Page 9 of Glow

You’ve been paying too much attention to the shifter romance books I read, Dan answered silently. I don’t know if daemons work that way.

It’s worth finding out, Wally replied, and Dan couldn’t argue.

Let’s at least eat breakfast before proposing marriage, Dan sent, gently sarcastic. Wally gave an annoyed harrumph and retreated into his thoughts.

“You can get pretty much anything you want for breakfast at Bear Necessities.” Quinn didn’t seem to notice that Dan had zoned out for a moment. “The food is good, and the coffee is awesome. Folks who run the place are very involved in the community, but so are most people who live here year-round.”

Dan had done some due diligence on Fox Hollow before his drive, checking statistics on the town, the weather, and the top attractions. He hadn’t had a chance to look around last night when he arrived, but in daylight, the town was lovely, quaint without looking stage-managed.

Fox Lake sparkled in the sun, with a beach and a seaplane tethered at the pier. His hotel was a rustic Victorian beauty that took up most of a block and looked out on the town and lake. As he had walked down the main street to get from his hotel to the café, he could see that the storefronts were all filled and appeared prosperous.

“Do a lot of people live here year-round?” Dan didn’t want to seem like he wasn’t paying attention, a bit overwhelmed as he tried to take it all in.

“Enough to make it a nice place to live even when it’s not tourist season,” Quinn replied. “Summer is the big camping rush, but people come to the area all year ’round for skiing, fishing, hiking, and special events.”

Dan noticed that Quinn didn’t mention hunting, although he knew the Adirondacks were a sprawling natural park.

If there’s no hunting, we’d be safe here, Wally ventured in Dan’s thoughts. It’s okay if it’s colder as long as no one’s shooting at us.

“What about hunting?” Dan asked.

“Are you a hunter?” Quinn’s tone sounded sharp.

“No.” Dan shook his head, and Quinn relaxed. “I try to stay away from men with guns as much as I can,” he added as he remembered the monster hunters he had eluded.

“The Adirondacks are a National Park, so hunting is very limited and not permitted in a wide area around Fox Hollow, for safety’s sake,” Quinn said.

Dan’s stomach rumbled, and he took a deep breath to inhale the aroma of coffee and baked goods. The place was already busy, suggesting that the food was as good as it smelled.

“Everything here is amazing,” Quinn encouraged. He looked to the dark-haired woman behind the counter. “Sherri, this is Dan. He’s visiting for the first time.”

“Welcome,” she replied with a warm smile. “Hope you like what you see.”

She’s not completely human. Wally sounded a little freaked out, and Dan tried not to react. Her energy is different, but not in the same way as Quinn’s. She’s something other…maybe a shifter?

“Thanks,” Dan managed. “Quinn’s going to give me a tour. I like everything so far.”

“Good. Now what can I get for you?” she asked, and if she noticed his hesitation, she didn’t seem bothered by it.

Dan ordered a breakfast sandwich and a large coffee, while Quinn opted for a ham and cheese omelet. They managed to nab a table as someone else got up, and settled in. They paused their conversation when Sherri delivered their meals and began to eat. “Wow. You weren’t kidding about the food,” Dan said after a couple of bites. The coffee was just the way he liked it, mellow with a kick.

“We take eating seriously.” Quinn sipped his coffee and grinned. “Now, before I take you on the grand tour, tell me what you’d like to see.”

Dan thought for a moment, hiding his pause behind a drink of his coffee. “I’m ready to make a change,” he said finally. “I grew up in Dover, but it no longer seems to fit. Or I don’t fit there.” He wasn’t sure how to say what he meant without saying too much.

“That happens,” Quinn acknowledged. “What do you do for a living?”

“I’m a meteorologist, but I work from home so I can be anywhere with a good internet connection,” Dan replied.

“I’m a park ranger, so I kinda need a forest.” Quinn chuckled. “Part of how I ended up here. What are you looking for in a new town?”

“Acceptance,” Dan blurted before he could stop himself. “The chance to fit in without having to be just like everyone else. Having it be okay to have different abilities.”

The café crowd had begun to thin out, leaving the tables around them empty. Still, Quinn lowered his voice for his next question. “Different, how? Like uncommon hobbies or something paranormal?”

Dan startled at Quinn jumping to guess a supernatural connection right off the bat, making him wonder what prompted the connection

Is he psychic? Can he pick up vibes about me? he wondered.