Page 5 of Emerald Moon
“Well the butcher is owned by my pack, so I take the most pride in that one – sort of like you and your pack’s bakery, I bet.Though, the florist was started by a fellow pack member.Some of us take turns helping him run the place.He does all the arranging.We just run the register.”
“That’s sweet.I mean, you’re right.I do take pride in the bakery, and I actually love working there.It’s my mom that makes me think it’s a detour, not a destination.”
“What do you want to do?”
“Make really good macarons.”
“An excellent goal,” Cass said so matter-of-factly that, for a second, Jo believed it.
“And what do you want to do?”
“I just want to be happy and helpful.And I want my life to have as little drama as possible.”
“I hear that,” Jo agreed.“It’s like, I love hearing about other people’s drama, but I never want to be involved in any of it.Give me that second-hand goodness, but do not include me ever.”
Cass laughed and Jo smiled at the sound, rich and deep like her voice.“I have to admit, gossip is sometimes a guilty pleasure of mine, as well.”
“Who said anything about feeling guilty?I freaking love it.”
“You and my brother would get along.He’s a collector of stories, too.”
“‘Collector of stories’ makes me sound a lot better than just ‘gossip-fiend.’What’s your brother like?”
“Quiet and broody.So, like how I can be, but far worse.”
“You seem to be plenty talkative today.”
“Certain people make me feel comfortable enough to speak more.You’re that way, I suppose.”Cass glanced at Jo.“Like I said, we’re twins, my brother and I.I guess we could have turned out the opposite of one another, but we’re quite alike.”
“And you said he’s a werewolf, too?”
“Yes, same pack and everything.”Cass pointed to her chest.“I joined first, though.Alexander copied me.”
“You’re a trendsetter.”
“Or he just has to do everything I do and try to be better than me.”
“Is he better than you at anything?”
Cass raised an eyebrow.“He’s better at absolutely nothing.”
Jo took in her defiant expression and grinned.To their surprise, the friend crush still wasn’t there.Instead, the more they spoke, the more being around Cass felt like slipping into an old, favorite sweater after it’d been tucked away in the closet waiting for the right season.
The day had been unsurprisingly hot and humid, but the summer nights in Hickorywood had a crispness to them that was more than just the relief that came with a break from the oppressive heat.It was too warm for a fire, but they made a small one because they both agreed the s’mores were worth it.
They sat at their campsite with their backs to the tent on foldable stools they’d carried with them.The night sky poked through the trees and Jo could see a sliver of the moon.
“Kind of makes you wish the full moon was sooner,” Cass said, pointing up at the moon peeking through the trees.
Jo smiled weakly.“I guess so.”
“Still getting used to your wolf, I take it?”
They nodded.“Alpha Parisa said it takes time, but I’m impatient.Running with my pack was everything I wanted when I asked Alpha Parisa to change me, but I hate that I can’t remember anything, and I hate that it hurts so much to come back.It’s so embarrassing to need my pack’s help.”
“I’m sure they don’t see it that way.After all, they all went through the same thing.”
Jo thought about all the times the pack had helped them come back from their wolf, in addition to all the times the pack, especially Wil, helped them when they weren’t feeling like themselves.Jo knew they were a lot to handle with their bipolar disorder, as well medicated as they were, and they didn’t want to be a burden on anyone more than they already were.
