door behind me. “What’s up?” I asked nervously. The longer I looked at Joseph the more I wondered why I hadn’t ever seen him before. He was attractive, and even though he wasn’t as buff as the werewolf boys, he was still in great shape. And he had the cutest dimple.
“I was wondering if you’d like to go out tomorrow?” he asked with a sweet smile. “I know we haven’t ever talked or anything, but I think you’re beautiful and from what I’ve observed, really sweet.”
I stared dumbly at him. Was he serious? And what the hell was I supposed to do? Tom, Gary, and Nick were all trying to date me as it was. Should I agree to a date with some guy I didn’t know?
“What did you have in mind?” I asked.
“I know you like the outdoors, so I was thinking we could go hiking in the state park and have a picnic?”
That sounded like the best idea ever. I smiled. “That sounds great, but I have to ask my dad. Can you wait here one second?”
He nodded.
I opened the door, peering inside to find Dad, Nick, and Mason leaning against the wall by the door. I rolled my eyes. “Dad, can I go out with him tomorrow? You could send one of the wolves to hide in the forest to watch us.”
He smiled. “That sounds fine, and I’ll be happy to do it myself. Nick needs a day off anyways.”
“No, I don’t,” Nick grumbled.
“Thanks, Dad,” I said with a smile. I shut the door and turned to Joseph. “Okay, he said I could as long as we’re back before four.” I wanted to be sure I wasn’t out after sunset.
Joseph stared at me for a moment, like he was surprised I had said yes, and then smiled. “Great. Uh, I’ll pick you up tomorrow at ten.”
“Sounds good.”
He looked at the house and then walked to his truck. I watched as he drove away and then sighed. “What the hell is going on?” I grumbled to myself.
“You’re finally at a dateable age and the boys finally have drivers’ licenses and money to take you out,” Dad said from behind me. “Are you so surprised that boys want to date you?”
I turned and looked up at him. “It’s just all so new. I mean, they’re all asking me out the same week. I don’t understand. It’d make more sense if it was spread out, but I’ve been asked out by four guys now this week.”
Dad’s eyebrows rose. “Four? Who are the four?”
“Thornton,” Coach Tanner, yelled. “We need to talk.”
He held up his finger to Tanner and looked at me. “Order a pizza for you, Nick, and Mason and then go stay in Mason’s room until I come get you.”
“Yes, sir,” I said and took the money he handed me before walking inside. Nick and Mason were already arguing over what toppings to get, so I grabbed the phone and hit the auto-dial for the pizza place.
Forty minutes later we were sitting on Mason’s bed, eating pizza, drinking soda, and watching Army of Darkness on Mason’s television. Despite the fear that lingered in my head about the vampire who had marked me, and Alfred, I felt happy. Boys were showing an interest in me, and I was actually getting to go out on dates. I had expected Dad to be reluctant to let me go out with guys, but I guessed that since I was always going to be supervised by someone from the pack, he wasn’t too worried.
I laughed along with the guys at the funny parts of the video, loving the B-movie more than any of the A-list movies that were so popular. The movie ended, and Nick put in another movie for us to watch. The bed was somewhat crowded with the three of us, but we made do by all lying on our stomachs to watch the movies. Unfortunately, I ended up falling asleep halfway through the second movie.
I was rudely woken to growling and angry male voices. I sat up and rubbed my eyes. “What’s going on?”
Gary smiled at me from the doorway. “I asked them to wake you up so you could get ready for our date tonight. Thornton gave me permission to wake you and to tell you that you could leave the room now.”
I stretched my arms and smacked Mason in the back of the head. “Okay. I’ll be ready in about ten minutes.” I walked by Nick who was standing between