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Six weeks later…
Jessica shookher head as another of Eric’s dates stomped out of the restaurant. Every she-wolf who’d met him for dinner had been tall, fit, and attractive, but he hadn’t shown the least interest in any of them. Just what was he looking for?
She waited a few minutes to make sure the woman wasn’t coming back, then knocked on her office door. He came out immediately, giving her a sheepish look that sat oddly on that hard face.
“I’m sorry to keep asking you to do this for me.”
She shrugged.
“I don’t really mind, but I’m surprised it keeps working. You’d think they would have figured out by now that you always have an emergency whenever you’re corralled into one of these dinners.”
“They’re too competitive. None of them would ever admit that I left them.”
“Surely some of them are friends?”
“Not really. The pack hierarchy is too important. Someone is either above you or below you and you don’t want to give either one of them an advantage.” He smiled at her horrified expression. “Which is why I am quite happy to be away from it all. Unfortunately, she—they—aren’t prepared to accept my departure.”
“She?”
He sighed. “My mother. She has… ambitions for me. She’s convinced that as soon as I’m mated I’ll give up this foolish business of being sheriff and return to the pack. Hence the parade of what she considers eligible females.”
“So find your own girlfriend. She can hardly expect you to have dinner with her picks if you’re already dating someone.”
An odd expression crossed his face before he firmly shook his head.
“No thank you. I prefer to be a lone wolf.”
“Ahroo,” Cody howled softly as he came up to them, then grinned at Eric. “Not gonna happen, dude. A wolf needs his mate.”
“Not me,” Eric said firmly before turning back to her. “Are you and Leo coming to the Christmas festival, Jessica?”
“Of course. He loves being able to move around town so freely now. He’s determined not to miss a single festival.”
“Then I’ll see you there. Good night.”
“Bye.”
She watched him leave, then gave Cody a curious look.
“Did you mean that? About a wolf needing his mate?”
“Yep. And I don’t think I’m the only one who thinks so,” he added quietly, nodding at the front dining room.
Flora and Gladys were sitting at the table in the bay window but Flora was looking outside, a speculative look on her face.Oh Lord. If she had Eric in her sights, he was definitely doomed.Or blessed, she amended with an internal smile, just as Flora looked over at her. Those dark eyes studied her for a moment, and then Flora smiled, a slow, satisfied smile, before turning back to the window.
She couldn’t possibly know. Could she?
The door opened again and Damian swirled in in a cloud of dark cloak, his arm tucked around a pink-cheeked Wendy.
“You’re off the rest of the evening,” he announced in his usual arrogant tone.
“I am? Why?”
Wendy giggled.
“Don’t ask, just go. Don’t you have someone waiting for you?” she added when Jessica hesitated.
“Well, yes, but…” She looked around and saw that Flora and Gladys were beaming at her, Cody was grinning, and even Damian was smiling. “Why do I suddenly feel like this is a conspiracy?”
