouldn’t be here, an hour’s drive away from his home in Moonvale, if he didn’t have a good reason.

Though if he brought Mona with him and they’re here for more wedding stuff, it’ll be impossible for me to not get pissed.

Ugh, I’m such a bitch. How pathetic is it that I can’t be happy for them, and my life is so lackluster that a first day of work dinner is the only thing I have to celebrate?

Smile and be nice, Sam. I repeat the thought on a loop as I head into the house.

“Eww, what’s that smell?” I call out when I step inside, and there’s a corresponding half-scoff, half-snort as Max waves at me from where he’s sitting with Mom and Dad in the front room. “Oh, it’s just Max.”

“Nice to see you too, Sam,” he says drolly.

“What are you doing here?”

Dammit, that was too sharp. Too rude.

I smile to soften my words. “Are you here because you heard the incredible news of me getting a pity job from Nathan and want to help celebrate?”

Dad frowns. “It’s not a pity job. He wouldn’t have given you the position if you didn’t deserve it.”

Max shrugs. “I had to come to the city to check on something for a client, so I figured I’d stop by. If that just so happened to coincide with a dinner to celebrate you, well…”

His smile tells me what he’s not saying directly. My brother came all the way out here for me.

An annoying lump of emotion forms in my throat.

“Lured here by the promise of Dad’s magic crock-pot chicken, I get it,” I tease.

He chuckles. “Maybe a little.”

Which in sibling speak means, “No, dumbass, I came here for you because I love you.”

He smiles when my heart squeezes, no doubt able to sense some of my appreciative emotions, and isn’t at all surprised when I tug him into a hug with a muffled “Thanks.”

“Mona could’ve come too,” I say when we part.

Max’s look is far too knowing. “I know, but then we’d probably default to a bunch of wedding talk, and everyone could use a break from that. She was happy to go hang out with Blair and Grace while I’m here celebrating my most annoying sister.”

I laugh and hug him again, letting him know how much I appreciate him, even when I act like a turd.

“Speaking of celebrating, tell us how it went!” Mom chimes in expectantly.

I release Max and attempt to put on a somber expression as I take a seat next to him on the couch. “It was okay.”

Everyone looks at me expectantly, waiting for me to continue, and the devilish side of me doesn’t say anything so I can bask in the undivided attention for a few moments.

“Just okay?” Dad prompts with a slight frown.

“Yeah.”

Max rolls his eyes at me, and I chuckle.

“Fine, it was great.”

Mom claps her hands together in delight. “Oh, I knew you’d work well with Nathan! You have compatible energies.”

My pulse leaps, wondering if she’s trying to insinuate something, but I tamp the surge of alarm down and laugh. “Gee thanks. I love knowing that my energy is a good match for an old, worn-down werewolf.”

Her smile flickers. “I didn’t mean it like that.”