Page 8

A couple of days later.

“So, you met a girl you think your Wolf likes. You beat up her ex. Then you took her to feed goats? Like, for real?” Kian asked, scratching his stupid head.

“What kind of date is that? Feeding goats?” Dante replied with a question of his own.

“That wasn’t the date. That was before our date. I mean, we were supposed to go out to eat,” I mumbled, feeling all out of sorts.

“Shit. No wonder she said no to you after that. Never met a woman who let me touch her boobies after taking her to feed goats,” Kian muttered.

“She let you touch her boobies?” Dante asked, eyebrows sky high.

“No! Fuck. I didn’t try that!” I shouted.

“Why not?” Dante asked.

“Is something wrong with her boobies?” Kian seconded.

Demon snarled. I closed my eyes and forced the beast down, praying to the gods for patience.

“Oh my fuck. Look, just shut the fuck up about her boobies, alright?!” I snapped, trying to rein in my angry animal.

Why did I tell these imbeciles anything?

I slammed the hammer down on the fence post one last time, gritting my teeth against the vibrations that reverberated through my arms. A satisfying clang rang out in the crisp morning air.

It was cold out this morning. Cold and clear for the first time in weeks.

As I straightened my back, I felt a surge of pride wash over me, knowing the post was firmly anchored in place. I exhaled, a puff of smoke leaving my lips, a visible reminder of the change in the weather and the effort I had put into this simple task.

There was something uniquely fulfilling about using sheer brute force to make something go the way you wanted it. Every time I hit that post, I was throwing all my frustration into it.

Demon had been driving me crazy. Every night for the past couple of days, the beast had forced a shift. I’d find myself butt ass naked the next morning behind her house, in the woods that ran along the perimeter of the chain link fence she had around her property.

Jogging naked through the woods in the freezing cold sucked ass. And not in any good way. But I’d do it just to catch a glimpse of Jezebel’s sweet face as she crossed the floor of her little house with the early sunrays dancing through the windows as she made her coffee.

Fuck. I had it bad.

“Hand me another post,” Dante grunted, and I did.

Because of all the rain, we had to wait a few days for the lumber to be delivered, and we were running behind. But one good thing about being a Shifter was the fact the three of us would have completed setting the posts before noon.

Then I could check my phone. See if she answered.

The other day when I first delivered the check to Jezebel and took her out to feed the goats, I thought I had it all worked out. Figured the pretty woman was going to fall right into my lap.

I wasn’t bragging, but ladies seemed to like me. Only Jezebel had managed to refuse every single overture I’d made.

She ducked my invitation to breakfast that morning, much to my dismay. Before I could secure her agreement for a rain check, Max had texted with an emergency, and I’d hightailed it back to the ranch.

I wasn’t one to give up a chase so easily. So, I texted her, having asked Penelope for Jezebel’s cell number.

Sorry about leaving in a rush earlier today, but I believe I owe you breakfast. How about we make a date?

At first, she’d ignored my messages. Then I realized she likely didn’t know who was sending them. So, I tried again.

This is Emmet, by the way.

Emmet Quinn.

From Motley Crewd Ranch?

Okay, so I sent three texts before I realized I was being crazy and stopped. But lucky me, she responded.

My Angel

Okay, stalker. How’d you get my number?

I snorted a laugh when I read that.

Me

I have my ways. But since we established, I might be a stalker, tell me are your doors locked, Little Girl?

My Angel

Always.

Me

So, breakfast?

My Angel

Are you suggesting I encourage you? I mean stalkers are dangerous, right?

Me

You have no idea. But you don’t ever have to be worried with me, Angel. I’ll protect you.

My Angel

That’s a pretty big promise from a man I don’t know.

Me

So, get to know me. I dare you.

She went quiet after that. It was a lot. I mean, I did come on kinda strong.

So, I gave her a day.

I knew sometimes people needed space, especially when emotions ran high. And after that kiss we shared, my emotions were running pretty damn high where she was concerned.

I gave her twenty-four hours, then I started with simple things—light, casual messages that wouldn’t feel overwhelming or intrusive.

Just a “good morning” or “what are you eating for lunch?” kind of texts.

It felt like tiptoeing into uncharted territory, but I was willing to do it if it meant she’d answer me.

Fuck.

It was scary how quickly she became necessary to me. I mean I wanted her, for sure. But it was more than that.

I needed her to answer me.

Demon needed her to answer me.

It got to the point where I was checking my phone a few times every hour, hoping for a word, a meme, anything.

Jezebel was funny. Thoughtful. Her charm was effortless. Just like her beauty. This woman was dangerous. I was becoming addicted and fast.

She sent me pictures of what she was working on for the drive-in. Her enthusiasm for old films and her creativity made me smile. I was proud of her and wasn’t that odd? I never felt that way about anyone before.

I didn’t want to jinx it or look too closely at it, so I didn’t. Our tentative texting friendship was sweet, but it wasn’t enough.

