Page 54 of Emerald Moon
Pearl studied them both like a judge at her bench and Jo sunk into their chair, hoping they’d disappear as an entire table’s worth of eyes landed on the two of them.Pearl pointed her fork in their direction.“Good.I like her.”She stabbed a piece of chicken on her plate.“So what’s it like in the summer?”
Jo ignored the whispers around the table.“Horrible.Humid enough to make you feel like you’re swimming when you walk.”
“Still good for birding,” Cass said.
Pearl nodded with appreciation.“When I could still get around easily, I used to go birding with my husband.He always wanted a bird for a pet, but I told him they’re happier outside.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Cass said, which was the right answer by the way Pearl nodded.
The rest of the table was quieter after that, and the tension was thick, but Jo found they cared a lot less than they would have before.
It was getting easier to keep up the act and let their family into their life a little more.June was going to be another test, but with how busy she was with everyone else, Jo didn’t get another chance to talk to her until people were starting to retire to the rooms for the night.
“Found you!”June plopped down next to Jo and Cass in an empty chair.She put her elbow on the table and cast a sly glance at the two of them.“Okay, but, for real, you’re the first person Jo has ever, ever brought home, so you’ve got to tell me everything.How did you two meet?”
“Cass is in another pack close to ours — close enough that my pack goes there during full moons so we have space to run.We first met during one of those full moons.”
“Hearing you talk about werewolf stuff is wild.I still can’t believe you are one, and I definitely want to hear more, but not until I hear more about this.”She gestured between the two of them.“Was it love at first sight?”
Jo’s heartbeat quickened.They opened their mouth to speak, but Cass was first.
“For me it was.”Cass threw an arm around Jo’s shoulders.
“Aw, that’s so sweet.I bet it was the same for you, Jo.You always got crushes so easily in high school.”
Jo had been so ready to lie, but now, nothing came to mind.“Yeah, well —”
“I think it look Jo a little longer,” Cass added.“We started off as friends.”
June put both hands to her chest.“So cute.Okay, okay, so how did y’all get together?”
Jo was ready for that, at least.“We went on a short camping trip together and that was it.Everything just sort of clicked.”The more Jo spoke, the less it felt like lying.Aside from the girlfriend stuff, and the love at first sight stuff, most of this rang true.The two of them had just clicked.
Except for the issue of the almost kiss in the tent.
Jo dug their fingers into their leg.June asked another question, but they didn’t hear what she said.That whole situation was nothing.Cass hadn’t tried anything like that since, so it must have been something else.Jo had just gotten the wrong idea.It wouldn't have been the first time.On top of that, Cass was only into women and she didn’t seem like the type to treat Jo the wrong way.She’d been nothing but a respectful friend this entire time.
Cass started stroking Jo’s shoulder with her thumb and that pulled them back into the conversation, but did nothing to help them forget the maybe kiss.
She was pretending to be Jo’s girlfriend.Of course she’d touch Jo a little more like this.Really, they should be doing the same.
“Jo bakes for me all the time,” Cass said, still stroking their shoulder.“They know I like savory things, so I get treats like cheesy tarts and savory macarons.”
“The first one sounds delicious.The second sounds interesting.But knowing Jo, they were both good.I’m so glad you’re at a place where you can use your talents.”
Jo laughed weakly, leaning in to Cass’ touch.“Hardly.I mostly just prep things for the bakery.”
“But not for long, right, babe?”
Jo’s brain went offline at the last word.They were pretending, Jo reminded themself, and it was something Krista said often, so maybe that was where Cass got it from.They laughed again.“Maybe.”
If Cass was going to sell this thing, then Jo could, too.They slid their hand from their own leg to Cass’ thigh and had immediate regrets.It was too much.Cass’ leg jolted under their touch and Jo started to pull away, but Cass’ other hand came to rest on top of it, holding their hand in place.
Jo looked up and their eyes met.They thought they’d find a similar panic in Cass’ features, but all they found was her typical calm, and Jo was swept up into it.It started in their shoulders and dripped down their body like a warm blanket being wrapped around them.
That’s what being around Cass was like, a warm blanket wrapped around Jo’s shoulders on a chilly evening.
“I wouldn't be surprised.Jo’s always been a baker,” June said.
