It’s after the lunch rush, so we are seated right away.Our waitress comes over to take our drink orders.
“Hi, I’m Nattie.I’ll be serving you today.Do you know what you’d like to drink?”
“Lemonade, please,” the two of us answer in unison.We look at each other and laugh.
“You got it,” Nattie says, putting her pencil behind her ear and heading behind the counter.
“What's your favorite here?”Abigail asks.
“I usually order breakfast, actually.I may do their grilled cheese and tomato soup.It’s getting chilly out there.”
I watch her look outside the window and her eyes widen.
“Is that a lizardman?”she asks in surprise.
Looking out the window, I see a lizardman walking by wearing spectacles and a tweed coat.
“It sure is.Huh, that’s cool.I haven’t seen one in a long while.”
I look over at her, staring at the man as he walks away.
“He doesn’t bother you, does he?”I ask, worried about what she may say.
Abigail looks at me and shakes her head fervently.
“No, not at all.When I was looking into where to move and start my business, one of the key requirements was living someplace accepting and safe for all people.Vegas is diverse, and I had zero interest in living somewhere that was not.”
I open my mouth to respond, but Nattie returns right then to take our order.Abigail ends up getting the chicken fried steak plate.
After our food arrives, I take a few bites then say, “I will admit, I am glad to hear paranormal folk don’t freak you out.I was a little worried after you fainted when you saw me in my bear form.”
Abigail looks at me, horrified.
“That was from the dehydration and excitement.Sorry.I also wasn’t putting two and two together.I was already dizzy when I stood up and the sight of a bear just sent my head over the edge.”
I reach across the table and squeeze her hand, hoping to reassure her that I know it wasn’t because I am a shifter.Once again, a spark explodes up my arm when I touch her.Our eyes meet and a moment of intense silence passes.I allow my thumb to brush the top of her hand lightly, which makes her smile.And then Nattie interrupts us once more.
“Here’s your check.Let me know if you need anything else.”
I look back to Abigail, but her hand is no longer on the table and she continues eating.We finish the meal, sticking to the topics of our jobs and Corvid Valley.
When I drop her off at the site, Abigail thanks me for being her hero and drives off.
6
Abigail
The secretaryfrom Bruin Brothers Construction calls on Friday to make a meeting appointment for Monday to go over how the Edison job went.I send Chase home early that day and close up the office.The ladies and I are going bowling tonight and I need a couple of hours to relax after such a crazy week.
After the nutty day with Barrett, my week ended up being very busy, with contracts being signed for new landscaping job offers.I also put out an ad to hire more help and already have several interviews set up for the following week.
Plus, I can’t stop thinking about my sexy bear shifter hero.And how he makes my body feel with just the touch of his hand.
The bowling alley is walking distance from my place, so I meet Dinah and Alona there after dinner.They greet me with a beer.
“Hey lady, ready for me to kick your ass?”Dinah says as a greeting.
“I don’t know why you insist on torturing me with bowling.You know I’m terrible at it.”
