Debate went on for hours after Wallace Evans’s surprise speech, but from the table where he sat with Sarah and the others, Zane could see that his father’s side had lost the moment Evans stomped into the building. A lot of his father’s supporters quietly got up and left as the evening progressed, until there were no more people to speak on behalf of keeping Virtue isolated. There would be a referendum for the town to make an official statement on the matter, but Zane felt a little as if hope for the future had won.
That was not a feeling he would have ever imagined experiencing in Virtue. Not with his history here. Not that meeting Vicki—who had waved goodbye as the meeting crawled past eleven at night—didn’t count as hope for the future, but that was…
Fate?his wolf asked dryly as Zane began to help clean up after the meeting.
Zane was a little startled by the comment; the wolf had been its usual quiet self for most of his time in Virtue.Luck, he replied, although he wasn’t entirely sure he was arguing.Fateis so…big. Luck feels less…I don’t know. Good luck happens to people. Even my father would agree with that.
The wolf gave the sense of really considering that, before eventually saying,If luck is easier to believe than fate, then we are very lucky to have met…
“My one true love,” Zane said aloud, wryly. The wolf exhaled with satisfaction and retreated, apparently done with the conversation.
Sarah, who’d overheard him, nudged him as they finished tidying up after the meeting. “You never did like the idea of fate, did you. I guess I know why, now. Your parents weren’t fated mates, were they?”
“No, and my father…” Zane gestured at the man across the gym. He was still ranting, furious at being put in his place by Wallace Evans and, in their way, the townspeople. “He didn’t believe it was real, although I can’t imagine fate being mean enough to saddle somebody withhim.”
“Well, maybe you ought to believe it’s real just to spite him. Either way, though, Vicki is great and I hope you two are happy. Have you talked about what happens next? After the ball, I mean?”
“Not even a little bit.”
Sarah paused her cleaning efforts and gave him a serious look. “You need to. The ball is in five days, Zee. Is the dress done?”
“Almost. I’ve got to trim it, but…basically, yes.”
“Good. But look, everybody assumes you’re going back to LA after the ball, and Vicki isn’t going to just assume her way into anything. She’s way more likely to assume her wayoutof it. And who could blame her? You’re Zane Bellamy, and she’s a substitute first grade teacher.”
“But that’s the problem!” Zane spread his hands. “Even if I moved back to Virtue, she’s got another job lined up somewhereelse for the fall, and it was obvious from the minute I met her that her job is where her sense of responsibility lies, which is, I mean, of course it is! So she’s not going to just walk away from it because I’m crazy about her.”
“She might because she’s crazy about you, though.”
“And what kind of jackass would I be if I asked her to? One like my father. And realistically, my job is big-city-based. Los Angeles, New York, Milan, Paris, London, whatever, but notVirtue. Especially because—” He realized his voice had been rising, and managed to lower it. “Especially because on this one topic, my dad isn’t wrong. It’snotsafe to be bringing endless numbers of A-listers here, because their fanswillcome, and eventually that’s going to expose Virtue’s shifters. And I’m sorry, Sarah, but I’m not going to come back here and make a living altering dresses and sewing costumes for school plays.”
He sighed hugely and passed a hand over his eyes. “I mean, for one thing, I’m pretty sure that second one is something you do, and I wouldn’t want to putyouout of a job.”
Sarah laughed, quick and quiet. “I don’t get paid for it, so if you came back and made a job of it, you’d be taking something off my plate. But no, I get it. Which is why you really have to talk to her, Zane.”
“I will,” he promised. “I’ve just got to find the right time. And the right words.”
“Well, don’t put it off too long. Like I said, you’re running short on time. I got lucky with Matt.” She glanced toward her boyfriend, smiling. “We were headed opposite directions, too. He had a dream job lined up down in New York, but he chose to stay here. Maybe you’ll surprise yourself.”
“Maybe.” He didn’t see how he could.
He also didn’t see how he couldn’t. Asking Vicki to uproot her life for him was ridiculous, but uprooting his own was equally insane, and even dangerous for Virtue.
So maybe his wolf was wrong and itwasn’tfate. As Vicki herself had pointed out, people did feel instant attraction without fate pushing them around. Maybe the conviction that Vicki was his fated mate when Zane had met her had simply been that kind of attraction, but because he was a shifter and had heard stories of fate all his life, he’d just used those words to describe it.
Or maybe fate didn’t actually promise happily ever after, no matter what the storybooks said.
Zane, with a sigh, finished tidying up, and went back to the B&B.
To his surprise,Dion was waiting up for him in the lobby. His assistant had avoided the debate around Virtue’s future, and had pointedly said nothing about Zane getting involved in it. That, judging from the PA’s expression as Zane came in, was about to change.
He held up palm up to whatever Dion was about to say, pleading, “Let me get a drink, first,” and then did so, raiding the liquor cabinet in the B&B’s comfortable parlor. They had some surprisingly good whiskey, which he wouldn’t usually indulge in, but between the town council meeting, Sarah’s encouragement, and his own doubts, a shot of liquid courage seemed in order.
Dion followed him into the parlor and closed the door, which couldn’t possibly be a good sign. Zane poured himself a double, and lifted the bottle toward Dion in question. “You know, I think I will,” Dion murmured.
This was going to beverybad, then. Zane poured a second drink, gestured to the couch, and handed it to Dion when he satdown. He swallowed most of his own in a single burning gulp, grimaced, and sat himself. “All right, hit me with it.”
“I’m thinking of staying in Virtue.” Dion was so nervous his voice shook, but he still sounded sure of himself.
