I fussed with the collar of my shirt in an attempt to rid myself of some of my nervous, twitchy energy. I wasn’t afraid of Greer or his company by a long shot, but I did want to make a good impression. To live up to whatever standard he wanted from this date.
“So,” I said, smiling his way as he re-fastened his seatbelt. “Where are we going?”
“We’re going to Snapper’s,” he said in a casual tone, but I could see from the twitch in his smile that this wasn’t casual at all, and neither should it be. Snapper’s Waterfront Cafe was the most upmarket and sophisticated restaurant in town. Even just reading the menu prices gave my wallet a panic attack.
“You can’t be serious,” I said, ears reddening. “I’m not dressed for it.” As much as I liked the shirt I’d picked out to wear, I didn’t feel nearly polished enough for a table at Snapper’s.
“You look perfect,” said Greer. Most of the time, when people used the word perfect, they were exaggerating. I imagined Greer must be too, but there was no sign of that in his face, nothing I could hear in the tone of his voice to suggest he was anything but sincere.
“I don’t think the other diners would agree with you. They’ll eat me alive in there.”
“I can relate to that impulse,” he said, a playful smile spreading across his face. “But I’d like to see them try. Anyway, you look plenty fancy. All the time.”
I shuffled in the seat as he started the motor. He’d already said it was his treat, repeatedly, but now I knew how expensive said treat was, this was a whole other ball game. “Greer, are you sure?”
“Of course I am.” He looked sideways at me in the car, both hands firm and confident on the wheel. His smile was lopsided and warm, and that sexual energy in his eyes had morphed into something softer and less tempestuous. “Hey, listen. If you don’t want to go, I’ll take you somewhere else. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”
“No! I do want to go there… It’s just very kind of you. I’m excited. It’s just unexpected, that’s all.”
He gave a short laugh, putting the car into drive, and easing into traffic. “I guess it fits the theme of this whole thing, in that case.”
“Well, I can’t argue with that,” I said with a chuckle.
As he drove us off to our impossibly swanky dinner date, my heart flipped again. That roller coaster was still climbing. With his eyes darting my way every second he had a chance, and the conversation flowing free and easy as he drove, it was difficult for me to imagine a world where this could ever go wrong…
7
Greer
Snapper’s Waterfront Cafe was the kind of place people went to celebrate. There was nothing everyday about it—not the fine linen tablecloths, the formal service, the gourmet degustation of seasonal dishes, or the line of impressive cars we parked next to.
“Well,” I said as I opened Keifer’s door for him. “Nobody’s breaking into my car. I can tell you that much.”
“Just because we’re both fathers doesn’t mean you can pull out the dad jokes. You know that, right?” Keifer laughed as he unbuckled his belt.
I grinned as he climbed out, and then I shut the door after him. I was happy to hear him joking with me. When I first announced where I was taking him, I’d worried I’d gone too far. He’d been consumed with a kind of stiff uncertainty for a little while during the drive, but he seemed to have relaxed now, and he took my offered arm with only the faintest flush on the back of his neck. He smelled good; more his underlying omega scent than the cologne he wore, but the blend of the two was seriously enticing.
We walked slowly up to the wrap-around porch that overlooked the water, and I wondered whether his scent would fade as the night wore on and whether I’d get to search for traces of it against his skin, bodies knotted and locked together again…
Sure, we’d only just had sex the night before, but I’d spent decades alone. Having learned how good it was with him, no guesswork or imagination involved, all my patience was used up. I needed him again, and I could only plead he felt the same way about me.
As we stepped into the restaurant, I felt the gazes of fifty or more people on us all at once. My wolf seemed to retreat with something like…shame, a feeling I couldn’t ever remember experiencing before. I’d never done anything to have ever felt shameful for, until apparently now. I glanced at Keifer and felt a twinge as I realized what everyone was looking at. Keifer was more than half my age. Were they judging me? Was it that big a deal to date a man so much younger than me? I had to admit, I’d thought so until I’d got to know Keifer and decided he was more mature than a lot of men his age.
