“That’s so romantic,” Faye gushes. “Riven sounds really sweet.”
“He is.” I sigh.
Riven is adorable. His thoughtfulness is unparalleled. Being around him makes me feel special, like the sun has decided to shine its light on me.
“That sounds like the perfect date,” Delilah gushes. “I’m going to need to tell the book club that book boyfriends are real. The love interest we’re reading about now has to up his game to compete with Riven.”
“Yeah, I guess it was pretty special.”
“Pretty special?” I imagine Sabs shaking her head. “The guy named a ball of gas in the sky after you! Did you mount that Viking or?—”
“Shh!” I hiss. I don’t know how thin the walls are. I pad through to the bathroom to make sure we’re not overheard.“Actually, if you must know, it was a PG-13 date. Riven hasn’t been with anyone before, so it should be special for him—not rolling around in some muddy field.”
Riven’s and my date ended amazingly, and sleeping in separate rooms was definitely the right decision. It was hard enough being snuggled up in his arms and not progressing to the next level.
“That pretty much describes my first time.” Delilah makes what sounds like a combination of a snort and a chuckle. “Hidden in the corn field.”
“No way!” Faye giggles. “A corn field?”
“I’ll tell you about it later,” Delilah promises. “But losing your virginity is a big deal.”
“I know that,” I huff. “That’s why we didn’t do it. He’s so sweet, and I… I still don’t know what I want yet. This whole scent match?—”
“Kady?” I jump at the light knock on the bedroom door. “Are you ready?”
“Shit!” I almost drop the phone. “I gotta go. It’s Hale.”
“Ooooh!” Sabs sings. “Your second date! Tell us all about it when you get back.”
“Have fun, Kady,” Faye choruses.
“Send pics when you can,” Delilah says before I quickly hang up and check my reflection.
Paired with my trusty tan trench coat, I’m wearing a button-up blouse and a high-waisted blue skirt, creating a French-chic vibe.
“Kady?” Hale knocks again. “Everything okay in there?”
“Coming!” I hurry to apply a quick coat of nude lip gloss before opening the door.
Wearing a faded denim jacket over a gray tee and jeans, Hale looks suitably relaxed, leaning against the door frame in a way that accentuates his muscular physique.
He eyes my outfit. “You’re definitely going to turn heads in Rose Harbor.”
I look down self-consciously. “I can change?”
“No, I didn’t mean it like that.” He raises his hands, showing me open palms. “You’re stunning. You always look good.”
I smile at his compliment, although part of me still doesn’t quite believe him. Compliments have always felt so cavalier to me—something thrown around at dinner parties to massage egos or to make connections—but the way Hale looks at me makes my insides glow.
“Did you have a good date with Riven?” Hale asks as we head downstairs.
I’m surprised to see that Larry is already sitting in his cat carrier, considering I heard no fuss from upstairs.
“It was amazing. Really special.”
“I’m glad. Riven deserves the best.” Hale’s love for his packmate is clear in the way he talks about him. “Although I don’t know anything about stars, I do know a mean place to grab breakfast. It’s also right next to the vet, so we can drop Larry off to get checked over then grab a bite if that works for you? He looks like he’s healing up fine, but I want to be sure he doesn’t need any antibiotics to prevent infection.”
My stomach grumbles. “That sounds good to me.”
