by Moira Byrne
I shook my head and resolved to ignore him as I turned my attention back to the menu board. He kept asking me out on dates, and so far I'd managed to stay out of that trap. But I'd recently started to consider saying yes.
Would it be so bad to go out to dinner with him? I hadn't heard from my old pack in eight months. Maybe they had decided to simply let me leave. Good riddance to bad rubbish in their minds. What was holding me back?
My eyes drifted over him as he continued to study the menu. I had to stay strong, even if his body made my blood run faster and my heart race. I took a deep breath to still my heart and cleared my throat. Calm yourself. I was glad he wasn't a shifter and couldn't tell how much he affected me.
"So, you eating here?" he asked casually.
My eyes snapped to his face, but he studied the menu board and didn't look at me.
"No, I'm in line because I like to wait and waste people's time."
"Oh, that explains it."
"Explains what?"
"Well, you do work in a medical office . . ."
I rolled my eyes and didn't dignify that with a reply, although my cat urged me to play along. Cat-shifters liked these sorts of games, but it was rare that I did. I seemed to be missing the fun and games gene possessed by others of my kind.
"Honestly, though," I finally said, "I planned to get it to go. I have some paperwork to finish back at the clinic."
"All work and no play," he said, his voice ending in a lilt.
I snorted as I tried to hold back my laugh. "I think this Jill's already a dull girl, so I'm not worried."
"Trust me, dear Jill, there's nothing dull about you." He grinned but didn't look at me. "Why don't you take a break and eat with me?"
"I'm taking a break right now. I came to get food."
"That's not a break. I think you need to sit down and have dinner for once. Besides, you have the perfect dinner date right here." He waved his hand as if he was some type of display.
I slowly arched a brow. "I could sit at my desk."
"You know exactly what I mean."
He was right.
"Okay," I said thoughtfully. I could use a distraction, and Alex definitely counted as a distraction. "You've convinced me. I'd love to join you for dinner."
His eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed in suspicion that I'd given in too easily. Before he could comment, I stepped forward to the register. Immediately after I finished ordering, Alex stepped up and placed his, as if we were together.
Sneaky, my cat thought. Little did he know, I could be sneaky, too. I might be a dull girl who worked too much, but I was still a cat on the inside. When he finished and the cashier asked if we wanted anything else, Alex shook his head, but I spoke up.
"That cinnamon roll, please." I'd seen Alex eyeing it and had decided to get it for him. I handed the cashier my credit card before he told us the total. It was my turn to give Alex a gift. He shot me a knowing glance, then chuckled to himself.
The cashier placed the table buzzer and plastic glasses in front of me.
Alex nudged me with his side and gave me one of those amazing smiles. "Thank you for treating me."
I looked off to the side and cleared my throat as I handed Alex his glass. I didn't want him to get the wrong idea. I was only buying him dinner because he had bought so many small treats for me. That was all.
We meandered through the café, weaving through the tables of people. I wrinkled my nose as the smell of a tuna sandwich assaulted me. It was quickly overwhelmed by the sauerkraut on the Reuben at the next table. I would take sauerkraut over tuna any day.
All the side booths were taken, and the various conversations flowed over me, mixing into background blur. I scanned the tables in the center of the room, but they were packed as well.
"Maybe we won't be eating here after all," I said, frustrated at the full restaurant.
"I could think of something better to do . . ."
I gave him a flat look. "Very funny, Alex."
His grin only grew wider as he scanned the room.
"Over there," he said breezily.
I followed his gaze and saw an empty corner booth.
"Good catch."
"I'm a man of many talents."
He wove in front of me, hurrying to claim the booth. My eyes ran over his backside and I bit back my grin as I thought of his other talents. I quickly lifted my eyes before he could catch me looking.
We made our way over and I slipped in, Alex settling on the other side of the booth.
His bright smile appeared and I knew he was going to try to charm me again. He was good at it, too. Unfortunately for him, the buzzer for our order rattled before he could begin.
"Let me do the honors." He winked for good measure. I looked away, hiding my smile.
He was on his feet and headed to the window to pick up our order. It didn't take him long to return with the food.
"My prince," I murmured as he set my tray down in front of me with a flourish.
He grinned at me as he set his own tray down and slid into the booth. "I could be."
I bit down on my lower lip, trying to resist the urge to smile. He was so cheeky sometimes.
I glanced around the room as we started eating and saw a woman wearing a bright, pumpkin-orange shirt with bright white ghosts printed all over it. I'd never seen someone wear that outlandish color outside of Halloween. Alex looked up and followed my gaze.
"It's a bit early for that. She should be taking some kids trick or treating, or something."
I nodded. "Yeah, just a bit. I mean, she's jumping the gun by a few months, but who am I to judge? My closet is multiple colors of the same outfit."
He chuckled and shook his head, his eyes distant, as if he was somewhere other than our conversation.
"What?"
"Sorry, I went on this weird mental tangent. I was thinking of how much fun it would be to take you out on a haunted trail."
I smirked. "Right. That'd be great. I'd know we were about to be jumped before it happened, every time. So much fun."