“Reservations?” Keifer asked, and I did a double-take to look at him. How could he tell?
“I…uh.” I glanced around at the crowd. No one was looking at us now. Had they ever? Was it all in my head?
“Did you make a reservation?” Keifer asked, and I let out a laugh of relief.
“Yes! Yes, I did.” I gave him a smile when I saw his concerned frown.
A well-dressed young man took us to our table and seated Keifer first. My date’s cheeks burned red as the server unfolded Keifer’s napkin and placed it delicately in his lap.
“You’re really so kind to bring me here,” Keifer said as soon as the server left. “It’s a long stretch between paychecks. I’ve been living on coffee and batch-cooked pasta salad for longer than I’d like to admit.”
“Do I need to lecture you about taking care of yourself as well as you take care of your daughter?” I asked as I sipped my sparkling water.
He gave me a sheepish smile. “Probably, but let’s save that for later. It seemed like you had a topic other than my nutrition on your mind when we made these plans, so…”
“I did.” I slid my fingers around the stem of my empty wine glass, shifting it back and forth slightly on the table before I caught it for what it was. Fidgeting. Seriously? That teenager mindset was really going all in. I let go and folded my hands together. “I don’t want to mess you around or be indirect, so… I guess I’ll just get right to it.”
“Okay…” Keifer’s frown was back, and I hated that I’d just put it there.
“I wasn’t looking for this,” I said, wanting to be honest about how I’d come to a decision about Keifer and me. “A man my age… I figured my future was all about being a grandpa, and I was okay with that. You know how it is with kids. They fill your life up. In a good way, of course, but who knows what the hell we did with our spare time before we were parents?”
“And yet somehow we felt busy.”
I laughed, sitting back in my chair. The server suddenly reappeared and refilled our glasses we’d barely touched.
“Thank you.” As he left, I turned back to Keifer.
“We probably were busy, in our way, but being a parent? Another level. Obviously, being a grandpa isn’t as intensive, but kids have a way of expanding to fill up whatever container you put ’em in, you know. Like water.”
Keifer’s gaze was on mine, and he’d placed his hands on the table in front of him. He seemed to be paying such intense attention to me… Had he also looked at me like this when he was a teenager? Caught on my words like this, while I was oblivious to it?
I cleared my throat. “Point is, I didn’t think it would happen for me. Didn’t expect it. Didn’t really want it. As you know, I… I’d chosen Coral as my mate, who died in childbirth.”
Though more than thirty years had passed, I still found it painful to talk of my loss. I glanced down at the tablecloth. The high-quality thread was tightly woven, expected of such an expensive restaurant, yet there was a tiny stain of butter right where the rim of the empty wine glass rested. I wondered if I should tell the server…
I almost jumped when I felt a hand on mine, but the energy of it was warm and comforting. I looked up and found Keifer still looking at me, patiently and attentively. I swallowed, managing to rid myself of the lump that had begun to form in my throat.
“I can’t pretend to
know a whole lot about dating norms and taboos, but I know you’re not supposed to talk about your ex.”
Keifer shook his head. “Forget all of that. We already know each other, and please, you don’t have to win me over or prove anything. Besides, I want to know more about the big parts of your life.”
I took his hand and squeezed it. “Thank you. She was certainly a big part of my life, and I’d never want to hide her. And it does feel right to mention her now.”
Keifer smiled softly before suddenly breaking away as a waiter appeared. We held eye contact as the server placed plates and cutlery in front of us, and once they’d left, Keifer took my hand again and gave it an encouraging squeeze.
“Go on.”
I nodded. “I figured I had my chance with Coral, and that was that. Then, during the claiming ceremony the other day, you, on that balcony, with the scent and the warm air and the smile on your face. And, yeah, the scent…”
I hadn’t directly complimented him, but clearly, Keifer understood what I was getting at. He wriggled in his chair, his smile growing, and when our eyes met across the table, I saw shy pleasure in his gaze.
