The Shifter's Gift

by Haley Weir

  Isabella continued jotting down notes, looking up at Mason before glancing back down at her note pad. “We don’t ask because we believe our clients are or should be superficial, Mr. Sinclair. We ask questions so we can be sensitive preferences, especially if those preferences are tied to negative past experiences. That doesn’t mean we wouldn’t show results of matches with a particular hair color or body type. If we feel like someone would be a good fit, we wouldn’t hesitate to provide you with her profile to let the two of you go on a date.” She smiled at him. She probably repeated that same speech over and over again throughout her workday.

  Mason realized he was giving her a hard time, and that it was probably counterintuitive to fight every aspect of the process. “That’s good to know, Ms. Grace. I didn’t mean to imply you were asking for superficial purposes, but I just wanted to make things clear. I’ve never done this before. Perhaps I need to follow your suggestion and try to keep an open mind.” He moved his hands toward his lap. His beast reminded him of the woman he met in the hallway. “Since you’re asking, I think light brown hair and blue eyes is a pretty combination.” He lifted his gaze toward Isabella. “Actually, I wouldn’t mind being matched with that woman I met in the hallway. Perhaps you could set something up?”

  Isabella frowned for a moment. She blinked and quickly shook her head. “Sorry, Mr. Sinclair. The woman you met was here on a job interview. She wasn’t here to find a match. It’s against company policy for clients and staff to date. Ms. Prince is very strict about that.”

  He narrowed his eyes, feeling his beast become unwieldy in his chest. Neither of them wanted to take no for an answer. “She was here for a job? If she was here for an interview, then don’t give her the job. That wouldn’t be violating company policy then. I would like to date her. If you can’t help me, perhaps your supervisor can. I’ll pay double the normal price of your services to get what I want.” Part of him hated that he was taking his approach, but so much was at stake. If he was going to be with someone for the rest of his life, it was better to be someone who sparked his beast’s interest as well.

  Isabella set her pen down. “Sir, I could get in trouble for even broaching this subject. As I said, it’s against company policy. Please...”

  Mason crossed his arms over his chest indignantly. “Triple the normal price. Let me talk with someone who can make this happen.”

  She rose from her chair, and he wondered for a moment if he was about to have security called on him. To his surprise, she wrung her hands before nodding. “I’ll speak with our hiring manager. She may come in to speak with you as well. I’m… I’ll let you know, Mr. Sinclair.”

  Isabella walked back into the room along with another slightly older woman who gave him a once over. “Hello, Mr. Sinclair. My name is Henrietta Douglas. Ms. Grace told me you were hoping to be matched with the woman who was being interviewed today?” She looked at Isabella. “I’ll handle things from here. If you’d like to wait in the break room, I’ll come get you when we’re done here.”

  “Yes, Ms. Douglas.” Isabella hurried out of the room again, softly closing the door behind her.

  Mason looked up at Henrietta as she headed to Isabella’s desk, curious what she was going to do. “I am interested in being matched with her. She…sparked my interest more than any woman I’ve dated in years.”

  Henrietta wore a friendly, warm expression, but he could see something more calculating behind her eyes. “I see. You said you would pay triple the price of the services. If this were done off the books, as it would need to be if Ms. Prince isn’t to learn of this, then I’d prefer it if the extra payment was made directly to me. Is that acceptable?”

  He considered her deal for a few moments before nodding. He was getting what he wanted, why should he feel guilty about that? “Yes, it is.”

  The woman began typing at Isabella’s computer. She nodded approvingly after she’d completed whatever she’d been doing. “This should do the trick. You know, the girl you want to date would have been a terrific asset to this company. I’ll have to figure out an explanation to Ms. Prince on why we decided not to hire her.” She shrugged. “However, I suppose that will come easily enough. Ms. Prince will be in to speak with you shortly. Don’t mention our arrangement to her. If you do, I’ll refuse any knowledge of this agreement. Have a good day, Mr. Sinclair,” she said curtly. With that, she walked out of the room.

