Just then, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out to see a text.
Beth: Outside. Ready when you are. Carol wasn’t able to make it, she had to work at her shop, and Deva couldn’t leave the restaurant, so it’s just us.
"Looks like my ride's here." I stood up and smoothed down my jeans. "Beth's waiting for me. Just leave the dishes until I get back, and I’ll take care of them."
"I'll handle it," he said, already collecting the empty plates.
"Are you sure?" I asked.
He nodded, a soft smile playing on his lips. He stepped closer, closing the space between us. He stood comfortably over me, green eyes warm. "It's the least I can do."
"Okay then." I reached up, my hand resting briefly on the rough stubble at his jaw before pulling him down for a quick kiss. His lips were firm, reassuring.
"Hey," he said as we parted, a hint of seriousness taking over his easygoing demeanor. "I'm swinging by the station later. Need to check in about the attacks. They could only tell me so much on the phone."
"Any leads?"
"Nothing solid. But we'll figure out what's going on, don’t worry.”
"Just be careful out there." After talking to Trudy, I knew full well what these creatures were capable of.
"Always am." His grin returned, crinkles framing his eyes, and with that, he turned back to the sink, rolling up his sleeves. "Henry, Alice, until I get this sorted out with the pack, no one should be out after dark. Got it?"
I glanced back at Alice's nod, then at Henry who looked more concerned about his Star Wars’ suit than werewolves. But he looked at Daniel and muttered, "Yeah, got it."
"Good." Daniel started the water. "I mean it, guys. It's not safe right now."
Alice crossed her arms. "We'll stay inside," she promised, and Henry echoed her sentiment.
"Daniel's right," I added firmly, catching my brother's gaze.
"Okay, okay," Henry agreed, finally looking serious. "No night wandering."
"Thank you," Daniel said. "That's settled then."
I stepped out into the cool morning air, squinting against the brightness of the day. Next door, Wade was trimming his rose bushes with methodical snips. I lifted my hand in a wave. "Hey, Wade!”
He straightened up and wiped his brow with the back of his hand, a small smile on his face. Crossing the lawn, he walkedover to where I stood on my front porch. Beth watched from the car, her fingers drumming on the steering wheel.
"Morning, Emma," Wade said, his voice steady and calm.
My gaze slid over him, noting that even this early in the morning his brown hair looked styled, and his deep blue eyes seemed energized and cheery. He was wearing some of his typical gardening clothes, a white t-shirt and gray sweatpants, but even so, he somehow seemed to look professional. Maybe it was the ex-professor in him, or his mermaid-half, since mermaids always looked beautiful, but he was a decent looking man. Even with the dad bod.
Beth needed to take the next step with this guy. In a town like Mystic Hollow, good guys didn’t stay single for long unless they wanted to stay single for long, and Wade struck me as someone longing for a connection. I wondered if there was a way to help my friend without overstepping. Probably not, but I sure as heck was going to try.
"Hey. So, how's your unicorn investigation going?" I needed to be on alert if I was going to smoothly steer this conversation to Beth.
Wade's smile faded a bit, replaced by a furrowed brow. "Not a single one since that day." He shook his head. "It's like they've vanished into thin air. I've been tracking them," Wade continued, a hint of frustration lacing his voice. "Deep into the woods, farther than I've ever gone before."
"And nothing?"
He scanned the ground as if he might find a clue there. "No. It's like they know they're being followed. They're hiding, or... I don't know."
"Must be tough." Poor guy. He was clearly frustrated.
"I set up a couple of video cameras too," he added quickly, as though he had to prove his efforts. "The kind that only records when there's movement. But nothing's triggered them yet. Not even a squirrel."
"That's strange." I frowned. "You think someone's messing with them?"
