“I’ll say it again, Travis. She’s your sister. And if she needs help, that’s all that should matter. I don’t care who she brings home with her.”

“Let’s face it, little brother, Sissy Mae is a—”

Sammy held up his hand, cutting Travis off. He loved his baby sister and wouldn’t let anyone call her that. At least not to her face. Or his. “Let’s understand each other, Travis. You call her what you’re about to call her, and it’ll be a dark day for both of us. Understand me?”

Travis shook his head. “Always protecting her.”

“Only from you. She or that cat shouldn’t have to do a damn thing to stay here, and you know it.”

“But he will.” Travis picked up all his stuff to bring to the field and walked over to his brother. “And if you have a problem with that, little brother, you’re more than welcome to do something about it.”

When Sammy didn’t say or do anything, Travis snorted and walked out.

“I can’t believe I’m back here again.” Sissy looked around the huge football field. The town boasted several. One for midget football, one for the junior high and high school kids, and this one, which was reserved for town-against-town battles. Every Saturday during her summers growing up in Smithtown had been spent here. When she and Ronnie Lee had left, she swore never to come back to this damn field. But here she was.

And the Smithtown Field wasn’t just a plain old field with some markers up to show boundaries. It was a low-level outdoor stadium where any semipro team would be proud to play.

Even though the home game against the bears wasn’t until the Saturday after next, they still sold the usual hot dogs and burgers during all practices for those who came to watch. But Sissy and Ronnie bypassed that for a couple of hot coffees from the Starbucks across the street.

As they walked toward the cushioned bleachers, Sissy looked over and watched Mitch catch a perfect pass. She knew he still hurt a bit, but he didn’t show it. Instead, he caught the ball and looked downright bored by the throw.

She smiled.

“So what’s going on with you and Mitch?”

Startled, Sissy glanced at her friend. “Nothing. Why?”

And that’s when her best friend of more than twenty-five years slapped her in the back of the head.

“Ow!” Sissy stopped walking and glared at Ronnie. “What was that for?”

“Because you’re an idiot, Sissy Mae Smith.”

Sissy didn’t understand Ronnie sometimes. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about…shit.”

Immediately, Sissy checked her bare feet. “Where? I don’t smell anything.” But when Sissy looked back up, Ronnie wasn’t looking at theground but behind Sissy.

She turned and looked up into eyes she would have done anything for…when she was sixteen.

“Gil.” Her ex.

He smiled. “Hey, sweetheart.”

Mitch easily caught the ball, and he could tell by the wolf’s face that he really thought he’d motored that ball right at him. Canines. Ya just had to love ’em.

They’d started off taking it easy on him because they knew he was still healing. But that didn’t last long when nothing they did seemed to faze him.

“You up to trying a few passes?” Travis asked.

After finally meeting Sissy’s brother, Mitch knew for sure he didn’t like the guy. Where Smitty had a heart, Travis had nothing but an empty hole.

Mitch moved his shoulder around. It hurt, but if he soaked it tonight, the pain would be tolerable in the morning. “Yeah. Sure.”

Travis motioned one of the guys out, and Mitch threw the ball. The wolf caught it, but was slammed back several feet. Startled, he looked at Travis.

“Not bad.”

“I know.”

“I’m sure my sister told you the requirements for staying.”

Mitch smiled. “Let’s face it, Smith. You need me more than I need you. Especially if you want to win against the bears. Right?”

“Yeah. And?”

“I’ll play.”

“But what do ya want? ’Cause I know you want something.”

“My brother on the team.”

Travis’s mouth dropped open, and for a brief moment, he lost that annoyingly cool expression he seemed to wear at all times. “Fumble Paws? Forget it.”

“Make him offensive line. He’ll never have to touch a ball. But either he’s in…or I’m out.”

Travis glanced over his shoulder at Bren sitting on the bench…well, it was more like pouting on the bench.

“And make it sound like ya mean it.”

Letting out a sigh Mitch often heard from Sissy, Travis called out, “Hey, Shaw, you want in?”

Bren sat up straight. “Me? Yeah!”

He charged out on the field like he’d been called to pick up his Olympic gold medal.

“This better work,” Travis snarled at Mitch.

“Leave him with me.” Mitch looked around for Ronnie so he could let her know. But he caught sight of some guy talking to Sissy.

Grabbing Travis’s arm before he could walk away, he asked, “Who’s that?”

Travis looked in Sissy’s direction. “Oh. Him. That’s Gil Warren.”

“He’s part of the Pack?

“Today. He comes and goes.”

“Why’s he talking to Sissy?”