Page 17 of The Fake Mate

My mouth quirks. “Of course.”

“Oh my God, did you almost smile just now?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Oh, good. I was afraid you might hurt yourself.”

“Is your coat the same color as your hair?”

Mackenzie looks as surprised by the question as I am to have suddenly asked it. I’m not even sure why I did, it’s just that I’ve been curious ever since she walked in here.

She blinks. “What?”

“Sorry. I just... that’s something I would know, right?”

“Oh. Yeah. I guess.” She nods airily. “It is. Same color. Was that your way of asking if this is my natural hair color?”

“I... No? I was just curious. It’s a nice color.”

It is, really. With the sun streaming in from the wide windows of the café, the wheat-like shade of her hair seems to catch the light in a way that makes it appear almost golden. Even as I think these things, I find myself wondering where the train of thought is coming from.

She pulls out her phone, distracting me from this line of thought, concentrating on the screen as she ignores me to tap something out there. “Sorry,” she says. “I wanted to make a note of your first compliment. Who knows when you’ll give me another?”

“You’re determined not to make this easy, aren’t you?”

She shrugs, smiling as she puts her phone away. “Where would the fun in that be?”

“Mhm.”

“So you didn’t finish telling me your five facts.”

“I’m still trying to think of them, to be honest.”

“What’s your favorite food?”

I have to think about it. “Steak?”

“How do you eat it?”

“Medium rare.”

Another nose wrinkle for my trouble. “Ew. Do you have to go so wolfy with it?”

“It tastes better.” I cross my arms against my chest. “What’s yours?”

“Soup,” she informs me without any hesitation.

“Any particular one?”

“Nope.” She shrugs. “If it’s in soup form, I’ll eat it.”

“That’s... interesting.”

She looks at me curiously. “Isyourcoat the same color as your hair?”

“I... maybe a little darker? It’s been a while since I shifted. The suppressants stave off the need to.”

“That’s how you end up mauling a hiker,” she tuts.

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