by Hailey Storm
Relief trickled through my system. “Oh, I thought you’d lost it or something.”
“I wouldn’t know what to do with myself if I lost it. Just wanted to give something new a try today,” he said, maintaining eye contact with me as he spoke.
His golden eyes sucked me in.
God, they were beautiful. I found myself secretly thanking whatever made him decide to leave his hat home. I skimmed his profile, taking in his tousled blond locks and baby-smooth face. While I’d always thought he was good-looking, there was something about him today that really had me noticing. It took me a second to put my finger on it, but when I did, I couldn’t help beside chuckle.
“What’s so funny? Do I look that different without it? It’s not like you haven’t seen me minus the hat before. I always take it off before I eat.”
It wasn’t that he was hatless, it was the simple fact that he genuinely seemed happy. There was a smile twisted on his face that seemed real and friendly. Warm. Normally he seemed dark and brooding, but today there was a lightness about him. I wondered what spurred it, knowing it certainly hadn’t been me, considering how fast he’d bolted out of here yesterday.
“No, it’s just that I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile so much before. Happiness looks good on you.”
“The same can be said about you.” He winked before dropping his eyes to the menu in front of him. “You know I don’t need this.” He handed it back to me, his smile still lingering on his face.
I made the mistake of looking into his eyes while reaching for the menu and felt my knees grow weak.
“I kind of figured, but you never know. What can I get you today?” I asked as I tucked the menu beneath my arm and pulled out my notepad and pen.
“I think a Philly sounds good.”
Chill bumps slipped across my arms. It was eerie the way I’d known he would order one of those today.
His cell phone chimed with an incoming text as I jotted down his order. When I glanced up, a frown had replaced the sexy grin that had hung on his face since he stepped through the door. Disappointment shifted through me at the sight of it.
“Bad news?” I asked without meaning to. It was none of my business.
“Unfortunately, yeah.” He tapped out a reply to whoever had messaged him. “I’m gonna have to take that Philly to go.”
The disappointment shifting through my stomach intensified. What was wrong with me? Why was I so upset to see him go?
“Okay, sure. Let me add a note to the bottom of this. I’ll get your order in right away.” I started to walk away, but paused mid-step when I realized I hadn’t taken his drink order. “Oh yeah, and you want water with this or sweet tea?”
“Sweet tea.”
“I’ll have it out to you in a jiffy.” A jiffy? What the hell was a jiffy?
I headed to the kitchen to place his order, bypassing Erica along the way.
“I’m picking up on lots of chemistry between the two of you.” She wiggled her eyebrows.
“Yeah, I don’t think so. All I’m managing to do is make myself look like an idiot. Honestly, I don’t even know why I’m trying.”
“Because he played your knight in shining armor yesterday, even if you overlook the weird way he left. Any woman would be attracted to that type of Alpha-like behavior.”
I mulled over her reasoning while waiting for his Philly to cook. There was a slight chance she could be right. After all, I did think it was hot that he’d jumped in to save me when Bret put his hands on me. There was something to be said for a man who valued a woman’s respect enough to step in when she was being threatened or treated badly.
My eyes shifted to him. He was staring into space with his head propped up on his knuckles. The area between his brows puckered as though he was lost in thought. The look had me wondering what his text message had been about.
By the time his meal was ready, the lines between his brows had softened. I grabbed his bag and the Styrofoam cup of sweet tea and started his way.
“Here you go. I hope your day gets better,” I said as I set his order on the table in front of him.
“Would you like to personally see to it?”
“Excuse me?”
He leaned forward on his elbows. “Have coffee with me tonight.”
“Oh, I um…” I didn’t know what to say. He’d caught me off-guard with his invitation.
“It’s just coffee. Coffee is like a pre-date, isn’t it?”
“I honestly don’t know. I haven’t dated anyone in years.” I clamped my lips shut, unbelieving the words had left my mouth.
“Me neither.”
While I found that hard to believe, I didn’t say so.
“Sure, coffee sounds good.”
His grin widened, accentuating dimples I didn’t know he had. “Well, all right then. Where should I pick you up at?”
I pulled out my notepad and jotted down my address as well as my phone number. After tearing the paper out of my notebook, I handed it to him. Our fingertips brushed one another’s in the process and I swore electric sparks could be felt.
“I’ll be by to pick you up at seven.”
“Okay. See you later.” I spun on my heel, hoping to hide the goofy grin plastering itself on my face before he could see it.
“Absolutely,” I heard him say as I walked to the kitchen.
Erica stood by the sweet tea machine, refilling it for the third time today. When she saw my face she paused.
“What’s that look for?”
“It’s my a sexy cowboy just asked me out to coffee and I said yes look.”
Her blue eyes lit up with excitement. “Oh my God, that’s so exciting!”
“Yeah, I think I’m in shock. I haven’t dated in nearly seven years. What the hell was I thinking?”
Bret and I had been together for a year before we got married. After that we were married for five years before we got separated. As of last week, we’d been separated eight months.
Why had I accepted Tex’s offer? I knew nothing about dating. I was completely out of the game.
