thinking. I took a long sip of the water as I watched him, taking in every smell, hoping I could somehow discern what he was thinking.
“Then I’m getting back to work.” I stepped back, putting my drink down at the same time. While he was alone, sitting at the bar proper, there were humans by the pool tables and sitting in a couple of my new booths along the opposite wall who would be needing drinks soon. Most were regulars and those I could prepare for. I knew what they drank, what they didn’t like, and their habits.
“Well, I was hoping you would do something for me,” he added before I made it two steps away. “But really, I’m just here for my drink. We can talk about the other thing later tonight.”
I bit back the groan. “Just tell me, Heath. No reason to make me wait all night for one of us to forget, then you’ll leave and bother me tomorrow with it.” I grabbed my rag again, another dirty glass, and went back to the busy work that kept me occupied, waiting on him.
“You’re going to hate it. You’re really going to chafe with this request.”
“Heath, don’t play games with me right now.” I wiped down the glass with more pressure than I really should have. I worried it was going to crack soon.
“Carey wants all of us to go bowling tomorrow.”
I stopped what I was doing, giving him the most exasperated look I could muster. “Well, why didn’t you say that sooner?” It would get me out of the house on a boring Sunday. I’m always okay with that. “Heath.”
“I wanted to mess with you a little,” he admitted, a smirk forming. “It’s really a lot of fun.”
“I hate you,” I growled softly. “I really do.”
“Of course, you do.” He took a long swallow of his beer. Watching him, with his classic good looks in his perfect suit, totally out of place in my shithole of a bar, I wondered how I ever found myself in this position. Sure, I had gotten involved with his war in Dallas, but I didn’t have to let him move into my territory. His excuse about having me help protect Carey was probably honest. He was technically a werewolf Alpha of two, him and his son, and they were the only defense his human daughter had.
My answer had been spur-of-the-moment. Looking back, I knew I should have told him no, that it drew unnecessary attention to me, or I didn’t want an Alpha werewolf hanging around in my space, but I said yes because of things like this. Opportunities to have those elusive things called friends. Some form of community that didn’t involve my own kind, which I was actively avoiding and had for several years.
“So, bowling. Tomorrow. What time?” I pressed for more information, trying not to sound too excited or desperate. I liked bowling, and just the idea of going with people was exciting.
“The place on 69 opens at three. Do you know it?” With my nod, he continued. “Meet us there by three-thirty.” Heath was still smirking into his glass.
“Sounds good. Gives me time to get some sleep.” With that, I yawned, realizing just how tired I was. For some reason, the last week had been a long one, with only a few nights when I got a full night’s sleep. “I hate long weeks.”
“We’ve had one ourselves. Landon and I had to spend two nights in Dallas, thanks to some meetings. Our old pack wanted us to check in as well, make sure everything was going well. Nothing official, just old friends, but very important old friends. A lot of the werewolf council had flown in.”
“They don’t have spies?” I asked, smiling because I knew the answer.
“No, they don’t. They can’t seem to convince anyone to come out here and check on us. Something about everyone scared of the big…supernatural who runs Tyler and Jacksonville and the surrounding area.” He grinned back at me.
Our plan was working. Heath was able to pull Carey out of the werewolf world and be her father, and I was the nuclear deterrent who got some friends out of that world. It wasn’t perfect, but it was holding. Sometimes, I thought the polite man in front of me was overreacting to what happened in Dallas, but I was always quick to remind myself I didn’t know all of his history. I didn’t know how many enemies he had or who they could