"You never know. We've got a lot of magical people here in Fayoak. I could get some people together and set something impressive up." He grinned. "Maybe we could even surprise you."
"Oh, sure. That'd be a good idea. Startle the woman who grows knives out of her fingers."
Alex burst into laughter. "I can just see it." He held his hands apart as if reading a headline and said in an imitation of a television announcer's voice, "Now featuring realistic blood!"
"Free disembowelment," I added with a laugh.
"Don't like the cut of your clothes? Come for the stylish new look: Clawed."
"And what if I turned furry? Could you just see that? People would be calling animal control left and right."
Alex threw his head back and laughed. His eyes sparkled with mirth. I couldn't help but join in.
"Oh," he said, "what if we got an entire pack involved? Large cats with glowing, menacing eyes in the darkness. People would be scared silly."
"So we're running a haunted trail now, are we?"
"Hey, I have access to an entire orchard. We could make it happen."
I shook my head. "Dream on. The shifters wouldn't come because we'd know all the surprises. The witches wouldn't come because they don't trust anyone. As for everyone else, well . . ." I shrugged.
"Don't get dull on me now, Jill." He pouted slightly. I had to tear my eyes away. It was a surprisingly good look for him—the sort of look that made me want to stay here and play with him.
My cat was all on-board with that idea, but I knew where it would lead. And I couldn't go there. I busied myself with cleaning up my trash instead. It was time to get back to work.
"Heading back to the office?" he asked.
I nodded and smiled in apology, feeling a little guilty for ruining the moment.
"Great, I'm going that way, too. I'll walk you there."
I blinked slowly, my smile fading from my face as all my earlier amu
sement drained away. I didn't need an escort. Sure, it was night, but I could take care of myself. There were few things that could take on an adult shifter and other supernatural folks would leave me alone.
"You know I shift into a big cat with sharp teeth and claws, right?"
"Sure do. It's one of your most intriguing features. Speaking of, when do I get to see big bad Sophie's cougar?"
I ignored his joking question and sharply said, "I don't need a babysitter."
I realized my tone may have been too severe from the way his eyes widened slightly. But I was an adult, I didn't need anyone to look out for me. I looked out for other people.
"I didn't say you needed a babysitter," he said slowly, his hands held out to his side in apology. "I simply wanted to spend a little more time with you. Is that really so bad?"
Suddenly, I felt like pond scum. He'd been nothing but pleasant and had brightened my dull evening, and here I was, going feral on him for no apparent reason.
"I'm sorry," I said. "You're right. I just . . ." I looked down at my cup as I tried to figure out what to say. I forced myself to meet his gaze and offered a small smile in apology. "I'd love company on the walk back."
The light came back to his eyes and his grin reappeared. I cursed at myself. I had been trying not to encourage him and, with one sentence, I destroyed any progress I might have made. Of course, the dinner probably did that anyway.
As we stepped out the door, the breeze brought that terrifyingly familiar scent to me and I froze. For a moment, I thought I'd caught Edward's scent again, as I had at my office. Alex gave me an inquiring look, but the scent was abruptly gone.
I shivered slightly. Was I imagining things? I was glad Alex was here—his company helped pull my mind away from those imaginary shadows. The walk back to my office passed before I realized it. Alex smiled and waved as I closed the door behind me, and I noticed he waited until the lock clicked before he turned to walk away.
I watched him as he left. I couldn't help but admire how his shirt hugged his shoulders and outlined his lean muscles. I didn't miss how graceful his walk was, either, much like a shifter. My eyes trailed down his back to his tight pants. I arched a brow, my lips parted ever so slightly. For a tall guy, he had an amazing build.
The moment the thought crossed my mind, I instantly tore my eyes away and shook my head. I had no idea what was coming over me tonight. Had to be work fatigue.
I headed to my office and sat down at my desk. I stared at my paperwork, but my thoughts swirled back to my dinner partner. Alex was a nice guy. The spontaneous dinner had been fun. He had a way of making me laugh, but I needed to be more careful. I didn't want a relationship right now, and I was worried I was leading him on. I wasn't certain he wanted something long-term anyway, but I definitely wasn't interested in a fling, either.
With a sigh, I forced myself to focus. I finished faster than expected and soon headed out. As I stepped outside the clinic doors, the shadows in the trees reminded me of Alex's haunted trail idea. I smiled, thinking it might be fun.
My smile soon faded as I had the feeling of being watched again. I scanned the area but couldn't see anything. With a shiver, I hurried to my car.
All the talk of haunting must have gotten to me. The hairs on the back of my neck disagreed, and my cat was alarmingly certain something was hunting me from the darkness.
2
Alexander
I tucked the last peony seed into the tray and smoothed soil over the top. I started humming along with the radio as I held my hand over the tray. My magic poured over the seeds, and I felt them burst. Their roots sank down into the dirt as the green shoots surged upward.
The sprouts stretched higher, grew thicker, and leaves began to pop out and unfurl, one by one. Before long, lush, green plants filled the tray. I continued to pour my magic in, ready to make them bloom, when I felt something wrong. I frowned and halted my magic.
