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“Oh, no worries. The Magpies keep everyone informed.” She giggled at my stupefied expression.
“Who the hell are the Magpies?” Why were birds talking about me? Were they some kind of avian shifter I’d never heard of before?
Margo laced her arm through mine and turned us around to face the booths, where everybody openly stared at us—at me. She pointed out two gossiping older women dressed in black in the far booth at the back.
When I glanced over at them, the women waved at us with big, unapologetic smiles. So the Magpies were women; as to shifters, the jury was still out.
Margo laughed. “Sorry, cutie. Blackwood Creek is a small town and word gets around fast. Now, spill. Is it true you actually spent the night at Blackwood Manor?”
I groaned loudly and buried my face in the hand still in Margo’s hold. “Please don’t ask me about that. I just want to forget all about my walk of shame.” So much for privacy.
Margo threw her head back and laughed hysterically. I looked over my shoulder to see the whole diner had fallen silent. I swore the people closest to us were leaning in, trying to reap some fresh gossip.
“Hey, boss!” Margo shouted across the room, and a balding head peeked out from the open hole in the wall, where plates were waiting under heat lamps. “We got a new waitress. I’m vouching for her.”
Suddenly, I was to be a perky waitress at The Moonlight Café. I was really starting to wonder if staying here was a good idea. I’d made this stupid deal with Ridge, promised I would stay, but I had to think of my safety, his safety, and the safety of his precious town. Being far away felt like the safer option. It seemed everyone I met in town had an opinion about me, which meant I wasn’t exactly lying low, and working in the diner meant I would be even more visible.
But it was a paying job, which made it that much easier to reach my goal of getting out of this town and not getting too close to anyone at the next one. Then everyone would be a hell of a lot safer.
Chapter6
Tori
After a week of living in Blackwood Creek, the shock of shifters and humans intermingling still hadn’t worn off. I’d been paying close attention, and there hadn’t been any suspicious animal sightings or deaths due to strange animal wounds. The town was quiet and ran smoothly, just like the town inThe Andy Griffith Showit so reminded me of.
It was unsettling. Was it possible? Could shifters really live amicably with humans?
Wiping down the counter at the diner, I shook my head. It was all a daydream, wishful thinking on my part not to have to get up and go again. It was dangerous to think like that. At the end of the day, survival was all I had, and I needed to remain focused on that.
I kept to myself around town, and even though everybody was nosy, they weren’t outright rude to me. Several gave me looks of disdain, but nobody said a word. That was progress in my book.
Another shock was that Diana and Margo Bogford were also wolf shifters. My instincts were way off because I hadn’t realized it. It wasn’t until Margo caught on to my scent that I found out. A couple of days ago, she casually but quietly invited me to the Full Moon Howl she was arranging for theothersin town.
I’d nearly dropped the tray of glasses I was holding when she mentioned it was a run she often organized to ensure our community was relaxed and happy. I bowed my head, hoping to hide the horror on my face. My wolf prowled inside, growling and telling me to say yes, but I was too freaked out at the idea of being around that many shifters in one place while in our other forms. I muzzled my wolf quickly and told Margo that I appreciated the offer, but I had to decline.
To my relief, Margo just shrugged and told me to let her know if I changed my mind.
Now it was a few days later, and I still hadn’t changed my mind.
I couldn’t help but feel calmer around the Bogfords, though. The duo was so welcoming. Margo had taken me in under her wing at work. She was endearing, hilarious, outspoken, and so full of life, I’d quickly come to think of her as a friend. I hadn’t had a friend in four years. Longer than that, if I were honest with myself.
I kept to myself, both at the B&B and at work, but that didn’t stop the tenacious Margo. If she wanted to be your friend, then she made you her friend.
It didn’t take long for curious people to frequent the café more than usual. From the way Margo explained it, regulars who had their set days and times were coming in on their off days, and people who rarely ate at the diner were now almost regulars. She loved it because it meant more tips. I laughed along with her because she made an excellent point.
The Magpies were an interesting duo. They were older widows who shared the same first name: Maggie. One of them, though I couldn’t remember which, owned the diner. The two women knew what was what in this town, and made sure everybody else knew it, too.
When they approached me on my second day and introduced themselves, their interrogation was subtle, but I held my own against them. They were sweet about it, but they were chomping at the bit to get the scoop. Usually, that’d annoy the hell out of me, but coming from them, I found it entertaining. They had their own language, which meant people often ignored them because it was too irritating to figure out what they were saying. If they wanted you to know, they would tell you, and boy oh boy, did they tell you.
After the Magpies were through with me, it wasn’t long before the town’s sheriff swept into the diner. A tall, handsome man, he filled out his uniform nicely, and his smile was open and friendly. He made my heart skip a beat, but it wasn’t because of his good looks. It had everything to do with the badge he carried, but he gave off a calming sensation that meant my wolf merely kept a close eye on him and wasn’t clawing to get out and run.
I was once again wiping down the tables—because that was seventy percent of a waitress’s job—when he approached me.
“Hello, miss. I’m Sheriff Birch Clawson. Just wanted to stop by and introduce myself.” He had an easygoing smile as he held his hand out.
I stood and appraised him for a second before I shook his hand. “Tori. Nice to meet you.”
“I’m here if you need anything. I like to make sure to sniff out any potential trouble, but I don’t see there being any issues here.” He winked at me, his wide smile showing off a complete set of canine teeth. Somehow, he managed to look welcoming instead of threatening.
