Page 20 of Myths and Shifts

“Got it. Facts and no sharing.” That was obvious but I knew he’d probably like hearing it. “My mate is a grumpy lawyer if anyone asks.”

And they’d ask.

Everyone in town was going to ask.

“Thank you.” Looking honestly pleased with the description, he settled back into storytelling mode, which was very close to his Daddy side. “College years, I progressed to finding you in a café when I was studying.”

In other words, my serious-looking mate had a thing for rom-coms and Hallmark movies.

“Then I kept expecting you to show up through my work.” Frowning, he leaned back in the booth and studied me. “Everyone else I knew was finding their mates at school or work but I never expected to find you at a wedding reception.”

Oh, his brain was running circles on how totally Hallmark that meeting was, but I was a wonderful mate and didn’t point that out.

“Well, I’m just glad I didn’t have to save your life to find you.” It was my turn to shrug as he chuckled. “I’ve always had much more dramatic images about how we’d meet.”

Savior complex? Who me?

Wait.

“You know…I’m hoping you didn’t just tell me you were hoping that I got arrested and needed a lawyer.”

His smirk said he’d realized that.

Someone else had a savior complex too, but at least he couldn’t get pissed at mine if he had one as well.

“I might’ve thought of a few ways you would’ve appreciated me saving you.” Wicked sparkles showed in his eyes. “But only with my mate. Period.”

I wasn’t sure if that made it better or not, but it seemed like the fates had made a good decision by introducing us in a public place…neither of our fantasies could’ve been trusted in private.

“I believe that.” I also believed that he’d have enjoyed it too.

My mate looked stern but he had a wicked imagination…and a romantic one…but from what I’d seen, that seemed to come out most when I was little.

“Thank you.” Looking slightly less naughty lawyer and more sweet Daddy, he glanced down at my nearly empty plate. “All done?”

Nodding, I pushed the last few bites away. “Yes. Dinner was really good and I’m full.”

He’d found a great place with what had to be homemade chicken strips and probably fries as well. I wasn’t quite at the rolling home level, but if I ate any more, I would be. “It’s definitely a do again if we have another date night here.”

Oh.

We both sighed at the same time, which got a laugh from me. “So did you just think about the practical side of what would happen next too?”

“Yes.” He didn’t seem to have appreciated it either. “I’m not ready to dive into that yet, unless you are?”

Immediately shaking my head got a smile from him and seemed to make him worry less as he continued. “I don’t think we have enough information yet to make any decisions. Besides, we’ve got all the stuff we came here to figure out and I know I’m here for at least another week, so we’ll be able to come back.”

Pausing, he lifted his glass. “What about you?”

Assuming he meant my plans, I charged into that explanation. “I technically took a month’s leave of absence because I wasn’t sure what would happen here and I wanted to give myself time for a break. Work has been stressful and something has been pushing at me.”

The chances of me going back were slim to none and my boss had realized that too.

“That feeling of something is going to happen or more of a you need to be somewhere else?” Pierce, thankfully, took it seriously.

“A bit of both but more of the latter.” It’d been like an itch under my skin that I couldn’t quite scratch. “I think that was one of the reasons why it was so easy when we met. That pushing stopped and I felt the most relaxed I’d been in months.”

Probably longer.

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