Silver Wolf Clan by Tera Shanley

training?”
    She shrugged as if his scrutiny made her self-conscious. “I’m a graphic designer. Art classes came with the college major and now I make a living from it. I have a website called Dewdrop Designs. I create and sell custom labels, letterheads, holiday cards, business cards, company logos…you name it, I can probably come up with a couple of concepts for you to look at. It pays the bills and there is a little left over for me to go to boxing classes once a week. I used to work for a big design company downtown before Marianna passed away, but when I found out I was to take care of Lana, I quit so I could work from home.” She looked affectionately at the child, who was squishing noodles between her fingers. “She’s been through a lot and I want to be there for her as much as I can.”
    His initial reaction to her home was regrettable. She was young, and a surprise single mom making things work. The interior of the house didn’t much match the outside. It was neat, with tasteful paint colors and homey touches. It was clear she’d put a lot into fixing up the place to make it comfortable for their little family of two.
    It was more than he could do. Wolf wouldn’t even let him hold down a job without the threat of impending assault charges from annoying co-workers. His mood plummeted. How would he ever be able to provide for a family, for them, someday? He clenched his fists a few times and tried to refocus before dinner was ruined with his endless shortcomings.
    He set the table as she removed steaming pots from the stove and oven. It smelled so good, his stomach had been rumbling from the moment he walked in the door. She’d made chicken baked in cracker crumbs, mashed potatoes, vegetables, fruit salad, and homemade rolls. Morgan fixed a plate for Lana while Grey poured glasses of wine for them and a tiny cup of sparkling grape juice for the girl.
    “What did you ladies do today?” he asked as he settled into a chair.
    “We went grocery shopping—” Morgan started.
    “And I got a Ring Pop,” Lana said. “Morgan said I can have it if I’m not a kraken at dinner.”
    Morgan sat wide eyed with her hands in her lap. “Well, I said if you weren’t a cretin. But maybe they’re the same thing.”
    Surprised, Grey huffed a short laugh. “I can’t imagine you being anything but a well behaved little girl.”
    “I throw tantrums.” Lana beseeched him with such honesty in her solemn gray eyes. “Morgan says she has to use brivery to keep me in line.”
    “That’s bribery—”
    “You’re cute. Morgan said so.”
    “Okay, that’s good, Lana,” Morgan said. “Eat your macaroni.”
    Grey looked from her to Lana, and back again with a growing grin. “You said you think I’m cute?”
    Morgan’s lips pursed and pink tinged her cheeks in the most adorable show of embarrassment he’d ever witnessed. “Well, yes, but I was just explaining to Lana—”
    Lana gulped a bite. “Food comes from your booty but water comes from your penis. And apple juice.”
    “Lana! Your Ring Pop is on the line, little miss.”
    “Why? I don’t have a penis. He does because he’s a boy but I don’t because I’m a girl.” Lana shoveled another bite of noodles into her tiny maw. “That’s what you said, remember?”
    “Oh my gosh,” Morgan whispered as she covered the rising color of her cheeks with her palms as if they would cool the warmth there.
    The effort not to burst into laughter and encourage the child was gargantuan. It had been so long since he’d heard something so entertaining. And the grin stretching across his face felt good. He tried honestly to divert his attention to eating, but couldn’t keep his gaze from Morgan for long. Damn, she was beautiful. Her self-consciousness made him want to pull her close and give her other things to think about.
    Concentrating on his dinner seemed like the wisest idea. If he stared at her lips for another second as she made apologies, he was going to