Page 6 of Fated

It was titledThe Last Wolfand on the front cover stood a very sexy, very shirtless man who I could only assume was the wolf in question.

Mom blushed even harder. “What?” she said with a laugh of her own. “It’s got a good plot!”

Still chuckling, I showed her my own chosen books. “I found something, too.”

Her eyes lit up as she looked over the back cover.

“Oh, these look really good! I’ll have to read them when you’re finished.”

Mom and I shared remarkably similar tastes in books.

She always told me my passion for fantasy had come from my birth mother, Everleigh, who had been her best friend. Everleigh was young when she gave birth to me, and after a tragic accident had taken my father’s life, Mom had insisted she and Everleigh live together.

Everleigh learned she was really sick just months before my fifth birthday. Of course, being so close, she’d asked Mom if she would adopt me and raise me as her own after she passed.

Mom didn’t hesitate, and from what she told me, losingEverleigh devastated me too, leaving me barely speaking a word the entire year after my birth mom passed.

“We should hurry and check out,” Mom said, pulling me back to the present. Our reservation is in fifteen minutes.”

I handed her my books, and after she’d paid for everything, we left the bookstore and strolled to the café across the street.

The day was too beautiful to pass up, so we opted for a table outside with a perfect view of the park. A waiter brought us a basket of bread and drinks before taking our order.

As we waited, I tilted my head back, closed my eyes and let the warmth of the sun kiss my face. The gentle breeze carried the scent of blooming flowers, and a wave of relaxation washed over me. I imagined coming back from the beach refreshed and with a golden tan.

The gentle sounds of a child’s laughter drew my attention, causing me to glance across the way toward the park. A mother and daughter stood at the edge of the pond, tossing bits of bread to the ducks. Mom and I used to do the exact same thing; the memory was still alive in my mind.

“I can’t believe you’ll be twenty-one in less than a week,” Mom said, pulling my attention back to her. She was wearing that soft sentimental look; it made me feel she was still seeing me as her little girl.

“Don’t expect me to pack up and move out,” I teased.

“I wouldn’t allow it.” She smiled. “Have you come any closer to deciding what you want to study in college?”

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. The truth was, I’d been wrestling with that question for a while now. Last year, I’d stuck to the basic required classes, hoping something would eventually stand out. But there’d still been no pull in any direction, and it scared me.

“I’m still torn.” My voice quietened. “I love working with children … but I know it’s not the most lucrative career path.”

Mom’s eyes softened and she leaned forward.

“Areya, you have to make this decision with your heart. You’ll never be truly happy if you turn down something you love just because it won’t make you rich.”

She was right. It’s just that I had spent my whole life watching her nearly work herself to death to give me a good life. We’d never been wealthy, but she’d made sure I had everything I needed—and often things I didn’t need but wanted anyway.

Employed as a nurse at the local hospital, she worked long shifts, often overtime too, and even when the toll it took on her was clear, she never complained.

Watching a tiny bird peck at the ground near our table, I caught sight of an attractive blonde guy about my age walking down the sidewalk, passing just a few feet from where we were sitting. From the corner of my eye, it was impossible not to notice him.

His eyes flicked to mine, making me quickly look away, though sensing his gaze lingering.

My cheeks burned red under the knowing gaze of my mother’s eyes.

“Well, he was cute,” she said innocently enough.

I playfully kicked her leg under the table, then groaned, covering my face with my hands.

“Mom, I look dreadful. I didn’t even wear makeup today.”

“Areya Bennett!” she scolded me. “First of all, you always look beautiful. You’re gorgeous inside and out, and whatever that random guy thinks about you neither adds to nor takes away from your worth.”

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