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“Yeah. He can take all the time he needs,” Rusty said.

“I warned him about that trail,” Rusty’s grandmother grumbled, her voice wavering as she wrung her hands. “Told him to stop bringing Sunday dinner out after that last storm, but he never listens.”

“How long has he been doing it?” Rusty asked.

“Ever since you guys came home and built that shop up on the hill,” Rusty’s grandfather explained. “He keeps the vehicles tuned up for me too, now that I can’t hold a wrench the way I used to. Can’t help harvest the syrup and honey anymore either, unless it’s to holler at these guys to quit agitating the bees, so he helps out when it’s time to collect.”

“He never said anything.”

“You’ve been a busy wolf with those new little ones,” Rusty’s grandmother said. “And I hear further congratulations are in order. New mate, new pup. I’d have liked to have met them at storyteller’s night, but I don’t trust my night vision the way I used to. You know I don’t let your grandfather drive.”

“I drive just fine,” his grandfather huffed.

“Tell that to the last three squirrels you traumatized, Gramps,” Rusty’s cousin Drake said. “It’s time you let the rest of us drive you when you want to go somewhere.”

“Harrumph,” Rusty’s grandfather grumbled.

The proud, independent wolf didn’t like to ask anyone for anything, and his mate was just as bad. Roark had grown up around them and Rusty’s cousins, who were nervous drivers in winter but still would have taken their grandparents to town if they’d said anything about wanting to go.

“This is Logan,” Rusty said. “I can’t take credit for finding him, though. He mistreated his Talladega and had to bring her to the shop for Rusty to save her.”

“It wasn’t that bad,” Logan grumbled, rubbing the back of his neck, looking sheepish as Rusty introduced them.

“A Talladega, huh?” Rusty’s grandfather said as he pulled a chair closer. “Since we’ve got to wait awhile, you might as well tell me a bit about her. My brother Mason had a ‘69. Got it the year they came out. He used to drive it down the coast every fall and not come back until spring. I envied him and that car.”

“She’s a beauty, for sure, but not suited for these mountains,” Logan replied.

“When am I going to see you and your brood on my doorstep for Sunday dinner?” Rusty’s grandmother asked him.

“Soon, Nana, I promise. We’ve had so much going on since Logan and Wren arrived that we’ve been scrambling to get everyone settled into a routine.”

“I understand perfectly,” she said. “You just let me know when you’re coming out so we can extend the table all the way.”

“I’m shocked it isn’t there now,” Rusty replied. “Don’t Drake, Jason and Dane still live out there?”

“Oh, they do, but Jason and Dane are part of the night patrol now, so they’re on a different schedule than the rest of the house,” she said. “It was nice to have Tyler around the place again.”

“Nana, don’t let him hear you call him that in front of any of these guys,” Rusty hissed.

“What’s he going to do to stop me?” She asked. “That’s his name. I’m not calling him by his hair color. If I do, I’d have to do that with all of you boys, and I draw the line at calling any of my grandpups Carrot.”

Cage snorted, slapped a hand to his lips, and rushed to the washroom, hunched over, coffee dripping from between his fingers as he fled. Laughter echoed through the closed door. He wasn’t the only one who was cracking up.

“Was it something I said?” Rusty’s grandmother asked.

“I love you, Nana,” Rusty said as he stood and crossed the space between the chairs to give her a hug.

“I love you too,” she said. “Now. Have you called your parents yet?”

“No, I…” Rusty stammered, before sighing and rubbing the back of his neck. “They aren’t exactly on the best of terms.”

“Doesn’t matter if they’re not speaking or only talking so they can cuss each other out,” Nana said. “That’s their son in there, so either you get on the phone, or I will.”

Roark sat holding Logan’s hand while Rusty fished his phone out of his pocket.

“You two don’t have to stick around,” Rusty said.

As if.