by Tasha Black
“I don’t know, Grace.”
“I’m off all day tomorrow. You have my card. Text me. It would be good to catch up either way.”
Grace smiled her movie star smile and Ainsley couldn’t help smiling back.
Chapter 8
Ainsley sighed.
She had promised herself that she would spend just ten minutes breezing through work email after Grace left, and then head out shopping.
Nearly half an hour had passed and she had just finished skimming the mountain of messages. It seemed that although her clients thought her stand-in, stupid Zach Gratz, was “great” they all wanted to check in with on her on “just one little thing.”
Ainsley prepared a quick spreadsheet with suggestions for damage control on the “little things” that really mattered and emailed it to her broker. Then she shut the laptop and plugged it in.
As soon as she stood she felt dizzy. It was 10am. Had she really not even had breakfast yet?
As she tried to remember, her cell phone rang.
It was Julian.
Again.
She dismissed the call. Even though she knew the dream was just a dream, the whole thing was still creeping her out. She’d feel better after a meal, probably.
Ainsley grabbed her bag, turned off the lights and locked the doors. Surely she would smell any intruders – her senses seemed to be heightened in Tarker’s Hollow.
Ainsley froze.
Why hadn’t she smelled an intruder?
She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply through her nose. She smelled herself, Grace, Erik, and Cressida. There was a softer note of her parents, her younger self, the mailman, the plumber, the guy who serviced the heater, and the faculty and students who used to visit. There was nothing unexpected and recent.
There had to be an explanation. Was it possible to hide your scent? Once again, she regretted not knowing more about being a wolf. Maybe she could ask Erik when he came tonight with his crew to help her finish moving things.
Why did her heart skip a beat thinking about having Erik back in her house?
She glanced at her phone again and sighed at the time, then headed outside.
Ainsley approached her dad’s old Volvo wagon with caution. It had as much character as the house, she was sure. On the other hand it was old as dirt. Her dad had been determined to drive it into the ground. It had about 200,000 miles on it and he probably felt it was only halfway there.
Once the air conditioning was on and the music was bumping, Ainsley began to feel better. She decided to run to the upscale mall half an hour away. She was sure there were shops in Tarker’s Hollow she ought to patronize, but sometimes a girl just wanted anonymity. And designer clothes.
After an almond croissant and a hazelnut coffee, Ainsley felt energized enough to shop. Her heels slapped the marble floors with a purpose as she skirted the leisurely women wandering aimlessly through the mall.
Ainsley’s curvy body often made shopping a challenge in the high-end shops in Manhattan. Sometimes she wondered if the whole city were made up of starving ballerinas. She didn’t think of shopping as enjoyable, but as a challenge to tackle.
However, Philadelphia’s storied love of soft pretzels and cheesesteaks perhaps influenced the size choices in the shops. It turned out that there was plenty to choose from over a size 2.
Nordstrom was her usual fare for work suits, but somehow nothing seemed quite right. As she headed toward Neiman Marcus the quirky little cotton dresses with swirly skirts in a boutique window caught Ainsley’s eye, so she stopped in.
The vibrant colors were almost overwhelming. Manhattanites dressed in a predictable wash of grays and blacks with the occasional blood red scarf or power tie. These dresses, on the other hand, were a feast of greens and yellows and cerulean blues. Ainsley paused in front of a dress so pink it made her think of a child’s drawing of a birthday cake.
“Looking for something special?” The shop girl said, viewing Ainsley’s choice in an admiring way.
“Well, I usually dress either for business or for cleaning the house. I’ve got a little time off and it seems that I have nothing in between,” Ainsley confided, enjoying the chance for a little girl talk that didn’t involve anything supernatural.
“I’m Jamie,” she said. “And I know just what you’re looking for. Go grab a changing room – I’ll bring you a stack.”
Indeed, they did have just what Ainsley wanted, and even some things she hadn’t known she wanted. And somehow, Jamie had known Ainsley’s measurements without asking or using a tape. Everything she brought fit like a glove. Ainsley spent a relaxing hour draping herself in light fabrics and lush colors and enjoying the company of the straightforward salesgirl.
“Well, I think you cleaned us out.” Jamie laughed delightedly as she rang up two large bags of playful dresses.
Ainsley smiled. It was nice to think that someone as dedicated to customer service as this young woman would be taking home a healthy commission for her hard work and good instincts.
Before she left Jamie suggested the best shops for shoes and which salespeople to ask for. Ainsley couldn’t resist giving them a try. Jamie hadn’t steered her wrong. Shoe shopping then led to a mani-pedi session at the salon that was highly recommended by the young man at the shoe store.
Afterward she stopped in Victoria’s Secret for just a few more nice things. In for a penny, in for a pound, she told herself. But now it was really time to go.
On the way out, she passed David Yurman. The blue topaz cuff that always caught her eye in the window on Madison Avenue was in a display case just inside. And it would look perfect with the faux-wrap dress she’d just bought. She paused uncertainly, then ducked inside and made one last purchase.
Carrying her bags back to the car, Ainsley almost felt guilty. Then she thought about the long hours she put in. Ainsley worked long and hard enough that she literally had no place in her closet for fun clothes.