  Chapter Five

  A few days had passed since Ava went to Prince Dating Agency’s office for the in-person interview. She glanced over at her phone for the eleventh time in the past ten minutes. Meeting Henrietta and Ms. Prince had gone so well, and the phone interview had been great too! Why hadn’t she heard anything yet? It had sounded like such a sure thing.

  Despair weighed on her shoulders, and gave her a sinking feeling again as she stared up at the ceiling. Since her interview, she received one call from a grocery store about a cashier position, but the person had blown her off when she started talking to him about her past experience and why she would be a good fit for the job. Next time she should be more vague. If they didn’t know she had plenty of skills, maybe they would take pity on her and give her a chance.

  She shook her head. How was it possible that she had not heard a single thing from the Prince Dating Agency when everything had gone so well? It was only a matter of days before the eviction notice would take effect, kicking her out of her house. If she didn’t get a job before then, she’d have no proof for her landlord that he’d be paid soon. She’d be homeless. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she placed her hands over her face. That didn’t matter. Ava would need to apply for more jobs and hope things worked out. That was what she had to do, right? She opened her laptop and scoured a few job sites, hoping for inspiration.

  A yawn rose from her throat, and she closed the lid on the laptop again, setting it aside. Maybe it was for the best. Her eyes were starting to cross from all of the job listings she’d read this morning. If she skimmed through one more, she was afraid her eyes might forever be stuck in that position.

  She decided to stretch out on the couch, thinking that a short nap might loosen the tension radiating in her back and shoulders. She shifted positions to lie down on her side, and brought the throw blanket from the back of the couch on top of her.

  All of a sudden, the phone rang. Her heart leapt into her throat, and she sat up quickly. She sucked in a deep breath. This could be her chance. This could be the news that she’d been anxiously waiting to hear. She started playing out positive scenarios in her mind. She decided that she would grab a cheap bottle of wine from the grocery store to celebrate the job offer, and she’d spend a tiny portion of her first check on a bottle of nail polish as a treat. She picked up her cell phone, telling herself to calm down. The last thing she needed to do was get her hopes up. It could just be another bill collector.

  “Hello?” Ava answered the phone cheerfully.

  “Hello, Ms. Daniels.” The woman on the other end of the line sounded pleasant, if not a little reserved. “This is Isabella Grace with Prince Dating Agency. Is this a good time to talk?”

  “Yes, of course. I’m surprised it’s taken a while for a response since Ms. Douglas was quite prompt before. I’m glad to hear from you though,” Ava found herself rambling.

  Isabella cleared her throat. “My apologies for the delay. I...” She paused for a moment, seemingly searching for the right words to say. That didn’t help Ava’s nerves at all. “Actually, I was calling to let you know that you’ve been matched with a man named Mason Sinclair. Once you have a pen and some paper, I’d be happy to give you the time and location for your meeting with him. Please let me know when you’re ready.” The words were tumbling out of Isabella’s mouth, like she was anxious to get them out as quickly as she could.

  Ava chewed on her lower lip. She wasn’t sure what to think…this wasn’t the news she was expecting. Could this be a final step in the hiring process? She certainly hadn’t signed up with
the dating agency to meet anyone. What was going on? “I’ve been matched with someone...? Oh…okay.” She grabbed a pen. “I’m ready for the information whenever you are.”

  Isabella released a quiet sigh. “Great. Thank you, Ms. Daniels. Here’s what you need to know. Be sure to wear something nice as it’s an upscale restaurant with a dress code.” She read off the time and location of where to meet Mason Sinclair, and then gave her a few tips on making the most of the date.

  “Thank you for all of the advice. I’ll be sure to put it to use,” she said, still confused about what was going on. But Ava held out hope that this was all a strange part of employee onboarding.

