Chapter1
My eyes widened at the plot twist unfolding in the book I was reading on my phone.“Unbelievable!He’s herfather?Oh, now he’sreallygotta go.”
The bathroom door squeaked open and surprised me.
“Oh, good evening, Councilwoman Thompson.”The brunette lingered by the long sink like a startled deer.“I didn’t expect to run into you.”
I went through the Rolodex in my head to recollect her name, but my thoughts were still swirling over the latest chapter in my fantasy book.
“You probably don’t remember me.I’m Cynthia,” she quickly added.“You came to our house for a mating ceremony.”
Ah, now I remember.She lives with that pack of coyotes who celebrated two young people last August.Boy, they had a delicious spread.I should get the recipe for their roast chicken.
“How are you, Cynthia?”I tucked the phone in my purse and sauntered up to the mirror.“Any mating ceremony in your future?”
She snorted.“Not by the looks of tonight’s date.”
I touched her arm.“Girl, same.”
After taking out my shimmery lip gloss, I leaned over the sink to apply it.Even though bold colors suited my brown complexion, I didn’t want to go overboard with my makeup on a first date.The nude lip gloss was one of my favorites.
“Is that why you’re in here?”she asked.“I had to get away for a minute.”
“I’ve been in here for the past ten minutes, hoping he fell into an alternate dimension.”
“A what?”
I closed the tube.“That’s my way of saying we don’t have anything in common.On to the next.”
“Can you give me any tips?”
My brow furrowed.“What kind of tips?”
“On getting a nice guy to ask me out.You’re so… sophisticated.And I love your hair.”She adjusted her tight green dress while staring at my leather pencil skirt and fitted black top.The girl had more cleavage coming out of her dress than beneath it.
My hair wasn’t styled in any special way.The loose curls were combed back on one side and closer to my face on the other.But I could empathize with her situation.“Think of dating like a job interview; you have to sell yourself to find the best candidates.Everyone around here knows your pack, but maybe they don’t know you’reinthat pack.”
“We’re a band,” she uttered meekly.
“Of course.I’m sorry.Everywhere you go, it’s a different term for coyotes.”It seemed prudent to offer her advice.While I wasn’t mated, I certainly had no trouble with men asking me out.“Here’s what you do: Write down your best qualities, talents, and anything else that’s uniquely you.Look at your list every morning when you wake up and recognize that Cynthia has a lot to offer.Make sure other people know about those qualities.Do you think men only ask me out because of my looks?They know about my job, how hard I work, my integrity—that’s what you want to focus on.If people only know you by looks, they don’t really know you at all.And whatever you do, don’t settle for less because you think that’s all you deserve.Be yourself and own every inch of who you are.”
Cynthia fluffed her wavy hair and smiled bashfully.“I always assumed you were mated.No offense.”
“None taken.I can barely make time to whip up dinner, let alone fool with dating.”I adjusted my purse strap and heaved a melodic sigh.“But here we are.”I flashed a smile before dragging my butt to the door.“Good luck!”
“You too.”
Dragonfly Bar & Grill was better known as Dragonfly’s, and I rarely had a chance to come here for pleasure.Always business meetings.The aroma of sizzling steaks, baked bread, and pasta wafted through the air of the gold room.The club exuded old-world charm with rich wood, sumptuous gold lighting, candles, and elegant crystal glassware.
Instead of sitting out in the open, my date had chosen a private booth nestled beyond a divider wall.The arched window openings and hanging plants on the stucco partition added charm.
I navigated through the crowded dining area in my heels, tempted to flee up the stairs and call it a night.However, that wasn’t the reputation I aimed for as a Councilwoman.I had agreed to this date, and that meant honoring my word even if I wanted to plunge a fork in his eye.
I passed a large table of local wolves who were celebrating a recent mating ceremony.A few smiled and tipped their hats when they recognized me.People always assumed I was conducting business, which offered me privacy while out on a date.
I’d give anything for an interruption.An old friend, an emergency, a meteor.I’m not picky,I mused, gazing up at the chandelier as I walked beneath it.Maybe it’ll fall on my head.Knowing this clown, he’d ask me to step outside and heal myself so we can order dessert.
Henry Hightower smiled up at me as I sat in front of him.His thatch of dark blond hair was styled in a Caesar cut—short and layered on top with a fringe, the sides tapered—but the waves were too overgrown to pull it off.None of that bothered me.He was a fair-looking man, but his ostentatious diamond earrings were off-putting.Mr.Hightower dripped with money, from his flashy car to his expensive suit.As I touched my own diamond earrings, which were modest but lovely, it felt like he was trying to outshine me more than impress me.He was brash, and sometimes he growled out his words.