Well that was going to change - at least for a couple of days. If she had to deal with wolves and who knew what else, she was going to look good doing it.
The Volvo started up right away, the radio played all the right songs, and the traffic was light. The trip back to Tarker’s Hollow was the capper to a perfect morning.
Ainsley hopped out of the car humming. As she carried her bags inside the phone rang again.
Julian.
Chapter 9
No matter what he did, Erik could not get Ainsley Connor off his mind.
He hadn’t slept much. He’d tossed and turned and thought of her eyes, her soft body, her luscious smell. Everything at the site this morning seemed to be going smoothly – leaving him too much time to think.
Clive Warren.
Had Ainsley’s dad really wanted her to mate with Clive?
The Warrens were total purists. Clive’s parents weren’t big fans of Connor as alpha. But Clive himself never seemed like that bad a guy. He was a good football player but he didn’t lord it over anybody. He was a good cop.
There were worse choices.
Funny that Connor wanted a working man for his daughter, not an academic. Erik had always respected Michael Connor. And now he truly felt that the respect was mutual - it was good to know Connor hadn’t just been quietly condescending all those years.
Erik couldn’t help wondering if a blue-collar man was good enough, why hadn’t Connor thought of him?
Connor called him in all the time for his opinions on the highway and how to handle the pack finances. The more Erik thought about it, the more it seemed like Ainsley’s dad had been grooming him for the role of the pack’s next alpha.
Erik could picture him now, listening intently with those unblinking brown eyes. He never shared his own thoughts – an alpha didn’t have to let anyone in on his decisions. But he would ask questions – just the right questions to help Erik articulate facets of the problem he hadn’t thought of before. When he had heard enough he would nod and reach over to shake Erik’s hand.
“Thank you, son,” he would say. “Well done. As usual you have given me plenty to think about.”
Erik’s wolf would stand tall with pride at having pleased his alpha.
Erik did not remember ever hearing of Clive Warren being called to the alpha for counsel.
At that moment, he heard the chirp-chirp of a police car. As though Erik’s thoughts had summoned him, Clive Warren pulled up on the shoulder by the site. Erik strode over to see him.
“Hey Clive!”
“Jensen, what’s new?”
“Nothing, man, beautiful day – perfect for digging.”
Clive smiled.
“Anything wrong?”
“Nope – just patrolling. Grace told me there was a break-in at the Connors yesterday. You didn’t see anyone coming out of there did you?”
Erik shook his head.
“Have you seen Ainsley since she got back?” Erik asked, before Clive could ask any follow-up questions.
Clive colored and looked down. Erik could hear his heart beating hard.
“Yeah, I bumped into her last night,” he muttered.
So it was already happening. Erik mentally gave his wolf a shake and, as much as it hurt, made himself do the right thing. It was about the pack. It was about Ainsley. It wasn’t about him.
“Clive, I think you would make a great alpha. And Ainsley needs you. Don’t give up on her. She’ll come around.”
Clive’s head snapped up and he opened and closed his mouth. His cheeks got a little pinker and he swiftly grabbed Erik’s hand and pumped it enthusiastically.
“Thank you, Erik. I know you love this town, just like I do. I’ll bring Ainsley home.”
Erik nodded. It was painful, but he would get used to thinking of Ainsley with Clive.
Wouldn’t he?
Chapter 10
Ainsley rejected the call.
It wasn’t that she was playing hard to get. It was just that the dream had thrown her off a bit. She would catch up with Julian tomorrow.
She carefully unpacked each bag, hung the dresses in her girlhood closet next to a row of homemade Halloween costumes that no one had the heart to part with after all these years. Ainsley’s mom had been handy with everything from lawnmower repairs to needle and thread. Her Halloween costumes were always spectacular.
God, she missed her parents.
She always had, but when they weren’t speaking there was at least a tiny part of her that knew she couldn’t stay mad forever. As she mused over the zombie Girl Scout costume that had been one of her favorites (complete with a box depicting brain flavored cookies), she decided that maybe she would like to visit the college and take a look at her dad’s office today. She would need to get in touch with Carol for the key.
But first, a snack. She had missed lunch. Sleeping in had thrown her off schedule.
A search of the pantry yielded a can of Campbell’s chicken noodle soup. She really needed to go to the Co-op.
Ainsley poured the soup in a cup, added half the recommended water and heated it in the microwave. She drank it slowly while she watched the neighbor kids through the window. They were chasing their deliriously happy chocolate lab with water pistols. The dog was trying to catch the water in her mouth. One little girl doubled over in delight, squealing, “She’s trying to DRINK it!” as the dog leapt for a jolt of water and landed in the rhododendrons.
Ainsley was suddenly aware that the mailman was walking down the sidewalk to her house, though she couldn’t see him. He would arrive at the front door in 3,2,1 …clink. The mailbox snapped shut.
Her senses were really heightening here. Usually the moon was full before she got waves of sensory info without trying. It must be something about the town. Or maybe it was the nearness of the other wolves.
Ainsley walked to the mailbox. Across the street Sadie Epstein-Walker was weeding the flowerbeds and waved her gloved hand once. Ainsley waved back.
