Page 37 of Shifter's Dream

Troy stared at the officer. Shook his head. Could not respond.

He turned to go, hitting the sidewalk.

“Burbank, you need a ride somewhere?” the patrol officer called after him.

Troy didn’t answer. He had no idea.

23 – Frustrated

Reed sat on her couch and stared at the wall, not knowing how she was going to pay rent. Even if she got a job by tomorrow… yeah, the math did not add up. She was screwed, and worst of all, it all could have been avoided if she would have followed justoneof her rules. That was what the stinking rules werefor. To keep her from ending up on the couch on an all ice cream diet.

Reed picked up her pint, holding it by its cute little ice cream cozie that Sage had bought for her, just because, and dug in. She’d been eating ice cream non-stop since she’d gotten home the day before, after being fired from asecond jobbecause ofthat man. Its sweet, creamy, non-judgmental goodness was the only thing keeping her sane.

Her phone chimed. She picked it up. Sage again.

Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaad would you answer me?

Sage had been texting her to find out how her first day at her new job had gone. Reed had not had the guts to respond yet.

She typed something in. Erased it. Typed it again. Erased it again.

Fuck it.

I did it again,she sent.

Sage did not hesitate.You fucked him.

Reed sent back a gif. Emma Stone on Saturday Night Live, eating ice cream and crying. It wasn’t even important that they hadn’t actually made it to the fucking. She would have done it, if she hadn’t knocked that damn monitor off the desk.

Oooh, Tom must have a voodoo dick.

Voodoo dick. Yes he did.Voodoo dick. Voodoo body. Voodoo smell. Voodoo growl.Reed sighed when she remembered the way that man looked and sounded. The memory took her away in the same way the forest did, until she shook herself and banished naked Troy from her thoughts. Sage had sent a string of emojis while she was waiting for Reed to type something. Eggplants. Sunflowers. Just whatever. Reed typed something.

His name is Troy.

He’ll always be Tom to me.

Reed laughed and settled in, ate a little ice cream, got comfortable. Did you see he shaved the mustache?

No. Too bad, I liked it.

Me, too.

What’s he look like now?

Hotter. But not as interesting.

Lol. Interesting always drops my panties.Panty emoji.

Reed laughed and typed back,I’m a stupid horny bitch,then she found a goat emoji to add to it.

Nah, you just met your soul mate.

Then why did he get me fired? Twice? ??!?!???!?

Again, Sage didn’t even take a moment to think about it.Because life has bigger plans for you.

You believe in that kind of thing?

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