Feral glanced at several websites on the best ways to romance women. Some of the tips were stupid, but he’d try them. Must be a human thing. Reysha walked past him and gave him a look of frustration as she headed to the kitchen. Then Ramsey came to say goodnight.

“I had a good time today,” she said, her wet hair brushed back and her Hello Kitty pajamas bright with color. “I ate a lot of burgers for lunch, so I’m not hungry. Mama said I don’t have to eat dinner.” She leaned in and whispered, “She never lets me go to bed without eating. I think Mama’s tired.” She grinned. “I’m glad I got lost. I met Sage. I like her, Uncle Feral. She’s nice.”

He kissed her cheek and met her gaze. “I’m sorry I couldn’t find you, Ramsey. That will never happen again.”

She grinned. “It’s okay, Uncle Feral. I know it was because I left with Sage. I would have waited for you, but she was worried about me and I didn’t like smelling her fear. So I went with her.” She bit her bottom lip, insecurity filling her eyes. “I hope that was okay.”

“Yes, love,” he told her, pulling her in for a hug. “It was fine. You did good today.”

She kissed his cheek and giggled. “Your beard is growing, it tickles. Uncle Feral,” Ramsey gave him an innocent look, “will you play tea party with me before bed?”

How could he say no to Ramsey? She was too young and sweet. She also knew just how to smile at him to get him feeling guilty. He got up and followed her to her bedroom. Thankfully, there was nobody around to see Ramsey pull him into her curtain-fort.

“Sit down, Uncle Feral. I have your favorite tea ready,” she said, filling pink plastic tea cups with what he knew was bottled water. She handed him a tea cup and lifted her own, pinky out, to toast with him. “Uncle Feral?”

He smiled and picked up the tea cup, inhaled dramatically and groaned. “This smells delicious, Ramsey. You make the best tea.” He searched the table. “But where are my biscuits?”

She giggled and shushed him. “Mama is gonna hear you. Then she’s gonna send me to bed. We have no biscuits today. Mama didn’t make any.”

“What?” he asked in a shocked voice. “I thought you were baking those. Have you been tricking me, young lady?”

Ramsey giggled harder. “Maybe. I make good biscuits, too. Mama makes the best. Drink your tea. It’s gonna get cold.”

He sipped from the small tea cup and sighed. “That’s a very good tea. I think you should have your own tea house when you grow up.”

Her eyes widened and a smile grew on her lips. “Really?”

“I’ve told you that before. Don’t act so surprised,” he said, sipping the rest of the water. “You know your tea is the only tea I drink. I prefer coffee.”

She nodded, excitedly. “You need the caffeine to help you deal with the bull—”

“Hey! I don’t think we want you saying whatever that was you were about to say or your mom will have my head.”

Ramsey laughed, her cheeks pink with color. “You’re the best, Uncle Feral. I love you.”

He got out of the fort and lifted her into his arms, giving her a big hug. She smiled and kissed him on the nose. “Goodnight, Uncle Feral. Be nice to Sage. I like her.”

He laid her in her bed and tucked her in. “Goodnight, sweetheart.”

“Uncle Feral?”

He stopped at the door and turned to Ramsey. “Yes, love?”

“You need a nice girl like Sage. Then you’ll smile more.”

* * *

He sat alone thinking about what Ramsey said before he was called to join the others for dinner. Hawk showed up just in time. The meal was quiet. Spent mostly with Reysha telling Sage about their pride and Sage asking intelligent questions about living on a mountain.

“My sister, Zuri, she’s mated to a bear shifter,” Sage told Reysha. “She also lives high up in a mountain. I worry about her being almost an hour from us, but her husband takes good care of her.”

“Shifters are good men,” Reysha smiled. “When they don’t assume things.”

Feral knew what his sister was doing. She was still angry and she would be for a while. Not much he could do about that. Sage, on the other hand, he decided to try the first tip the website mentioned. Give her his full attention.

He could do that. Feral wouldn’t take his gaze off Sage. He watched her eat and loved how she broke pieces of her dinner roll into tiny bites to pop them into her mouth. Every time she ate a piece of the chicken casserole Reysha made, she hummed with appreciation.

“This is really good,” she told Reysha.

His sister beamed. She was told she was a great cook all the time by the family, but Sage was someone who’d done something kind for Reysha and feeding her was only a small way for her to show Sage she was appreciated.

“I’m so glad you like it. I have some pie I made yesterday for dessert. Would you like coffee with it?”

“Sure,” Sage grinned, the smile transforming her face and making her even more beautiful than when she’d been glaring daggers at him.

“What do you do, Sage?” Hawk asked, frowning at Feral.

“I’m an interior decorator for big hotel companies and resorts. I do a model look for them for several suites and rooms and then their staff copies them.” She put her fork down and gave Feral a quick glance across the table before going back to ignoring him.

“That sounds like you need to be very creative,” Hawk said. “You must have a lot of talent.”

Her cheeks turned a delightful shade of pink on her pale skin and she fidgeted in her seat. “I guess. I make most of my own clothes, too.”

“Really?” Reysha asked with enthusiasm. “I love to sew. I’ve been making Ramsey’s and the baby’s things for a long time.”

“It’s very therapeutic, isn’t it?” Sage smiled and glanced at Feral again. She frowned and turned to the piece of pie Reysha placed in front of her. “This looks great. What kind of pie is it?”

“Cherry. It’s Ramsey’s favorite. Do you have a favorite dessert, Sage?” Hawk asked, picking up a cup of coffee and taking a sip.

“Cake. I’m a huge cake fan. My sister Isaline loves all food, but I’m the dessert freak. My mom has a bakery back in Full Moon Bay. She makes all kinds of amazing stuff. Her shop is pretty popular. She gets tons of online orders from all over the US and her cherry pie is to die for.”

Reysha turned to Hawk with a grin. “We’ll have to make sure we order some for Ramsey.”

Hawk winked at Reysha. “And maybe a banana cream pie for you.”

She kissed him and asked him to take out the trash while she checked on Ramsey, leaving Feral and Sage together. Alone. He’d been paying attention to everything Sage did and said the entire time and wondered if it worked.

“Stop that!” she hissed, narrowing her eyes.

“What?”

“Stop staring at me,” she said. “It’s creepy. I’m not sure what you’re trying to do, but if you’re hoping to make me uncomfortable enough to leave, you’re damn close.”

Shit. Paying her attention had only made things worse. Fucking Google.