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“Home, I guess,” he said, looking around. “Unless you want to go to town for a bite.”
I know my jaw dropped. This sounded suspiciously like…A date?
“Don’t you think it’s about time?”
I need to change,I wrote.Also, I’ve never been allowed to go to town before.
“You look fine,” he protested, but I shook my head firmly. I was not going on my first date with Shane wearing old, worn jeans and a faded hoodie. “All right, you run and change, and I’ll borrow a vehicle of some kind and get permission for you to go.” He tipped my chin up and kissed me on the lips. “I think you’re perfect as you are, but I know women like to fuss.”
I had never been fussy, hadn’t had the opportunity, but if there was ever a time to start, it was now. In a hurry, I left my clothes in the forest, shifted, and raced home. I could pick them up later, and if not…well, no great loss for worn-out work duds.
By the time I’d taken a quick sponge bath, donned my sundress and sandals, and stepped outside, Shane was waiting. He’d spiffed up some, as well, wearing a fresh T-shirt at least, and combed his hair. I wasn’t sure where he’d done that, but maybe one of the guys lent him the shirt and a mirror.
He stepped forward and held out a hand. “I’m here to pick you up for our date, Miss Jillian.”
My heart melted as I set my palm in his and he led me through the forest. “I left the car on the highway close by so we don’t have to go back to the compound. Where would you like to eat?” I let go of him for a second.
I haven’t been to town at all in forever…but there’s a diner, right?
“It’s there, but wouldn’t you like something fancier? The sky’s the limit.”
I took his hand again and squeezed his fingers, delighted just to be with him, walking along, but I stopped and let go to write more.I want a double cheeseburger, onion rings, and a chocolate-caramel-raspberry shake. Or maybe just a vanilla Coke.
“Why not both drinks? If you’ll give me a sip of the shake.”
We’d have to share because I’d never finish everything I ordered. I realized that the minute the server placed the huge burger, the large basket of onion rings, and the shake in front of me. Along with the stainless blender jar holding what didn’t fit in the glass. Shifters are known for big appetites, and I think I did pretty well but once I told my mate he could finish up what I didn’t, he added the partial burger and stack of rings to his own plate and made it all go away. The shake…well, he only got a sip of that because it was insanely good.
It was so much fun sitting there in the maroon leather booth, gobbling the tasty, greasy food and sharing comments about the other diners.
I leaned into my mate.Is that woman stealing sugar packets?
He nodded. “Yeah, people do that sometimes. Tacky, huh?”
Stuffing them in her purse.
“Also, in her daughter’s purse and her husband’s shirt pocket. She has grabbed them from all the tables around her.”
I sipped some more of the thick, creamy goodness then waved at a family going past the window. A parade of two parents, two double strollers, and at least three more kids trailing behind had caught my eye.I think they are rabbit shifters.
“Did the nose twitching give them away?” He roared with laughter then made a grab for my shake.
I slapped his hand then a strange prickling went up my spine, and I pointed to a guy paying his check.
Shane’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t know if you know him, but I don’t, and strange wolves so close to home need to be reported to the alpha. You almost done there?”
I gulped the last of my shake, the Coke long since gone. I nodded.
He helped me out of the booth and tucked me against him. “It’s not over. We’ll pop by the alpha house when I drop off the car then go home and see where our date takes us.”
The man still made me uncomfortable. But I was willing to trust Shane enough to let him hand the concern over to the alpha…and then to continue our date. We’d earned a date.
Chapter Six
That Saturday, a couple of days after my date with Shane, I found myself by that mine again, plastered against the same tree.
Hoping.
Waiting.