Toeing the line between being attentive and pushy, I asked her this morning to go to dinner with me. She had yet to reply, and I was on tenterhooks.

I knew she was busy. Apparently, she had one good weekend left to make bank. She told me about her plans for a Holiday Film Festival before closing for the season, and I had to admit I was psyched about it.

Who didn’t love holiday movies?

The thought of curling up in my car, warm blanket in hand, surrounded by the glow of flickering lights and the familiar comfort of classic films made me feel nostalgic.

Of course, when I thought of holiday movies my brain immediately went to Gremlins and Die Hard , which had Jezebel arguing over more traditional classics like Miracle on 34 th Street ,

When I brought up A Christmas Carol, I was admittedly confused by her vehement response that she did not like that story at all.

Not even the Muppets version.

But I warmed at the thought of all that precious enthusiasm she had just shining through her texts. Apparently, with the Holiday Film Festival came holiday themed goodies.

S’mores. Hot cocoa. Popcorn, of course. And holiday cookies supplied by Devil’s Food Bakery.

“I think that does it,” Kian grunted, leaning on the post he just finished hammering into place.

I wiped the sweat from my brow, feeling a sense of accomplishment swell within me as I looked at the results of all our hard work. Each post stood tall and strong, a testament to what we as a Crew could do when we banded together.

“Good work, boys!” Max came riding up to us on the 4-wheeler he named after his ornery old horse, Betsy Two.

The original Betsy was living the good life, retired from ranching, just sitting pretty in her stable and eating all the carrots and oats she wanted.

I had to admit, Max was doing a much better job now than he had at the beginning. With the dairy making the bulk of our income over the winter, it was important to maximize the land, turning the fields over, and planning our crop for next harvest.

Kian had some terrific ideas for accomplishing that. He was excellent when it came to gauging the fertility of the land. Maybe that was because of his Bull, I had no idea. Wolves weren’t farmers. We were hunters.

But I’d been working ranches for a long time now, and the Motley Crewd had an interesting blend of raising dairy animals and growing things. But I guess New Jersey wasn’t called the Garden State for nothing.

Max sidled up to Dante, and the two of them started discussing the herd of dairy cows, while Kian and I put away the tools we’d used for this part of the fencing project. I was only half listening when Max called my name.

“Well, Emmet?”

“Well, what?” I replied.

“Will you be done in time to bring the goats home tomorrow? We want to bring the milk cows in from the second pasture,” he explained.

“Yeah. Should be done around noon,” I told him, nodding at Kian who was already grabbing a big roll of woven wire fence from the back of his truck.

“I thought we were using chain link?” Max asked, noting the material.

“This is better for keeping the goats safe. Jed insisted,” I replied, and we both grinned.

That old Prairie Dog sure did love his Dollies.

“Okay, then. Jed would know,” Max murmured, tipping his hat and walking back to his 4-wheeler.

I waved him off and got back to work with the others. As we got into the swing of mounting the fence, my mind wandered. Running this place together was the best damn thing that’s happened to me in quite a while.

There was a palpable energy in the air. I could not be sure what it was for, but it made my blood hum and my heart pump steadily as I worked side by side with Kian and Dante.

Maybe it was the fact that Demon was giving me some peace for a rare moment.

Or maybe it was because I was hoping so damn hard that Jezebel was going to say yes to my dinner invitation.

Whatever the reason, this sense of camaraderie felt good. Comfortable. Almost like that first sip from a hot mug of coffee on a frosty morning.

Each member of the Crew was finding their groove, discovering their strengths, and taking ownership of their roles. The transformation was almost magical.

Like we were building something more than just a fence. We were forming a community.

A family.

I could see it reflected in my eyes when I woke up in the morning, a sense of purpose energizing me each and every day since I stepped foot on this place.

Hell. Maybe the ranch was magic itself. I didn’t know.

But I imagined the same rang true for the rest of them. I felt like each of us was finally coming into our own. And for the first time in my whole fucked up life, the possibility of having a future seemed almost within reach.

Maybe I’m not that broken.

“You gonna help or what?” Kian barked, and I grinned, flipping him the bird as I got back to it.

There was a rhythm to this kind of physical labor. Like it had a meditative quality, allowing my mind to settle and focus on the task at hand.

My phone buzzed, and I paused, sniffing, as I grabbed it from my back pocket.

My heart started thumping wildly beneath my breastbone. It was from her.

My Angel

Pick me up at seven.

“What’s got you smiling like the cat that got the canary?” Dante asked, hands on his hips as he dropped another roll of fence on the ground.

“She said yes. SHE SAID YES!” I whooped, and the two guys just shook their heads at me.

Seven o’clock couldn’t come fast enough for me now. Demon’s growl had my entire body rumbling, and the monster Wolf didn’t let up for the entire rest of the day.

Mine.