The Werewolf Meets His Match (Nocturne Falls Book 2)

by Kristen Painter

  Amazing how your life could change so quickly. In such a great and unexpected way.

  What hadn’t changed was his need to get to work. He got up, grabbed a quick shower and headed downstairs in his uniform. “Morning.”

  Ivy smiled at him with the sort of knowing look that told him she’d been very happy with his performance last night. Not a bad way to be sent off to work at all. “Morning, tiger.”

  Charlie looked up from a plate of scrambled eggs, his eyes going big at the sight of Hank in his uniform. “Are you a cop?”

  “I’m a sheriff.”

  “Is that a real gun?”

  “It is.”

  “Do you arrest bad guys?”

  “I do. And sometimes bad women.” He shot a glance at Ivy, who gave him the don’t-you-dare-tell look.

  “Wow.” Charlie’s eyes hadn’t left the gold star on Hank’s chest.

  “You want to come down to the station later and take the secret tour?”

  He whipped around to look at Ivy. “Can I, Mom?”

  “You bet.” She raised her brows at Hank. “Around lunch?”

  “Sounds great.”

  “That’ll give me time to take him to the walk in clinic for a quick check up. How about some breakfast?”

  “Love some, but I don’t have time.”

  “Already thought of that.” She passed him a wax-paper-wrapped bacon and egg sandwich and a travel mug of coffee.

  He shook his head. “You’re something else, you know that? I could get used to this.”

  She winked at him. “Just taking care of you.”

  “I love it.” He lifted the sandwich and the coffee. “I’ll make sure Birdie’s free in case you need her.”

  “I think I can manage. Besides, Birdie will probably have wedding fever today. I’m sure she thinks there are still a million things to do.”

  “In that case, Charlie can hang out at the station with me until it’s time to go.” He started for the garage door, then paused. “Why would there be a million things left to do? We’re still doing the justice of the peace thing, right?”

  “About that…”

  “That sounds ominous.”

  “Do you own a tux?”

  He frowned. “Do I look like a guy who owns a tux?”

  “Then you need to get over to Corette’s and get one.” She tapped a finger on her chin. “Hmm. Charlie might need one, too.”

  “What’s a tux?” Charlie asked.

  “A monkey suit,” Hank answered.

  “I’m not wearing one of those,” Charlie said.

  “Hank.” Ivy narrowed her eyes.

  Hank nudged Charlie with his elbow. “Hey, if I have to, you have to. Besides, your mom wants us to look nice. Plus, we can be monkeys together.”

  “Can I have a badge like yours?” Charlie asked.

  “I can arrange that.” Hank pushed the stopper back on the mug and took a sip of coffee. The kid was all right.

  “Fine, I’ll wear one. But I probably won’t like it.” Charlie went back to eating his eggs.

  Ivy laughed and shook her head. “Why do I feel like you two are forming some kind of alliance against me?”

  Hank swallowed. “We’re wearing the suits, aren’t we?”

  “Thankfully. Do you really have to go right now?”

  He looked at his watch. He could skip checking in on Bridget one morning. “I could stay another fifteen minutes if you need me.”

  “I do. I haven’t had a chance to get a shower. Can you hang out with him until I’m done?”

  “Sure.” He’d wanted to talk to Charlie alone anyway.

  “Great. I’ll be fast.” She put down the dish towel she was holding and ran upstairs.

  When he heard the water start running, he turned to Charlie. “You know your mom and I are getting married today.”

  The little boy nodded. “I know.”

  “What do you think about it?”

  “I think it’s good.”

  “I’m glad you approve. That’s important to me.” He hesitated, not exactly sure how to phrase his next question. The last thing he wanted was to upset Charlie. “Can I ask you some questions about the night you were supposed to turn?”

  Charlie frowned. “I guess.”

  “I just want to know what happened. How you felt.”

  “I didn’t turn, you know.”

  “I know. How did that make you feel?”

  Charlie put his fork down and stared at his plate. “I felt bad. And scared.”

  “Because you couldn’t turn? Or something else?”