“Stop. Don’t even start talking yourself out of going,” Erica insisted. She stepped in front of me and placed one hand on each of my shoulders. “When are you two going out? Tonight?”
“Yes. Seriously, what I was thinking? What do you even talk about with someone when you go out for coffee together? What am I supposed to wear?” Izzy popped into my head and I panicked because I had only a few hours to find a babysitter. Also, she might be coming down with a cold. No one would want to watch my sick kid. “And what am I going to do with Izzy? I can’t ask Mom to watch her again tonight. She’s already watched her a couple times this week so I could finish the mural at Dr. Brenner’s office. Plus, I think Izzy might be coming down with something. She said her throat hurt this morning.”
“Take a breath and chill out. I’ll watch Izzy for you tonight.”
“But what if she gets one of your kids sick?”
“I’m sure it’ll be fine. It’s not like she has the bubonic plague.”
Another thought barreled into me, one I couldn’t believe hadn’t crossed my mind until then. “It’s Valentine’s Day!”
“It is,” Erica said as she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.
I’d accepted a date on Valentine’s Day. This added more pressure, fueling my panic. “Don’t you and Matt have plans?”
“Nah.” She waved my words away. “We haven’t been out on Valentine’s Day in years. Seriously, watching Izzy is no big deal. We’d love to have her over tonight.”
I exhaled a long breath. “Okay, thanks.”
“Oh, and I can even do your hair and make up for you.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, it’ll give me some practice.” She smiled. “You’re going to be fine. It’s just coffee. Nothing major. He probably didn’t even realize what day it is.”
“You’re right, and he did say he hadn’t dated in a while either.” He was out of the game
, just like me.
“See, no worries.”
“Order up!” Gail yelled at us from the grill.
“That’s me,” Erica said as she spun around to retrieve the plate.
I pulled in another breath to steady my nerves. It didn’t help.
Holy crap, I had a date tonight.
Chapter Six
Tex
I walked out of Gilbert’s Diner feeling as though I was floating on cloud nine. Asking Lilla to coffee was a start in a whole new direction. Excitement pulsed through my veins and my wolf howled out a victorious melody. However, my elation to the situation only lasted a split second before it was interrupted by my cell ringing.
Gabe’s name lit my screen. Apparently, even though I’d responded to his text he still felt a need to call me.
“Hey, what’s up?”
“How long is it going to take you at Gilbert’s?”
“I’m leaving now, why?”
“I’m at the shop now. Gavin screwed up big time and I don’t want anyone to touch this piece but you.”
“Give me five minutes.”
“All right, thanks.” Gabe hung up before I could respond.
I chuckled as I shoved my cell into my pocket. It was nice Gabe enjoyed my wood-working skills as much as he did.
The fine hairs on the back of my neck lifted on end. I paused and glanced around. Someone was watching me. I could feel their eyes boring a hole into the back of my head. My nostrils flared as I inhaled a deep breath, trying to gain the scent of whoever it was. There was something vaguely familiar about it. My wolf hunkered down and growled the instant we both realized who the person was.
Bret was lurking around one of the vehicles behind me.
The smell of his hatred for me lingered in the air. His heated gaze roamed over me as I tuned to face him. Even though I didn’t have time for his shit today, I couldn’t help but see where this altercation would go.
Bret stepped from behind a beat-up red truck that looked worse than mine. His eyes were dark and his jaw set as he stared me down. I tried to wipe the smirk off my face, but couldn’t manage to.
Who did this guy think he was?
“Why are you getting so friendly with my woman?” The stench of beer wafted through the air when he opened his mouth to talk. He was clearly drunk.
My wolf wanted to pounce on the guy, he would be easy prey, but I couldn’t give in to his desire. Lilla wasn’t here this time. She wasn’t in danger. No one was. And this guy wasn’t a threat to me.
If anything, I was a threat to him.
“She doesn’t seem to be yours anymore. In fact, she looks like a free woman to me.”
“Lilla will always be mine. We share a bond.”
My wolf protested to Bret’s words by forcing a low growl to slip past my lips. What did this guy know about a shared bond? He was human. Wolves knew about bonds. Hell, we bonded for life once we found our mate. Humans knew nothing about bonds. They married and divorced so quickly.
“Really, well, I didn’t see a ring on her finger and she damn sure didn’t say she was taken when she agreed to have coffee with me later tonight,” I ground out.
“There used to be one.”
My entire body tensed. I gritted my teeth together as I struggled to control my wolf. A mocking grin entered Bret’s eyes and I realized he was trying to get underneath my damn skin. He was doing a good job of it too.
“Guess you didn’t know she’s not my ex-girlfriend, but my wife.”
“Ex-wife,” I heard myself correct him even though I didn’t know if it was the truth.
“Not yet.” His asshole grin grew.
My fists clenched at my sides. “Doesn’t matter. She obviously decided she couldn’t be married to you anymore.”
“It’s only temporary. She’ll come to her senses, and even if she doesn’t, we will always be connected.”
“Oh yeah? And why is that?” The words came out through clenched teeth. My wolf was begging me to be released. He wanted to tear into this guy.
