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I blanch. “Fred said …” my thought trails off. Of course, he exaggerates. I mentally slap my forehead and turn my attention back to Victoria. “So, you don’t think I chase after anything new?”
She shook her head. “Your first mistake was going to Fred. You know better than that.”
“I do. I’m just all confused by this woman.”
“Have you smelled her yet?”
I blink. “What?”
“Smelled her. Does she smell like she’s attracted to you?”
Another mental smack to my forehead. “No.”
“Well,” Veronica stands upright and holds up her fingers. “The human, or supernatural human, releases pheromones on a primal level.” Her eyes sparkle at me, and I cringe. She only looks like this when she’s diving into some science-type jargon. Crap. But I wait—maybe I’m wrong.
Maybe.
“As a werewolf, you already have a heightened sense of your surroundings. Smell is included in that. But maybe you don’t know about your pheromones? Can you smell yourself?”
“What?”
Veronica does not sense my shock and keeps going. “Pheromones are secreted chemicals that release outside the individual. They are odorous and picked up by another or several individuals near the first.
“This usually only transfers over to one species, but since your genus is tangled between two, that’s when things get tricky. As a mammal, there are a ton of examples, but because you’re part human, the science is still uncertain because adult homo sapiens have no functioning vomeronasal organ. But, humans can still use their olfactory system to attract mates by using said pheromones.”
Veronica leans over onto the counter and taps her chin. “It’s due to the fact that humans have such an underdeveloped sense of smell, but pheromones are usually present in every bodily secretion they perform, although they tend to be more attracted to the axillary sweat, which contains sixteen androstenses —”
“Stop. Stop!Stop!” I hold my hands up and wave them in Veronica’s face. “I have no idea what you’re saying, and what I did understand sounds gross. I’m going. I’m leaving.” I spin around and hear Veronica trying to defend herself.
“Chet, really, it’s quite natural. If you could smell yourself, you might be able to figure out how much odorous androstenes you’re emitting, then you can know if she’s attracted to you.”
I close my eyes and shake my head.It’s not her fault.She tried. “Thanks, Veronica. I’m going to take a break. I appreciate your willingness to listen.” I can’t bring myself to thank her for advice because I’m not even sure if she offered any up or if she was just breaking down the chemical makeup of human beings. I shudder, thinking about the words axillary sweat and bodily secretion.
I hustle out of the store and don’t look back.
As I wander through the streets. My eyes are magnetically pulled to Gabriella’s place. It looks busy, but if I could see her and use my senses like Veronica suggested, I might see a glimmer of a future with Gabriella. If not, at least I’ll know, and I can move on with my life.
The door to the cafe swings open and a jingle greets me as I step over the threshold. I look up and see that Gabriella added a bell to the entrance. Maybe it helps her when she is in the back and in a lull.
But she’s not in a lull right now. The place is hopping with all types of creatures. One seat in the corner is available, and the raucous chatter pulls my lips into a smile. It’s nice to see that the townspeople have finally taken so well to her. It is a true testament to what kind of person she is.
“Okay.” I release a long breath. “I’m hooked.” I walk over to the counter and lean against it. Gabriella is running back and forth, she waves to me, and my heart kicks up a beat. After a few quick pulses, she’s standing in front of me. Her chestnut hair is pulled into a messy bun, and strands of it fall over her face.
“Hi,” she breathes, and a smile blossoms over her full cheeks. Her umber eyes sparkle as they lock with mine, but a loud noise diverts her attention to the right of me. “Oh, you don’t have to clean that up. I’ll get it, Mable.” Gabriella gives me an apologetic look. “I’ll be right back. Glass, otherwise I’d clean it up after.” She grabs a white rag and rushes into the dining area. I turn to watch her go and walk over to help her.
As I lean over, I take a deep inhale of Gabriella. But, there are so many smells in the cafe, I can’t pick up her scent. She looks up at me through her lashes. “You don’t have to help, although I appreciate it.” Her voice is soft and shy. Her gaze is sweet.
I shrug. It seems like she likes me when we are close. But I don’t want to get carried away. Maybe she’s just kind to everyone. I pick up the glass pieces and place them in the dustpan she’s holding. “It’s no problem. I like helping you.” I give her a smile, and she blushes just a little.
See. She does like you. A thought from deep within my psyche bobs to the surface of my mind.Okay.I agree with the voice. I’ll ask her out one more time.
I stand up, take the dustpan from her hand, and then go over to the trash as she sweeps up the last glass. Once she gets that clean, I meet her back at the counter. “Hi,” she says again, her brown eyes teasing now. “What can I get you?”
“Excuse me, Ms. Perez? Can you get me a to-go back?” Annoyance at being interrupted, fans through my chest. I see another elderly customer who has lost any manners with age. Gabriella gives me another apologetic smile and turns her back to me. She grabs a bag and hands it to her customer.
“Thank you for your support,” Gabriella says and turns back to me. With a small huff of relief, her smile widens. “Sorry, it’s crazy today,” She brushes a strand of hair from her face. “In a good way, of course.”
I match her smile. “Yes, indeed.” My eyes peruse the menu above her head. My resolve slowly dies away with the continuous interruptions. I open my mouth, and someone says something else to Gabriella. Her attention on me falters.
