by R. E. Butler
“I’m more than ready.”
Their cover story was that they were friends who worked for Clarise’s husband, and were looking for employment in the area due to staff cuts after the holidays. It was the easiest way to explain that they were new to town and in need of jobs. Jack hoped Holly was willing to give them a shot. He didn’t want to think about what would happen if she didn’t want to hire them. How the heck would they meet their fated mates if they weren’t at the bar every day?
Jack turned off the truck and got out, inhaling the cold air. His beasts stirred under his skin, and for a moment he thought he might just shift right then and there. Taking a very deep breath, he ordered his beasts to calm down, but at the same time, he was curious to know why they’d suddenly gone crazy in the first place. When he felt like he had control and wouldn’t turn into a furry or feathery beast, he headed toward the bar and pulled open the bright red door.
When he stepped inside, he tugged off his stocking cap and gloves, running his hand through his hair a few times to settle it. There was a young female with shoulder-length light brown hair pushing a dust mop around by the bar, and he smiled at her.
“Hey. I’m Jack, and this is Vaughn. We’re looking for Holly. Clarise sent us.”
The female smiled at them, but then there was a sudden jarring sound of piano keys being played, and his gaze snapped to the stage. The loveliest female he had ever laid eyes on sat behind an electric keyboard, her long golden hair highlighted by the stage lights. Everything within him quieted for a profound moment, his beasts staring in awe at the beautiful female. He knew in an instant that he was in the presence of his fated mate. His likli fanna. The one female on the planet meant for him.
His beasts rose to a fury, demanding he run to her and claim her. It was only with the strongest of holds on his willpower that he managed to retain his humanity. The very last thing he needed was to shift in front of two humans who knew nothing of their kind. Which begged the question, how did a shifter broach the subject with his human fated mate that he was, in fact, a male who could turn into an animal?
“I’m Holly.”
It took considerable effort, but Jack ripped his gaze from the beautiful female and looked at the one holding the dust mop.
Jack opened his mouth, but had to purse his lips once more to keep a growl from escaping.
He looked at Vaughn and realized he was also seeming to have an issue keeping himself in check.
Inhaling deeply, Jack forced his beasts to calm down so he could function like a normal person and not appear to be a lunatic.
“It’s nice to meet you, Holly,” Jack said, extending his hand to shake hers.
“We weren’t sure if you were going to come or not, and Clarise didn’t leave me any way to get in touch with you. Come on to the bar and have a seat. Can I get you anything to drink?”
He looked at Vaughn and mouthed, “You okay?”
Vaughn shook himself out of his stupor and nodded. He jerked his head toward the stage and raised his brows in question. Jack also nodded.
“Damn,” Vaughn whispered. “Is Mrs. C psychic or what?”
Jack chuckled.
She sure as hell was.
They sat at the bar as Holly moved behind the counter and pulled a stack of papers and pens from a low shelf. She set them on the counter and divvied up the papers between him and Vaughn.
“These are employment forms. Before I let you get to filling them out, tell me about yourselves.”
Jack resisted the urge to turn around and look at the female on the stage, focusing on Holly. His mate worked at the bar, so it was imperative that he make a good impression on Holly so he could work there.
He and Vaughn had come up with a story about their work history, claiming it was in the security department of a toy company. It was close enough to the truth that they didn’t have to worry too much about the details. He just hoped his mate would forgive the lie once he was able to share the truth with her.
“It sounds like a nice company to work for,” Holly said. “Why did you leave?”
“They had to lay off employees, and Jack and I are the only ones on the security team who don’t have families,” Vaughn replied. “We were willing to walk away to allow the others to keep their jobs.”
“Just like that?” Holly asked, her brow raised.
Jack shrugged. “The wife of one of our friends has an apartment in town, and she offered to let us sublet it from her while we looked for work. It was just fortuitous that our boss’s wife came to the bar and found out you were looking for a bouncer and a bartender.”
Holly hummed. “Clarise is pretty amazing. She stopped what could’ve been a very bad fight.”
Jack wasn’t surprised, knowing Mrs. C had all sorts of magical powers, not just in mate-matching. “I’m very glad she was here.”
Holly nodded. “Me, too, actually. So yes, I need a bartender and a bouncer. I can only offer minimum wage, and I can’t give you full time. I got screwed over by a contractor who took the money I paid him to renovate the patio and disappeared. Unfortunately, if things don’t pick up, I may have to close the bar, and I’d really hate to do that.”
“What would our hours be?” Jack asked.
“Our busiest times are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights, from six until close. That would give each of you around twenty-four hours a week.”
Jack wasn’t worried about money; the security team had provided them with sizeable bank accounts. However, he was concerned that Holly was considering closing the doors to the bar, and he decided to do whatever necessary to help the bar stay in business.
“That works for us,” Vaughn said.
“Really?”
“Sure,” Jack said. “That sounds great.”
Holly smiled in relief. “Then go ahead and fill out the paperwork.”
They got busy with the papers, filling out their personal and background information. All their contacts were in NPC, of course, including Mrs. C and SC, who would answer any calls from Holly if she were to make them.
