Page 13 of Same Thing

“Hmm,” he said somberly. “Do you want me to fix it?”

There was a grit to his voice that gave her chills.

“Oh, I think I’m okay. He’s harmless really. He will find someone better, prettier, more friendly, and more outgoing to have a crush on soon, I’m sure of it.”

“Subject change again before I get pissed off at how you see yourself,” Liam said. “Where do you groom dogs?”

“Sunday through Thursdays you can find me at the Great Dogsby off Thirty-Fourth and Big Creek Terrace from eight to six. Seriously, if you have a dog, I can give you a discount.” She thought about it. “Wait, do werewolves have pet dogs? Or would that be too weird?”

“Do you love your job?” he asked ignoring her question.

Right. No more werewolf talk.

“I do. I understand animals more than humans. Every once in a while, we will get a mean son-of-a-gun dog just determined to make a grooming session impossible, but mostly I get to groom sweetie pie dogs, and even some cats. I groomed a guinea pig once. That wasn’t even that long ago.”

His smile was back, and for a moment, Nory was caught off guard by how easily she was conversing with him after he’d taken the pressure off. She wasn’t allowed to be around him. Currently, they were breaking some kind of werewolf rules, and she really wouldn’t see him after tonight. It was supposed to be a good thing, right? Something about that thought carved out a hollow space in the pit of her stomach though.

“Is everyone ready?” some guy by the Jukebox slurred loudly to no one in particular.

Liam’s bright blue eyes glanced at him and then back to Nory. “If he starts playing some sappy slow songs, I’m going to judge you for telling me to come here.”

She heard the first few lines of the beat drop, and she laughed. It was the stupid song that was all over the radio right now. It was catchy.

“I have an admission,” she told him.

“Admit away.”

“I hyperfocus on one song at a time. I’ve probably listened to this song a hundred times in a row.”

A grin took his lips, and he rested his elbows on the bar top, and the back of his chair. “Prove it.”

Her cheeks were on fire as she mouthed the first couple of lines.

Others around her were picking up the lyrics too and singing.

Liam cupped a hand behind his ear. “Can’t hear you.”

“She talked the next couple of lines in her normal speaking voice.”

“Lame,” he said, encouraging her.

“You sing it then.”

“I can’t. I’ve never heard it.”

“Dear goodness, is that in the rules too? No listening to music?”

“No listening to bad music.”

She scoffed. “This is the jam.”

“The jam?” he asked, laughing.

She sang the chorus with the others in the bar who were also loudly singing and oh my goodness. She looked around, and everyone was just happy, and singing. Most didn’t even care that they were offkey.

Liam was looking around too with this absent little smile on his lips. She sang a little louder, feeling emboldened that no one could hear her over the others singing so loudly.

The second chorus hit, and the beat was harder in this one, building up the excited feeling in her middle. She closed her eyesand threw her head back and sang it with the others, and when she opened her eyes again, Liam’s smile had faded slightly, and he was just watching her lips.