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Besides, the faster I found her, the sooner I’d have an excuse to meet up with Winter. She could decide how she wanted to handle meeting Ashleigh and explaining that the ghost of her mother had told Winter she was in danger.
Not my problem.
But there was no denying I was much more eager to find Ashleigh for Winter than the talisman for my new client.
Because deep down, I knew my mom was right. I couldn’t give up.
Winter was worth fighting for. But until I understood her reasons for cutting things off, I was a wolf lost in the wilderness without my pack.
CHAPTER 9
Winter
The door chimedand I headed out of the workroom. A woman, maybe in her sixties, came into the shop. Her dark hair was graying at the temples and styled into a neat pageboy. She smiled when she saw me, bringing out the lines around her bright blue eyes. “You must be Winter.”
I arched a brow, wondering how she knew me. I didn’t recall seeing her before. “I am, and you are?”
“I’m Faith Walker.” She offered her hand. “Jackson’s mom.”
I should have recognized her immediately. Jackson had his mother’s eyes. “It’s great to meet you. Let’s go back into the workroom so we can talk.”
I turned the sign in the window to closed, locked the door, and led Jackson’s mom to the rear of the store. The Crow’s Nest managed to be cozy without feeling cramped. I was pretty sure Lillian must’ve woven some kind of glamor spell around it, but even with the floor to ceiling shelving on three of the walls, the vibe in the workroom still felt welcoming instead of suffocating.
We sat down at the large cutting table in the center of the space, and I laid out drawings of the holiday centerpieces I’d been designing. I pointed to the one in the middle with small boughs of Douglas fir surrounding a thick red candle. “I think this is my favorite.”
She nodded as she studied each one. “It seems like the easiest to replicate too.” She looked up at me. “Ruby may have overestimated my crafting skills.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, when I agreed to work on the party, I hadn’t expected I’d be so…” Distracted? Lonely? I cleared my throat. “Busy.”
“The holidays always are.” She focused on the drawing again. “I was thinking…Since Zeke has been encouraging the Pack to find their mates, and your coven sisters might have significant others too, maybe this year we allow everyone to bring a plus one to the party.”
My brows pinched. “I don’t know how that would go over. We’d have to be more cautious about exposing our supernatural side.”
“True.” She seemed to ponder my point and finally shrugged. “You’re probably right. It’s not a good idea.” Her eyes flicked up to my face as her lips curved into a warm smile. “I’m thinking with my heart and not my head. Jackson just found his mate, and I’m so curious to meet her.”
My chest hurt. He found her. And she wasn’t me. My eyes burned as I got up. “Excuse me just for a minute.”
I hurried into the employee bathroom and shut the door. With my hands on either side of the pedestal sink, I willed the unwelcome tears to backoff. This was silly. I barely knew him, and yes, we had shared a hot orgasm-filled night together, but that was it.
With each deep breath, I struggled to find the lesson in all of this. Maybe this situation was to show me I might be ready for a committed relationship. I lifted my gaze to the mirror. Ice crystals formed around the edges.
No. I couldn’t lose control of my powers. Not now. I closed my eyes and fought to calm my jumbled emotions. I should be happy for him. Jackson was a great guy. He deserved to have his one true mate at his side.
I just needed to stop wishing she was me.
Easier said than done.
At least he wouldn’t be leaving me voicemails and texts anymore. I wasn’t strong enough to keep pushing him away, and I was already getting too attached to his attention.
This was all for the best.
I straightened up and fixed my hair before heading back out.
Faith lifted her head with a smile. “I thought we might use stockings this year instead of gift bags.”
“Good idea. I like it.” I sat down and lost myself in the work. I could do this.
I had to.
