Page 19 of Wolfish Heart
I pull my laptop over to check my email. I see one from Mom with the subject line “Video feedback”. As always, she writes as if I’m someone she’s hired, not her daughter who kind of automatically ended up working for her.
Reading quickly, my shoulders begin lowering. She loves the way I present the content. She loves the earthy-casual office set. She even loves that time I was interrupted with a loud bird call from right outside the window and turned to wave before continuing smoothly. I was worried about that.
But of course she suggests I wear more contouring makeup to look more angular, with higher cheekbones. More like Mom.
There are also a few picky comments about my lack of jewelry, but I ignore those. If people are watching these videos for fashion pointers, they’re in the wrong place.
Just as I’m about to close the laptop, another email arrives from my Aunt Emily. Apparently, Mom sent the videos to her as well. Scanning her email, I breathe a sigh of relief. She says I seem natural and relaxed on camera and loves the videos. Which means she’ll definitely be saying the same thing to Mom. That’s helpful.
Then I get to the end, and gasp in disbelief. She asks if it’sreallytrue I’m dating Kaden Wolfe. She clearly doesn’t believe it.
How could she even have heard about that already?
Snapping the laptop shut, I return to my coffee, my heart sinking. Kaden couldn’t really be my boyfriend for the long-term. Normally I don’t care what people think, but what about him?
Well, even if this relationship doesn’t last, I should just take my cues from him. There’s no harm in a summer fling while he’s so generously letting me use his office, right?
Even if my heart is already completely invested in this incredible man who is way too gorgeous and worldly and wonderful for me, I need to be a realist and protect my fragile feelings.
It feels totally backward, but I need to listen to my head over my heart.
13
KADEN
Something is definitely up with Zoe.
I picked her up, we had a quick breakfast at Corina’s Coffee, then I dropped her off at the house. I had to drive west to check the final two data points and pick up groceries anyway, but mainly, I felt like Zoe needed some alone time.
I’ve pretended I can’t hear her from the rest of the house, but I can. I’ve heard her repeat a few sections sometimes, testing different inflections or turns of phrase. She’s meticulous, dedicated to the material being presented correctly.
Driving back to the house slowly to avoid the deep potholes, I realize it goes further than that. Zoe is extremely concerned about how other people see her. Not in a vain, pretentious way. She’s nervous. Sensitive. Worried about how she is perceived?—
Damn.
I should give my head a shake. Why didn’t I see this sooner?
Here I am with an incredible girl, who I’m completely falling in love with, but because of my last name, the entire town is going to be putting her under the microscope.
And here I am ignoring it when I should be protecting her.
I can have a talk with my brothers about not dropping by and surprising her. But there’s no way I can tell the entire town to “treat her as normally as possible”.
I pull into the driveway, then quietly haul the grocery bags into the kitchen. As I put everything away, my mind is spinning.
I could either beat myself up and call myself selfish, or temper that with the truth. Everything is happening so fast between us, there’s a lot that hasn’t occurred to me yet.
We haven’t even gotten to the Big Relationship Talk. To discuss if we both want kids. If she really wants to live here. If she truly wants to be with me.
Since it’s late afternoon, I make a pot of hazelnut decaf for her. Sure enough, five minutes later, Zoe comes into the kitchen, sniffing the air appreciatively. “You read my mind,” she says softly, pouring herself a cup.
“How are the videos going?” I ask.
She sits down beside me, not looking at me. “Ithought they were going well. And my aunt said they were great.”
“And…your mother?”
Zoe sighs. “She’s a bit nitpicky. But overall, I think she’s pretty satisfied.”
