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“I highly doubt it,” Olivia said. “I suspect that it would take a lot more than that to hurt your feelings. You seem like a pretty tough man to me.”
“You know, even the toughest men have feelings,” he countered.
“Maybe for his mama, puppies, and kittens,” Olivia said. “I highly doubt that the opinion of one lowly waitress would do much to ding a tough guy’s armor.”
“There is no such thing as a lowly waitress. Anyone who is working hard to take care of themselves and their families are important and valuable in my eyes,” he said.
“I agree,” Olivia said, liking the man even more.
He ordered a couple of pork chops and the usual sides and Olivia put in his order.
“Tell me about Zac,” she told Jade.
“He’s pretty hot, isn’t he? He’s also a super nice guy. He takes care of everyone around him. He runs a huge organization and makes sure that everyone is happy and has what they need,” Jade said. “He comes in here most nights for dinner.”
“He sounds too good to be true. Does he have a deranged wife locked up in his basement or something?”
Jade laughed and said, “Not to my knowledge, and everyone would know about that if he did. There aren’t a lot of big secrets in Angel’s Creek, especially among the people whose families have been here for ages.”
I need to make sure that I leave before people start finding out my secrets, Olivia thought to herself.
His food was up, and Olivia delivered it.
“Enjoy your dinner,” she said.
She was about to walk away when he grabbed her wrist. “Wait a minute. I was wondering if you would go out with me during your next day off. There are a lot of really awesome places to visit in this area that I’m sure you’ll love.”
“Sorry, I don’t get days off,” she said.
“I guess I’ll just have to talk to Sean about that,” Zac said.
“Don’t you dare.” Olivia laughed. “I don’t think that it’s a good idea for me to date customers.”
“I’ll quit coming and then I won’t be a customer anymore,” Zac replied.
“You shouldn’t do that, because the answer would still be no.”
“Why? Am I that hideous? Do I have body odor I’m not aware of?” he asked, trying to sound like his feelings were hurt.
Olivia laughed and told him to enjoy his dinner.
She almost went back and told him that she changed her mind and that she would go out with him, but she decided that it was a bad idea. She couldn’t afford to get involved with anyone. Besides, she wasn’t going to be around long enough to form any kind of relationships. She would start to get attached to him, and her heart would be broken when she had to leave.
If only, though. There is just something about him, Olivia thought.
“I saw that he asked you out on a date. Why didn’t you go? He really is one of the few truly nice guys left in this world,” Jade said.
Olivia shrugged and said, “I’m sure he is, but I just got out of a really bad relationship, and I’m not ready to dip my toes back in the pond, yet.”
“Understandable,” Jade said.
“Where is a good place to go for a hike, away from people. I need some peace and quiet.”
Jade gave her directions to where a nearby trail started at the base of a mountain that was very popular. “Brave people go off the trail, but I wouldn’t recommend it. A lot of newcomers and tourists get lost in the dense woods on the mountain, and then they have to call search and rescue for them. Most are found, but once in a while, a few aren’t.”
The next morning, Olivia followed Jade’s directions and easily found the trail. She went up a little way and then veered off. Looking around carefully to make sure she was alone, she undressed and neatly folded her clothes, putting them in a plastic bag and stashing them in a tall tree. Olivia shifted into a beautiful white wolf and trotted off into the woods.
Inhaling deeply, she loved the crisp, clean air. The smell of pine was heavy, and the birds were singing happily. For a while, Olivia was able to forget about Declan and her worries and just bask in the glory of the sun shining through the branches. She was delighted when she found a creek. The cool, clear water was running over the rocks, making it sound as though the creek was singing. She sat down, enjoying the feeling of freedom.