“The point is, something changed then. And then again when we kissed. And then last night, I…” As much time as I’d spent thinking about those frantic, perfect moments in Keifer’s home, I still hadn’t really worked out a way to express what I felt. I’d been hoping the words would come to me in the moment, but now all I had were ripples of emotion and energy and vivid memories.
“I guess it’s not news to you that I don’t know how to talk about this,” I said, by way of apology. “You write love stories for a living. Closest thing I got to that is Love Actually on late-night television over the holidays last year. I don’t do this stuff.”
Keifer ran his hand over my wrist, letting his fingers linger there as he grinned. The light contact of his palm was calming—it settled me.
“You’re doing great. And I love that you’re even trying, but you don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to, if you’re not ready. I’m happy with the way things are. It’s…good. Really good.”
My smile widened, and so did his. I loved how his cheeks dimpled and his eyes shone so brightly. And how completely understanding he was.
“Shit,” I said. “You’re beautiful.” He blushed, shaking his head. I squeezed his hand, gentle but insistent. “Yes, you are, in many ways.”
When the waiter returned, Keifer and I set about the important business of ordering and eating. Just as I’d guessed, Keifer was the kind of company who was easy to break bread with. He had a warm sense of humor that could extend to himself as easily as anything else. He was a good listener, with intense, engaged eyes and big, bright reactions when I spoke. He had a warm, generous laugh, and the way he dipped his head, shy for laughing so openly in a fancy restaurant like this, even though he hadn’t disturbed anybody, was even more endearing.
I couldn’t lie. Having a beautiful, young and talented omega attracted to me was a little overwhelming, and amazing. Being wanted again felt like dipping into a cleansing pool of cool water after days in the desert. It allowed me to be the person I’d almost written off. The person I’d forgotten I could be.
By the time our main courses were being cleared away, I was ready to try again to explain to Keifer how important he was, especially to me.
“Keifer, if I start telling you things you’re already aware of, please let me know,” I said as I topped up his glass of wine. When he nodded, I smiled, wondering how much he actually did know. “So, obviously, you know about shifters, but how much do you know about shifter pairings?”
His gaze darted to the not so immaculate tablecloth, and then back up to me, his eyes coy beneath his lashes. “You mean the fated part?”
“Yes. You know Jason and Trevor were fated, and Jaxon and Bryce, and—”
“Linc and Shawn.” Keifer smiled. “Yes, I know. I wouldn’t want to try and explain it, but I’ve got the gist of it. About how there’s one special person out there intended to be yours, and once you have them, it’s…” He spread his hands. “Nobody else matters.”
“Right.”
“There are things I’ve wondered about it, though.”
“Which are?”
“I never really understood the…nuance of it, I guess you could say. I mean, do you have a choice? If someone’s your fated mate but it doesn’t work out, is that it? You’ve got no chance with anybody else?”
I shook my head, finishing off my glass of water before lacing my fingers together. “Depends on who you ask, of course. According to some old-school wolves who believe heavily in destiny and predetermination, then yeah. That’s about your only shot at happiness. In practice, though? Not so much.”
“No?”
I shrugged. “Maybe your body chemistry says ‘yes’ but your personalities say ‘no’. Maybe you have very different hopes and dreams. Maybe one of you wants a family and the other one doesn’t. Maybe your fated mate is just an asshole.”
Keifer laughed.
“There’s always a choice. There’s always a different path to take, for any number of reasons. I’m living proof.”
“In what way?”
“Well, with Coral. We weren’t fated, but if I hadn’t lost her I’m pretty sure we’d still be going strong today. Would that be some kind of fake happiness, just because we weren’t fated? No.” I cleared my throat. “Of course, you’d get some folk arguing she died because she wasn’t my fated mate, and destiny had to clear the way, but I don’t buy that.”
“I don’t think any decent person would say that,” Keifer said quickly.
