Page 9 of My Blind Date is a Werewolf

“I meant what I said, Wendy. I’ve been practicing at home and I want to assist Olivia with the order.”

“I had no idea you were interested in baking, Peter.” I smiled at him, feeling oddly pleased about the idea of having a student under my wings. “I don’t have a problem with teaching you. I could use an extra set of hands around the kitchen.”

Which reminded me that I had a dozen or so CVs and applications flooding my inbox. I was yet to go through any of them, but I hoped that by the end of the next day, I would have some interviews set up for Saturday. We opened at noon on weekends, so I wanted to knock them out before then and get the Halloween decorations set up.

After Peter and Wendy finished washing up and bagging up the leftover sandwiches and a couple of cupcakes for their siblings, they left for the day. I planned on doing the same after one last walkthrough and setting the security alarm, but a knock at the front door caught my attention.

A flare of annoyance zipped through me when I saw Beverley waving from outside and gesturing for me to open up.

“I was so close,” I grumbled, shuffling toward the door. Fingers crossed that she’d keep her visit short and sweet, I opened the door for her.

“Hey, Bev, I was on my way out. Was there something you needed?” My left eye twitched as she brushed past me in a flurry of voluminous fabric and pink hair, leaving a spicy and sweet scent of perfume in her wake.

“I apologize for inconveniencing you this late, dear, but I am entertaining my great-granddaughters tonight and it just occurred to me that my cookie jar has been gathering cobwebs for the past week. Please tell me you have some treats leftover. If I don’t bring anything to bribe those little rapscallions with they’ll run circles around me all evening. My only hope is to hop them up on enough sugar to put them in a sugar coma by eight-thirty.” She laughed, a twinkling sound like bells chiming. Fondness made her demeanor less intimidating, more soft, and, I daresay, more youthful. Despite my initial annoyance, I found myself smiling back and empathizing with her plight. I used to babysit Sean’s brother’s children, both of them boys, who were now eleven and nine, and they used to be little nightmares. I turned my back for a second and the entire house looked like a war zone.

“I have some fudge brownies and pumpkin whoopie pie cookies leftover. Will that do?” I rounded the counter and grabbed a packaging box. Beverly nodded and asked for a baker’s dozen of each.

My movements were stiff as I moved because I could feel Beverley’s curious gaze hot on my face. Clearing my throat, I peered up at her. “Was there something else?”

“As a matter of fact,” she started, fiddling with the huge opal of her pendant necklace, “I was wondering how to bring this up without offending or upsetting you in some way.”

I stood up straighter, my eyebrows raised at the cautious tone she was using. Alarm bells started to ring at the back of my mind, but I ignored them and the touch of uneasiness slithering in my gut. “What are you talking about? Why would I be upset with you?”

“Because I found your mate,” she stated, the words going off like a sonic boom in my mind and leaving my ears ringing. I was well aware of Beverley’s side gig as a matchmaker. I’d heard the stories and seen the couples she’d hooked up. But I never imagined she approach me.

Closing the lids of the pastry boxes, I slid them across the counter. “They’re on the house. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I really must be getting home.”

“Olivia, please hear me out,” Beverley pleaded, grabbing my hand before I could get away. “I am not an idiot, sweetheart. I can tell that you’re still nursing a wounded heart after what your ex-husband did to you and that you’ve erected walls as tall as Everest around your heart, but you need to know that Sean was not the one for you. He was not the other half of your soul. But I am telling you that I have found the one you were truly meant to be with. If you’d just spend some time with him—”

“I am not interested, Beverley. I have no room in my heart or my life for a man right now. So, please take these and leave.” I thrust the paper bag into her hands and reached for my bag under the cash register.

