Page 30 of A Dash of Wolf

All three jumped, and Emory grabbed Adeline’s arm.

“It’s the vandal,” Emory hissed. “What should we do?”

But before Adeline could say anything, Mason Wolfe stepped out of the tree line, a travel mug in his hand and an expression on his face that was equal parts amused and exasperated. “Good evening.” He made a point to look at his watch. “Or should I say good morning?”

“What are you doing out here?” Adeline demanded. “You scared us nearly to death!”

“I’ve been out here for a couple hours now. I saw Miss Moody drop you off.”

“Why didn’t you say something?” Adeline demanded.

“I wasn’t expecting your driver to take off so fast.” He glanced at the blanket, the thermos, the whiskey bottle, the whipped cream, the kettle corn. “Plus, I saw the picnic setup and figured you couldn’t do too much damage.”

“Rude!” Princess Muffin Top snapped.

Mason sighed. “You need to leave. You’ve made your point. You came out here, did your stakeout. But this is the window when the vandal’s been hitting. I don’t want you out here if something happens.”

Adeline sat down on the blanket and crossed her arms. “We’re not budging. You want us gone? Arrest us.”

“Yeah,” Emory said, dropping down beside her. “Arrest us.”

Mason stared down at them, and then he sighed and sat down next to Adeline, leaning back against the fallen log.

Princess Muffin Top scoffed. “You’re staying? Oh, wonderful. Now it’s a double date. Someone pass me that whiskey bottle.”

Mason reached for a handful of kettle corn but waved off the coffee when he leaned in close and smelled it. “I could smell the whiskey on you two before I even came out of the trees.” He laughed. “I’ll stick with my black coffee.”

“Thanks for not arresting us,” Adeline said quietly. “It might be hard to explain to my grandmother how I’ve been arrested every single day this week.”

He winked at her. “Don’t tempt me.”

She grinned back. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

Emory stood suddenly and brushed off her pants. “I’m going to take a walk. Stretch my legs. Princess Muffin Top, come with me.”

Princess Muffin Top didn’t move. “I’m perfectly comfortable right here, Fairy.”

“Come. With. Me.” Emory reached down and grabbed the enormous cat and hoisted her into her arms.

“This is assault!” Princess Muffin Top hissed. “Adeline, tell her to put me down this instant! I am being kittynapped against my will!”

“We’ll be fine,” Emory called over her shoulder as she disappeared into the tree line, Princess Muffin Top still protesting loudly.

“Should I do something?” Mason mused.

Adeline smiled. “Nope. They’ll be fine.”

“Good enough for me,” he said, taking a sip of his coffee.

Adeline and Mason sat in silence as they leaned back against the log. The moonlight caught the water, and the squish-squids pulsed beneath the surface, and somewhere in the distance, a night heron called out.

“It’s beautiful out here,” he said.

“It is.” She looked at him. “This is why I fight so hard for it.”

He paused, then nodded. “I get it. I do.”

She believed him. And something about the way he said it made the tightness in her chest loosen. “Can I ask you something?”