  He shrugged and went quiet for a long second. “I asked Grandpa what to do, and he said no one in his family needed directions.” His little shoulders rounded. “Then everybody else but Mom turned into wolves, and they were really big and all around me, and Grandpa’s wolf growled at me.”

  Poor kid. Hank stayed quiet and let him talk.

  “Mom picked me up, but Grandpa turned back into himself again and told me to stop being a baby and just shift.” Charlie sniffed. “I couldn’t. I didn’t know how.”

  Being able to shift wasn’t really something that could be taught. It just happened. But Hank was starting to question Charlie’s inability to shift. Getting growled at by his grandfather couldn’t have been a very encouraging environment. “Do you ever feel different as the full moon approaches?”

  Charlie looked up at him. “I dunno.”

  Hank took another sip of his coffee. “The full moon makes me want to run around. I feel like I have extra energy.”

  Charlie nodded. “Yeah, I feel like that sometimes. Like…now a little bit.”

  “You want to run around now?”

  He lifted one shoulder. “Kinda.”

  “You want to play a little game with me?”

  He perked up. “Okay. What is it?”

  “Follow me.” Hank put the coffee and sandwich down then jogged up the stairs.

  Charlie raced alongside, following Hank into the room that held his gym equipment. Time to see if Hank could get a clue about what was going on with Charlie.

  “I’ll do something, then you do it.” Hank grabbed the chin-up bar and knocked out five pull-ups, counting them out as he did, then dropped to the floor. “Your turn.”

  “No fair.” Charlie crossed his arms, a mini-version of Ivy. “I can’t reach it.”

  “That’s okay, I’ll lift you up.”

  Charlie stuck his hands up, ready to be lifted. Hank picked him up, and the little boy grabbed hold of the bars.

  “I’m letting go.”

  “Okay.”

  Hank took his hands off Charlie, and the kid did five without blinking an eye. “Wow. Good job, Charlie. Can you do more?”

  Grinning broadly, Charlie did another five reps.

  Hank smiled. The kid definitely had the strength of a shifter. “You won that one. Do you want me to lift you down?”

  “No.” Charlie glanced at the floor but didn’t let go.

  “It’s not far,” Hank said. “You can do it.”

  “I know.” Charlie took a breath and dropped, landing lightly on his feet.

  Hank stuck his fist out. “Nicely done, kiddo.”

  Charlie bumped his little fist against Hank’s. “Now what?”

  “We’ll play the rest of the game this afternoon.”

  “What game is that?” Ivy walked in, towel-drying her hair and wearing jeans and a T-shirt.

  “It’s guy stuff.” Hank winked at her.

  “Yeah,” Charlie said. “Guy stuff.”

  Amusement sparkled in her eyes. “All righty then.” She looked at Hank. “Don’t you need to get to the station?”

  “I do.”

  “And you.” She pointed at Charlie. “You need a bath, son.”

  “Aw, Mom, do I have to?”

  “Yes. Bathroom. March.”

  Charlie dragged himself out of the room like he suddenly weighed a thousand pounds.

  Hank snorted out a laugh, then gav
e her a quick kiss before heading out. “See you at lunch.”

  “See you,” she called after him.

  Birdie was already at her desk when he got in. “What are you doing here?” she asked “You have a wedding to get ready for.”

  He stopped to pick up his messages. “I’m getting a tux from Corette this afternoon. Other than that, I just have to show up.”

  “Men.” She shook her head. “You haven’t done a thing to help with this wedding.”

  “I called the J.O.P. That was a thing.” He gave her a sharp look. “You’re talking about it like it’s the event of the year. We’re going to the courthouse at five o’clock. There’s nothing to prepare for.”

  “What about the reception afterwards?”

  His eyes narrowed. “What reception?”

  “For your guests.”

  “We haven’t invited anyone.”

  “Not even Titus and Bridget? And if you think you’re keeping me away—”

  He raised his hand. “Okay, I get it.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “What do we need to do?”

