Starlight Web (Moonshadow Bay #1) - Yasmine Galenorn Page 0,43

This is your job. Well, I don’t have anything going in the afternoon. I’m looking at equipment in the morning that I might buy for the business, but I don’t have anything after that.”

“You don’t have to do this,” I said, forcing a smile. “I’ve already interrupted your week enough.”

“Tell you what,” he said. “Since you asked me to the carnival, I’ll make you a deal. I’ll come out to help if you would go to the Winter Cotillion with me. I want to immerse myself in this town’s goings-on. I want to become part of the community.”

I blushed, but inside, my heart leapt just a little. I tried to remind myself that he probably didn’t know any other women in town yet, so I was the convenient choice, but I couldn’t help but let out a little squee inside.

“I’d love to. Thank you. Ari’s going, too, aren’t you?” I glanced at her.

“Yeah, Meagan and I were going to the cotillion. Why don’t we make it a foursome?” She glanced at me, and I could see the smile she was suppressing.

I snickered. “Yay! That will give me a chance to reconnect with Mean Meg.”

“Don’t you dare call her that!” Ari said, waving her spoon at me. “Or I’ll tell Killian something embarrassing from your childhood.”

“I doubt if you could embarrass her more than she already has,” Killian said, a grin playing around the corners of his mouth.

“What do you mean?” Ari asked, straightening up, her eyes narrowing.

“I mean—”

“Don’t tell her! She’ll never let me live it down,” I said, brandishing my spoon.

“Tell me! Please! She’s making me come out and spend the night in a haunted asylum,” Ari said. “You don’t understand. January has tons of dirt on me and I don’t have enough on her!”

Killian gave me a wary glance. “Maybe I’d better not. She’s my neighbor, she knows where I live.” But his eyes were dancing again.

I sighed. “I would have told you anyway, in private. So, this morning I ran out back because I saw a wolf in the backyard, chasing a mouse. My robe fell open and…”

“And you don’t wear anything to bed, if I remember. And…” She glanced at Killian, who was staring at his plate, trying not to laugh. “Oh, I get it. So you’re a shifter?”

“Wolf shifter. I got a full frontal show.” He arched his eyebrows, then winked at me and went back to his sandwich.

I ducked my head, laughing. “Yeah, he saw me up close and personal. Well, at least he didn’t turn to stone.”

“Stop that,” Ari said, then turned to Killian. “She’s a looker, isn’t she? January’s my best friend and I know she’s mostly straight, so I’ve never made a pass at her. But I have eyes.”

Taken aback, I glanced at her. “I didn’t know I was your type.”

“Hell yes. And I don’t really have a type, though I prefer long hair. You’re gorgeous. I may be petite but it’s just my body’s setpoint. You’re beautiful, how many times have I told you that?” She paused, her smile fading. “I hate that Ellison filled your head with all that crap about being fat.”

It was my turn to sigh. I flashed a look at Killian, who was busying himself with his soup. “Yeah, I do too. It’s going to take me some time to shake it off, but I’ll try. My mother didn’t raise me to hate myself, and Aunt Teran would read me the riot act if she heard me bitching about my body. Thanks, chica. There’s a reason you’re my bestie.”

Killian cleared his throat. “I know some men can be assholes about body type, but really, for men who are worth having, what matters most is what you’re like, and self-confidence.”

I flashed him a sideways glance. He sounded like he was being genuine.

By the end of dinner, we had worked out a plan. Killian would drive out there to meet up with me at the asylum around noon, and Ari would join us by six. After dinner, he excused himself.

“I have a folder of forms I have to fill out for the city regarding my new vet business,” he said.

I waved good-bye to him and then, closing the door, leaned against it for a moment. “He actually asked me to the cotillion,” I said.

“He likes you,” Ari said.

“I don’t know what to think. I mean, I know he likes me. We got along great at lunch, and he’s going to the carnival with me, but…do you think he