Sorry, Charlie (Poconos Pack) Read Online Free PDF Page A

thumb toward Charlie. “And she’ll have the same.”
    “I will?” Charlie was amused. Ever since she’d made friends with Chela, the woman was constantly trying to feed her. Charlie was charmed by it, but she was going to need to buy bigger jeans if she ate all the food Chela got for her.
    “You didn’t have breakfast yet. I can hear your stomach rumbling.” Chela patted Charlie’s hand. “Don’t worry, what you don’t eat Belle will.”
    Belle nodded. “I’m hungry.” Belle glared at the world in general. “Nobody likes it when I’m hungry.”
    The waitress fled, running for the kitchen.
    “Now see what you did?” Chela gently scolded Belle.
    Belle shrugged. “I’ll be nicer when the pain meds kick in.” She leaned back, sighing wearily. “The rain’s been killing me.”
    “What do you need me to do?” Charlie pulled out her notebook from the briefcase she’d set on the floor when she’d arrived in the restaurant. They had these informal breakfast meetings several times a week, allowing Belle to give both Chela and Charlie their marching orders for the day. Even though Charlie worked for both Dave and Belle, she tended to do more for Belle than her de facto boss. Ski season was over, but that didn’t mean the Lodge wasn’t busy. Rick had been smart when he took over the Pack. He’d renovated extensively, making the Red Wolf Lodge something to be proud of.
    The Pocono Mountains were a ski and resort area in Northeastern Pennsylvania, a southern part of the Catskills mountain chain, and was roughly two hours away from Halle. The Lodge boasted of two ski runs, one bunny and one intermediate. It also held a four-star restaurant, an onsite day spa, and rooms in the main lodge for guests, as well as rental cabins on the west side of the mountain. The east side was reserved for the Pack members and their families who worked for the lodge. There was a full gym, babysitting services offered by some of the Pack females, and even a small golf course. All of it sat on about three thousand acres, a third of which was forested. Hiking and horseback riding were popular in the spring, bringing enthusiasts from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York year round. The banquet facilities boasted glass walls that gave you a stunning view of the mountains. Winter weddings were popular, and she was pretty sure the place was booked for the next year.
    Charlie loved living in the Poconos. She loved living in a place that had more than one season. She loved the snow in the winter, the flowers in the spring, the indoor facilities and the warmth with which the inner circle had accepted her. Part of her job was to be the go-between for Belle’s restaurant and Dave’s banquet facilities. It was a demanding job, an exhausting job, and she loved every second of it.
    “Nuh-uh. Put that away. We have other dogs to fry.” Belle waved her hand toward the notebook. “Let’s have a party.”
    Chela and Charlie exchanged glances. Chela was worried, but Charlie felt more amused than anything. She was pretty sure the whole Lodge could catch fire and she’d feel the same. Today was a good day.
    “Excuse me?” Chela said. “For who?”
    “Why, Charlie and Ted, of course.” Belle was starting to get that look on her face, the one that told Charlie her friend was up to mischief. “And we need to make sure we invite the Lowes. After all, it’s not every day the Leo’s sister mates.”
    “You’re doing this to teach Ted a lesson, aren’t you?” Charlie started to smile. Ted needed to get over his fear of her brother, either by hook or by crook. With Belle in charge, it would more than likely be crook. She cocked her head, thinking as fast as she could. “My favorite color is brick red. Just in case you’re thinking formal.”
    Belle’s wicked expression became downright evil. “I think it should definitely be formal.”
    This put a smile on Chela’s face. “I can’t remember the last time I saw Steve in a