I should’ve left when I first spotted him. I should’ve climbed into my truck and ignored him, but I hadn’t. Maybe I was looking for a fight.
I narrowed my eyes on him. He was human. What kind of connection could he possibly have with Lilla that couldn’t be severed? First-time love? They were in their thirties. Generally, a person had already found their first love by then. Wasn’t that something that happened in a person’s teen years? It never lasted long either.
Gabe and Ava popped in my head.
They had met when they were in their teens and for whatever reason their love had been eternal. They’re also supernatural, my mind reminded me. It’s different.
Humans didn’t love the way we did. When we loved we mated, and when we mated it was for life.
“Our little girl,” he slurred.
My heart stilled in my chest. They had a kid together?
The entire world shifted beneath me. Words wouldn’t form. Even my wolf grew silent. I climbed into my truck and left. My gaze drifted to Bret in my rearview mirror. He was standing in the parking lot, staring after me with a smirk twisted on his face that signified he’d won in some way. Heat simmered through my veins. My foot grew heavy on the gas. I had to put distance between us, if not I might kill him.
Lilla and Bret had a kid together.
I couldn’t believe it. My stomach rolled and my heart ached as I thought of her having someone else’s child. She was supposed to have mine. The thought plummeted me. I hadn’t even been sure where it came from, but couldn’t deny its power.
When I pulled up to the shop I could barely see straight. I left my lunch in the cab and headed inside. I’d lost my appetite and needed a distraction. Working with my hands always seemed to do the trick.
Gabe stood staring at the piece of furniture Gavin had screwed up.
“Hey, man, what’s up? You’re looking a little ticked. Did they not have the sandwich you wanted?” Gabe asked.
“They did,” I said without looking at him.
“Then what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I grabbed one of the knives from a nearby table and began whittling away at the table leg Gavin had messed up. By the time I was finished with it, an intricate design of leaves unlike anything we’d ever created before rested in its place.
“Jesus, you’re good at this,” Gabe praised me once I took a step back.
“Anything else you need me to do?”
My veins were no longer humming with anger and my wolf was once again controlled. Working with my hands had done the trick, again.
“Yeah. Come in the back with me for a second,” Gabe insisted. There was unnecessary authority present in his voice. It set me on edge. “Something has been bothering you and I want to know what it is.”
I followed him into the back office. “Nothing has been bothering me.”
Gabe motioned for me to take a seat, so I did. His icy-blue eyes locked with mine and I knew I’d be forced to spill my guts to him. Damn Alpha.
All I wanted was to be left alone. Would that suffice as a good enough answer for him?
There were things I needed to sort out. I needed to figure out why I felt so betrayed at learning Lilla had a kid with such an asshole. My feelings were too strong; they didn’t make sense.
“All right, enough with the games. Tell me what’s going on. And don’t tell me it’s nothing because I can feel it. The others can too. Whatever it is, it’s causing you to send a portion of your emotions through the pack.”
I knew such a thing was possible, but I’d never been the one on the projecting end before.
It sucked.
“Fine.” I opened my mouth and out poured everything—Lilla, Bret, their kid, me asking her to coffee.
I thought I’d feel better afterward, but I didn’t. I felt worse. Vulnerable. Raw.
“Okay,” Gabe said as he continued to stare at me. “Let me get this straight, you’re pissed because she has a kid?”
Gabe’s laughter filled the office. “Wow, you’ve got it bad. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this way.”
My wolf released a growl as I glared at Gabe. “I’m glad at least one of us can find humor in the situation.”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be laughing; Ava would have my head. It’s just that you’re being so damn stupid. She has a kid. So what? It doesn’t mean you can’t be with her. It doesn’t mean you can’t be in her kid’s life. You already said the father is a screw-up. You’re not. You being in this kid’s life could make all the difference.”
His words got to me. They forced me to flip the situation and look at it from a whole new angle. My heart thundered in my chest when I realized how right he was.
So what if Lilla had a kid? It didn’t mean she couldn’t be mine. She would just come with awesome extra baggage.
Warmth bloomed through my chest, because there was something so right about that thought. About me and Lilla together, along with her kid.
Lilla was my mate.
My wolf knew it from the start, even if my man didn’t until now.
Chapter Seven
Lilla
I was a bundle of nerves as I rushed around my childhood bedroom, searching for something to wear on my date with Tex. There was a total of two dressy outfits in my closet. The problem was: they were both for warmer weather. As far as cold weather went all I had were jeans. While there was nothing wrong with jeans, and they could easily be dressed up by pairing them with a nice blouse or a sexy sweater, the only issue was that I didn’t have either. I owned hoodies with paint stains and holes. My T-shirts screamed mom-life and were anything but sexy.
I had nothing to wear. Nothing that made me feel sexy, anyway. And damn it, I wanted to feel sexy.
“I’m headed out,” Mom said as she poked her head into my bedroom. “Oh my, I hope you’re wearing more than that tonight.”
I glanced down at my favorite pair of skinny jeans and the lacey bra Erica had told me I needed to buy for tonight just in case one thing led to another. Why hadn’t I thought to pick up a top while I was shopping? “There’s a possibility since I have nothing to wear.”