  “I’ve already done it. The reception is in the back room at Howler’s. Bridget is setting up a buffet dinner, so nothing fancy, but it is what it is. Delaney Ellingham is making the cake, so of course she and Hugh are invited. And with Corette helping with the wedding attire, it only made sense to ask her and Stanhill to attend as well. And isn’t Ivy’s brother still in town? Plus a few other people.”

  For the first time in his life, Hank was slightly afraid of his aunt. “How many is a few?”

  With the most challenging expression she’d ever given him, she answered, “Fifty. Ish.”

  He held his hands up in defeat and walked toward his office. “As long as you’re handling it, fine.”

  “I’ve already made you an appointment at Corette’s this afternoon for your tux. You’re welcome.”

  He paused at the door. “Call her and tell her I’m going to need a second one.”

  “No need. Titus got fitted for his this morning. I assumed you’d want him for your best man.”

  “Good. Yes.” Actually, he hadn’t figured he needed a best man, but if anyone was going to fill that role, it would be Titus. “But I wasn’t talking about him. I need to get a tux for Charlie, Ivy’s son. And your soon-to-be great-nephew.”

  A little gasp escaped Birdie and she lit up in the most female of ways. “He’s here?”

  Hank nodded. “He’ll be coming in with Ivy for lunch.”

  She clapped her hands together in front of her heart. “My first grandnephew. Oh my stars.”

  He gestured at the phone. “Corette?”

  “Yes! Right on it! How old is he?”

  “Seven.”

  Another gasp. “Seven. How precious.”

  “Corette.”

  “One more thing,” Birdie started. “I called Belinda.”

  Hank eyed her suspiciously. “My parents already know I’m getting married. My father started it, remember?”

  “Yes, but I invited them. I figured they had time to make it after all, so—”

  “Where are they staying?” In theory, it wasn’t fair to Ivy that his parents were coming and hers weren’t, but he was certain she’d be fine with it.

  “Bridget’s. They should be here just in time to make the ceremony.” She made a slightly apologetic face. Wasn’t one he was used to seeing. “I hope that was okay.”

  “It’s fine.” He pointed at the phone again. “Corette.”

  As soon as Birdie actually made contact with the receiver, Hank closed his office door and started going through the day’s paperwork. Sadly, his brain had been infected by Birdie, and he couldn’t stop feeling like he was forgetting something.

  He went back out to the reception area.

  Birdie frowned. “If you’re going to argue this wedding thing with me again, I swear I will quit.”

  “Would that be your wedding gift to me, then?”

  “You’re a horrible child.”

  He sighed. “I feel like I’ve forgotten something. Is there anything the groom is supposed to be doing?”

  “Yes, but we’ve opted to leave you out of the planning because of your attitude.”

  He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to find the fortitude to get through this conversation. “Everything is done? You don’t need me to do anything? Pick anything up?”

  “Get your tux this afternoon, and we’re good. Assuming you got the rings?”

  “I got the engagement ring.”

  “You need wedding bands, too.”

  He groaned. “On it.”

  He went back to his office and called Willa.

  “Illusions, Willa speaking.”

  “Hello, Willa. It’s Hank Merrow. Thanks again for delivering the ring to the station.”

  “Hi, Sheriff. You’re welcome. Was she surprised?”

  “Very. She loved it.”

  “Wonderful. What can I do for you today?”

  He stifled a sigh. “I need wedding bands.”

  “I can fix you up with that no problem. I already know Ivy’s size, but you’ll have to come in so I can measure you. When do you need them?”

  “By five.”

  “Oh. In that case, you’d better come now in case I have to size yours.”

  “I’ll be right down.” Wasn’t like he was going to get any work done today anyway. “Would you like to come to the reception? I know it’s short notice, but seeing as how you helped us with the rings and all…”

  “I’d love to, but I have a meeting with a customer for a new custom piece this evening. I’d move the appointment, but they drove all the way up from Florida. I told Birdie it was sweet of her to ask.”

  “Birdie already invited you?”

  “Mm-hmm,” Willa answered.

  “Of course she did.” The sigh slipped out. “I’ll be down in ten minutes.”

