Page 59 of Rafe

“What?” Maybe he hadn’t noticed.

“You know, like if I’d been a human.”

“But then you wouldn’t be a wolf,” she countered.

“True. But if I had been human, we could have had a second date.”

“We didn’t have a first date.” Skylar smiled with her focus still on the horizon.

“Not true. We had a dance that first night.”

“When I dropped my credit card. I’m such a klutz.” She laughed.

“But it’s quite the story. Not your everyday bar story. It’s one of fate.”

“Our own meet-cute.” I wish. She’d read hundreds of romance books, still hoping for her own happily ever after.

“And if I was human, we’d tell our grandchildren the story so many times that everyone would be sick of it.”

“Grandchildren?” Her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes, heartbroken for a crush she’d met at a bar. A wolf.

“I mean it, Skylar. If there was another way, if we had a shot you’d be my mate. I’d want to go on that second date.”

Skylar sighed in acceptance. “We could be friends. Well, until I die. Because you’ll go on living, right?”

“Yeah, I mean, I guess if you put it that way. But—” He gave a small laugh. “We can still be friends.”

“Hard friendship rule though. No blood clubs. Ever.”

“No, no we won’t. Zero out of ten. Don’t recommend. How about beignets and coffee?”

“One hundred percent.”

“Drive in movie?”

Skylar broke out in a wide smile. “Scary or Comedy?”

“Action comedy.”

“Okay. Okay.” She nodded.

“Maybe I could meet your parents,” he suggested.

Skylar laughed. “Fair enough. My mom has always been a little woo woo. Dad is open as long as you promise to watch a football game.”

“You could meet my mom. My sister Tabitha. They’re cool with humans.”

“I’d like that.” A warmth ignited inside her, followed by an immediate wave of sadness.

“I think we’ve got this friendship thing down. No more…well you know. Just friends. We celebrate each other’s successes and check in when we can.”

“How long is this thing with your witchy mom going to take?”

“I don’t know.” He laughed. “Ilsbeth can be quite the challenge. I don’t know what task she will give me or the danger that comes with it.”

“Did you just leave everyone back in Vegas?” She regretted the question as soon as she asked. Curiosity killed the cat.

“Hunter, my old Alpha, is collecting any remaining wolves. Xavier is pulling in Kade to help with the vampires. Kenji’s back in Vegas with Hunter. Greyson’s around here somewhere. He flashed us here.”