Page 107 of Secret Shifters Next Door

The hunter leaned forward. “I know we weren’t properly introduced the other night. My name is Ryland, and I think it best if you left. You’ve obviously upset April. We were having a pretty nice dinner until you showed up. I don’t mean to be like this, but you’re being rude.”

I ignored the hunter as well as Rachel. I could only focus on April. “Please, April. I really need to talk to you.”

She finally glanced up at me. All of my emotions and those of my bear flooded through me. I’d hoped, the longer I was around her, the easier it would be for me, but it wasn’t. Every time I saw her, she looked more beautiful. Even now, as upset as she was, she was gorgeous.

April’s voice was full of disappointment and sadness. “What could we possibly have to talk about? Especially when you have company.” She glanced over at Rachel. “I think you should tend to your date instead of someone else’s.”

NINE

APRIL

Steff’s face fell. He nodded sadly, then turned away, taking his date with him to a table on the far end of the restaurant. The emotions—sadness, anger, and most surprising of all, jealousy—that flooded through me when I saw that woman touching Steff made no sense. It had been years since Steff and I had been together. I had no right to be jealous of anyone touching Steff. Why would I? For years, he’d made it clear he wanted nothing to do with me.

I followed Steff and his date with my eyes. They sat, and when Steff reached across the table to take her hand, another stab of pain shot through me. The sight of him being intimate with another woman made me feel like shit. As silly as it was, I had a hard time not wondering what she had that I didn’t.

“...April? Hey, are you there?”

I blinked and shook my head to clear it. Ryland had been saying my name, trying to get my attention, and I’d been totally zoned out. Embarrassment and shame hit me in equal measures.

“Sorry, I… that shouldn’t have happened. I don’t know why he did that,” I said, grabbing my glass to take another sip of water.

Ryland’s expression was one of confusion and concern. “I’m guessing, after this and the other night at the bar, you have some history with that guy?”

I hesitated, thinking how crappy it would be to dump all my baggage on Ryland. He didn’t need to hear my sob story. But even knowing that was true, the floodgates opened.

“Yeah, we used to date back in high school.”

Ryland’s eyebrows shot up. “High school? That’s a long time for a dude to hold a torch.”

“Oh, no, he wasn’t the one pining for me. I’m the one who got my heart broken.”

“That dude dumped you?” Ryland sounded incredulous, but I couldn’t find the strength to smile.

I told him how Steff had, without warning, started pushing me away toward the end of his senior year. Even though we’d made plans to stay together and even get married after college. When I explained how Steff had broken up with me in the parking lot and walked out of my life forever, his face creased into an angry frown. Ryland glanced across the restaurant and stared daggers at Steff, who was oblivious while reading his menu.

“I would never do that to someone I claimed to love. How could anyone hurt someone like that? I know it hurt you, but I think you should be thankful it didn’t go further. I can’t imagine how much worse that would have hurt if he’d waited until you guys were married or had kids or something before he walked out the door.”

“I know, you’re right, thatwouldhave been worse. But it’s hard not to feel the same pain when he’s around.”

Ryland gestured toward him. “It looks like he’s maybe having second thoughts, though. The whole show here? I think he’s hoping to rekindle things. April, I really hope you don’t fall for whatever he’s trying. I’d hate to see you get hurt again.”

I smiled and waved him off. “Don’t worry. I’m not dumb enough to fall for a guy like that a second time.”

The words rolled off my tongue so easily that anyone listening would believe it. Deep down, my heart told a different story, though. If I peeled back all the hurt, anger, and pain, the truth was that I’d never stopped loving Steff. All I’d done for years was try to push the feelings of love away. Everything I’d done had been to try to build walls against him. I’d dated movie stars, football stars, and musicians. I tried to have serious relationships, as well as mindless flings. It dulled the pain, and kept the agony away for a while. But invariably, I would find myself lying in bed, thinking about Steff. I would literally be lying in bed with some famous dude most women would give their left arm to be with, and I would be sobbing over my lost high-school boyfriend while they slept.

Ryland must have seen the pain on my face. “Do you want to get out of here? I don’t want you to be uncomfortable with him over there.”

“No, I’m not going to let him dictate where I get to have dinner.” I put on a brave, almost sincere, smile, “Besides, I’m hungry, and our food should be out soon.”

The food did come out soon after. I’d ordered a massive bison ribeye. It looked amazing, but I couldn’t enjoy it. It tasted like ashes in my mouth. I chewed mechanically, even giving a few fake sighs of pleasure as I ate. My gaze continued to slip across the room toward Steff. Each time he was either stealing glances at me or glaring at Ryland. As much as I said it would be fine, the night was turning awkward.

Ryland did his best to enjoy the meal, but I could see he was getting frustrated with how weird things were. I didn’t want his frustration to turn to irritation.

I reached across the table and put a hand on his arm. “I’m really sorry. This should have been a relaxing night out betweenfriends. It… well, it didn’t really work out that way. Again, I’m sorry.”

His face softened as he covered my hand with his. “It’s fine, seriously. Maybe we can try again another time. We could drive up to Denver or something? Some place where you won’t run into him,” Ryland said, tilting his head in Steff’s direction.

That wouldn’t work, and I knew it. Denver was a big town. Full of professional athletes and other big names. There would be media and photographers who would recognize me. If even one of them saw me, chaos would ensue. That was not something I was ready for.

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