I nodded. “I know of hundreds of shifters who have found the perfect mate for them, and none of them were fated. In fact, fated pairs are far less common than people would like to believe.” For a minute we sat in silence. I felt the memory of Coral at my shoulder, and her warm hand through my shirt. She’d like Keifer; there was no doubt about that. I could imagine her teasing him for the books he wrote. There was no sense of guilt or doubt around me. I knew she wouldn’t be jealous or insulted by the idea of me falling for someone else. That wasn’t the woman I’d loved.
I was jolted back to the present when Keifer rested his hand gently on mine. I shook my head, realizing I’d drifted off into memories of her. It could only have been a few moments, but still.
“Sorry,” I said, mumbling and gruff. “That was rude.”
“No, it wasn’t. She was your partner. In a way, I imagine she still is,” he said astutely.
I swallowed. Feeling a whisper of Coral’s presence and the strength of Keifer’s compassion and understanding was quite a heady cocktail of emotion, and not something I was used to dealing with in public. I turned my hand over in Keifer’s and squeezed his, letting the touch of his skin in mine bring me back to him and away from that emotional slippery slope.
“I get it,” he said. “Honestly.”
“Yeah. I can tell you do. Thanks.”
I gave myself another couple of seconds to wallow, then straightened my shoulders. She wouldn’t want me dithering like some old fool. Especially not right now.
“Anyway,” I said, a smile twitching up the corners of my lips. “What I was trying to say is one of the key ways fated mates find each other is through their scent, and as you know, yours has been especially potent to me, even with you on suppressors. So…” I took a slow breath even as my heart raced. “So, in light of that, and the reason why I can’t stop thinking about you, is because we might be fated mates.”
I waited for a response, but his face gave nothing away—whether he was happy or shocked by the news. No, I didn’t think he was shocked. He was an intelligent man, and he was fully aware of how shifters knew their fated mates. Could he be disappointed? Maybe he didn’t want to be a mate to a shifter.
I broke eye contact to give him a chance to think, but I couldn’t let go of his hand.
“I’m not telling you this to put you under pressure.
This is new, and there’s uh…quite an age gap between us. I get that. I’m not saying we have to run in headfirst or you’ve got to stick with me. I just want you to know where I’m at with this. I think you deserve to know. Does that make sense?”
“Yeah,” he said, his voice cracking a little. “That makes sense.”
I met his eyes once more, and he didn’t look away. That seemed like a good sign, even as his eyes misted slightly.
“Jason told me that was probably it,” he murmured. “I wasn’t sure if I believed him.”
“It’s a lot to take in. I didn’t really believe it myself at first.”
In fact, I’d had a tough time believing it. That was the reason why I’d felt so compelled to get out of his house the moment I’d woken up this morning. That was definitely not my proudest moment, but last night I’d almost grown afraid of what it meant—of the implications. To be fated to such a man as the one sitting opposite me, who was the sweetest omega anyone could care to meet, was a huge challenge, one I hadn’t been sure I was up for. Keifer was more than I deserved, and who Keifer deserved was almost certainly more than me.
However, the decision wasn’t just mine. It was up to Keifer to decide whether I was good enough for him, and for both of us to figure if we were compatible, if we could make a go of a relationship.
“And do you believe it now?” he asked.
I stared into Keifer’s pretty blue eyes and saw nothing but a lingering kind of hope. I smiled. “Oh yes. I believe it.”
The brilliant grin that lit up Keifer’s face would have been a balm to anyone’s self-esteem, to me it was practically awe-inspiring; to know Keifer was interested enough in me to like the idea.
“So, you’re happy being my mate?” I asked, just to be sure.
“God, yes.”
I chuckled at his enthusiasm, but then sobered. “About this morning, I’m sorry I left. I shouldn’t have.” Keifer warranted an apology, and I was more than happy to offer him one.
“I did wonder why. I thought I’d misread you. That maybe you were just after… That you just wanted…”
Silver Daddy Page 8
