Read Racing Home (Dirt Track Dogs Book 3) (Paranormal Wolf-Shifter Romance) for Free Online Page B

ready in an hour.”
    In the kitchen, Annie let her troubles get whisked away as she scrambled eggs, fried bacon, and mixed and cut biscuits. She fresh squeezed orange juice and worked up a quick chocolate gravy, making sure the crew had some vitamin C to sustain them and some sugar to make the heat bearable.
    She felt good. If her house was her home, the kitchen was her heart. It was where she felt most herself. Where she was most accepted. It was her safe place.
    The construction team trickled inside just shy of the hour mark. They were sweaty and seemingly a little uncomfortable being inside a stranger’s house.
    She’d just have to take care of that.
    She tossed them a welcoming grin. “Go ahead, take a seat at the bar. Don’t worry about your boots. It’s hardwood floor. Easy to clean.”
    Setting a plate in front of each of them, she continued chattering to set them at ease.
    “So you’re from southern Arkansas?” she asked.
    Renner nodded. “Lake Haven. Near Weston. We work on a lodge there, and also do construction around town. Occasionally we venture off the mountain for a job like this one.”
    Annie nodded, dishing up eggs and bacon. “And which one of you is friends with the dogs?”
    Ryan frowned at her, cocking his head to one side, and then throwing a questioning glance in Renner’s direction.
    “The club,” Annie clarified. “Dirt Track Dogs. You’re here because they called, right?”
    “Oh. Yes. Well, we heard about the damage, and offered our help,” Renner confirmed. “DTD offered us a place to stay if we fixed your place up. It was a win for everybody.”
    After she’d finished plating their meal, Owyn stood, scooting around her to get to the sink to wash up.
    “Can I use your bathroom?” Tana asked.
    “Yep. It’s through the living room. The door on the left.”
    “I know I should clean up, but damn,” Ryan muttered. “This smells amazing.” He shoved several forkfuls in his mouth and his eyes rolled back in his head. “There’s a god,” he said. “I know because there’s a heaven somewhere that serves this gravy every morning.”
    Annie beamed. Chocolate gravy wins everything. As usual.
    When Owyn finished, Renner took his turn at the sink. Soon Tana had returned and the four of them chowed down on Annie’s meal. Seeing their needs met brought her the deepest satisfaction. It met her own need to care for others. It made the sting of her broken house fade to the background. It made her forget about Blister’s odd reaction to her gift.
    It helped. It truly did. But she knew it wasn’t the answer to her loneliness. If it was, she would’ve been satisfied serving people at her bar. Or helping Punk and Ella with whatever kink they found themselves in. But no, her aching was deeper than just being a help to people. She was looking for someone who could help her too. Someone who wanted her. Who couldn’t bear the thought of life without her.
    She wanted the princess package, Belle edition, with the proper beastly prince who just needed a little tender loving care. Who would fight for her, and never leave her. Someone she could share her quiet life with. Be happy with.
    But she was old enough to realize fairy tales didn’t exist. She just needed to convince her heart of that.
    ***
    It was half past noon, and Blister had managed to stay away from Annie’s house for the entire day so far. The guys were working at the track, and he should be there helping them. Instead he’d been driving around town, making his truck turn in whatever direction would take him farther from her place.
    Then he’d start for the track, get distracted, and find himself a block away.
    He gripped the wheel hard enough to make his fingers cramp, and once again turned away from her side of town.
    He wondered how she was. How the work on her house was coming along. How the cats were treating her.
    That last one was tough. There were unmated males in that crew. And a human who had no ring on his finger.