Page 33 of A Bear's Journey

“He’ll have the 2013 Cabernet,” said Jasper, coming to his rescue.

“Two cabernets, a sparkling water for the Mademoiselle, and our charcuterie plate,” the waiter said. “It will be out shortly.”

Shit,thought Craig. What the hell is a charcuterie?

For at least the fourth time that day, he was glad that he had Jasper as his mate so he wouldn’t embarrass himself too much.

Across the table, Olivia stared down at her place setting, face carefully expressionless.

Then she looked up and leaned toward them a little, casting a glance around at the other patrons.

“I don’t know which fork to use,” she whispered.

Craig leaned forward toward her, a smile sliding onto his face.

“I don’t know either,” he whispered back.

“It’s outside in,” whispered Jasper, pointing at his silverware. “This one, then this one, then this one. Dead easy.”

“Why’s there one on top?” whispered Olivia.

“Dessert fork,” whispered Jasper. “Also, why are we whispering?”

“I don’t know,” Olivia said, at normal volume this time.

The waiter came and sat glasses of wine in front of Craig and Jasper, then a glass of sparkling water in front of Olivia.

“So you don’t drink?” Craig asked, taking a sip himself.

Jasper also took a sip, and nodded in approval.

Tastes like wine, thought Craig.

“Alcohol isn’t really recommended for the formerly feral,” she said. Her tone was casual, but there was a steel behind it, like every time she mentioned that she’d been feral, she had to brace herself for something.

“Makes sense,” said Jasper.

He swirled his wine glass between his fingers, looking thoughtful. Then he looked up at Olivia.

“Can I ask you something?” he said.

“Sure.”

“You can tell me to fuck off if you don’t want to answer,” he said, leaning forward.

At the next table over, a lady with pearls and gray hair pursed her lips and glared. Craig ignored her, fighting down the urge to flip her off.

“Sure,” Olivia said, sounding less certain.

“Why did you go feral?” he asked.

Strangely, Olivia looked relieved, and even a little embarrassed.

“I didn’t have a good reason,” she said. “I mean, my best friend got hit by a car and died, but that happens to plenty of people and they don’t go feral.”

“That’s a good reason,” said Craig.

“It was really just the straw that broke the camel’s back,” Olivia said. She took the stem of her sparkling water glass between the fingers of both hands and turned it back and forth, making the bubbles rise to the surface in a zig zag.

---