I ran my hand lightly over the tops of the plants, searching. They all shifted toward my hand, as if wanting to touch me, but I was looking for the problem that called out to me.
It didn't take long for me to find it. My magic felt it, sure, but I could see it clear as day, too. There was an empty spot among the sea of green, barely visible through all the lush growth.
"Your poor thing," I murmured as I reached down to scoop out the seed that hadn't grown.
I looked at it in my palm. I could tell this one wasn't going to make it without special care. Even my abilities had their limits. I couldn't rush the hand of nature when something was this sickly. I would have to take my time and give it careful doses of magic.
"I'll take care of you, don't worry," I crooned.
I grabbed one of my spare pots from a shelf and filled it with soil. I gently tucked the seed inside the dirt and set the pot on the windowsill. I would tend to it once I finished with the others. I gave the pot a wink and turned back to my flat of peonies. Moments later, flowers cheerfully burst from the plants. Finished with this flat, I moved it to the side and grabbed the next.
I repeated my earlier performance and watched in satisfaction as plants burst out of the soil, almost simultaneously. I smiled with the joy of it. Working my magic always did that to me.
Finished, I picked up the trays and moved them to the greenhouse. After I set them down, I headed back out, but stopped in the doorway and looked outside, tilting my face up toward the warm sun.
My eyes were only open a tiny sliver, but movement to the right still caught my attention. Something prowled among the dense grass in the wild field next to my family's orchard. I froze in place, not wanting to make any sudden movements. But then I saw blue eyes glow brightly from low in the grass and I grinned.
I knew those eyes. I saw them peer out from Sophie's all the time. The wind rustled the grass, revealing a cougar crouched down low. I had never seen her when she was in her shifted form before, but I knew it was her. My grin grew as I knelt down and put my hand on the ground.
The cougar stiffened as the grass shifted and parted flat before her, revealing her hiding spot. She stalked forward. I quickly wrapped the blades of grass around her paw. With a surprised hiss, the cat leapt straight up out of the grass. I let the stalks all fall back to their normal position.
I chuckled as Sophie tilted her head, studying the oddly behaving plants. As she stared, I made them lean to the left, then the right, faster and faster. Her head followed the dance then the cougar stumbled slightly. She shook her head. I couldn't help but laugh.
"Am I making you dizzy?" I cheerfully called out to her.
Her ears pricked up and she looked at me. She let out a high-pitched squeak, and I laughed even louder. I'd never heard what sort of sound a cougar made, but that hadn't been what I expected. A roar, perhaps. Definitely not something that sweet.
I grinned and made the grass reach out and tickle her underbelly. She jumped back, then immediately pounced on the grass, watching it intently. I made the plants to her right move, and she smashed them with her paw. The ones a foot in front of her moved and she pounced forward to slam her other paw down there. I did it again to the ones on her left.
She kept smashing out her right foot, then her left foot, as she tried to catch the grass. Her tail whipped back and forth, and her ears were up as her head darted around, looking for her next target. I laughed again, and she gave another cute chirp, yet she didn't stop her vigilant search for errant blades of grass.
Suddenly, she stopped the game and lifted her head and looked at me. No, not at me. At something behind me. I turned around and saw Pappy heading toward me. I looked back and disappointment surged through me when I saw she had disappeared. When I turned around to greet my grandfather, he raised a bushy brow.
"Did I interrupt playtime?" he asked with a hearty chuckle.
I scratched the back of my neck and gave him a lopsided smile. "Yeah, I might've gotten a little distracted."
"Was that Sophie?" my grandfather asked curiously.
"Yeah, how did you know?"
"You grandmother sees her running around a lot, that's all."
"I didn't realize she ran through here that often."
"All the time, apparently."
I tilted my head to the side. "Huh."
I made my way back to the work shed and briefly wondered why she didn't come say hi if she was always around. I shook the thought away and walked back to the shed, my grandfather following along behind me.
I looked over my shoulder and asked, "So, what're you doing out here?"
The work shed my grandmother loaned me when I started my landscaping business was on the orchard's property, of course, but it was far away from the production workshop where my grandfather spent his time making jam and jelly.
"Ah, y'know, I don't see you as much now that you're not delivering my goods. I figured I'd come see that handsome mug of yours."
"I really am something, aren't I?" I said with a cheeky grin. "I don't know how the town is going to cope without me making the rounds anymore."
My grandfather let out a hearty chuckle. "I'm pretty sure they'll get on just like they did before you came to help me and Petunia, but with an empty hole in their hearts. Speaking of, how's the landscaping business treating you so far? Worth giving up the glory of jam delivery?"
"I don't think anything will ever replace hauling around your jam day in and out, but it's been going really well, actually. I've been getting a lot of work, most of it thanks to Maddox."
"The Shepherds' boy?"
"The very one."
"Ah, yeah, I heard he moved back to Fayoak. Good kid."
I snorted a little. Maddox was a good five years older than me, but everyone was a kid to Pappy. I moved over to my desk and took a seat, pulling the pot with the sick peony seed toward me. My grandfather leaned against my desk and peered down the bridge of his nose to get a look.
