Rowan and I broke apart, looking to the sky that was suddenly illuminated with crack after crack of spectral colors. It wasn’t as boisterous or high-flying as a Fourth of July celebration, but it was still most definitely a spectacle.
“Do you think that really happenedByChance?” I asked, laughing in disbelief. Because seriously, what were the odds?
“I suppose it’s gotta be for some sort of big festivities on the other side of the lake, considering how far they are away from us,” Rowan said, equally bemused. “But is it a bit too egotistical of me to pretend that they’re because of us?”
“No, not too egotistical at all. But maybe, just maybe, we were a little rash in our judgment of all those theater kids for liking the drama.”
Another chuckle from my snowy-haired date, and honestly, I was right there with him. “Perhaps. I’m not sure if they’re right or wrong on all of that, but I know they absolutely do have one thing quite correct.”
“And what’s that?” I asked, my body still twisted toward him. I didn’t care one lick. Because I was completely caught up in everything he was, and what we were together.
“All those rehearsals,” he said with a wicked smile, then he was kissing me again. I clung to him as the fireworks continued their display above the water, and I couldn’t help but think that I was entering the best chapter of my entire life.
I felt like I was floating.
I’d thought I was fairly content with my life before, even if I was struggling to come to terms with the fact that I might never find someone who valued me for me. But now, after dating Rowan for a little over a month, I was acutely aware that there was so much more to life than I ever thought there could be.
He truly was the epitome of everything I wanted in a man. Kind. Funny. Charming. Engaging. And it didn’t hurt that he was easy on the eyes too. While I knew some people—some very stupid people, in my opinion—were put off by his pallor, all I could see was the beauty in it. But even if he was butt-ugly, like rotten-old-Halloween-pumpkin-ugly, I would still be falling head over heels for him.
Because Iwasfalling for him. Without a doubt. I never thought that could happen in a little over four weeks, but there was no denying it. Every time we kissed, it felt like we were still on the pier, fireworks exploding all around us, and even though we hadn’t gotten past that stage, every date was a wonderful experience. I learned all sorts of things about him, but also all sorts of things about music. He never got bored when I told him about the many personalities of all the dogs I worked with: the troublemakers; the class clowns; the sweethearts; and the ones you weren’t quite sure had room for a single thought in their head.
Rowan:Would you like to go to this new soul food place that’s supposed to be having a grand opening next week? They have a stage for live music, and they say they’ll only be featuring local performers.
I smiled at the text. I loved how he always spoke in full sentences and never abbreviated or used much slang except in jest. Maybe it was a little old-fashioned, but I liked that it was one of his many quirks.
But I should have known better than to acknowledge any sort of happiness, because the next second my phone was out of my hands and my brother was looking at my screen.
“We are far too old for this, Reggie,” I said, trying not to sound irritated. Because sounding irritated would only entice my middle brother to keep it up. Despite me being thirty-five and him only three years behind me, he still seemed to take particular pleasure in anything that could get under my skin.
“What? I just want to be involved in my big sis’s life!”
That was wholly untrue. But I’d learned not to call them out on such things. I extended my hand, patiently waiting for him to return my property.
“You could always try asking me,” I murmured. That was the thing about being surrounded by shifters—there was really no level of quiet I could be where they wouldn’t immediately be up in my business if they wanted to be.
It was one of the things I hated the most about our bi-weekly family dinner. If I could, I would avoid them entirely, but I’d unfortunately learned that caused even more drama than just suffering through one meal with my relatives.
It wasn’t that I hated them or anything, and they didn’t hate me, but that didn’t mean they weren’t really annoying to be around. Between the constant jokes and quips at my expense, the assurances that maybe someday I’d get a wolf, and the backhanded comments, there wasn’t a lot to like. Especially since each one of my siblings used to believe that they were part of a secretly filmed comedy special at all times.
“Ooh, what’s this? A date? Since when do youdate?”
The color drained from my face as my other two brothers’ heads perked up. The idea of me having a romantic life was enough to distract them from their heated debate about basketball.
“What, the great Otto-Roboto is on the market?” The eldest, Maverick, chuckled. “Why didn’t you tell us?”
“For exactly this reason,” I said, sighing and rolling my eyes like they were only inconveniencing me, and my heart wasn’t beating a million miles per hour. Unfortunately, all they needed to do was take a moment to listen deeper and they’d pick up on my total panic.
I was a grown woman, yes, and could date whoever I wanted, but was it so wrong to want something that was just for me? Was it so wrong that I didn’t want it to be picked apart by my family, and then be teased about it relentlessly?
“Wait, I don’t recognize this guy. He some shifter from out of town?”
“It’s probably an internet relationship,” my youngest brother, Mason, said. “You know, long distance.”
“I highly doubt a long-distance relationship would be asking for a date at some Korean place,” Reggie shot back, letting me know he was knee deep in my messages. I told myself it wasn’t that big of a deal, but it felt… violating in a way.
“It’s soul food, not Seoul food,” I snapped, snatching my food back while he was distracted.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Chill, Otto. It’s not that deep.”