  Getting rings took longer than Hank anticipated once Willa showed him all the different styles to choose from. He ended up with a plain one for himself and a diamond one for Ivy that Willa said would match her engagement ring nicely.

  Then he asked Willa for one more very special thing, explaining the situation. Fortunately, she was happy to oblige and had just the thing whipped up for him in about ten minutes. He took that gift with him as well and headed back to work.

  As he reached the station on his return, Ivy and Charlie were coming from the other direction. Charlie ran up to him, looking less than happy. “What’s wrong, kiddo?”

  “I start school on Monday.”

  Ivy laughed. “It’s not school, it’s camp. The receptionist at the clinic told me about a three day summer sports camp that starts on Monday, so I got him registered. She said it’s all the same kids Charlie will be going to school with so I thought it would be a good way for him to make some friends. Maybe meet some kids he can hang out with over the summer.”

  “Good call. How was his check up?”

  “Other than the bruise, he’s fine.”

  “Even better.” Hank reached for the station door. “You ready for that tour, Charlie?”

  Charlie’s face brightened. “Totally.”

  “First, there’s someone who’s dying to meet you. Your new aunt, Birdie. C’mon.” Hank pulled the door open, and Charlie took a few tentative steps inside with Ivy and Hank right behind him.

  Birdie looked up from her desk, saw Charlie and smiled. “Is this the new deputy you hired, Sheriff?”

  “It is.”

  Charlie grinned but stood close to Ivy’s leg. “I’m not a deputy.”

  “Not yet,” Hank said. “We’ll get you that star and swear you in right after the tour.”

  Birdie stuck her hand out to Charlie. “Hi, Charlie. I’m going to be your new aunt. It’s very nice to meet you. You’re very handsome.”

  He shook her hand and retreated to Ivy’s leg, hiding his face against her jeans.

  Hank put his hand on the boy’s shoulders. “Birdie, wou
ld you mind taking the rest of the day to help Ivy with—”

  Birdie was out of her seat, purse in hand. “Wedding things? I’m on it. But you have an appointment at Corette’s. There won’t be anyone on duty.”

  “Blythe and Cruz are coming in.”

  Deputy Blythe stuck her head out from the back room. “I’m already here. And Cruz is right behind me clocking in.”

  Hank gave Ivy’s hand a squeeze. “I guess I’ll see you at the J.O.P’s office. Five o’clock. Don’t be late.”

  She laughed and kissed his cheek. “Same goes for you and Charlie.”

  “We’ll be there. So will my parents.”

  Ivy smiled and nodded, the slightest bit of shock and stiffness in her face. “I have to meet them sometime.”

  “They’ll love you. Don’t worry about it.”

  “Let’s hope.”

  Before Hank could say anything else, Birdie took Ivy’s arm and led her out of the station, keeping up a constant buzz of wedding conversation that Hank was happy not to be a part of.

  He introduced Charlie to Blythe and Cruz, then took him for a tour of the station, which didn’t take long because there wasn’t that much to it. From there, they walked down to Corette’s, where she worked her magic, literally and figuratively, to get them fitted for their suits and out the door in less than thirty minutes.

  Hank carried the garment bags back to the patrol car. “You ready to go home? We have a little time before we have to get ready.”

  Charlie pointed eagerly at the car. “We’re gonna ride in that?”

  “Yep. And we’re going to play the second part of our game when we get there.” Hank had a theory about Charlie’s shifting that he wanted to test. If he was right, and he had a pretty good feeling he was, then Charlie was about to have a very interesting afternoon.

  Ivy wanted to sink through the floor of Howler’s and disappear. With each person Hank’s aunt ticked off the guest list to Bridget, Ivy cringed. Birdie had apparently invited everyone she knew to the reception. It was worth repeating that that included Hank’s parents. No pressure there.

  What had started as a simple reception was becoming a party for at least seventy-five people. Maybe a hundred with the plus ones. It was asking a lot for Bridget to accommodate all of them, not to mention the costs they were incurring. Her gaze settled on her ring, a beautiful reminder that Hank didn’t seem worried about money, but still. Asking for so much always left her feeling guilty.