by Lola Kidd
“Atta girl!” Amy hugged her. “You’re going to fit in great around here. I’m so glad Ben got matched with someone cool.”
“Thanks. I’m glad he has some neat friends.”
Zelda couldn’t begin to tell them how much they added to the appeal of Sunset Falls and Ben. At home, she didn’t have Tessa anymore. Her sister was her best friend and was going to be hard to replace. If she stayed in Sunset Falls, there was a whole network of women who were already befriending her. It made the town so much more attractive to her. Ben was lucky to have great friends, and she would be glad to call them her friends too.
***
“You look so wonderful when you dress up.” Maude complimented her son. “I’m glad you decided that you’d still escort me to the stage and introduce me.”
“I would never renege on a commitment.”
Ben wouldn’t miss out on this for the world. He was glad Zelda hadn’t pushed the subject. It seemed like she wanted him to back out, but she’d never asked. Things were going very well between them with the exception of anytime the subject of his mother came up. Zelda didn’t like his mother even though they had only met the one time.
Not that his mother liked Zelda, either. She refused to comment on his match. It was frustrating, but there wasn’t anything he could do about it now.
He had been glad to hear that Zelda was coming to the opening ceremony with his friends. He owed the women something big for helping him out. He’d never imagined how invaluable his best friends’ wives were going to be to his own happiness. He was going to hire the best professional makeup artists from Hollywood to come and work on the commercial. The women deserved it and it was the best way he could think to thank them. He also knew that they couldn’t refuse that gift. The women were all so humble he knew it would be almost impossible to get them to accept big gifts.
The carnival was already teeming with people. They had picked a very good weekend. It was starting to get cooler at night and the days weren’t out-of-this-world hot anymore. The only thing that set their carnival apart from the rest was the lack of grass. Ben had been to a few fairs and carnivals in the Midwest, East, and South when he was younger. There was no way Sunset Falls could put on anything like that. Instead, they had gone for more of a seaside boardwalk look. The finished product looked far more interesting than any other fair or carnival Ben had ever been to.
His mother and her friends had chosen well. Nothing would have made him happier than Zelda sitting in the front row as he introduced his mother. Instead, she would be somewhere in the crowd with his friends, likely still near the front. It hurt that the two most important women in his life didn’t get along. There was no clear path forward. He had barely been able to convince Zelda to extend her stay. He liked to think it was the sex that had sealed the deal, but that was probably too arrogant even for him.
He was going to have to settle for a standoff. The less his mother saw Zelda, the better. He would wait until the wedding to have to deal with the problems. If there ever was a wedding, anyway. He still hadn’t been able to get a straight answer from his mate on whether she was staying or not. She wanted to, and she seemed to care for him more each day. He couldn’t tell what was holding her back.
“I think it’s time for us to head to the main stage.” Maude tapped her watch. “We don’t want to be late. I am the second most important speaker.”
“Not that you’ll ever let anyone forget it,” Ben joked good-naturedly. He offered Maude the crook of his arm. They walked arm-in-arm from the small vendors’ trailer to the main stage. There were people everywhere and it was hard not to stop and chat. If Maude hadn’t set a brisk pace and refused to stop, it would have taken Ben an hour to reach the stage. The closer they got, the more excited he felt.
He didn’t spot Zelda or her group in the crowd but he knew they were there somewhere. They took their seats in the roped-off VIP area and waited. The mayor’s assistant, Maria, came over a few moments later and marked off on her clipboard that they had arrived. She gave them both a quick rundown of the schedule for the night.
Ben already knew the order of speaking but he was glad she went over it again. First the mayor would speak, then Maude, then his good friend Owen would give the final speech and officially open the week’s festivities.
Maria went to the stage to get things started. It was a very good thing Maude had rushed him. He was so excited he hadn’t even realized they were the last VIPs to arrive.
