Page 3 of Fastlander Fealty

“What?” she asked.

He pointed to the phone. “Are you addicted to your phone?”

“No,” she uttered defensively, and put it back into her purse. “I’m just not…forget it.”

“Now I’m curious. You’re not what?”

Silver took a good look at him, and when she scented the air, she smelled like animal. Either he lived with animals in a barn, or he was a shifter. She was guessing he was the latter. He looked a little familiar too, which made her feel even more unsettled. He had blond hair that looked like he was one of those guys who spent time fixing it in the morning. He had blue eyes, and wore an easy, unassuming smile. Chiseled jawline, nose that had clearly been broken a time or two, and he felt heavy as if he was dominant. His hands were shoved deep into his pockets, and his arm muscles filled out the white, beer-logo t-shirt he wore. He was tan, like he spent a lot of time outdoors, which made sense because…shifter.

“I’m not good in crowds,” she uttered honestly, now that she knew he was a shifter who would be able to sense a lie.

He lifted his chin higher into the air and nodded slightly. “That’s fair. Well, you won’t find any trouble in here. I’ve been here three times this week and it’s all good mojo. People come here to hang out, fill their bellies, and leave with a smile. That’s all.

She nodded, unsure of how to respond. He seemed to be comforting her? For what though? She was fine.

Silver fought the urge to pull her phone out and scroll through mindless stuff just to pass the time. Maybe this stranger was right. Perhaps she was addicted to the phone. No, not the phone, but the escape from real life that her phone could provide.

She left it right where it was in her purse, and stepped forward behind the man. She could do this—practice being social.

“It’s risky,” she said awkwardly, leaning forward slightly so he would know she was talking to him.

“What is?” he asked.

“Wearing a white t-shirt to eat barbecue in.”

He looked down at his chest and let off a laugh. “You’re right. This thing doesn’t stand a chance. I eat like an animal.”

She was out of practice, so she hesitated on the response and he turned back around in line just as she parted her lips to say something. God, she was so bad at this. Captain would never be interested in talking to her.

She cleared her throat softly, “I hear there are a lot of shifters around here,” she said as nonchalantly as she could.

The man’s shoulders tensed, but only for a moment. He turned to her and looked her up and down. He sniffed the air, but he wouldn’t be able to tell. Rook had been right. This was what she was good at. She’d been treated just badly enough to be able to turn her shifter side off like a light switch.

“Are you a shifter-groupie?” he asked.

Be honest. “I do research on them.”

“Reporter?”

She shrugged and shook her head. “Nothing like that. Just curious about some of them.”

He was watching her face like a hawk, but he wouldn’t hear a lie in her answer. He turned and moved up in line, and got quiet.

Crap. She’d pushed too far, too fast.

This is your chance.

She pulled a small notepad out of her purse and tapped him on the shoulder, and when he turned around, she showed it to him. “I’m visiting. It would be interesting to get some autographs.”

“Shifter autographs?” he asked.

She nodded. “I even bought this dumb little pen,” she said, pulling it from her purse. “It has a little bear as an eraser. I thought it would be funny. To bears. I guess.” Geez, she was so awkward!

“Is that why you’re visiting here?”

“Sure. That and I needed to get away.” Truth.

“Are you staying near here?”

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