Holly walked to the stage and spoke quietly to the other female. Jack forced himself to focus on the paperwork so he could get it finished. The faster he did that, the faster he’d be able to meet his mate and figure out how to woo her.
He hoped.
He’d never had to woo someone before, and he had zero idea how to do it. It would’ve been far easier if they were in NPC and his mystery female knew all about shifters and magic.
“The one on the stage is yours?” Vaughn whispered.
“Yeah. And Holly?” he murmured back.
Vaughn growled softly. “Mine.”
“Mrs. C is amazing.”
“Definitely.”
Jack finished the papers and set the pen on top, scrubbing a hand through his hair.
“I’ll take the bartending job, if that’s okay with Holly,” Vaughn said.
“Yeah. I was going to suggest that anyway.”
“And then we figure out how to get them to realize we’re fated to be together.”
“If only humans believed in love at first sight or soulmates.”
“Maybe these females do.”
Jack hummed in response.
He heard approaching footsteps and swung around in the swiveled seat, stifling the growl bubbling his chest as he watched Holly and his fated mate draw close.
“Guys, this is my sister, Ivy. This is Vaughn and Jack, and they’re going to work here on the weekends.”
“Hi.” She smiled shyly and extended her hand to Vaughn first, who shook it briefly. The moment that her hand touched Jack’s, his whole body tightened as need and desire swept through him. Her skin was so soft, and her luminous blue eyes grew wide as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. She inhaled sharply, and the subtle scent of her arousal reached his nose, making him want to simultaneously discover if she tasted as sweet as she smelled and also smash Vaughn’s face so he never had a chance to scent her.
As if reading
his mind, Vaughn stood quickly and moved a few paces away to Holly. “Did you have an idea whether you wanted one of us to do a particular job?”
“You said you were comfortable with bartending,” Holly said to Vaughn. “Did you want to help out behind the bar and Jack can work the front door?”
“Sounds good to me,” Jack said. He was still holding Ivy’s hand, the connection between them smoldering. “Would you like to show me around, Ivy?”
She shivered and bit her bottom lip. He wanted to kiss that lip, tug it gently between his teeth.
“Sure.”
He stood, keeping hold of her hand, towering over her by nearly a foot. She was petite and curved in all the right places, her jeans hugging those curves beneath a long-sleeved top that had cutouts on the shoulders. Their gazes clashed, and he felt like his whole body was vibrating with need.
Her fingers slipped from his and she rubbed her hands together with a nervous smile. “I’ve never given a tour here before, but I guess this is the main room,” she said with a flourish of her trembling hands.
He quirked the corner of his lips. “You play in a band?”
Her smile faltered, and he caught a brief flash of sadness in her eyes. “I did. It’s just me now, though.”
He opened his mouth to ask for more information, mostly wanting to find whoever had made her sad and beat them within an inch of their lives, but she stopped him by clearing her throat.
“I play live music a few nights a week, and the rest of the time we use recorded music.” He followed her down a hall with bathrooms on the right, and a door marked Office to the left. “Holly spends a lot of time in here.”
“I’ll bet. Do you have an office?”
She leaned against the closed door. There was something very tired about the way she looked, as if she was too busy and there weren’t enough hours in the day.
“I wasn’t supposed to be here like this.”
“Oh?” Jack folded his arms and leaned next to her.
“I only wanted to play music. I never really planned to work at the bar full time. More than full time, actually. We’re here all the freaking time, and we live above the bar, so when I’m home, it never feels like I’m home. Does that make sense?”
“Yeah, it does. What happened to make you need to work full time here?”
“Holly wanted to remodel the patio to bring in a new crowd. She wanted a nice summer menu with specialty drinks and local wines, and a cool place for people to hang out. The contractor she hired started off fine, but then he disappeared with all her money and left the patio in shambles. There were bills to pay, and she was late with some paychecks to the staff. Some quit, and one was fired for stealing. At the time, she couldn’t afford to hire replacements, so I stepped in. That’s what family does. It’s just taking so long to get things back to the way they were.”
“Does Holly know how you feel?”
Ivy touched the corner of her eye with her knuckle and let out a sniffle. “Not really. It’s her time to have her dream. Mine will come eventually.”
Jack saw a glimpse of the strong female his mate was. He wondered if Holly had any idea how miserable her sister was.
“Family first for you,” he said.
She gave him a small smile. “Yeah.”
“It’s very sweet.”
“Well, I sometimes secretly curse her behind her back, so maybe it’s not so sweet.”
“I’m an only child, so I don’t know what it’s like to have close family, but Vaughn is like a brother to me, and sometimes I curse him out, too. But to his face.”
Her smile widened. “I can’t believe I opened myself like that. I didn’t mean to get heavy the first time we talked, but there’s something about you.”
His beasts growled in interest. “I’m pretty amazing. Maybe you’re picking up on that.”
“Maybe.” She laughed lightly, her eyes dancing.
“What about music in particular are you dreaming about?”
