Page 13 of Wrong Number, Right Gray Wolf

Remy had a hand behind his back. Maybe it was tickets to a hockey game that he thought would lift my spirits. I’d have to pretend I was excited with whatever the surprise was.

He handed me an envelope in handwriting I didn’t recognize. “An alpha delivered this this morning, saying it was for Stephen.” He was wearing another wicked grin. “Said when you drove past the other day, he noted the sticker on your car.”

Oh, I had the company name and QR code on my bumper.

“He told me you helped his daughter last week.”

“What?” My heart, which had been beating solemnly, reminding me of a funeral march, sped up, and I grabbed the envelope and almost tore it. I opened it carefully. Okay, I took a breath. It was a card in a child’s handwriting. Not her dad, so he hadn’t decided that I was the one and I hadn’t broken up his family.

“This is good.” I kissed the drawing on the card that showed a little girl on the phone and a man on his device. They were facing one another, but there was a wall between them.

With trembling hands, I opened it and read the two words. “Thank you.”

But as I pressed it to my chest, a piece of paper slipped out in an adult’s handwriting.

Posy would like to see you again. Can we meet up? This is my number.

I grabbed Remy and hugged him. We waltzed around the room, though my boss didn’t know the details.

“He wants to see me.” I sang the words to the tune of my favorite song.

“That’s so, so great.” Remy sang along with me.

Your mate? The alpha? Posy’s dad wants to mark you? My beast was leaping ahead.

Calm down. It’s just a meet-up, I told him.

“Take a breath.” Remy was panting after our dance, and he patted my shoulder. “Think about what you’re going to say before you call him.”

“Right. I’ll do that.” I’d be calm and methodical, thinking it through before I got on the phone.

My boss eyed me. “But you’re going to call him now, aren’t you?”

“Absolutely.” To heck with being organized. This was my heart we were talking about.

But as I was racing outside, I recalled why I hadn’t stopped the car instead of driving past. And it wasn’t just that the guy didn’t seem to like me. It was his omega mate. That put a damper on my mood because this get-together was just about Posy saying thank you.

Okay. It was still good. I’d see Posy and make sure she was all right, and perhaps her dad wouldn’t be so hostile toward me.

After punching in the number, I counted the seconds, wondering how long he’d take to answer.

“Hello.” A loud confident voice answered, which was what I used to have until the night Posy called and I met her father.

“Hello. This is Stephen, who your daughter called last week.”

“Yes.” His voice had lowered by a few decibels. “Posy would like to invite you for pancakes. Says you love them like she does.”

“I do.”

Warning bells were ringing in my head because either his mate would be joining us or he’d be waiting at home. But this was for Posy, and how could I say no to her?

We agreed to meet at a place known for its pancakes, and though I understood nothing could come of us meeting up other than Posy having a good time—we’d wouldn’t stare at one another over the chocolate syrup and mark one another—I counted the minutes and hours until Sunday.

But should I drive there early and wait for them or park in a side street and wait until they arrived? If they ghosted me, I didn’t want to be the loser holding a menu and checking out everyone who walked into the place.

I decided to arrive right on time, and to do that, I’d get there early, park, and check my watch every minute. Strolling in on the dot showed I was punctual and respected them by not turning up late.

That sounded easy, but I had three shirts in the car along with deodorant and cologne in case I was sweating profusely. I couldn’t sit still and scanned the street for Posy and her dad. I hadn’t seen them, but it was just before eleven and I had to get inside.