Page 33 of Flare
Emily’s smile widened.“I’m happy I found a job so quickly. Maggie’s the best!”
“She is,” Ward agreed, leaning against the doorframe, trying to appear casual despite the drumming of his pulse.“But she’s also been looking to hire someone like you for months now.”
“I’m glad we can help each other out.” Emily turned to survey the tall stack of papers next to her keyboard.“I know it looks like a mess, but I actually find it soothing. Organizing stuff and getting a routine going, I mean. And everyone’s been so nice to me.”
There was a pause.
“So… you’re okay with, uh, everything? After Sunday night, I mean.” He kept his voice low, aware of customers not far away.“Maggie said you were handling things okay, but I wanted to make sure.”
“I owe you an apology for how I reacted. The running away and… everything else.” Her face flushed, turning her cheeks pink under the light layer of makeup.“It was just so unexpected. I mean, people don’t just turn into bears.”
“Mostly they don’t.” Ward couldn’t help grinning at her.“We’re special.”
That earned him another smile.“I already knew that.” Her tone was teasing now, and his bear preened inside him.
Then her expression sobered.“I’m still trying to wrap my head around it all. Maggie’s been explaining things and answering my questions, but it’s a lot to take in.”
Ward nodded. After seeing the look of pure terror in her eyes on Sunday night—a look that had ripped like a lash across his heart—the fact Emily was sitting here calmly instead of running for the hills was a good sign.
But she was still another shifter’s mate. That fact hadn’t changed, no matter how much his bear wanted to ignore it.
He cleared his throat.“So, you’re settling in okay at the ranch?”
Emily nodded.“It’s good to be back in Bearpaw Ridge. I have a lot of wonderful memories here.” She paused, her gaze meeting his directly.“Thank you for coming by and checking on me. It means a lot. Everyone in your family has been so welcoming, especially after I showed up on Maggie’s doorstep with, like, five hours’ warning.”
Ward’s throat felt tight.“I’m glad you felt safe coming here when you were in trouble.” The words came out more intensely than he’d intended, and he saw a flicker of surprise in Emily’s eyes.
“Me too,” she said.“I didn’t know where else to go, except… back home.”
Now that Ward had accomplished what he’d come for—making sure that Emily was okay, that she wasn’t freaking out about the existence of shifters, and that she wasn’t planning to leave town—his human side was telling him it was time to leave.
Besides, he had to get back to work on that live-edge table Eddy Ornelas had ordered as a wedding gift for his niece’s daughter Yasmin. It was almost finished. He just had to put on the finishing touches.
Anything to stop Emily from thinking he was some kind of stalker.
Before he could stop himself, his bear pushed words out of his mouth:“Do you want to have dinner with me?”
Ward felt a moment of pure panic.Shit. What did I just do?
His stupid bear, however, didn’t care. It was practically dancing with anticipation, waiting for Emily’s answer.
She looked momentarily startled by the invitation. Ward couldn’t blame her. He was feeling pretty startled himself.
For a terrible moment, he thought she was going to say no.
“Dinner sounds nice,” Emily said.
Mingled triumph and relief shot through Ward’s chest. His bear radiated smug satisfaction.
“How about going to Justin’s place on Thursday after work? I heard he’s created a special menu for the start of the festival. I could swing by here and pick you up.”
“Justin’s ribs were always amazing. I can’t wait to try his special festival menu,” Emily said. She smiled at him, and it felt like the sun breaking through clouds.“It’s a date.”
A date!His bear rumbled with satisfaction.
But as he smiled and nodded and told her he’d pick her up at six, he wrestled with a tangle of emotions. Excitement, yes. But also a weird pang of guilt.
Maybe Emily didn’t understand what mating meant to a shifter, but Ward did.
