“Do you know what you’re going to get?” I asked as we joined the short line.
While the park wasn’t empty, it wasn’t exactly crowded either. It was a nice middle ground for this time of night.
I was well acquainted with pretty much all of the green areas in the city because of my job and because I really liked parks,and this one was the most human-social of them all. It was split into four quadrants, with a large fountain and a square in the center with restrooms in each corner and small shops all around the edges. Paths stretched out like a star around it, well-lit promenades at the center of each side. It wasn’t the best for dogs, but a lot of festivals, special events, and concerts were held here.
We were in the southeastern quadrant, about halfway to the center, and the reason it was such a great spot was because it was close to the most popular entrance with the biggest parking lot. Down the street was a school, and a bowling alley was right across the road.
I had a conspiracy theory that the owner of Straight Scoopin’ had worked out some sort of back-alley deal with that place to serveextrasalty nuts but not have any desserts on hand, but I needed more evidence before I verbalized that out loud.
“I was thinking of the blood orange sorbet,” Rowan said, drawing me back to the moment. Oh right, I’d asked him what flavor he was going to get. I was all over the place mentally. I was really out of practice with what came to a good date. I had thought I’d landed that with Jason, but looking back now, he had basically been a discount, clearance, bargain bin of barely acceptable. I was pretty sure that Rowan had already laughed at my jokes more than that wolf ever had. Plus,CozyCardigan1913could actually banter with me, and that was turning me on way more than I ever expected.
“Ooh, that’s a good one. I was leaning more toward the Moose Tracks.”
Rowan didn’t say anything for a long moment, and it was the only unnatural silence that we’d had since I walked up to him. Perhaps that was why I noticed it. But before I could ask what was up, his baffled expression turned to one of cautious concern.
“I didn’t know ice cream with meat in it was a thing.”
I could tell he was trying to say it as non-judgmentally as possible. But now it wasmyturn to be baffled, becausewhat?
“E-excuse me? Meat?”
We blinked at each other.
“Uh, moose tracks? Is that not meat? I know I don’t get out much, but I’m pretty sure they haven’t changed what anAlces alcesis.”
“…did you just use the scientific name for moose?” I asked incredulously, right before I burst into laughter. Gosh, when was the last timeI’dlaughed so much?
“You’re the one who recognized it,” Rowan said primly. “But I’m guessing I’m missing something?”
“Yeah. You’re not kidding about not getting out much. Moose Tracks has peanut butter cups, streaks of fudge, and sometimes chocolate chunks in it. It’samazing.And not just because it has peanut butter in it.”
But let’s face it, ain’t nothing ever been hurt by adding some peanut butter—unless allergies are involved.
Thankfully, even without a wolf form, I’d inherited shifter immunity to anaphylaxis from pretty much everything but silver and wolfsbane.
“Oh! I guess I’m really not up to date with the current ice cream meta.”
I wanted to correct him that Moose Tracks had been around and thriving since I was a preteen, but then the most anxious part of my brain stopped me, wondering if it was something that was a bit more from the shifter world than the human one. It wasn’t the first time a brand or product did amazingly well among our people only to then spread to the rest of the world.
“How gauche,” I teased. “I’ll have you know that I’m completely up to date and even certified in all the most delicious frozen dessert flavors sold in this very park.”
“Is that so? Quite a prestigious pedigree you have there.”
“Well, you know, I try to keep it humble.”
“As you well should. It’s not very fair to be stunningly beautiful, well-spoken, hilarious,andeducated. Leave some for the rest of us, won’t you?”
I knew we were just bantering, but the blatant compliments and thehonestway he said everything had me instantly flushing. I couldn’t remember anyone outside of Tweety who would just bash me in the face with such genuine positivity.
“Hey, are you all right?” he asked, lifting the arm I wasn’t holding onto so that his cool—cold?—hand could cup my cheek. And holy fuck, my skin almost felt like it was blazing against his. “You’re awfully flushed.”
“Nothing some nice, cold ice cream can’t help,” I said before using myfree hand to grab my canteen and chug some of the refreshingly cold water. It had been mostly ice when I’d filled it, but thanks to that pesky thermodynamic thing and it being summer, much of it had melted. “It’s just warm, that’s all.”
“That it is,” Rowan said, although I swore I saw concern in those dark blue eyes of his.
Actually, now that we were so much closer, I saw that his eyes were less blue and more a sort of… deep purple? That was just as striking as the rest of him.
“But just to be safe, why don’t you sit on that bench, and I’ll go get us some ice cream?”
