Page 89 of The Secret Mate Society

But now all I could do was scan the restaurant, hoping that monster wasn’t blending in with everyone else.I thought Halloween would make my mother safe.I never considered the fact that it might make the monster…invisible.

"Ethan, you should try the seafood linguine," Mom said, studying the menu."The menu says they make it with fresh Maine lobster."

I nodded distractedly, my eyes still sweeping the restaurant.A couple wearing matching werewolf masks entered, and I nearly knocked over my water glass.Calder's hand immediately covered mine, steady and warm.

"Maybe I'll try that," I managed, forcing myself to look at the menu instead of the door."What are you having, Calder?"

"The steak," he replied, his thumb rubbing soothing circles on my wrist.“Rare."

Mom beamed at us from across the table."You two are adorable together.How long has it been now?"

"Not long," I admitted, feeling a blush creep up my neck."But it feels like longer."

"When you know, you know," she said wisely, her eyes twinkling."That's how it was with your father and me.One date and I just knew he was the one."

Calder's grip tightened almost imperceptibly on my hand."It was similar for us," he said, his voice soft but certain.

A waitress dressed as a zombie with surprisingly realistic makeup took our orders, and I found myself relaxing slightly as the wine Mom insisted on ordering began to take effect.The restaurant's noise level provided a comforting blanket of anonymity, and Calder's steady presence beside me was like an anchor.

"So tell me about your job," Mom said to Calder after our appetizers arrived."How is the car repair business?"

As Calder talked about his shop, I watched my mother's face.She was genuinely interested in him, asking thoughtful questions and laughing at his jokes.She liked him.The realization made my chest ache with unexpected emotion.

"And what about you, Laura?"Calder asked."Ethan tells me you're quite the gardener."

Mom lit up, launching into a detailed description of her latest landscaping project.I felt a surge of gratitude toward Calder for remembering that small detail I'd mentioned weeks ago.The evening progressed with surprising normalcy.For stretches of time, I almost forgot about the danger lurking outside.We ate excellent food, shared stories, and laughed together.Mom told embarrassing tales from my childhood despite my protests, and Calder soaked up every word like precious information.

"He was always so curious," Mom said, sipping her wine."Always asking questions nobody could answer.Drove his teachers crazy."

"He’s definitely still curious," Calder replied with a fond smile in my direction.“Sometimes too much for his own good.”

"I'm a reporter," I defended myself."Asking questions is literally my job."

Mom's expression softened."Your father was the same way.Always needed to understand how things worked, why things happened the way they did."

The mention of my father brought another momentary heaviness to the table.I glanced at Calder who gave me a sympathetic look.“So what are your plans while you’re in town, Laura?”he asked, shifting the conversation.“Anything you want to see or do while you’re here?”

“Now that you mention it,” she nodded.“I’ve heard there are some beautiful parks just outside of town.I might go on a hike or two, see if I can find something interesting to bring back for my garden.”

“No!”I nearly shouted, my hands hitting the table.“You can’t do that!”

Several nearby diners turned to look at me, startled by my outburst.Mom's eyes widened, and I could see the concern spreading across her face.

"I mean," I stammered, lowering my voice, "there have been some...animal attacks in the woods lately.It's not safe to go hiking alone right now."

Calder nodded quickly."Ethan's right.There's been a...mountain lion spotted in the area.The rangers are tracking it, but until they catch it, hiking trails aren't recommended."

Mom looked between us, her brow furrowed."A mountain lion?In Maine?That seems unusual."

"It escaped from a private collection," Calder improvised smoothly."Some rich guy thought having exotic pets was cool until one got loose.The police are keeping it quiet to avoid panic during the holiday."

I shot him a grateful look, impressed by how quickly he'd come up with that lie.It was almost uncanny.

"Well, that's disappointing," Mom sighed."But I suppose I'll have to find something else to do.Maybe some shopping instead?"

"Shopping sounds perfect," I agreed, relief washing over me."Downtown has some great little boutiques."

As we continued with dinner, I couldn't help noticing a tall figure enter the restaurant.They were wearing what looked like a high-quality werewolf costume, with realistic fur and an elongated snout.My fork clattered against my plate as I stared.