“It’s okay, Ted.”
“Is he really hurt? Or are you two enjoying some alone time?”
“Both. He did have a small accident, but he’ll be right as rain in the morning.” Especially if he shifted once more while she was running errands. “But we . . . I guess you could say we hit it off better than I thought we would.”
Ted beamed. “That’s wonderful. Here I thought you two were destined to be bitter enemies.”
“No.” Rachel blew out a breath. “Not enemies. Hey, I came in for coffee, so I should probably buy it so you can close up.”
“Don’t be silly. Take your time.” His eyebrows rose. “I’m a nosy old man, but you blush every time you talk about Jake, and it sounds as if he’s settled in at your place instead of his . . .”
“He’ll be staying over.” Even though she’d known Ted for years and shouldn’t care if he knew she was getting cozy with someone, she felt shy admitting it.
“Ah. No wonder you don’t want those people barging in on your private evening. I’m glad you held them off.”
They’re not people, Ted. They’re shape-shifters. But she couldn’t tell this sweet man that, not now and not ever. If she’d needed a demonstration of what her life would be like if she hooked up with Jake, she was in luck. Ann and Bruce Hunter were testing her ability to deal with two different realities.
She wasn’t crazy about the maneuvering, but if the reward was Jake Hunter, who was presently preparing food in her kitchen wearing only a skimpy towel, she could deal. He, on the other hand, probably would be horrified to find out she’d had a conversation with Ann and Bruce of Idaho.
Getting back to her cabin took on greater urgency. “Let me get my coffee.”
“Need more candy bars?”
“Oh, sure, why not?” After grabbing a bag of fresh-roasted coffee beans, she detoured past the candy aisle and scooped up several of her favorites. Chocolate was a known mood elevator, and she might require a little mood enhancer in the near future.
Placing the coffee and candy on the counter, she dug in her purse for the small mesh bag she always carried for impulse buys. A random thought crossed her mind. She’d had several rounds of mind-blowing sex with Jake, but she didn’t even know if he recycled.
He’d said werewolves were protectors, so she figured he would include the Earth under that umbrella. After all, a wolf couldn’t run through the woods if someone cut down all the trees. A wolf couldn’t drink from a stream that had been polluted with chemicals. Being wild would seem to focus a creature on sustainability.
But she didn’t know that, and she was curious. She should make a list of all the questions she had so that she could ask them while there was still time. When Ann and Bruce came to call tomorrow, he’d want to distance himself from her. It might be the end of her acquaintance with Jake.
Ted put her candy and coffee in the bag she handed him. “Did you ever find out why Jake was so hell-bent on giving away that carving?”
Well, yes, she had. She gave Ted a piece of the truth. “He’s been attracted to me for a long time, but he didn’t think we were right for each other. The carving was a reminder of me, and so he wanted it gone.” That story would play nicely into their inevitable breakup. Jake’s belief that they weren’t right for each other would prove to be true.
“Huh.” Ted rubbed a hand over his balding head. “Guess he was wrong about that.”
She smiled at him. “Time will tell. It’s early days, yet.” She handed over the cash for her purchase.
“Good point. My advice—go slow. Margie and I met and decided to get married in a matter of weeks. We should have waited a while to make sure getting married was the right decision.”
“Do you miss her, Ted?”
A hint of vulnerability shadowed his blue eyes. Even the glare from his thick glasses didn’t hide it. “Sometimes. The winter nights can be long.”
“Then for your sake, I hope a nice woman shows up one of these days, Ted. You deserve that.”
He laughed. “That would be great, but I’m not counting on it. It takes a special kind of person to want to live in Polecat, Alaska.” He gazed at her. “Like you. And Jake, for that matter. I hope it works out for the two of you.”
“Thanks.” Her heart ached with the knowledge that her chances of that were slim to none. “We’ll see. Have a good night, Ted.” Grabbing her bag, she left the store. She heard the lock click behind her. Ted would go home, but no one would be waiting. Maybe in a few days she’d suggest that she and Ted check out the Internet dating scene together.
Moments later, she parked in front of Jake’s cabin. He’d told her the back slider was open as usual, so she walked around to the deck. This was where it had all started. The first time she’d set foot on this deck, she’d thought she was tracking Jake’s pet wolf.
Glancing around, she remembered the meal they’d shared sitting at his elevated table. That reminded her that she was extremely hungry and Jake was cooking another fabulous meal on the other side of the lake. Gazing across the water, she imagined him inside, the small towel flipping back and forth as he moved around her kitchen. Mm. So she was hungry for more than food.
Opening his slider, she stepped into his living room, closed the glass door, and headed directly for his bedroom. Previously she’d rummaged through his house uninvited while she looked for clues, but this time she had permission to open drawers and closets. He’d given her instructions as to where everything was kept.
She piled things on his bed and tried not to get wrapped up in the memories the bed evoked. Chances were she wouldn’t share this bed with him again, so she might as well shut down that train of thought. She chose two of everything with the hope that he might stay more than another twenty-four hours.
But she didn’t really think that would happen now that Ann and Bruce were in the neighborhood. The timing of their visit couldn’t have been worse from her standpoint, but she believed things happened for a reason. She’d have to go with it.
Once she had everything gathered, she took his duffel bag from the closet and piled it all in there. Before they’d left this morning he’d unpacked from his San Francisco trip, so the duffel was available. She started to zip it and paused.
One more thing in this bedroom called to her. She wouldn’t keep it, of course. But as long as she was transporting items from here to her cabin, she might as well include Duncan MacDowell’s book.
Jake wouldn’t appreciate her bringing it over, of course. But Duncan was on her side, and she would give anything to talk to him. After all, he’d converted Kate Stillman to the cause. Rachel wanted to know how he’d done it.
Tucking the book into the bag and zipping it up, she was about to leave Jake’s bedroom when her cell phone rang. When she answered, she found herself talking to Jake himself.
“Where are you?” He sounded uneasy.
“Sitting on your bed in your bedroom. Why?”
“You need to leave ASAP. I just checked my messages, and damned if some old friends of my parents aren’t headed to Polecat. What are the chances?”
“I’ve met them.”
“Oh, boy.”
“I stopped by the store for coffee and they were there, asking Ted if he knew where you were. Naturally, because he thinks we’re hanging out together these days, he turned to me for information.”
“What did you say?”
She took a breath and rolled her shoulders. “I did the best I could under the circumstances, Jake.”
“I’m sure you did. I’m sure you handled it well. But I need to know my lines for when I talk with them.”