Page 51 of As The Shifter World Turns

He screwed up his face. “If I did—and I don’t remember doing it—it was to protect you from crushing disappointment.”

“Not gonna happen,” I said under my breath. I regretted it as soon as the words left my mouth based on Micah’s expression. “I need a hug.”

With his arms around me and my head on his shoulder, we sat without saying anything as the room grew darker and the street lights outside Sunshine Manor turned on. The only time when the situation didn’t bother me was when we shifted. My human problems were left behind with my clothes and I was free.

“Let’s go to Daire’s parents’ place and shift?” It was a weekday so his folks wouldn’t be there.

“I like the way you think.”

Neil

My first coaching session was done and some of the kids were milling about drinking juice and eating snacks. Many of the parents had waited to introduce themselves while others had yelled from the car to their children to hurry up as there was homework to finish.

The chatting was more exhausting and anxiety-ridden than the coaching. The latter brought me joy but my people skills were lacking. When one more parent remained I greeted him with a big smile, glad I could soon escape.

“Hi. I’m Martin. Toby’s dad.” He jerked his head toward a boy munching on a cookie, crumbs covering his chest. My nose had become accustomed to sniffing out shifters since I met Daire, and I was pretty sure Martin had a beast inside him.

When we shook hands, he held mine a little longer than was normal. Whatever normal was. I wasn’t the best judge. The guy studied my face and my anxiety increased.

“Have we met?” he asked as he tilted his head and his eyes narrowed.

No! No! It can’t be happening. I bent my head as the darkness closed in. Soon everything would be black with only a pinpoint of light in the middle. I took a sip of water, using the time to repeat, “Everything’s going to be okay,” in my head. My first day and someone recognized me from my work. I had to get out of here.

“Don’t think so.” I checked my watch using a strategy my therapist had taught me. “I’m s-sorry but I have be s-some p-place,” I stuttered. And with a quick wave, I picked up my bag and took off. Not having a car meant I had to call for a ride share but it arrived within a minute and once I was inside with the door closed, and we sped away, my pulse slowed.

Would that be my first and last coaching session?

Ryder

My fingers hit the keyboard as I typed, but from the corner of my eye I took note of Ivor packing boxes. This was the guy I used to think of as a kid, even though he was in his early 20s and a college student. I’d hired him as a favor, but turned out he was what I needed.

I was distracted by a smudge on the screen and I used a wet screen wipe to remove it. It gave me another chance to flick my eyes in Ivor’s direction. My stag knew what I was thinking. Of course he did and he was tired of me not doing it.

Unlike Archer and Micah who’d had an instant attraction, it wasn’t like that for me with Ivor.

Kellan!

Yeah, yeah, I told my beast.

Kellan. It was always about Kellan. I’d never been able to admit he was wrong for me. I didn’t make mistakes. Not in my head, I didn’t, though my stag wasn’t backward in pointing them out.

The sex had always been good with Kellan. That distracted me from the shit he pulled. That and a few beers had me forgetting what he’d done. And I just didn’t want to believe it. Now I was being distracted by Ivor’s adorable freckles.

I wandered to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. “Want one?” I offered.

“Sure.” My fingers grazed his as I passed him the water. We shared a glance which seemed like a positive sign.

Do it, my stag urged.

My stag didn’t have to suffer the embarrassment of being rejected.

I was Ivor’s boss. We lived in the same building. All the warning signs were there but I ignored them. “Ivor.” I cleared my throat. “I was thinking… maybe you’d like to have dinner with me tonight.”

The seconds passed, maybe turning to minutes before he answered and I focused on the cute spots of pink on his cheeks. “Is this about work?”

Shit. I had to say it. “Not exactly. More like a…”

“Date?” he squeaked.

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