Juliette grinned. “Well, I’m glad that you love it and I hope it makes up a little tiny bit for what happened.”
“Stop,” Cass said, picking up the burger. “I was annoyed at you, but I’m not about to waste a good burger because you fell in love.”
“I promise I’ll make Wednesdays a priority,” Juliette said. “We can go wherever you want next week.”
Cass savored the last few bites of the burger while Juliette talked about the tavern, the small pack, and the shifter town of King Lake.
Things were okay between them now. Besides, she was too busy trying not to think too much about the tall, blue-eyed problem standing at the front door.
She didnotogle him several times while eating.
Okay she did. He was easy on the peepers.
And he made her feel like Juliette flaking on their plans had been some kind of cosmic plan to get her here to meet him.
Which… she didn’t really believe in that kind of thing.
But it had happened to Juliette with Sigh.
And here she was, in the same tavern, with a wolf eyeing her like she was the best thing he’d ever seen in his life.
When his gaze caught hers, he smiled. Not cocky, like he’d known she was ogling him like the finest thing she’d ever seen in jeans and a tight t-shirt. Just warm. Like he’d been waiting to catch her gaze.
Something inside Cass unfurled like a flag in the summer breeze – soft, hopeful.
She quickly dropped her gaze to her empty plate.
Juliette made a small sound.
“Shut up.”
“I didn’t say anything,” Juliette protested. When Cass lifted her head, her best friend was grinning like a loon.
“You made a noise.”
“It was a totally supportive noise.”
“You sounded smug, you nut.”
She grinned. “Maybe a little bit.” She gripped her arm and leaned in, whispering, “I saw him step between you and that creep. That’s romance novel hero stuff.”
“Romance novels aren’t real life.”
“Mine is.”
Cass opened her mouth, then closed it with a grunt.
Juliette’s expression softened. “Come back to the kitchen for a minute.”
Cass followed her through the swinging doors into the kitchen, where Sigh and his line cook were working in front of the grill. Sigh looked up when they walked in, smiling at Juliette like he’d been waiting for her to come back.
Her best friend had told her she was in love with Sigh after two weeks together and the grumpy part of her hadn’t really believed it. But she could see it very clearly right now. They loved each other. Maybe they didn’t know each other very well yet, but they knew they were meant to be together.
Juliette put the dishes in a tub by the dishwasher and turned to face Cass. “Talk.”
“About?”
“You and Trick.”
