Chapter 8

Ruby stiffened, the ease they’d found this afternoon evaporating as soon as the words left his mouth. Shit. Why had he said it like that? He only meant that she should be careful, that she shouldn’t let her guard down just because one terrible thing had happened to her. He knew from experience that life had plenty of space for more than one bad thing. But instead he’d uttered what basically sounded like some cryptic threat.

She cleared her throat. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” She stood, not bothering to look down at him. “I have to get ready for work. If you really plan to escort me, I’m leaving in half an hour.”

He absolutely planned on escorting her, but he didn’t have time to say that or to apologize for being an asshole after she spilled her guts to him, before the screen door slammed behind her. God, his interpersonal skills had really taken a hit lately. Way too much time alone.

Apparently, there was more than one reason wolves lived in packs. It wasn’t just for protection. More and more Rafe felt like he was losing both his wolf and his human side. Like he couldn’t blend in with humans, couldn’t talk to them, but also like he was forgetting how to be a wolf after being away from his pack for so long. And now he was a walking disaster that stalked and scared young women.

Who was he kidding? That wasn’t new.

Rafe was still thinking about everything Ruby had told him when she hurried back out thirty minutes later. He had a few theories about Lena but nothing solid enough to mention.

“Hop to it, wolf-man. Or I’m going to be late.”

He was currently sprawled out on the deck, soaking in the last rays of sun. Ruby stood above him, close enough that he could see the freckles on her legs, but not so close that he could see up her skirt. Not that he would have looked.

“Wolf-man?” He stood and stretched and pretended he didn’t notice Ruby’s gaze roaming across his chest and down his torso.

“You know this is totally unnecessary,” she said, turning away and tromping down the stairs into the yard. Each one groaned like it might be its last day. A chipmunk scampered out from under the bottom step and raced through the tall grass. Rafe tracked it with his eyes.

“Hungry?” Ruby asked, laughter clear in her voice.

He gave her his best wolfish smile. She could tease him about whatever she wanted as long as she was smiling again. He’d totally fucked up their earlier conversation. He didn’t need her believing he was some sort of nice guy but he also didn’t want to hurt her. Ever.

“Nah, chipmunks are too small for me. I go for bigger game.”

Ruby huffed a disbelieving laugh and strode ahead of him. They walked around the side of the house and onto the sidewalk out front. There were only two other houses at this end of the street, with neat yards and window boxes below each window.

Rafe glanced back at Ruby’s house. The tiny bungalow must be at least one hundred years old. The lawn out front was just as unkempt as out back, more of a meadow than a lawn. Wildflowers swayed in the evening breeze. The rest of the house was tidy despite its age, giving the yard a deliberate and not neglected vibe. He would bet Ruby loved those wildflowers.

He picked up his pace to keep stride beside her as they made their way through the rest of her neighborhood and on to the small main street in town. There were exactly two bars in this town and Rafe was assuming Ruby didn’t work at the biker bar on the south side, although he was learning that Ruby was full of surprises.

“I can handle it from here,” she said, nodding to a passing couple. “I’m not going to get attacked by a wolf in the middle of town.”

Rafe leaned toward her, lowering his voice. “Are you embarrassed to be seen with me, Ruby?”

She sputtered, “Uh, no.” She picked up her pace. Rafe matched her step for step. “But the more people see us together, the more questions they’re going to have. This is a small town.”

“Just tell them we’re friends.”

Ruby stopped short. “Friends?”

“Yeah.”

“A friend who walks me to work every day?”

“I’m a very nice friend.” He grinned.

Ruby bit her bottom lip, her white teeth sinking into her blood red flesh. Friends, he reminded himself.

She sighed through her nose like he was exasperating her, which he found more entertaining than he probably should.

“Okay, well, I’m here now. So you can go.”

They’d stopped in front of the Sligo Pub, the other bar in town. He just happened to love their burgers. “I think I am hungry, after all.”

Ruby’s eyes widened and her mouth hung open in protest but he waltzed by her and pushed open the door into the dark interior of the bar. He heard Ruby stomping in behind him, her boots making every ounce of her displeasure known. Rafe ignored her and headed for the bar, settling himself on his usual stool.

She disappeared into the back for a minute and then came out, tying a short black apron around her waist. She pulled a small notepad from the front pocket and stood on the other side of the bar in front of him.

“What can I get you, sir?”

He raised his eyebrows. Now it was “sir”? Ruby smirked.

“Hamburger, rare. No onions. And a Guinness, please.”

“Coming right up.”

She spun away from him, her long hair swinging around her shoulders. Her cinnamon-spiced scent trailed behind her, but he didn’t feel the familiar longing to follow her. Something about knowing he could be near her had calmed something in him.

