darted out of the room, closing the door softly behind her. As she applied her makeup she tried to process the mass of thoughts rolling about through her head. As she did every morning she wondered if Grace was ok, and wished that someone would let her near a freaking phone already so that she could call her friend. She wondered if Eugene would have his phone with him today when they went canoeing, and if he might let her use it.
The lake sounded like a nice quiet, private type of place, which meant that no one would be around to stop her assuming her date said yes. Anticipation drummed in her heart. She was so excited by the prospect of checking in with her friend that she actually smiled warmly at Eugene when he knocked on her door to pick her up for their date.
“So what kind of animal are you?” she asked conversationally.
“I’m a sheep shifter,” he admitted shyly, and she couldn’t believe it when she saw a blush staining all the way out to the tips of his ears.
“That sounds… nice,” she said graciously.
“Oh it is,” he murmured excitedly.
She tried to smile and sound interested as he led her out of the house. She saw several jaws drop when the other candidates caught sight of her booty shorts, and more than a few of them howled, grunted, or whistled in order to express their appreciation. She supposed she should have been expecting it when Parker stomped over angrily and grabbed her arm.
“You can’t wear that. It isn’t decent,” he growled.
“For your information your mother thought they were adorable. And more importantly YOU AREN’T THE BOSS OF ME!” she shrieked indignantly. The Itan was making his way over to them and she called out loudly in his direction. “Itan, do I still get to choose who I mate or is this all a farce?” she asked loudly.
“You sure do,” Ty replied with a growl.
“Then could you please tell your SON to keep his paws off of me?” she demanded shrilly.
“Stand down Parker,” Ty ordered cooly.
“But Dad…”
“This is my territory which means I’m in charge. Let the woman go on her date with the sheep…. errr um, I mean Eugene.”
Parker stormed off and it was all Michelle could do to keep from clicking her heels together as she gloated blissfully all the way down to the lake. At last she’d found a way to outsmart him. She should have called in the big guns days ago. She wondered what she could make him do if she got his “mommy” on her side.
***
Eugene had brought a huge picnic lunch with him, which would have been sweet if it weren’t for the fact that he’d brought nothing but a bunch of vegetables with him.
“I thought all you shifters were big meat eaters,” she said disappointedly.
“Oh no,” the sheep shifter replied. “I’m a strict vegetarian. Would you like some more hummus?” he asked excitedly.
“Gee, I think I’m full already,” Michelle fibbed in order to spare his feelings. “I had a big breakfast,” she lied again. She only hoped that her stomach wouldn’t rumble too loudly and give her away because she had yet to eat today. Either Eugene wasn’t a very good shifter, or he was too much of a pansy to call her on it, because he didn’t call her out on her lies.
She supposed she had no business being so picky about what she ate, especially given how she’d been about to starve to death before Parker had stumbled onto her. But there was no point in trying to rationalize with her tastebuds. They wanted a burger and that was all they had to say on the matter.
“I’ve never been on a canoe before,” Michelle admitted nervously in an attempt to change the subject. She only hoped the sheep knew what he was doing, because she didn’t know how to swim. She supposed she could have just refused to get on the boat, but she was willing to risk a little water if it got her access to that phone! She waited until he’d rowed them out to the middle of the lake before she popped her question. The man really was
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