2. Chapter 2 #3
My caffeine craving wins out, and in five minutes, I’m outside Moon Beans and Books Cafe. Like a coward, I do a quick scan of the windows to see if Gunnar is inside. The coffee shop is mostly empty with no sign of a certain Viking stud.
Jamie Sullivan greets me with a big smile. “Hey, Arlo! Been a while.”
It has indeed. The last time I was here, I was trying to persuade him to mate with Anders so the poor man wouldn’t go berserk.
It was a terribly close call, but Anders is cleaning a table nearby, chatting with another staff member with a smile on his face.
It makes my heart sink to imagine how bad things could have gotten if Anders had lost himself to his berserker rage.
“Don’t worry, I’m not here to inquire about your love lives,” I say with a wink. “Cappuccino, please, with vanilla syrup.”
“You got it,” Jamie says.
While I wait, I keep watching the door. It’s silly expecting him to just walk through it. What’s even more foolish is that I can’t tell if I want to see him or not. He rejected me. Humiliated me. Yet he keeps turning up at my family’s home. Why do that if he wants nothing to do with me?
Once I have my coffee, I take it to the back of the cafe out of an abundance of caution. I settle into a seat on a plush, comfy sofa and read just to give myself something to do while I nurse my coffee.
Nan isn’t a callous person. She may not trust ulfhednar, but that doesn’t mean she’d want them to suffer unnecessarily. I need to find a way to make her trust them. Hah. Easier said than done when I barely trust them myself.
The bell dings, announcing a new customer.
I’ll come up with something. I hope.
Footsteps approach me, and I get the sense of someone hovering. Oh goddess. Don’t be him. Don’t be him… I look up and find Lyall Erikson standing there awkwardly like a big handsome gargoyle. He has blond hair and green eyes, but his strong nose and chiseled jaw are identical to his twin, Anders.
“Lyall! What a surprise.”
He gives me a smile. “Greetings.”
Lyall is dressed in modern clothes. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he was your everyday New Yorker, not a Viking werewolf. “You look like you’ve settled in nicely. Good. Been spending time with the family here?”
“I have, but that’s not why I’m here today. I wished to speak to you.”
That’s odd. I haven’t seen him since that whole fiasco with Gunnar.
“Really? Color me intrigued!”
Lyall opens his mouth, then shuts it. He hesitates so long, hands fidgeting at his sides, that I start to feel nervous.
“Would you like to come over for dinner tonight? My timeline.”
What on earth? Why would he invite me to dinner?
“Oh. Well, I—” Without being rude, how do I say I’d rather stub my toe than see his brother? “Your aunt’s cooking is delightful but I’d rather not impose… or see Gunnar.”
Face flushing, I take a sip of my coffee.
“I would not ask if it were not important, Arlo. And this is important. Urgently. I—I need you to pretend that we’re… what’s the word? Dating.”
What?
My coffee goes flying up my bloody nose. Just perfect. Death by coffee. I bet that’s a first. “Hold on, hold on!” I cough and thump my chest. “Listen, darling, it’s not that you aren’t attractive. You’re one hundred percent my type. But why in the bloody fuck would I say yes?”
“My aunt’s cooking?”
Oh, but he is just precious.
“Nope. I’m sorry but not even your aunt’s delicious food could tempt me into sitting at a table with your brother after he rejected me in front of all of you. You would have to offer me something truly—” And just like that, an idea pops into my head.
What if I convinced Nan ulfhednar could be trusted by pretending to date one?
“Wait a moment. This is brilliant!”
“Aye? How?”
Isn’t that the question? I get up and pace.
I always think better on my feet. Moving around gets the brain juices flowing.
This can’t possibly work. Can it? Lyall is so likeable, not even my family with their fear of ulfhednar could dislike him.
“Yes, this is just what I need. Fine. I’ll pretend to be your date on one condition only. ”
“What is it?”
“You must pretend to be mine as well. It’s essential to my research that I bring a date to meet my family.”
“Your research? What does that have to do with our false courtship?”
“It’s a secret. I’d rather not discuss it until I’m certain it’s ready. Trust me when I say that my research could benefit shifters greatly—including your family. But that’s only if my family knows they can trust ulfhednar.”
This is insanity. He won’t say yes.
“Agreed.”
I can’t believe my luck! “Oh, marvelous! What’s your number? Text me all the details, and I’ll see you later tonight.”
We exchange numbers, and Lyall leaves, looking like he’s just been struck by a train. I can’t wipe the smile from my face. This is genius! Lyall will utterly charm my family, and I will have that potion ready in no time.
After I see Gunnar at dinner tonight. No, he won’t be there. Will he? Oh goddess! Will Lyall even survive dinner if Gunnar thinks we’re dating?
My joy sinks like a stone into my stomach.
Fuck. What have I gotten myself into?