I frown at the doctor. “Does she know what?”
“Come now, son. It doesn’t take ahundred-and-fifty-year-old vampire to recognize the signs. That spunky faerie sitting in the waiting room is your mate, isn’t she?”
My head drops to my chest. “Is it that obvious?
“To a physician accustomed to working with shifters, it is.” Doc removes his wire-rimmed spectacles. “Sophie deserves to know the truth.”
I shake my head. “It’s too early… and besides, she thinks of me as her employee, not as boyfriend material.”
“She’s going to be mighty suspicious when you vanish for thirty-six hours during the next full moon.”
“Thirty-six hours? I thought I needed to disappear for ten hours, tops.”
“Not a chance.” Doc sucks in a breath, his upper fangs glinting. “I’m going to recommend thirty-six hours at a minimum, and you must begin your confinement at least twenty-four hours before the moon waxes full.”
“But why do I need to be confined for that long?”
“A young werewolf spending his first full moon alone after meeting his mate needs time to master his powerful emotions,” says Doc. “Unless you and Sophie establish a firm mate bond before the next full moon, your mate blight will set in—and trust me on this—it won’t be pretty.”
“But you heard Sophie,” I remind him, “she needs my help getting her bakery sorted out!”
“You’ll be in no condition to sort out anything during the full moon. In fact, you could do more harm than good if you’re not careful.”
“Fine,” I mumble. “Message delivered.”
“Good.” The vampire hesitates. “And… er… may I offer a word of advice?”
“Of course.”
“Sophie wouldn’t have insisted on scheduling the appointment and driving you to the clinic if she didn’t have some feelings for you. I believe you can trust her with the truth.”
“With all due respect, I believe you’re very much mistaken.” I shake my head firmly. “We argue almost constantly—about everything—and Sophie shoved me away when I tried to comfort her after Catbeam Spellman clipped her wings. Sometimes I think Sophie barely tolerates my presence.”
Doc chuckles. “My wife and I have been married for a long time.” He adds with a wink, “Oh, how I miss those heady days of falling in love. So much misunderstanding and drama.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Sophie may be resisting your considerable charms for now, but with a little persistence on your part, I believe she will realize she likes you—quite a lot. Don’t be discouraged, Teddy… and don’t wait too long to reveal what’s truly in your heart.”
Chapter 20
Greenest Green
SOPHIE
Monday, July 2
“No, no, no. I don’t like any of them. Why is this so hard?” I shake my head at the six samples of green paint Teddy has dabbed on the bakery’s wall. It’s been a week since I drove him to Doc’s, and thankfully his cuts and bruises are mostly healed. Not that his injuries have slowed him down; far from it. If anything, Teddy has been pushing himself hard, almost too hard, like he has an internal deadline that’s driving him to finish the bakery’s repairs in record time.
Consequently, I’ve felt obligated to pitch in and work just as hard, which has made me grumpier than usual. I’ve broken every single fingernail, gotten glue and primer stuck in my hair more than once, and banged up both knees scrubbing the floor, which I took over so Teddy could finish the walls. I’m so tired I could sleep fora month, except there’s no time; the bakery’s grand opening is less than two weeks away.
Teddy taps one of the samples on the wall. “What about this one? You said you wanted emerald green, and that’s what this is called.”
I wrinkle my nose. “That looks nothing like emeralds. Besides, I’ve changed my mind.”
“O-okay.” The corners of Teddy’s mouth twitch.
I glower at him. “What’s so amusing?”