Beverley let out a weary sigh. “I thought you might react this way. But as a self-proclaimed warrior for love, I refuse to stand by and watch you wallow for a lost love, especially for a man who does not deserve your tears. Granted—” She cut me off when I opened my mouth to speak even though I had no idea what I was going to say. “—the love between you and Sean might have been real in the beginning, but this is where you are now. You are a wonderful young woman, Olivia, and there are plenty of men out there who would give an arm and a leg for the chance to have you. There is one in particular I know for a fact would rather claw out his own heart before harming a single hair on that pretty little head of yours.”

“I hear you, Beverley, and I appreciate you going out of your way to tell me this. But whether this man is really my mate or not, it doesn’t matter. Maybe if you’d found him a few months or weeks earlier, I would have been inclined to slake my curiosity and have you arrange one of your famous blind dates. But as of now…” I trailed off, looking away from her earnest and piercing gaze.

“I understand, child. I am not forcing people into starting something when they’re clearly not in the mindset for it. However, allow me to tell you one thing. You are not a coward, Olivia Michaels. Those walls around your heart will crumble to ash sooner rather than later, and when they do, I pray that you step out into the light with your head held high and your heart full once more because you were not made for a lifetime of running from love when you have so much in you to give. Have a goodnight, dear. Best be going before Piper calls me in tears asking where I am.” She gave me a finger wave and glided toward the door.

Against my better judgment, I called out, “Beverley, wait! Won't you at least tell me who he is, my soulmate?” Now that my curiosity was aroused, I didn’t think I would be able to rest peacefully until I knew the identity of this supposed “other half” of mine.

Beverley’s smile was enigmatic as she looked every bit the witch she was. “It’s called a blind date for a reason, darling. Until you’re ready to take the next step and meet him, my lips are sealed.” She mimicked turning the lock at the corner of her mouth and tossing away the key.

She pushed the door open, pausing halfway, and turned back once more. “If you’ll allow this old woman one more bit of unsolicited advice. I’ve seen you mooning over the home improvement magazines in the bookstore. Step one in bringing those walls down. Whatever improvement you want to make to your house, go ahead and do it. What are you waiting for? We have an excellent construction crew a few blocks down from here. Get your butt down to Cooper Construction and get a quote or something.” And with that, she was gone, leaving me as stupefied and confused as ever.

CHAPTER 6

I was looking forward to a peaceful night at home, but Angie and Eden had a different idea. They were already waiting in my living room, sharing a bottle of my favorite wine between them—I would forever regret giving Angie my spare set of house keys—and all glammed up.

“What’s all this?” I asked, eyeing them dubiously. They’d both gone all out with their makeup and hair and were dressed for a night out.

“The Scarlet Season is hosting a fundraising-slash-wine tasting event for the new pediatric wing at the hospital tonight. I thought we should make it a girl’s night out and attend. We’re meeting my mom and Aunt Josie there in a bit, just as soon as you’re done changing,” Eden informed me, finishing her glass of wine. Her blonde hair glittered like spun gold under my living room lamp and she was dressed in a floor-length blush pink Grecian style gown.

“Guys,” I groaned, tossing my bag and keys on the table that stood just by the front door and toed off my sneakers. “I’ve been on my feet all day. I don’t feel like squeezing myself into a dress and heels and dealing with more people. Besides, it looks like you already have your own wine tasting event going on here.” I grabbed the wine bottle from the table and took a hefty sip, loving the rich taste of it as it washed down the taste of I don’t know how many espresso shots. But as much as I loved the taste, I needed something stronger.

“Oh, come on, don’t be such a party pooper, Liv. Eden went to all the trouble of scoring us tickets for tonight. We don’t want to let them go to waste,” Angie cajoled. Judging from the slight glaze in her eyes and faint flush of her cheeks, she was already deep in her cups.

“It’s a Thursday, Ange. Do you really want to show up at work hungover tomorrow morning? And can’t you just pawn off my ticket on Paul or someone?” I plopped myself on a free seat and started massaging one of my feet.

“Paul’s covering for a friend at the firehouse, so he’ll be working all night. I for one don’t want to spend the entire night alone channel surfing and inhaling a box of pizza by myself like a loser,” she replied.

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