Page 35 of Little Etheldreda Riding Hood

I sigh. “I figured. He’s tried contacting me several times since I’ve been here.”

Uncle Jim frowns. “Now, kiddo, I’m not going to tell you how to live your life, but I don’t think a man who leaves you with no explanation and rejects you as his Luna,”

I cringe at his words, but a quick look around reassures me that no one else seems to notice, “is worth your time.”

I nod. “Don’t worry I didn’t message him back. I’m moving on. In fact, I have a date tonight.”

As if summoned, Zach steps in the front door, meets my eyes, and smiles. I wave him over.

I introduce Jim to Zach and the two chat politely until Jim tells us he has to go. He gives me a hug. “Be careful, Red. Remember, no matter what happens, our pack is always in your corner.”

“Thank you. Hug Mae and the girls for me, would you?”

He nods.

“Is everything okay?” Zach asks me as Jim disappears through the front doors of the Wild Hare Ranch. “He seemed pretty serious.”

I nod, “Yeah, he’s an Alpha, he’s always going to be protective.”

“Anything I need to take care of?”

I shake my head. “No, just stupid stuff going on at home. It’ll blow over soon.”

Chapter Fifteen

In Which They Draw Cats

I’ve barely had time to shower and change before Zach is outside on Darla’s porch for our date. He’s wearing a long sleeve white dress shirt and slacks like he did the first night I met him.

“Where are we going?” I ask as I hop up awkwardly into his truck. You’d think I could make the jump by now, but it’s never without some problems. I’m wearing a skirt tonight because I’m a glutton for punishment. It makes it twice as tough, but thankfully, he doesn’t try to help. He just lets me get in any old way I want without comment about how unladylike I must look, struggling to get in the truck in heels.

We get on the road and, pretty soon, it’s obvious where we are headed.

“This is not a date,” I tease.

“It most certainly is.”

“We’re almost to your place.”

He grins. “So? My place can’t be a date?”

I want to tell him, It’s not what I meant when I said date, but to be honest, I don’t know that I’ve ever actually been on one. Morgan and I just started hanging out together, in groups, then alone. Everything just melded together.

“What are the essential elements of a date?”

I shrug. “I don’t know.”

“Okay, I’ll tell you.”

“A meal, a shared experience, and a kiss goodnight.”

I snort. “Really? Well, I guess we’ll just have to see how the meal and the shared experience go before I’m willing to offer up the third.”

He laughs. “I one hundred percent guarantee you’ll want to kiss me by the end of the evening…before you pass out for your nap, of course.”

That makes me laugh.

Dolly is waiting at the door for us and is rubbing up against my leg before I can even kick off my heels. I lose my balance again thanks to her “love,” but less dramatically than last time and manage to catch myself. “It’s a good thing an old lady didn’t take her in,” I tell Zach, and he snorts.

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