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Val snorts and holds up a long string of beaded trim, twisting it in her hand as if she’s imaging how to apply it to my dress. “It’d be a huge mistake to keep something important from your bestie. A bigger mistake than telling me would be.” She narrows her eyes. “Something is going on because Abby is as jumpy as she was the time those ants crawled up her leg. We don’t keep these sorts of things from each other, Charlie.”
She’s right. Knowing the guys on Life Shift are werewolves is important, and what kind of friend would I be if I didn’t warn Val about the reality of the app?
After a moment, I say, “It’s dangerous information.”
“You and Abby are in danger because of it?”
I nod.
“Then you need me! Besides, if you two are going to jail without me, then who’s going to decorate the cell?”
I smile at her joke, but it fades quickly. Out of the three of us, Val is the one who truly wants to get married. Finding a mate who’ll love her forever is my friend’s dream.
“Okay,” I say. “But you cannot tell anyone what I’m about to tell you. I’m serious. If anyone finds out you know… Well, the consequences are?—”
“That I have to marry someone I’m not ready to marry?” She lifts the hem of my dress and begins to pin the trim on the bottom.
I shrug. “Yeah.”
“Arms up.” Val cups her chin in one hand as she thinks about what to do next to my dress. “I’m not above day drinking to find out.”
“You might need to when you hear what I’m about tell you.” I lean over and whisper, “Ryan and all the guys who are going to be on Life Shift are werewolves.”
She blinks a few times as if in disbelief then stares at me like she’s waiting for the punchline to a joke.
I nod. “For real. And I’m getting married because I know. Well, and because we kind of broke a rule.”
“Rule?”
“There’s an only-kissing-before-marriage rule.”
“Ah.” Val grabs a pair of scissors and moves close to me. “I can see why that one would be hard for you.” She snips one of the thin straps holding my dress up. “Ryan…” She lowers her voice. “He really is a werewolf?”
“Yes, and—why aren’t you bothered by this?”
“I’m reserving judgment until you tell me the rest. Then we’ll figure out what to do.”
It’s amazing at the way Val never seems to lose her cool when I get into trouble. Instead, she’s waiting to figure out a plan to get me out of it. Hope flickers in my heart. “Supposedly, we’re mates, as in perfect for each other. And we can never fall out of love.”
“Charlie!” Ryan calls from outside the door.
“Crap.” I get down from the table. “Ryan heard us. They have really sensitive ears.”
“Yes, I did hear you,” he calls out. “Let me in.”
“Just a minute!” Val yells, and I step into my bedroom to change out of my dress while Val lets Ryan in.
When I return to the living room, Ryan shakes his head at me. “I don’t think you understand the danger of ignoring orders.”
“I get that, but Val is like my sister, and we don’t keep secrets from each other.”
“Ryan, I would have pestered her until she caved.” Val crosses her arms. “Besides, I was bound to know soon enough, anyway, because I have every intention of finding a husband of my own.”
His brow furrows. “You want to marry a werewolf?”
“To marry someone you know is forever? Of course I do.” She glances at me. “And Charlie does, too, even if she can’t admit it yet.”
I open my mouth to protest, but I stop myself, wondering if she might be right.
