Page 8 of Moonlighting with the Werewolf

“Boss? Are you...?” Elias flung up his hands, as if he might need to block an impending blow. “I mean, clearly you’re fine and in top physical shape, but you seem...a little shaken? Is it okay to call you that?”

Disbelief and outrage trembled through my limbs at how easily I’d fallen for “Dr. Ryan’s” act. A future of fun had just been wrecked, and it grated at me worse than it should, considering our interaction had been so brief.

But I’d get over it and do what I had to do, ugly and unpleasant or not, just like I always did. “Nah, that’s glee. On the way here, all I could focus on was my vengeful mood, and now I’m going to get to unleash it on someone—it appears we have ourselves a witch problem.”

CHAPTER SIX

As I satatop one of the stools and waited for the purple-haired bartender, I felt that same odd sensation that’d pestered me all day long.

It’s nothing. If you keep checking over your shoulder, all that’s going to happen is you’ll look as paranoid as you feel.

The itch grew stronger, until my neck burned, and I scratched at the spot to see if it’d help. Too bad I kept my fingernails super short—less disgusting bodily fluids to scrub out later.

I tapped out a rhythm on the countertop with my fingertips until the one other guy seated at the bar lowered his bushy brows at me. The people at the tables and booths seemed to be having a blast as they wined and dined, the laughing and jibing stirring up longing. Going to bars with Grams and her friends had been one of the most frustrating yet hilarious highlights of my week. We’d hit the town on the weekend, a bunch of golden girls and a single gal in her twenties, and in between their matchmaking attempts, Grams would get more and more rambunctious. One night while dancing on the bar, she’d even yelled out, “I need to get my granddaughter laid already. Any takers?”

Residual embarrassment had me shaking my head and smothering a laugh, and then sorrow joined the anxiety corkscrewing through me. Since my earlier finger-drum solo hadn’t been appreciated, I bounced my foot on the bottom rung of my stool. The clinic had been so quiet and slow today that part of me felt like I’d imagined yesterday’s bizarre encounter.

How did one go about asking after werewolves without getting a rep as the kooky lady? I highly doubted that would land me many clients. I’d considered heading to the diner, but the waitress hadn’t struck me as the most...let’s go with “down to earth.” When she’d spoken about the satanic cults, she sounded more jealous she wasn’t a member than horrified.

I needed a credible source, so I went to where the most credible sources in any town were found: the local bar. Guadalupe Falls only had one, a place named Lou’s.

Once the bartender came over, I just had to gather my courage and force words from my mouth. A tactic I also planned to deploy as I worked to fit into town and drum up some clients. Be brave, speak up, and hope for the best.

Here she comes...“Hi,” I blurted out. “I’m new in town. Just moved in last week.”

The woman leaned across the bar, a welcoming smile on her face. “I figured. I usually know most everyone who wanders into my bar. Name’s Gina.”

Score.She was familiar with all of the townsfolk and was a business owner like me, so yay for girl power bonding. “Kerrigan. I bought Dr. Vaughn’s animal clinic.”

“Ah, that rings a bell now that you mention it. I take my pets there, so I received your welcome letter. Nice to officially meet you.”

We nodded and exchanged another smile, and this was going better than expected. I reached for a worn coaster and fiddled with it. “I haven’t met many people yet. Dr. Vaughn before heleft, of course, along with the few clients who didn’t immediately jump ship. I’m a really good vet, I swear. Top of my class in school, and I landed a highly competitive internship where I learned a lot but also got fed up with constant mansplaining, which prompted me to open my own clinic.”

“I believe you. On all counts, especially the mansplaining,” Gina said with a laugh that alleviated my apprehension and tempted me to park my ass on this stool for the rest of the night. Was there anything better than a bartender who made it safe to pour out your thoughts and feelings? “When it comes to shots or anything else for my fur babies, I’ll be sure to bring them to you.”

“Thank you so much. I appreciate it.”

“How do you feel about people who bring in random animals they’ve found hurt in the woods? Say, possums or raccoons or other creatures most vets might hesitate to treat?”

Okay, so no mention of wolves, but we were creeping closer to the right direction. “That they’re saints,” I answered honestly. “The people. Although I’m not saying the animals don’t qualify for sainthood as well. I can’t handle watching any type of critter suffer and would do everything I could to save them.”

Gina beamed. “In that case, say hello to the client who’ll bring you the weirdest cases ever.”

“Can’t wait,” I said with a laugh, although I was fairly certain I’d already experienced the weirdest case ever. I glanced at the man down the bar and scooted closer to Gina, forming a more intimate bubble so we wouldn’t be overheard. Sure, I could wait until after I ordered to get the scoop, but I might chicken out, and the bar would likely get busier during the dinner rush, so I needed to ovary up and spit it out. “I, uh, actually met this interesting guy yesterday. Do you happen to know Conall Shaw?”

Gina’s open, friendly posture changed, her features shuttering as she straightened. “I do.” I waited.

So did she. Just blinked her long lashes before lifting a strand of her brightly colored hair to study the ends.

“Oh,” I said, unsure where to go from here. “I was just wondering about him.”

Nothing at first, as if Gina had been paused. Then the corner of her mouth quirked up in a way that made me think I was the butt of a joke. I was well aware Conall was way out of my league, so if she was laughing at my odds, fair.

That same sense of foreboding that refused to leave me alone grew stronger, until the nape of my neck blazed with it.

“Is that right?” a deep voice asked from behind me.

“Fucksicord!” I jumped so high I nearly toppled off my stool. A large hand pressed against my lower back, the only thing that kept me from crashing to the floor, and my heart thundered so loud I was sure he could hear it, too.

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