Maria introduced the mayor and he spoke about the transformation the town had made over the last year. It was a very nice, very quick speech. It was Ben’s turn to introduce his mother before he knew it. He didn’t even have to pull out his notes. He had only written a page-long speech. He didn’t want to take up too much of everyone’s time since he wasn’t a guest speaker. He thanked his mother and the Ladies’ Club for their help organizing the event and said a little about his mother’s longtime charity work in town.
Ben didn’t take his eyes off his mother while she was speaking. Once she had finished, he quickly looked around for Zelda and his other friends. Sure enough, he spotted them along the side of the large crowd. They were hard to miss with Frank and Clint in tow. Ben quickly waved to Zelda while his mother was getting back to her seat. Zelda blew him a kiss that he mimed catching and laughed.
“I see you found your lady,” Maude said, surprising him. She’d gotten off the stage very quickly. She turned and looked toward where Zelda was standing and Ben’s stomach clenched. He wanted to scream at his mother not to even look at his mate. Instead, he sat rigidly. He should have been more careful.
“Why is she sitting all the way over there?” Maude asked. “Are you ashamed to be seen with her in public?”
Ben turned his head slowly and spoken in a very low, controlled voice. “I’m ashamed of the way you’re acting, but you’re my mother. I have no choice but to sit with you. But rest assured, if this is the way you continue to act, this will be the last time I’m near you in public.”
Maude’s eyes were wide and her mouth dropped open. “I think she’s a terrible influence on you. But if you choose to be with that…woman, I’ll support you. I won’t be happy about it, but I can’t stop you from doing what you want. You’re an adult. You’re free to make your own mistakes.”
Ben smiled. “Okay, Mother.”
He relaxed in his seat and couldn’t wipe the grin off his face. That was as close as he was going to get to an apology. It would probably take years for his mother to ever really warm to Zelda. But that didn’t matter. At least now she would put on her public face and be “nice.”
Maybe, just maybe, he would have a chance now.
Eight
“What do you think?”
Zelda came out of bathroom in her costume. She spun around and let Ben get the full effect of it all. It had taken her a month to find and a fortune to ship, but it was worth every penny. For Halloween, she was going as a panther. She had a full body leather suit that even had a tail. There was a hood with cat ears she could pull up. The yellow contacts were a little painful, but she could manage for a few pictures at least.
“I think…” Ben sat down on the bed and pulled Zelda close to him. He ran his hand over her ass and down to her leg. “I think you look fantastic. Good enough to eat.”
He playfully nipped at her leather-covered ass. Zelda squealed. “Stop! Don’t get me all hot and bothered in this. It’s already so hot.”
“You look so hot.” Ben kissed her hip. He was dressed as tiger. No, not so much dressed as undressed. Ben’s costume was mostly orange and black body paint. Zelda wished she’d thought of that first. It would have saved her so much time and would have looked hot as hell.
They were going to a big Halloween block party downtown. The after-party was going to be at Dom and Gwen’s new house at the edge of town.
Zelda had been in Sunset Falls for three months now. Tessa had even come down to visit and meet Ben on Labor Day weekend. Still, s
he hadn’t agreed to stay longer. It wasn’t like she was going home anytime soon. She still had a job if she wanted one, but they had replaced her at the bar.
She’d started working at Frank’s store four days a week soon after the carnival. The only real tie she had to Louisiana was her apartment. She hadn’t taken the plunge and broken her lease yet. She was also still staying at the Lunar Motel. The owner, Kellan, was pressuring her to start staying at Ben’s. Since the town had made the list in American Shifters Weekly, they were getting more and more tourists. She was taking a room from an actual tourist, but she still didn’t feel comfortable moving to Ben’s. She loved Ben but she had never planned to live with someone before they were married. It was her most old-fashioned notion.
“One more thing before we go. I have something else for your costume.” Ben pulled a blue box out from under the covers. |I think this ring will be perfect with your cat suit. Will you marry me?”
Zelda wiped at her eyes. “Shoot. You’re going to ruin my makeup. It took me so long to get this eyeliner to match.”
“Sorry.” Ben got down on one knee. “Will you?”