  Ava remembered going to the same restaurant for an old company luncheon. Nestled on a marina, the place was pricey even when she was making decent money. In her current financial state, there was no way she could afford to go there. But it seemed like she couldn’t say no. Getting the job would be a dream come true.

  Isabella made it seem like doing well was important, so Ava needed to act natural as possible. Maybe this Mason Sinclair would buy the meal to simulate an actual date. She had no idea what to expect.

  When they said their goodbyes and hung up, she laid back down on the couch again. The date was later tonight. Maybe she would hear from the company tomorrow to give her the details on when she could start working. She assumed they would talk to Mr. Sinclair about how the dinner was, and hopefully she would pass this test with flying colors.

  Her thoughts went back to the restaurant’s dress code. She had no idea what she was going to wear. She’d sold most of her nicer clothes to consignment shops. Whatever she wore needed to be great if she was going to nail this final aspect of the interview process.

  * * *

  As Ava pulled up to the restaurant, she remembered marveling at how delicious the food was. The blackened salmon with rice pilaf and seasonal veggies were superb. Her stomach grumbled just thinking about the menu. She worried that she should’ve eaten a snack before coming out. The last thing she needed was for her growling stomach to embarrass her.

  She parked toward the back of the lot. That way, her old beat-up car might not draw much attention, and she could escape from the “date” without Mason Sinclair seeing what she drove. Not that it mattered. She wasn’t here to impress him and live happily ever after, right?

  Ava smoothed down her little black dress and headed to the maître d’. To her surprise, she was instantly greeted by name when she walked up to the restaurant’s front desk.

  “You must be Ava. This way, madam,” the host said, leading her through the restaurant toward the back of the building that faced the water. “Here we are.”

  A man in a dark grey suit was already sitting at the table with his back turned to her. When she followed the maître d’ past the man as he pulled out a chair across from her date, her heart nearly dropped into her stomach. It was the man she ran into at the Prince Dating Agency! Ava was more confused than ever.

  She sat in the chair and looked up at Mason. “Hi. It’s a surprise seeing you here,” she greeted him nervously. The butterflies fluttering like crazy in her belly replaced any hungry growling. Food was the last thing on her mind now. She barely stopped herself from chewing on her lip.

  The host smiled at them. “Your waiter will be with you shortly.” With a slight nod, he walked away from their table.

  Mason kept his gaze solely focused on her, not bothering to respond to the host. “It’s good to see you again. Ava Daniels, right?” He held his hand out to her. “My name is Mason Sinclair, but I think you know that already.” He nodded toward the window, at the water and sunset. “I hope you like seafood and ocean views. This place has the best of both,” he continued.

  “Of course. Who wouldn’t love that?” She accepted his large hand. Even though he looked like a quintessential businessman, Mason’s palms were rough and calloused as if he wasn’t afraid of getting his hands dirty. She found that undeniably attractive.

  “I’m sure those types of people are out there somewhere.” Mason motioned to the bottle of red wine sitting on the table. “I had a bottle of wine brought to the table. If you’re not a fan of red, I can have them bring out a bottle of white.”

  She looked at the label, surprised to see the vintage. Wine had been one of her mother’s passions. She’d grown up taking sips at the dinner table after her mom explained the flavor profile and other details about each bottle. “I’m a fan of both. I grew up with wine, actually. That’s a really nice bottle. What’s the special occasion?” She laughed a little, trying to look confident, even if she was still quivering from nerves. This didn’t feel as much like some sort of third and final interview anymore. The longer she sat at the table, looking across the dimly lit candle glow to Mason, the more she felt like she was actually on a date. When she’d bumped into him a few days ago, there was a definite spark. It almost felt like fate that she was even here, sharing an expensive bottle of wine with him.

