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“Thank you,” Wolf said. “Thought we’d grab a bite to eat then hit the shops. Got room for two more?”

“We do,” another young woman said as she came out of the café to the right. “Follow me.”

“Window seat if you have it, please,” Wolf asked. “It’s his first time here.”

“Well then, let’s give you the best seat in the house,” she winked. They all looked the same, so I got her teasing, but she did seat us at a table along the windows. “Here’s the menu. Can I get you something to drink while you decide what to eat?” Wolf and I both ordered iced tea. I was hungry enough to pick one of everything but managed to hold back. In the end, we both went with BLT’s and chips. Perfect indoor picnic meals.

“It’s so peaceful here,” Wolf said as soon as she brought our drinks. “I love taking this ride when I need to clear my head. Usually stop at Deception Pass and stare out at the water for a couple of hours before heading on through to Anacortes and back home. Thought it would be nice to have a real date and get us out of the house.”

“I love it. It’s a great first date.”

“First date? Thought we’d had many?”

I squirmed in my seat, regretting my words. “Um, it’s a first real date that isn’t an assumed hook up for me.”

“Well then, I will do my best to set up regular dates for us. May be easier when we’re not on the road but I’ll find a way to make it happen.” I knew he would. Determination was one of Wolf’s finer qualities. That and his magic hands. And tongue. Who am I kidding, Wolf was all finer qualities in my eyes. “Not much of a fancy man, but I can try to be for you.”

My brain was permanently scrambled.

“I’m not much for fancy myself. Just the fact that you wanted to share your favorite places with me is worth so much more than an uncomfortable suit and having to decide which fork to use.”

Wolf chuckled. “You got me there. I’d just pick the one closest to my hand so I could dive into the meal faster.”

We laughed and ate all while enjoying the gorgeous view, both of the landscape and the handsome man in front of me, that is.

“Come on, let’s do a bit of midnight snack shopping.”

Didn’t know what that meant but it must be good given his bright smile.

While Wolf talked wine with the gal who’d initially welcomed us in, I wandered around the shop, taking it all in. Could I be a wine guy? Huh, maybe? Beer was more my jam, but I could envision the two of us, laid out in front of the fireplace. Classic rock playing through the surround sound speakers at his house. Meats and cheeses on a board, charcuterie or something like that it’s called. I think… Glasses of wine beside us. Yeah, I could see myself enjoying a romantic night.

Wow, guess I was more of a sap then I knew.

“Come on, Little Wren. Got us a couple of bottles for later, now for some savory snacks to go with it.” Hand in hand we walked along the outer buildings, popping into a couple with fancy artwork, taking it in. Beautiful sculptures and paintings created by truly gifted local artists. But it was the last shop where I was in heaven.

“So much cheese.”

“Are you happy, Little Wren?” I bobbed my head. “Come on, let’s pick a few along with some meats and crackers.”

It was like he’d read my mind. Had he popped inside and seen the vision I’d just had? Either that or the drool caused by all the cheesy goodness gave it away.

There were so many artisan cheeses to choose from that I had to go through them twice before making my selections. With our purchases in hand, we loaded them into the saddle bags and headed down the road toward Oak Harbor.

After we checked into the hotel and dropped our stuff off, we decided to take a walk along the shoreline. It was like park after park, each one just as comforting as the last. Guess my soul needed soothing beach time more than I’d thought. It was nice to let go and actually enjoy life and the wonderful, thoughtful man holding my hand.

Goddess above, whatever I did to deserve him, please don’t let me fuck it up.

Chapter Two

Wolf

Walking along the shoreline hand in hand with Tony felt like something straight out of a movie. Sometimes he stopped to admire a shell, brushing it off to show me or holding it up so we could view them from every angle, but he always put them back.

“I’ve never been one for collecting things,” Tony admitted. “Well, I guess that’s not true, I had a rock collection until my old man decided to hurl them at me one night when he was pissed about me being out playing at a club instead of doing something productive. He hated me having anything to do with music.”

“Did he ever tell you why?”

“Sort of. He said it had a way of messing up lives and families. I think he was referring to my mother and the way she left. It always felt like he was bitter about the fact that she beat him to the punch.”