She nodded. “Yes, yes, yes. Of course I’ll marry you.”
Tears of joy ran down her cheeks ruining her makeup. She didn’t care. This was perfect. She couldn’t wait to tell all her friends that she was going to officially be an LK bride.
~~~~~~~~~~*
Thank you for reading Pursuing the Panther. If you enjoyed this story, please consider leaving a review. Thank you so much for your help :)
Coming Soon
Leopard in Love
Pilot Kai Waters has watched all the bachelors of Sunset Falls find love. It never occurred to Kai to try to get matched himself. As a busy single father, he has his hands full already. He’d like to find love but he doesn’t want to take away from the precious time he has with his son.
Curvy Sarah Roberts is visiting Sunset Falls from out of town and isn’t looking for a romance. The only thing on her mind is relaxing, going to the town’s Christmas festival and visit with her family. Little does she know that Olivia Grey has one more match up her sleeve and she’s convinced that Sarah and Kai are perfect for each other.
Will Kai and Sarah go along with Olivia’s master plan? Find out in the eighth and final book in the Mail-Order Mates series.
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A Note from Lola
Thank you so much for reading Pursuing the Panther. If you enjoyed this story, please consider leaving a review. It really helps other readers decide to take a chance when looking for new authors to try out. I would really appreciate it if you have the time!
If you’d like to keep in touch you can always join my new release mailing list. I won’t spam you’re inbox but you’ll get an email whenever I have a new release. You can also friend me on Facebook. –Lola
Other Books by Lola Kidd
Other Mail-Order Mates Books
Loving the Lion
Curvy Erin Numm is over dating. At the tender age of twenty-eight, she’s seen it all. A string of bad dates and heartbreak has left her ready to put herself on the sideline. Her plans are changed when she meets an agent from Lovely and Kind Brides. The mysterious woman tells Erin she has the PERFECT match for her. Curious, Erin decides to give love one last try and join the mail-order bride agency.
Shifter Owen Brooks is a lion on a mission. He’s working on big plans but he’s having trouble crossing one special item off his to-do list; Find A Mate. A shifter isn’t complete until they find their mate and Owen’s had no luck in that department. After months of no matches, an LK Brides agent emails to let him know she has found his mate. The agent’s optimism is enough to give Owen hope that maybe his long search is over.
Follow two strangers as they embark on a journey to find their one true love. This is the first book in the Mail-Order Mates series. It is a standalone novella with a HEA. No cliffhanger!
Wolf Seeks Wife
Curvy Molly Pitt’s life is going nowhere. Fast. Losing a job she loves causes her to reevaluate exactly what she wants out of life. She realizes that what she really wants is to be a wife and have children. Only with no one special in her life, there’s little hope of that happening anytime soon. Seeing an ad for a mail-order bride company renews Molly’s hope for her future. Even if she doesn’t get matched right away, this could be exactly what she needs to get her back on the right path.
Kellan Lunar has gone against his instincts and signed up for Lovely and Kind Brides. Seeing a happy couple get married convinced him that he could use a little help in the romance department. He’s excited when Olivia Grey calls and tells him that she has found his perfect mate. Only there’s a slight problem that may put Kellan off. Can he overcome his own prejudices and claim the mate that fate has put in front of him? Find out in book two of Mail-Order Mates series.
The Bear’s Bride
Frank Franklin is ready to find his mate. After years of searching on his owe, the big bear is ready to give Olivia Grey and Lovely and Kind Brides a shot. He couldn’t be more thrilled when after only three days, Olivia finds his match. There’s only one little problem. The woman doesn’t want to meet him!
After three failed marriages, Amy Alma knows she has terrible taste in men and choosing who to give her heart too. When her well-meaning sister signs her up for Lovely and Kind Brides, Amy will have to make a very important decision. Will she take another chance on love or keep her heart guarded away?
Find out if Frank can convince Amy to take a chance on him in book three of the Mail-Order Mates series.
