Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

"Leader of a wolf pack," Autumn said, looking intrigued. "What brings you to Premonition Pointe?"

Kai cast his mysterious gaze on her, and I couldn't help but notice the appreciation flash through those eyes. He gave her a devastating smile. "Wine. Gray Wolf Winery to be exact. And what do you do here in town?"

Autumn glanced away nervously but then quickly returned her gaze to his, looking a little flushed. "I own a pottery studio and gallery. It's just a few doors down."

"A pottery studio, huh? I'll have to check it out."

My mind was racing as I watched the wolf and the former television star flirt shamelessly. Kai was a leader of a wolf pack? Was that Trish's pack? Did that mean Jax was nearby? I was dying to ask the man but held my tongue, trying to stay professional in front of my new client. "Mr. Gray, why don't you have a seat at my desk while I walk these ladies out? And then I can give you my full attention and discuss how I can help you."

"Right this way," Charlotte said, taking him by the arm and leading him toward my desk.

I hurried Autumn and Carly out the door and said my goodbyes, promising to call as soon as I had a game plan.

Autumn eyed the closed door. "That man, Kai? He's exactly my type. Tall, thin but muscular. You know… just in case you needed a visual."

I raised one eyebrow. "You want me to set you up with Kai?"

"Well, I didn't say that exactly." Her cheeks flushed deep maroon. "Dating a werewolf seems… problematic. But he's definitely hot."

Celia appeared right next to me. "You said before you want a man who likes dogs. Seems like a wolf would fit that bill," she said with a giggle.

"Celia!" I admonished even as I wanted to laugh. Autumn had indicated she was a dog lover.

Autumn rolled her eyes, but her lips twitched with amusement. "You have a point, but I'm just sticking my toe back into the dating pool. I'm not sure I'm ready for someone who howls at the moon."

Carly cackled, and the two of them waved their goodbyes as they left the building.

"She has no idea what she's missing," Celia said and then disappeared again.

I vaguely wondered when Celia had experienced dating a werewolf and then shook my head, trying to dislodge the thought. There was no telling with that one.

Anxious to find out if Kai had any news about Jax, I hurried back into the office to find my sister half-sitting on my desk, curling a lock of hair with her finger and making moon eyes at the man. Walking over, I cleared my throat and then nodded toward her desk. "I've got it from here, Charlotte."

My sister gave me an irritated flat stare before standing and smiling down at Kai. "Let me know if you need anything. Anything at all."

Kai chuckled softly as my sister sashayed her way to her desk.

I settled in my chair and leaned forward, my hands clasped. "Before we get started, can I ask if you know Jax Williams?"

His amused expression turned serious. "Yes, actually. That's why I decided to come check out your service. I figured anyone who is dating a wolf must not have reservations about taking one on as a client."

Relief washed over me, and suddenly the tension in my shoulders eased. "So he is with your pack? How is he doing?"

Kai nodded. "He's… still working out how to deal with his new reality. It's not an easy task."

"Yes, that's what Trish said. I just want to know that he's okay."

"He is doing as well as can be expected," he said, his expression unreadable. "It can take months, sometimes years for adults to adjust to their new wolf status. I know it's hard to be patient when you're missing a loved one, but the best thing you can do for him right now is to just wait for him to contact you. He will when he's ready."

Right. It was pretty much what Jax had asked of me when he'd left all those weeks ago. He'd just wanted time. But how much time? Months? Years? No , my mind screamed. There was no way my Jax, wolf or not, would disappear for years. He'd find a way back to me one way or another. I knew it in my gut.

Determined to put my melancholy behind me and be the professional I knew myself to be, I said, "Okay, Kai Gray. Why don't you tell me more about yourself and what kind of partner you're looking for?"

His lips twitched into a small smile of approval as he placed his elbows on his knees and gave me his full attention. "As I said before, I'm the Alpha of the Diablo Wolf Pack. The pack recently purchased a small private winery on the north side of town on Pointe Meadow Road along with some adjacent land. My intension is to make the winery a bit of a destination spot with a farm-to-table restaurant, a luxury spa, and possible music venue. I want the winery to be the go-to event space for weddings, family reunions, and all other celebrations. We don't want to be just another business in town, we want to be part of the fabric of Premonition Pointe as we lay down roots for our pack members. Part of that foundation for me is finding someone to settle down with who isn't already part of the pack. I need someone who sees me as an equal and not their pack leader."

I sat back in my chair, more than a little surprised by his speech. "Wolves put down roots?" I asked without thinking.

Storm clouds rolled through his piercing eyes as he pressed his lips into an impatient thin line. "Yes, Miss Matched. Wolves put down roots. What did you think we did? Run from forest to forest, ravaging everything in sight until we'd depleted all the resources?"

"I…" I shook my head, feeling foolish. "No. Of course not." The truth was that my best friend had turned into a wolf and gone into hiding for years. And for some reason, I'd gotten it in my head that wolves were roamers. That they stayed on the move, but that was because of my limited experience. It wasn't every day that a girl ran into a werewolf. Or at least most girls. I just happened to now have three of them in my life. "I apologize if I offended you, Mr. Gray."

Kai's tight expression vanished. "You didn't. Not really. It's just that wolves are prone to even more stereotypes than witches. I try to fight them where I can."

I couldn't help but let out a laugh. He had me there. Witches did suffer all sorts of stereotypes among those who didn't have power. I could only imagine it was a hundred times worse for a man who shifted into a completely different creature. "Fair enough. So you're looking for a partner. Someone to lead your pack with you?" If he wanted a wolf partner, this was certainly going to be a challenge.

"No," he said, shaking his head slightly. "Not to lead the pack. The other wolves won't follow anyone but their Alpha. What I mean is someone who is an equal in both my personal and professional life."

"So someone who could run the winery with you?" I started jotting down notes.

"Yes, someone who could run the winery, but not necessarily someone who wants to." His green eyes sparked with amusement. "In other words, I want someone intelligent enough that they could do it, but I'm not necessarily looking for a business partner."

"You want someone you can bounce ideas off and who will challenge you," I said, reading between the lines. "You're not interested in anyone who is overly impressed with you or is happy to sit back and let you make all the decisions."

"Exactly." He sat back in his chair, studying me. "I can see why you have a reputation for being the best matchmaker."

"I've been doing this a long time, Mr. Gray. Cutting through the bullshit and getting down to brass tacks is pretty much my specialty. Now, two more questions."

"Shoot."

"Do you have a preference on physical type? And does she need to be a shifter?"

Kai glanced at the door quickly and then back at me. "Athletic. Age appropriate. Definitely not a shifter."

"What did you think of Autumn?" Charlotte called.

"Autumn?" Kai asked me.

"The pretty blonde you were talking to when you first arrived," I said, shooting my sister a look meant to shut her up.

"I don't tend to pick women on looks alone, but I wouldn't turn down drinks with either of those women," he said.

"Carly is taken," Charlotte added helpfully.

"Thank you, Charlotte," I snapped and then gave Kai a smile. "I think I have enough to go on. All we need to do is fill out some paperwork, and then I'll get started on finding you some matches." I stood and held out my hand. "It's been a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Gray."

"It's Kai." He wrapped his fingers around mine. His skin was slightly rough, making me suspect he spent most days working with his hands. His touch reminded me of Jax, and I couldn't help the ache of loneliness as I wondered, yet again, when I'd see him.