Lola & the Millionaires: Part One (Sweet Omegaverse #2)(65)

“I’m…I’m trying not to overdo it,” I said, looking back to the table I was dressing. “But do you think candles would be nice?”

The dinner party, if it could be called that, was my idea. It was just a few extra seats shy of being a family dinner, but the nature of the event had convinced Carolyn to come, as well as Lola’s cousin, David. Lola had been slipping in and out of the house for the past two weeks—basically as often as Rake and Leo could convince her to come—and while she joined the pack for meals, she still seemed slightly ill at ease. I was hoping tonight might change the atmosphere just enough for her to feel less like she was intruding on the pack, and more like she could see herself as a part of the company.

The dining room was long and somewhat narrow, thin mirrored panels along the walls to give the space more depth and warm sconce lighting. We’d have more than enough room at the table with just the nine of us, and I’d taken advantage of the extra space with careful floral arrangements.

“I like candlelight,” Lola said with a nod. She padded into the room barefoot and stood across the table from me. “These are beautiful,” she added, reaching out to touch the flowers I’d pulled from the gardens, spindling ferns mixed with low dark buds and blooms, and thin long-stemmed herbs hanging out of vases. “You’ve taken so much time on this dinner.”

“I have more fun planning than I do at the events, to be honest,” I said, and then rushed to correct myself. “Not that tonight will be stressful, of course. David’s an old friend.”

Lola smiled at that and shrugged. “I’m already a little nervous.”

“Because it’s the whole pack?” I asked, frowning. She’d seemed more at ease in the past week, less watchful of her surroundings in the house and less inclined to stiffen when one of us entered the room.

“No. Because I don’t think I’ve ever been to a dinner party before. Not one that wasn’t really a potluck,” she said, grinning.

I glanced down at the plates and tableware I’d already laid out. Maybe I needed to simplify a little. We didn’t need the full set of china.

“If you go to the mirror three to the left of you and press in, you should find the candles inside,” I said.

Lola turned to the wall and moved to where I pointed, pressing against the surface. “Oh, that’s cool!”

“If you choose a mix of lanterns and candlesticks, I’ll make us both a drink to help burn off our nerves. How does that sound?”

Lola hesitated, her face barely in profile, and a dark cloud settled on my shoulders. She didn’t want an alpha making her a drink. That monster Wes was hunting had turned her inside out, had shown her the worst of my designation. And I didn’t know how to prove to her that I wasn’t a threat.

“A drink sounds nice,” Lola said, reaching into the hidden cabinet. “Better not make it too strong though. I don’t drink much.”

The cloud evaporated. “Two very mild drinks coming up,” I said, hurrying out of the room to head for the bar.

Trust would come with time and good experiences. That was what tonight was for.





Lola was tucked between David and Leo in the corner of the long couch—red lips curled in an almost permanent smile, cheeks rosy from dinner, and a long series of drinks. There was a glass in her hand against her lap, ice melted and the contents forgotten.

“You’re watching her,” Rake whispered in my ear.

My eyes flicked to him, his chin landing on my shoulder and Cyrus close on his other side.

“I know,” I whispered back, face flushing.

“Cute,” Rake said, his smile smug. I shook my head minutely.

Rake probably wouldn’t announce my interest in Lola. He wouldn’t want to jeopardize her comfort with our pack. But he wouldn’t let me forget he knew either.

“…So I let them carry on trying to fit that juniors dress on their horrid mannequins…” David rattled on in his story and Lola’s giggle sounded from the corner, her head leaning against Leo’s shoulder.

David’s attendance at the dinner had been a roaring success. Rake and Leo didn’t seem surprised by Lola’s almost effervescent mood, but it was clear on Matthieu and Wes’ faces that they were as awed to see the generally subdued young woman in stitches and smiles. Lola took another sip of her drink, one of many I’d made for her throughout the night by her own request.

She wiggled forward between the two men, Leo’s hand wrapped around her side, and set the drink down with a thunk before dropping back into Leo’s chest, allowing him to pull her closer. Her gaze was drowsy and warm, body limp and relaxed, and I realized with a quick glance around the room that it wasn’t just me staring. My entire pack’s focus was drifting to her.

With a quick glance at Carolyn, I wondered if there was a subtle way to remind Matthieu to pay attention to his girlfriend.

“Would anyone like another drink?” I asked, rising up from the end of the couch.

Carolyn raised her wine glass, lips pressed in a thin line, as a few voices echoed their thanks.

“I should actually be going,” David said.

“Oh, David,” Lola cried, smile falling.

David rose and smoothed down his suit, reaching out his hand to his cousin. “I know, but it’s late. Downtown streets will be a mess with the partiers if I stay any longer.”