Taming the Tiger
Gwen Johnson is losing her mind. She’s watched three of her friends find love with the help of LK Brides. But her profile goes unmatched in the database. Gwen’s ready to leave Sunset Falls and find the love of her life. If only she’d be matched already!
Dominic Cates knows Gwen is the love of his life and his mate. Too bad she doesn’t believe it. They have a history and Gwen won’t give him another chance after he’s already hurt her once. Can the tiger convince the stubborn tigress that he’s changed? Find out in book four of the Mail-Order Mates series.
A Wife for the Wolves
Matt and Mark Lunar have been waiting to become alphas their entire lives. Together, they could provide the leadership that the Lunar Pack sorely needs. Their only problem? They don’t have a mate to complete their triad. There hasn’t been an alpha triad in the pack for decades and the twins are having no luck finding the special lady to complete their threesome. In a last ditch effort to find a mate, the twins sign-up with a mail-order bride company. Join the alphas-in-waiting as they search for their perfect mate in book five of the Mail-Order Mates series.
Surrendering to the Stag
Rachel Drummond has spent her entire life in Sunset Falls. The hardworking waitress has longed for a family of her own for years. Seeing her friends find love with a mail-order bride service. Rachel decides to give the agency a chance.
Stag-shifter Clint Preacher has had his eye on Rachel since they were teenagers. The beautiful curvy waitress has never batted an eye in Clint’s direction. To his surprise, the two are matched via Lovely and Kind Brides. Clint is eager to get their romance underway but Rachel is holding back. She has a secret that could tear them apart.
Will these longtime friends find love or will her secret tear them apart? Find out in book six of the Mail-Order Mates series.
Witch and Wolf Universe Books
The Witch and the Wolf: The Complete Collection
Aurora Silver has a werewolf problem. Cross Hemlock won’t stop begging her for a date. If only the handsome man wasn’t only a werewolf, Rory would agree to a date in a heartbeat. Too bad witches and wolves don’t mix. When Rory’s life is in danger, Cross jumps at the chance to protect the young witch.
Cross will protect Rory no matter the cost to himself. He knows the witch is the one for him. Now all he’s got
to do is keep her alive and convince her to give a wolf a chance.
This book also contains the short story, A Very Witchy Wedding. This collection contains graphic sex scenes and language. It is meant for a mature audience.
Individual entries are also available as part of KindleUnlimited.
The Vampire and the Bear
Vampire Violet Moore needs help. She’s been injured in a werewolf attack and is near death. Her mother has brought her to the only safe place she could think of, Golden. The city is home to the Golden Bears, a tribe of bear-shifters. Shifters don’t usually want anything to do with vampires but they make an exception for Violet. They’ll give her place to rest while her mother deals with the events that got her hurt.
Eric Lightfoot is the son of the alpha of the Golden Bears. He takes Violet in against the wishes of his tribe. He wants to do the right thing and pay back the vampire who helped his tribe long ago. He didn’t want anything to do with the vampire but he’s finding that harder and harder. The gorgeous bloodsucker is growing on him. Could he have finally have found someone he can connect with?
The Lost Tribe: Complete Collection
Princess Lena is in for the fight of her life. Her older sister Sophia has gone on a murderous power grab and its cost the entire tribe dearly. The Northlands Fae have been banished from Earth to a realm where dragons roam free and magic isn’t practiced.
In this new land, Lena meets the dashing Prince Troy and his clan of dragon-shifters. Lena thinks she may have found a home for her orphaned tribe. Her sister has other plans and plots to bring them back to Earth and continue her power play. With the help of her new friends, Lena must stop her sister and keep her old home safe.
Individual entries are also available as part of KindleUnlimited.
Black Oak Shifter Universe Books
Taken by the Shifters: The Complete Collection
Curvy Elle Quinn is beyond delighted to meet the man of her dreams on a lazy day at the farmer’s market. Tall, dark and handsome Luke Rivers is equally smitten with Elle. The two can’t keep their hands off each other from the minute they meet.