The steak is a T-bone, thick and perfectly seared. The potatoes sit beside it, golden-skinned and steaming. I lower myself into the chair and pick up the meat with my bare hands, bringing it to my mouth.
The first bite tells me everything I need to know.
Rare. Bloody. Seasoned with nothing but salt and heat.
Perfect.
I tear off another chunk, barely chewing before I swallow. The potatoes are next. I pop a piece into my mouth andfind more of the same. No seasoning. Just roasted, the skin crisp, the inside fluffy.
She did everything right. Everything exactly the way I like it.
What the fuck am I supposed to do with this?
She returns from the kitchen and slides into the chair across from me, her own plate in front of her. Her steak is darker, cooked longer. Medium-well, probably. The human way.
“Not bad, right?” she asks.
I swallow my mouthful and stare at her. “How do you know how to cook for a bear shifter?”
She shrugs, cutting into her steak with a knife and fork like a civilized person. “I take pride in my job. I knew I’d be spending the weekend here, so I did some research. Bear shifters prefer rare meat, minimal seasoning. You want to taste the animal, not a bunch of herbs and spices.”
“You researched me?”
“I researched bear shifters.” She takes a bite, chews, swallows. “The rest I figured out from the pantry. You’ve got about fifteen different brown sugar products in there, by the way. That’s either a preference or an addiction.”
I don’t answer. I don’t know how to answer. This woman looked at a job everyone else runs from and decided to prepare. To study. To learn what I need before I even asked.
I take a long drink of water, buying time.
“What’s a woman like you doing with a job like this?” I ask finally.
She raises an eyebrow. “A woman like me?”
“You know what I mean.”
“I really don’t.” But there’s a hint of amusement in her voice now, the wariness fading. “Shadow Suds pays well, thehours are flexible, and I don’t have to deal with office politics. It’s a good job.”
“You could do better.”
“Maybe.” She sets down her fork and meets my eyes. “But I’m not looking for better right now. I’m looking for stable. I moved to Shadow Wolf Creek a few months ago, and I’m still getting my feet under me. This job lets me save money while I figure out what comes next.”
“What made you move here?”
“Fresh start.” She picks her fork back up, pushing a potato around her plate. “I needed to get away from some things. Some people. This seemed like a good place to disappear for a while.”
“You came here to disappear?” I snort. “Shadow Wolf Creek is the worst place to disappear. Everyone knows everyone. Gossip spreads faster than wildfire.”
“I’ve noticed.” Her lips quirk. “I heard about you before I ever met you. The grumpy bear shifter who lives alone on the mountain and makes cleaning ladies cry.”
“And you came anyway.”
“I needed the money.” She shrugs. “Besides, I’m not looking for friends. Or a man. Or any of the things the other women in this town seem to want. I just want to work, save up, and build something for myself.”
“You’re not looking for a man.” I repeat it flatly.
“Nope.” She pops the word like a bubble. “I’ve had enough of men to last a lifetime. No offense.”
“None taken.”
