“A beer is fine. IPA.”
“We’ve got two on tap. Do you prefer an English or a Belgium?”
“English is fine,” Robert said. “Is there a menu?”
“Felicity will give you tonight’s options,” the waiter assured him.
Had he misheard the name, the first time? Felicity made much more sense. Felicitations was something you wrote at the bottom of a letter when you didn’t know what else to say.Felicitations! You’re still alive and no one has any idea what to do with you!
Robert ran a finger over the condensation on his glass and looked out over the resort. Should he be annoyed? It sounded like there was more goofing off and singing in the kitchen than work happening.
The laughter came closer, and was, if anything, even brighter. Robert prepared a scowl and dropped it in astonishment as a woman placed a beer in front of him. He was staring directly into her face, despite sitting. She was startlingly short, and had a huge sunny presence to make up for her small stature, her personality all but shining through in her wide, warm smile. “Breck said to start you with an English IPA. Can I tell you our menu for tonight, or would you like to enjoy the view for a while as you drink that?”
For several heartbeats (hart-beats!), he genuinely thought she meant the view ofher. She was everything he ever wanted to watch, every fascinating sparkle in her eyes, every tilt of her head. She had short, wavy blonde hair, and greenish eyes. Blue? Gray? They shifted like water and were crinkled in good humor.
Our mate!his stag bugled.Ours! Forever!He sounded like coconuts, dancing in Robert’s head.
Robert knew about mates. He’d heard the wilder tales of magic and miraculous healing and telepathy and the tamer versions that boiled down tolove at first sight.He’d always wondered if there was someone out there who could be like that for him, and was both alarmed and excited that there actuallywas. Maybe his trials hadmeaning, if they’d been any part of what lead him here, tothismoment, tothiswoman. The rush of heat in his body and his heart alarmed him.
“So, that menu? A little more time?” She cocked her head. “There’s no rush. We’re on island time. Except that eventually the restaurant will close. I guess it’s not on island time, exactly. But there’s still plenty of time! You’re welcome to enjoy your drink first, okay?”
Something was wrong.
This was a shifter resort, and everyone here was a shifter.
But she didn’t recognize him the way he’d recognized her, which meant…?
Mate?Even his stag was confused.
Her expression had gone quizzical. “Either way is fine, I promise.”
Robert had been doing nothing but staring at her. “Time,” he said roughly. “Time…”
CHAPTER5
Felicity was a soft touch for people who were lost or confused.
And this gorgeous guy was clearly both lostandconfused.
He was that kind of pale that feared the sun, and Felicity wondered if it would be too forward of her to suggest a hat. Even his eyelashes were pale, like they were fringed in frost. Not quite white, but pale honey, like his short-cropped hair. In a resort where she was slowly starting to get used to the sheer beauty of everyone around her, he was absolutely gorgeous. He had eyes of such light blue that they were almost silver, and a slightly Grecian nose, and a clean-shaven jaw that sloped up to cheekbones like they’d been carved by a master artist.
He was probably the prettiest man that Felicity had ever seen in his life, and when he smiled at her, she felt like she’d just been sunstruck. She had to remind herself what she was supposed to be doing after gazing at him for a long, awestruck moment.
His smile faltered then, and Felicity had a glimpse of uncertainty and a flash of despair before his expression completely shuttered. “Time,” he said gruffly. “Time…”
“I can give you some more time, no problem!” Felicity said is as kindly as she could, which was a lot, and she smiled reassuringly at him as she turned away, a little dazzled and not sure if she’d just imagined his first, adoring look.
“Wait?” He even had a pretty voice, all velvety and sweet.
Felicity turned back attentively. “Yes, was there something else?”
He jerked his gaze from her like he’d been caught doing something wrong. “No, I guess there isn’t.”
Felicity felt terrible for him. He was so uncomfortable and uptight, looking like someone had just kicked him under the table or left him at an altar. Maybe left him at an altar in his underwear. He lookedthatuncomfortable.
“Did you want to hear the menu options and you can think about it while you finish your drink?” she coaxed him. “It’s a little weird, but we don’t have a menu here, we just have a few dishes each night to choose from, because every night Chef dreams up something miraculous and new. I’ve only been here a few days, but I can already absolutely guarantee that whatever you pick will be amazing. And the buffet is always open if you want a sandwich or an emergency waffle. I’ll be honest, I ate five waffles yesterday because it’s just so fun using the automatic waffle-maker! There are fresh strawberries to top them with that they grow right here on the island!”
Her chatter was clearly not making him feel any better. At least he was staring at a spot on the table, instead of her, now. Maybe he was just really hungry. He hadn’trefusedher offer for the dinner choices. “Anyway, tonight Chef has created what he is calling Beef Shellington, which is a beef-based cream sauce with tangy notes, covering marinated beef tips sauteed with black pearl oyster mushrooms and served over house-madeconchiglie. That’s the pasta shaped like shells. The smallest kind ischonchigliette—isn’t that the cutest name ever? It smells absolutely incredible. The other choice is a chicken breast stuffed with havarti cheese and fresh asparagus tips, grilled and drizzled with a citrus-cilantro sauce and served with baby red potatoes. It’s going to be amazing. Chef made me taste the sauce, and it was—mwah!”
