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Oh, look, she shifts into a bitch. What a surprise.
I grabbed a pen and calculated the cost of the pie on a pad near the register. “That’ll be $4.78.”
Billy Bob pulled out his wallet. “It’s on me, Chav. Bethany is the Arkansasvulpesrepresentative on the council. I’m showing her around town today.”
Vulpesmeant she was a fox. And here I was hoping she was a werecow. But no, a fox! Could it get any more cliché? Ugh. And the way she fawned over Billy Bob, I swear ifBethanyhad been full of sunshine and rainbows they’d be shooting out of her eyeballs and her ass. She squeezed his arm harder and leaned closer to his body. “Thank you, William.”
The pen in my hand snapped. William? William! Seriously? My temple throbbed with my quickening heartbeat. I couldn’t believe she called him William. Nobody did that. I could see his own smile falter, but he turned up the charm. “You’re welcome, Bethany.”
So beguiling. So handsome. So frustrating! Ack! I snarled. The noise started in my chest and rumbled through my teeth and nose.
“Did you say something, Chav?” he asked. I swear I heard laughter in his voice.
I gritted my teeth. “Nope.” I wanted to bite him and not in a sexy way.
He patted blondie’s hand, the one permanently attached to his arm. He nodded to me. “Bethany will be leading the talks on therianthropic acclimation and normalization for new community members.”
When I didn’t respond, because a) I didn’t care, and b) I didn’t care, he added, “Bethany, this is Chavvah Trimmel. She used to be an integrator, but she’s now a welcome addition to the town.”
“Trimmel. Are you related to the mayor?” Bethany asked.
“He’s my brother.”
“Chavvah owns the restaurant with Sunny.” Billy Bob gestured to Sunny.
“Sunny Trimmel,” I said. “My sister-in-law. Married to the mayor. My brother.” Just in case Billy Bob forgot she was married.
He smirked. “Chav and Sunny will be making all the vegetarian food for the banquet on Saturday night.”
Great. I had been outed as an outsider and then relegated to mere caterer. “Did you want anything to go?”So you can just go, I mentally added.
“No,” he said. “Just… Well, it doesn’t matter.” He waved his hand. “I’ll see you around.”
He turned on his heel, Bethany double-timing her steps to stay glued to his side. He didn’t even stop to say bye to Sunny. Huh.
The lunch crowd dwindled, giving me space and time from Billy Bob’s visit. I took pleasure in scrubbing the counters, as long as I didn't look too hard at the scars on my hands. Through some of the toughest times in my life, I've always been able to smile. My mother said I was a happy baby—the easiest of all her kids. I was the monkey in the middle between my two brothers, but since I was the only girl, it was easy to feel special. I used to be a happy person. Damn it. I am a happy person.
Iama happy person.
Staring at the spaces between my fingers, I let my hand go out of focus as I rubbed the counter in a circular motion. I forced my lips into a smile.
“Earth to Chav.” Robbin Clubb, the local bookstore owner, was standing at the end of the counter with her wallet out. Next to her, Sharrall, her cousin, a were-mountain lion like Robbin, waited patiently for me to attend them.
Rushing over, I smiled and rang up her order. “Two hummus salad sandwiches with micro-greens and herbed soy cream cheese with two bags of home-fried sweet potato chips.”
I was always surprised how many carnivores really loved our vegetarian food.
“Thanks, Chavvie,” Sharrall said.
Robbin and Sharrall exited just as Ed Thompson, owner of Doe-Run Automotive and my friend Ruth's husband, walked in. He was a handsome man, even if a bit soft in the middle. I imagined Ruth’s pies had a lot to do with the extra fluff. He had blond hair, the color of beach sand and dark brown eyes. They were wide and large, but not so much he looked like an alien. Typical for weredeer.
“Anywhere?” he asked, indicating a nearby booth.
“Sure, Ed.”
Jo Jo was in a back booth, legs up on the bench, folding napkins and filling salt and pepper shakers. Our Jo Jo used to hang with a rowdy crowd, but over the last year, he’d really matured into a responsible young man. I really didn’t know what Sunny and I would do if it weren’t for his help. Still, I wasn’t sure if Ed would approve of the tattooed and pierced young man, especially since it appeared Jo Jo was dating Michele, one of Ed’s older daughters.
I crossed the restaurant and smacked his size twelve combat boots hanging off the side of the padded bench. “Feet down, Jo Jo. You're at work, not having a day spa.” I nodded to where Ed sat. “Besides, you got a customer.”
