Page 8 of Finding His Fox

“Do you even know half these people?” I asked, half-jokingly.

“I know most of the townspeople. The shifters, not so much,” Ian said, looking around.

He started telling me about the townsfolk and shifters he knew. Some names seemed familiar, the older shopkeepers especially, since I did grow up here.

I tuned out the names Ian was saying and nodded politely. I didn’t have the heart to tell him I didn’t want to know any more about this town than I needed to.

Me and this town? There was a gigantic wall between us. So big you could see it from space, like the Great Wall of China.

The only reason I needed to come back was for my cousin, and now Ian.

Damn you Ian, why did you have to choose to settle down here?

“And that’s Cal. He’s a friend of Owen’s. Cal’s also a member of Owen’s pack. You two will probably see a lot of each other since you both are me and Owen’s best men at the wedding,” I caught Ian saying.

I turned to the guy Ian was referring to and found my gaze lingering on him. Cal was leaning on a lamppost, arms crossed, with a bored look on his face.

A small group of people came up to him, but he barely said anything to them, giving them the barest of glances.

He looked like a viking warrior. Or a Norse god looking upon his mortal subjects.

A lock of his white-gold hair fell across his eyes and he combed it back with his fingers. Cal caught me looking at him, his icy blues piercing through me.

He suddenly had a curious expression on his face and started to make his way to me and Ian.

A server bumped into him and stopped Cal short. Cal looked like he was going to tear the server a new one.

The poor man offered Cal the hors d’oeuvres he was serving, like a peace offering.

Cal took one and popped it into his mouth. Whatever it was, he seemed to enjoy it, seemingly forgetting about his grievance with the server.

The poor server took a step back and quickly went the other way.

I was completely riveted. This was one of the most interesting things I’ve seen in my time here in Fox Haven.

That was saying something, since there were shifters and other supernaturals living here.

Cal was fascinating. I was curious what made him tick, what else would break his grumpy exterior other than a tasty hors d’oeuvre.

“Hey, introduce us,” I turned back to Ian, who I just realized had been watching me the whole time.

“Sure thing,” Ian said, giving me a knowing smile.

I rolled my eyes. It wasn’t what Ian thought. I didn’t want to know Cal in the romantic sense.

He looked interesting, and I wanted to get to know him. That was all.

I may not like being here in Fox Haven, but it didn’t mean I couldn’t have a little fun.

Chapter 4

Nate

I had never been in a car accident, nor had my car broken down in the middle of nowhere before.

Other than calling for roadside assistance, I wouldn’t know what to do after. Specifically, how to wave at cars passing by to signal I needed help. Now I did.

Ian was giving me a demonstration on how to wave your arms wildly in order to grab someone’s attention. That someone being Cal.