The mail was mostly coupons but there was a thick manila envelope, too. It had her name written on it – no postage mark or stamp. Someone must have dropped it in the mailbox earlier.
Ainsley carried it back into the kitchen and bent the metal brad on the envelope to open the flap. A sheet of paper with the college letterhead greeted her.
It was a pleasure to see you last night, Ainsley. I know you’re busy with the house but I thought I’d stop by with the key to your father’s office just in case you have time. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help you. Your Friend, Carol Lotus
There was a phone number at the end.
Ainsley upended the envelope and a single brass key slid into her waiting palm.
Ask and ye shall receive.
Funny that she hadn’t noticed Carol’s scent when she arrived back at the house. Maybe it was just that Carol had been here before over the years.
Ainsley slipped into one of her new dresses and a pretty pair of slides and headed out on foot. Somehow the heavy, humid air felt cool and light on her bare shoulders. The flats meant she had to walk more slowly than usual.
It was a gorgeous day in spite of the heat. The flowers and trees were at the peak of their summer lushness. The town looked like a Photoshopped postcard of upscale suburbia.
By some miracle, she made it down Elm and across Yale without bumping into anyone. Soon, the shade of the college woods embraced her and her feet carried her down the familiar path as she mused about last night.
Given the intimate evening she’d had with Julian, it was funny that her thoughts kept going back to Erik.
She could see the shimmering heat around his powerful naked form every time she closed her eyes. A thrill coursed through her as she imagined what it would be like to lose herself in the thrall of his alpha.
If only it didn’t mean giving up her life and dreams to literally be his bitch. She remembered how ready he was to start ordering her around.
Why would her parents want her to marry him?
Thank goodness she hadn’t told him about that.
Chapter 11
She rounded the corner to Scott Hall and pulled open the heavy wooden door. The second floor was up a tremendous flight of marble stairs. The auditorium ceiling was so high it made the upper story feel much higher than normal. By the time she got to the top, she was nearly breathless.
Ainsley turned the brass key in the lock to her father’s office, and shut her eyes to take in the whoosh of leather and books that always came out of this room. When she opened them she nearly screamed.
All of her father’s gorgeous volumes were spread across the floor. Papers were everywhere. The quarter sawn oak roll-down desk had been forced open. The gaping opening revealed another mess of papers and books.
Ainsley stood frozen in the doorway.
It was too much.
She took a breath and pulled Carol’s note from her purse. With shaking hands she entered Carol’s number on her iPhone.
“Hello?” the quavery voice said after the first ring.
“Carol, it’s me, Ainsley.”
“Did you get my note?”
“Yes, I’m at Dad’s office. When were you last in here?”
“The department has been in upheaval since we lost your father. I stop in there almost every day for one reason or another. Why?”
“Were you here today?”
“Well, no, but I stopped in yesterday. Is something wrong, Ainsley?”
“How did things look? Were they in order?”
“Your father was a very neat man,” Carol said.
“Someone has been here. It looks like a tornado went through. I…I don’t even know what might be missing.”
“Oh my word! I’ll be right over, Ainsley. Don’t move a muscle, I’m coming.”
Ainsley hung up and slid the phone back in her purse. She wanted nothing more than to sink into the leather chesterfield. But after being scolded by Grace this morning, the last thing she wanted to do was touch anything.
Instead, sh
e walked back to the marble staircase, sat carefully on the top step and leaned against the wrought iron railing. She shut her eyes and inhaled deeply. It was no use. There had been so many people in and out of this hall and that office - she would never be able to track a single scent.
There was the sound of footsteps on the stairs. Before Ainsley could stand, Clive Warren appeared at her feet.
“Ainsley, are you all right?” he asked, a little too loudly.
“I’m fine, Clive. I’m fine.”
He paused and knelt on a step below her, a look of obvious relief on his handsome face.
She studied him calmly. His gigantic hands, one on the railing and one just below her, made her feet look tiny. His blue uniform pulled against his muscular chest. He was breathing heavily after his rushed trip up the staircase. And he was exuding a woodsy scent that, if not as delicious as Erik’s, was certainly attractive.
He searched her face.
She smiled reassuringly at him.
His returning smile was so pure and happy that the kernel of fear that had settled into the pit of her stomach dissolved.
“Whoever it was is long gone. Did Carol call?”
“Yes, I was patrolling campus. Every once in a while we get pranksters over here when school’s out of session. When Carol said you’d called I rushed over.”
“Thank you, Clive. Maybe you can take a look inside. I didn’t touch anything this time.”
“I’m just glad you’re okay,” he said gruffly.
He was on his feet swiftly for a man of his size. Ainsley remembered again that he wasn’t only a man.
He reached for her and she allowed him to take her hand in his and lift her back to standing. His grip was warm and he pulled her up like she was as light as a feather. She smiled up at him. His eyes were so blue. Just as she began to fight her brain, which decidedly wanted to indulge in a quick fantasy, he looked away politely.
Clive headed into the open room. He strode into the threshold and scanned the room coolly. Then he turned back to her and his gaze softened.