  He raised an eyebrow at her, and took her body in slowly before his gaze drifted back up to meet her eyes. Ava noticed him checking her out, and found she loved the way he looked at her. “I think the special occasion is that I’m having dinner with a lovely woman like you. That’s all the excuse we need, isn’t it?” His lips curled at the edges, and he poured some wine into her glass before picking up his menu. “Have you ever been here before? If not, I could give you a few suggestions. Depending on your tastes, of course.”

  Ava looked down at her menu, noting the delicious blackened salmon entrée was still available. She looked back up at Mason. Should she admit that she had been here? What suggestions would he give her? He certainly seemed like the type of man who knew what he wanted, and how to get it.

  The truth was, she knew that she wanted him. Her mind buzzed with the possibilities. She imagined Mason gently pressing her against a wall, kissing her passionately, sliding his hands down her body, and laying her on a bed. She quickly snapped back to reality, and blinked to clear the thoughts away. A blush warmed her cheeks and she looked up to see him giving her a knowing grin.

  “Something on your mind?” he asked, amused.

  They both knew that there was, but she certainly wouldn’t be sharing those thoughts with him, especially not during their first date and second time ever meeting. “Oh, sorry…right,” she mumbled. “Just thinking. Um. Actually, no. It’s not my first time here. I was here once before with a group of coworkers. But I’d still love a suggestion. Do you have any favorites?”

  The curiosity in his eyes grew stronger. “Thinking about what?” he asked with intensity, and when Ava couldn’t muster up a response fast enough, he laughed and allowed the subject to change. “That’s a shame you’ve only been once before. Still, I’m sure you know how good their food is. The Alaskan king crab is probably my favorite. The grilled swordfish is also nice, as is the filet mignon.”

  Her mouth watered just hearing the options. She couldn’t remember the last time she ate so extravagantly. “Those sound terrific. I had the blackened salmon last time. It was very good.”

  Mason nodded in approval. “Their salmon is some of the best I’ve ever had.”

  The waiter approached the table to take their dinner orders. The two talked for a while, sipping wine and getting to know each other while they waited for their food. Ava kept Isabella’s tips in mind as she tried her best to keep the surprisingly wonderful momentum of their date going.

  Chapter Six

  Mason strode out of the restaurant with Ava, feeling the warmth of her dainty hand on his arm. He knew their date wasn’t over yet, and his plans for the night only started with dinner. “I hope you’re not in a hurry to get home. I have something else planned for us.”

  Ava looked up at him, a curious smile on her face. He could smell her arousal for the second time that evening, and his bear wanted to bury himself inside of her and breathe her in deeply.

  “Me? No, I don’t have any reason to head home now. I’m havin
g a wonderful time,” she responded.

  “Good. I’m glad to hear that. Follow me,” he took her hand and led her toward the marina. “My family has a boat here. I like to take it out when I have the time. Would you like to join me? There’s a bottle of champagne and some chocolate-covered strawberries as a treat if you’re up for them.” He regretted not leaving that last part as a surprise, but he didn’t want to give her any opportunity to turn him down.

  Her eyes widened. “A boat? Your family has a boat? Here?” She cleared her throat and licked her lower lip, glancing back at the marina again. “Wow, I’ve never been on a boat before. I’d love to join you.”

  They walked out to the docks. Earlier, Mason went to the yacht and made sure everything was set up perfectly. Before tonight, he wasn’t the type to get nervous around women, but Mason and his bear wanted this night to go as perfectly as possible. He looked over Ava, and it wasn’t hard to see why she had wormed her way into his brain. She was an absolute knockout.

  “In my family, I think a passion for the water is genetic. My great-grandfather was a fisherman, and he saved up everything he earned to buy himself his own boat. He passed it down to my grandfather, who then passed it on to my father. Once our family business become successful, my dad retired that boat and got a new one,” he said. Why was he talking so much? He cleared his throat. “One of these days, I’d love to go sailing around the world.” He remembered talking to his father at length about that dream. With all of his responsibilities to the company and to his pack, he doubted that would come to pass.