The Amber Howl’s well-lit sign was bright against the darkening sky, a beacon on the river like a small lighthouse. There were two things she’d never done before in her life: crossed the bridge over Pine Run River to the shifter town of King Lake and sat down in a restaurant to eat a meal by herself.
Neither of those things were dangerous in any way, shape, or form, but that didn’t stop her heart from pounding and her palms from going clammy. Was it the fact she was human in a mostly shifter town, regardless that humans – hell,anyonewas clearly welcome at the tavern – or was it the odd worry in the back of her mind that people might think she had no friends.
She wasn’t sure why she even cared about the latter. She wasn’t planning to make a regular habit of eating at The Amber Howl by herself. Unless, of course, the burger was so incredible she wouldn’t be able to help herself. Then all bets were off.
She opened her wallet and took out her ID and cash to cover the meal and then stashed the wallet and keys in the console. Her phone had an app for her car so she didn’t need her keys or the clunky keychain that tinkled like Christmas bells. With a determined grunt, she opened her door and stepped out into the cool night.
Shutting the door, she looked down at herself.
She’d driven directly from the bookstore to the tavern, but instead of her romantic boho-inspired long skirts and blouses, she’d picked jeans and a soft pink oversized button-down that she tucked in the front. A quick curl of her long, blonde hair in the bookstore bathroom and a bit of mascara and blush made her feel put together in a way she didn’t normally bother with. But she felt pretty, and she also felt daring in a weird way.
Get it together, girl!
She opened the phone app and locked the car, then tucked her phone into the back pocket of her jeans, squared her shoulders, and headed to the front door. There was a big man leaning against the open door, arms crossed, with the tavern’s logo barely visible on his shirt.
She showed him her ID and he smiled and said, “Sit anywhere, Tara will be with you in a minute.”
“Thanks.”
She scanned the half-full room and took a small table by the back wall of windows. She had just set her phone on the table when a woman appeared with a laminated single-page menu, with food on one side and drinks on the other.
“Hiya, hon, what can I get ya to drink?”
“Coke?”
“Sure. Do you know what you want or do you need a minute?”
“I’d love the Blue Monster burger with regular fries.”
“Great choice, I had one before my shift today.”
Juliette handed the menu over and said, “It’s the reason I came here tonight, I saw the social media post yesterday about it. I love blue cheese.”
“It’s our cook’s favorite cheese, too. I’ll put that in and be right back with your drink.”
Juliette folded her hands and looked around the room. Couples and small groups were eating and drinking, the longcounter with black leather stools had a handful of people at it, and a guy was behind the bar filling drink orders. Music played at a low volume from a colorfully lit jukebox in the corner, and low lights along the ceiling made the whole place look like it was lit with amber light.
Maybe that’s where they got the name for the place.
Or…probably from the way shifters’ eyes turned amber when they were in their shifts. Except for dragons – she thought she’d heard once that their eyes were silver in their shift, but she’d never met a dragon. Or any other kind of shifter.
She rubbed the back of her neck, her spine tingling.
Was someone watching her?
She turned slowly to look behind her and a big guy stood in the kitchen doorway wearing a half apron. Dark hair, strong jaw, amber eyes.
Holy crap.
He stared at her like he couldn’t look away, like he’d been waiting for her to walk into the tavern.
And then he walked toward her.
Not rushed, but confident.
He got even better looking the closer he got to her.
She’d never actually seen such a gorgeous guy, all broad shoulders and kissable lips.