“Performing and teaching kids. I enjoy creating music and singing for people, but what I really love is helping kids learn to play instruments. When I was in high school, I planned to have a studio where I could give lessons and record music.” She sighed. “Someday, though. When Holly’s dream is back on track. I should’ve used my wish this year, so things wouldn’t be so hard.”
“Wish?”
She told him about making wishes on Christmas. He thought it was adorable, and he wished he could tell her that SC heard those sorts of wishes from kids who believed in him. What he really wanted to explain, though, was that in NPC, she could have everything she wanted in spades, and he’d be right there by her side the whole way.
“You deserve to have all your dreams come true,” he said.
“I don’t think that’s how it works.”
He shrugged. “Why not? Who says you can’t have whatever you want?”
She hummed. “That’s just not been my experience.”
“Maybe I’ll be your good luck charm.”
Her brow arched. “Well, we’ll see about that.”
“Just call me lucky.” He grinned.
“All right, lucky, how about we finish the tour so I can get to work?”
“Lead the way.”
Chapter 5
After finishing the tour with Jack, which Ivy admitted took a lot longer than it should’ve because she enjoyed being with him, she left him to talk to Holly about the job and walked onto the stage. She wanted to spend time on the keyboard before things got busy.
She sat down behind the electric piano and picked up the pencil she’d set on the music stand, but her gaze strayed from the sheet music to the bar, where Holly was talking to Jack and Vaughn.
Damn Jack was sexy.
Definitely the sexiest man she’d ever seen.
He smelled amazing, like the most expensive cologne mixed with something naturally wild, like the woods at night. He had gorgeous brown eyes, and a smile that made things low in her belly clench. She couldn’t remember ever feeling so attracted to a guy before, not even her ex who had been her first, and only, serious relationship.
The moment her ex’s image popped into her head, she frowned and turned her attention to the music. It wouldn’t do for her to think about him. She needed to focus on her job and her music, and put the past firmly where it belonged. It wasn’t as if she could date Jack, anyway. He worked for her sister, and if they went out and things went south, then Holly would have to find another bouncer, and would probably never forgive her.
It warred with something deep inside her to think about never knowing what it was like to be with Jack. Then again, she was probably jumping the gun. Just because he’d smiled at her and listened to her intently, making her feel like the only woman on the planet, didn’t mean he was anything but charming.
He looked at her suddenly, as if he’d known she was thinking about him. Her breath caught in her throat, and for a heartbeat she considered racing down the stairs and throwing herself into his arms. The corner of his mouth twitched, and her cheeks heated.
Is he psychic?
She dropped her gaze from his captivating lips to the page, where the melody without words taunted her. Then inspiration struck, and she set pencil to paper, the lyrics flowing from her as if her musical muse had been under lock and key and suddenly set free. The pencil flew across the page, the lyrics that had eluded her finally there. Elation filled her as she put the pencil between her teeth and set her fingers on the keys, singing the words in her head as she played.
When she finished the song, her fingers resting on the keys as the last notes faded, she was very aware of one pair of eyes on her.
Jack.
He sat at a table in front of the stage, his hands folded on the worn top, his eyes intently on hers.
Her breath caught in her throat, and her heart pounded in her chest. She wanted to say something, but she couldn’t think of anything that would convey what she was feeling.
Overw
helmed.
Wanting.
He pushed the chair back, the legs scraping on the floor with the motion, and stood smoothly, striding up the steps to the stage and crossing the scuffed floor to reach her. He cupped her face, staring down at her with eyes that swirled with dark gold. She swore she heard a growl in his chest.
“You’re fucking brilliant,” he whispered, a heartbeat before he lowered his lips and kissed her.
She grasped his wrist with her trembling hand to hold him close. His lips were soft and gentle at first, and then he swiped his tongue along the seam of her lips and she opened for him, groaning at the tingle that raced through her when their tongues touched. She’d never been so moved by a single kiss, but in that heated moment, there was nothing but the two of them.
The kiss ended far too soon.
His eyes, which she’d been certain were brown, were now a deep gold, and the scent of his cologne that she’d enjoyed so much was sweeter now. She inhaled the heady scent, her skin prickling with awareness.
“Jack,” she murmured.
“We’ll talk later. I just wanted you to know that you’re amazing. And your dreams can come true now. I’ll help.”
“Why?”
“Because I want you to be happy.” He brushed his lips over hers for another all-too-brief moment, and then he walked away, jogging down the steps to the table, where he picked up his empty glass and carried it to the bar.
Ivy swiveled on the stool to face the bar. Jack and Vaughn talked quietly over the counter while Holly was giving her a curious look.
Had Ivy really just kissed Jack like that? On the stage? In full view of her sister and his friend?
She waited for her heart to stop pounding and her fingers to stop trembling. The sweet taste of his kiss was something she knew she’d not only never forget but also hoped to have a repeat of very soon. She had no idea what it meant that Jack said her dreams were important to him, but she believed him.
Holly walked to the stage and looked at Ivy. “Are you okay?”
“Of course. Don’t I look okay?”
Holly snorted. “You’re blushing.”
