Of having no one to laugh with.
Maybe Bride was his future.
Maybe he would try this and see.
But how?
What did humans do to court each other?
Bride sat on her stool as she cleaned up after her lunch and tossed the garbage in the trash can. The last two days had been horrible as she put her tiny apartment in order and did her best to forget Taylor and his cruelty. Except the rat bastard had yet to return her stuff.
"Please don't make me have to go and get it," she said as she reviewed a catalogue for new merchandise by her register.
If she did, she was taking Tabitha with her just for the sake of vengeance.
And if Tabitha happened to bring a tire iron well, it wasn't as if Bride could keep her from it. It was a free country, after all. And if the tire iron ended up falling against Taylor's kneecaps a time or two or three dozen, well, accidents did happen.
Relishing the thought, she reached down and petted her wolf behind his ears and felt instantly better.
Over the last two days, Vane had become her constant companion. He sat even now behind the register at her feet, completely content just to be with her. If only she could find a man so loyal.
The door to her shop opened.
She looked up to see Taylor coming inside. Her heart stopped. He was tall and good-looking in that phony TV sort of way. He wore a pair of khakis and a black Ralph Lauren polo shirt.
He strode into the store like he owned it. Like he hadn't carelessly broken her heart just a few days ago.
"Hi, Bride," he said with that perfect capped-tooth smile of his. "Are you alone?"
Her wolf started to growl.
"Hi, Taylor," she said, reaching down to touch and soothe her companion.
"Except for my pet, yeah."
"Pet?" He peeped over the counter to look at Vane, who was now on his feet with his ears laid back.
Taylor stepped back. "That's a hell of a pet you have there. Did your dad give him to you?"
"What do you want?" she asked. "I know you didn't just come to shoot the breeze with me."
"I've, um, I've got your stuff outside and wanted to know what to do with it."
She looked outside to see a small moving van parked behind Taylor's red Alfa Romeo. "You were supposed to have it here two days ago."
He made a disgusted sound at her. "Yeah, well I've been busy. You know, I actually have a life."
She rolled her eyes at him as anger took hold. "You know, I do, too."
"Yeah," he said with a laugh. "Eating bonbons and watching TV is so time-consuming."
She gave him a reproachful glare. "You are such a jerk. What did I ever see in you?"
He held his arms out as if he were presenting himself to her and smiled.
"Same thing every woman sees in me, babe. Face it, we both know you'll never have another guy who looks as good as me interested in you."
Vane leaped at him.