was picking my way across the ground on bare feet, trying to dodge rough spots, when Wolfie's parting shot hit me like a rock to the back of the head. "One more thing," he added, the wolf winning out in his voice. "I would have had Chase ask you to go out on a date with me."
Ignoring the damage to my feet, I took to my heels and fled.
Chapter 7
When I returned to the house, it became clear how Dale had slept in the same bed as a werewolf for five years without figuring out his wife's secret. My brother-in-law was clueless.
"Just in time for dinner!" he greeted me as I walked in the door wearing a different set of clothes than the ones I'd left in. The house smelled of browned beef and grated cheese, and I could tell my wolf was a little more awake than usual from the intensity of the odors and from the unwelcome ache in my bones, stronger than I'd felt in years. Ignoring the pain, I smiled warily at Dale, expecting the third degree, but all he wanted to know was how long I'd be staying.
"Well, I'm kinda between jobs at the moment," I began, trying to figure out how to invite myself for an extended visit. I needn't have worried.
"Brooke always assumed we'd have people living from the basement to the attic," Dale confided as he pulled warm tortillas out of the oven. "That's why we built such a big house. You'd be doing me a favor if you stayed for a few weeks and helped me get Keith sorted out. He looked a bit better after you left, but I know one session isn't enough to fix everything."
The man was almost pleading with me to come into his home and convert his son, and I felt a twinge of guilt that my purpose here wasn't more charitable. It was either Keith or me, though, and the kid made me feel better about my traitorous plan as soon as he showed up for dinner. Dale had to beard his son in his lair and argue the teenager into sitting down with us, and even then, the youngster refused to eat the soft tacos his father had assembled. Instead, my nephew brought a box of cheerios and a jug of milk to the table and downed bowl after bowl of the floating cereal, ignoring his father's attempts to draw him into conversation. Even as a bystander, the one-sided exchange was painful, and I was relieved when Dale gave up and turned to me instead.
"I understand we have a mutual friend," my brother-in-law said to open the adult conversation. I struggled to figure out who he might be referring to, but Dale was quick to illuminate the mystery. "Chase called about an hour ago, hoping to catch up with you," he continued. "I told him you'd gone out for a run, and invited him to the clinic-cleanup day tomorrow."
I was saved from answering because Dale's words drew a reaction from his son at last, although not the one Dale had been looking for. " Dad ," Keith whined. "I don't have to go, do I?" I raised my eyebrows, thinking Dale must be roping people into hard labor, but instead it turned out the doctor was helping get a drug-rehab clinic up and running and was looking for volunteers for the last day of mopping and window cleaning before patients moved in. Like the good guy he obviously was, Chase had volunteered to help out.
And while I had a feeling our get-together was more Wolfie's idea than Chase's, the gathering did seem like safe, neutral ground to hash out our differences, so I acted enthusiastic about the opportunity to meet up with my "old friend." Keith didn't even try to feign excitement, but unlike his dining choices, the volunteer work wasn't optional. "You're going," Dale said simply, and Keith rolled his eyes before returning to his study of the last cheerios melting in the bottom of his bowl.
"I hate to miss the cleanup," Dale continued, returning his attention to me, "but I have to do my rounds at the hospital tomorrow morning...."
"I can take Keith," I offered quickly, my guilt making me want to simplify my brother-in-law's life, at least a little bit. I was
Ignoring the damage to my feet, I took to my heels and fled.
Chapter 7
When I returned to the house, it became clear how Dale had slept in the same bed as a werewolf for five years without figuring out his wife's secret. My brother-in-law was clueless.
"Just in time for dinner!" he greeted me as I walked in the door wearing a different set of clothes than the ones I'd left in. The house smelled of browned beef and grated cheese, and I could tell my wolf was a little more awake than usual from the intensity of the odors and from the unwelcome ache in my bones, stronger than I'd felt in years. Ignoring the pain, I smiled warily at Dale, expecting the third degree, but all he wanted to know was how long I'd be staying.
"Well, I'm kinda between jobs at the moment," I began, trying to figure out how to invite myself for an extended visit. I needn't have worried.
"Brooke always assumed we'd have people living from the basement to the attic," Dale confided as he pulled warm tortillas out of the oven. "That's why we built such a big house. You'd be doing me a favor if you stayed for a few weeks and helped me get Keith sorted out. He looked a bit better after you left, but I know one session isn't enough to fix everything."
The man was almost pleading with me to come into his home and convert his son, and I felt a twinge of guilt that my purpose here wasn't more charitable. It was either Keith or me, though, and the kid made me feel better about my traitorous plan as soon as he showed up for dinner. Dale had to beard his son in his lair and argue the teenager into sitting down with us, and even then, the youngster refused to eat the soft tacos his father had assembled. Instead, my nephew brought a box of cheerios and a jug of milk to the table and downed bowl after bowl of the floating cereal, ignoring his father's attempts to draw him into conversation. Even as a bystander, the one-sided exchange was painful, and I was relieved when Dale gave up and turned to me instead.
"I understand we have a mutual friend," my brother-in-law said to open the adult conversation. I struggled to figure out who he might be referring to, but Dale was quick to illuminate the mystery. "Chase called about an hour ago, hoping to catch up with you," he continued. "I told him you'd gone out for a run, and invited him to the clinic-cleanup day tomorrow."
I was saved from answering because Dale's words drew a reaction from his son at last, although not the one Dale had been looking for. " Dad ," Keith whined. "I don't have to go, do I?" I raised my eyebrows, thinking Dale must be roping people into hard labor, but instead it turned out the doctor was helping get a drug-rehab clinic up and running and was looking for volunteers for the last day of mopping and window cleaning before patients moved in. Like the good guy he obviously was, Chase had volunteered to help out.
And while I had a feeling our get-together was more Wolfie's idea than Chase's, the gathering did seem like safe, neutral ground to hash out our differences, so I acted enthusiastic about the opportunity to meet up with my "old friend." Keith didn't even try to feign excitement, but unlike his dining choices, the volunteer work wasn't optional. "You're going," Dale said simply, and Keith rolled his eyes before returning to his study of the last cheerios melting in the bottom of his bowl.
"I hate to miss the cleanup," Dale continued, returning his attention to me, "but I have to do my rounds at the hospital tomorrow morning...."
"I can take Keith," I offered quickly, my guilt making me want to simplify my brother-in-law's life, at least a little bit. I was
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