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“I’m going to call you Pixie.” If they were going to be my new bestie, they needed a name. “It suits you.”
I went back to work, the time ticking away. I pulled out another handful of weeds, tossing them into a growing pile beside me. The raised garden bed was going to take time, just like everything else in my life. But with each weed I pulled, with each inch of soil I turned, it was getting there. Right now, everything was being choked out, except for the ants. They seemed to be having a grand old time.
The wind shifted, and for a split second, I thought I scented my mate. It wasn’t the first, nor would it be the last time. It was getting ridiculous. At least some of the times I caught his scent it was real—old but present. It told me he lived locally, and that gave me so much hope.
Everywhere I went, I was starting to scent him, and it was always faded, always like I’d missed him by hours, possibly minutes. It was just getting to be too much.
Today was my day off, and the first one where I actually had an evening free. After I showered from my gardening, I decided to check out the restaurant I’d been eyeing. It didn’t have hours conducive to my work schedule, making today the perfect time. Even if I hadn’t wanted to check it out, to see if maybe—just maybe—he went there, it was the type of place I’d want to explore.
I’d been trying to hold on to my parents’ words, to understand that it was gonna work out and I just needed to wait. But I sucked at being patient, and besides, I was hungry. So this wasn’t the same as pushing fate, right? It would be more like killing two birds with one stone.
Not sure what the dress code might be, I opted to go with business casual. This wasn’t the city where you might run into a place that demanded jackets or ties, but still, I wanted to be respectful.
I walked in and was greeted by a woman who immediately asked if I had a reservation. I didn’t, of course. But the second I stepped in that room, I knew that wasn’t going to hinder me. This was the place I needed to be.
Shifters were everywhere, which was great. But also… underneath all of that, I could scent my mate. And it was in different layers of the scent, like he’d been here more than once. All this time, there was a location I could’ve come to—one that he frequented or maybe worked at, and my stupid work schedule had prevented it.
Well played, fate. Well played.
It was hard to tell with all the food aromas dancing around how long since he was last here, but this was definitely where I was going to find him. I could feel it.
“Reservation?” I asked, buying myself time to figure out what to say. And because it was my day to be awkward, I came out with, “I think I’m meeting someone here.”
She looked at me like I had five heads. “You think? Is this one of those dating app scenarios? Because, uh, they usually don’t show,” she whispered the last part. “I can seat you, but maybe don’t order until they do, or order like you’re here alone, and if they show up, yay.”
She was coming from a kind place, and I took it as such.
“No, it’s not a dating app. I was hoping I could talk to a manager or something?”
Just then, a group of about eight people all came in, all of them scenting human, which was very unhelpful. A middle-aged man came up to her and started demanding attention. Apparently, his party was very important and needed all of her focus. Jerks.
I gave her a half wave, and she indicated a guy standing in the back. I’d have thanked her, but the guy was becoming louder. May they be sold out of what he wanted and his friends spill their red wine on him. Not really, because you get back what you put out there, but for the fleeting moment it passed through my mind, it made me smile.
On my way to the manager at the back, I scented deeply as I passed every table, trying not to look too obvious. And when I walked up to him, the man was a shifter—thank gods. It was going to make this whole thing so much easier.
“Hey, I’m looking for someone and she said you might be able to help me find them,” I said.
He leaned in, and I knew he was scenting me too. “Unicorn,” I mouthed, and dawning realization crossed his face. “I’m Kyle. Who can I help you find?”
“I don’t know if he works here or if he’s a regular, or?—”
“I think you’re gonna have to start at the beginning.”
And so I did, and as I told the story, he started to smile wider and wider. I’d come to the right place. I was sure of it. I was finally going to meet my mate. Maybe it wasn’t going to be today, but soon. And this man, this Kyle, he was going to be the one to help me.
Chapter 8
Anders
I can’t do this anymore!
Exhaustion had seeped into my bones, but it was my head that was tired of playing the hide-and-go-seek-and-never-be-found game. Darcy was kind, showing me some guy who had also been searching.
For what, I wondered. A job? A meal? My aim was to find the guy who was looking for me, not to fill his tummy or his bank account—not that there was anything wrong in wanting a job.
“Look, Anders.”
Darcy’s voice brought me back to the present, and she indicated a guy chatting to Kyle. But a whooshing past my head blurred my vision as my body swayed and was buffeted by a scent so strong it pricked at my skin, demanding attention.
