She saw Blake wince, and pity squeezed her insides. Memory loss. Not good. Her mind started running through the list of herbs and minerals that would help Houston.
But only if he laid off the sauce.
Of course, telling him that would be stepping on Dawnie’s territory, a dangerous place to be.
He was swaying where he stood. She shook her head in frustration. “Listen. I don’t want to overstep, but I can smell the ‘shine on you, and it’s not even breakfast yet. And I already told you that Blake’s not a cop, he’s military, and he’s my fated mate. I told you that sixty seconds ago.”
“You did?” His face puckered in dismay. “I’m sorry. Mind’s kinda foggy these days.”
The hell with Dawnie. She reached into her purse and pulled out a bag of capsules she had tucked in her makeup bag. She handed them out a lot in the clinic because there was a big substance abuse problem in their neighborhood. She gave him two of them. “Swallow these. Now.” Right there in front of Blake.
He swallowed them dry with a pained gulp without even asking what they were.
She looked at him intently. “Those will sober you up. You’ll feel better within the hour. I can give you a week’s worth, and if you take two a day, every day, they’ll wean you off the ‘shine with no DTs. Will you take them?”
He nodded fuzzily. “I been meaning to cut back. Can’t work or nothin’ when I’m like this, and the pack don’t want to talk to me. I’m sorry, Krista.” She shoved the pills into his shirt pocket, and he reached out and gave her another hug.
“It’s good to have you back, Krista.” And he stumbled away.
She glanced up at Blake.
“That was a nice thing you did for him,” Blake said.
“Thank you.” The words came out clipped, and she headed into the grocery store without bothering to see if he was following, but of course, he was.
They started loading groceries into her cart, and they made it all the way to the bakery aisle before they were accosted again.
“Why, Krista Park, if I never!” Pamela Busche exclaimed.
Krista turned, a fake smile plastered to her face. She and Pamela hadnevergotten along. Pamela, a fox shifter and distant cousin, had been a cheerleader when they were in school. She’d mocked Krista for her weight and for being such a studious little nerd. Damn straight Krista had hit the books hard. Even back then she’d known that an education was her way out.
Pamela had thought that her boyfriend’s football scholarship was her ticket out of the holler, but here she still was, pretty but a little worn around the edges. No wedding ring. Roots showing in her bleached hair, crows feet spraying out from her eyes, makeup laid on thick as spackle. Wearing a tight lyrca dress and heels, more suited for a night at the local watering hole than grocery shopping.
Krista and Pamela stood there for a long moment. Should they hug hello, which was the holler thing to do?
Pamela couldn’t decide either, which made it a little awkward. Finally, she leaned in and they did a quick, awkward half-hug, and stepped away from each other.
“What you been doin’ with yourself?” Pamela asked. “What brings you back to town? I thought you had some fancy job, and you was too good for us all now.”
Krista tamped down her temper.“I’m back for the family reunion. I work in the city, I’m a nurse practitioner. And this is… my friend Blake.” She should have said fated mate. That was petty of her. And she saw the snap of hurt in his eyes.
“Friend, huh? That’s all? So this big handsome hunk’s not spoken for?” Pamela actually walked over to him and ran her hands along his bicep. Blake jerked away from her as if her fingers were dipped in sewage, but she didn’t seem to notice, gazing up at him with eyes glowing. “He sure is a mighty fine– awwwk!” Krista had shifted faster than she’d ever shifted in her life and was flying at Pamela’s throat. Seconds later, the two of them were in fox form, rolling on the floor, shreds of clothing flying everywhere.
Blake leaped in and separated the two of them. He stood there holding the two of them on the ground by the scruffs of their necks. “Stop it!” he yelled.
Krista snarled and snapped and clawed trying to get at Pamela, who did the same until Harold, the store owner, hurried over and grabbed Pamela from him and hauled her outside.
Blake let go of Krista, and she shook herself and shifted back, her fur smoothing into her skin, her tail shrinking back into her spine.
He quickly took his shirt off and handed it to her. She pulled it over her head, and it was just long enough to cover her crotch and butt.
“Krista, I swear to God I have no interest in that… creature,” he said quickly.
She winced in embarrassment. “I know. I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.”
A psychotic killing haze and a sudden desire to eat Pamela’s liver, that’s what had come over her.
Harold, the store owner, hurried in through the front door. Pamela was stomping off down the street naked, which wasn’t that unusual a sight in Flowering Dogwood. He strolled over to them, smoothing his white hair down with his fingers. “Sorry ‘bout that kerfluffle,” he said cheerfully.