But he shouldn’t let his guard down. He scanned the crowded interior: booths along the wall, a few high-top tables in the middle, and a small stage in the back corner for live music. The bar was about half full already, and he was sure it would be packed in another hour or two. Ever since Macy took over as manager, the bar had been pulling in more and more business, but he hadn’t been in here in months, since before Ruby started working here, apparently.

Not finding anyone that made the hair on the back of his neck rise, Rafe turned back to the bar just in time for Ruby to slide his plate in front of him.

“Thanks.”

“You are very welcome. Let me know if I can get you anything else,” she said in a syrupy sweet voice he’d never heard from her. She was about to turn back to her other customers, when Macy emerged from the kitchen.

“Rafe! Is that you?”

He raised his burger-free hand in greeting. “Hey, Mace.”

“Where the hell have you been? You haven’t been in in months. I thought maybe I offended you.” Macy leaned her elbows on the bar, her long purple braids swinging over her shoulder.

“Oh no, nothing like that. Just been busy.” Busy taking a break from pretending to be human, busy repeating past mistakes.

Ruby was watching their exchange with rapt attention.

“We’ve been getting so many compliments on the tables,” Macy said, her smile bright in her light brown face.

“Glad to hear it.” He took another big bite of his burger.

Macy tapped a hand on the bar in front of him. “I’ll let you get back to your meal. Glad you’re here, Rafe.” She worked her way down the bar, refilling drinks and taking orders. Ruby stood frozen.

“Don’t you have work to do?” he asked, taking a swig from his beer.

“You know Macy? How?”

“This is my favorite bar.”

“How come I’ve never seen you in here then?”

He shrugged. “I haven’t been in town in a while.”

Ruby narrowed her eyes like she didn’t believe that he ever came into town.

“I do need supplies every now and then. And I like Macy’s burgers.” He shrugged again and took another bite. “Sorry if I ruined the wolf-man mystique for you. I don’t always prowl in the shadows.”

A scarlet blush ran up Ruby’s cheeks. So maybe she did have a bit of a primal kink.

“That’s not it at all. I’m just surprised.” She put her hands on her hips, still studying him. “What did Macy mean about tables?”

Rafe lifted his head from his meal and gestured vaguely behind him. “I made the tables. I’m a woodworker.”

Ruby’s eyebrows raised to her hairline. “You made them?”

“Yep.”

“Hmm.”

He flashed her a grin before she was called away by another customer.

* * *

Rafe being a woodworker should not have been the most surprising thing Ruby learned today. And yet, something about him being an actual person and not just some shadowy figment of her imagination had really thrown her for a loop.

That and the fact that he’d hung around for her entire shift. His gaze followed her around the bar, tracking her movements, like a familiar caress. It shouldn’t have been hot. It should have been annoying. But she was having a hard time convincing her body of that.

With about a half hour left in her shift, Ruby found Rafe in a corner booth with a few of her regular customers.

“Hey, guys, what can I get you tonight?”

Callie pushed her long blonde braid over her shoulder. “Just fries and a coke for me.”

“Bacon cheeseburger, fries, and a Sam Adams for me.” Sawyer flashed her a grin. “Actually, can we also get an order of wings for the table?”

Callie raised her eyebrows, her blue eyes wide. “Really, Sawyer?”

He laughed. “I’m hungry.”

Callie leaned into his side with an ease Ruby had never felt with another person. Her gaze flicked to Rafe, who looked more and more like a deranged lumberjack next to these two fresh-faced lovebirds. His five o’clock shadow was nearly a full beard even though he’d shaved this afternoon. He’d tied his long hair back while he ate, making his silver eyes that much more noticeable. He had one arm slung across the bench on his side of the booth, the muscles flexing in his forearm as he gripped the edge of the seat.

“And for you, sir?”

“Stop pretending you don’t know me, Ruby,” he grumbled.

Callie’s eyes shot from Ruby to Rafe and back again. “You two know each other?” she asked.

Ruby shifted from tired foot to tired foot. “We just met,” she said at the same time Rafe blurted out, “We’re old friends.”

Well, there goes keeping their story straight.

Callie’s forehead crinkled in confusion. “So, you reconnected recently?”

“Something like that,” Ruby mumbled and then quickly changed the subject. “How do you two know Rafe?”

“Uh … well…” Callie stumbled over her words. Apparently, it was her turn to be flustered over her connection to Rafe.

“I’m a friend of her grandmother’s. From way back,” Rafe said, his gaze steady on Ruby.

Realization dawned on her slowly. “Her grandmother? Oh…” From way back.

Callie smiled up at her. So she knew what Rafe was. It wasn’t until Ruby walked away to put in their order that she thought to wonder what the hell Callie might be.