WOLF
Chapter Six
The morning light floods in and I reach out my arms, expecting to find Madison’s mermaid hair flowing across the pillow and her glorious curvy body beside me.
The bed is empty and I sit up.
Where the hell has she gone? Last night was unprecedented. Unbelievably good. Magical. She danced into my bed like a fairy, but now I’ve woken up in the cold light of day and she’s vanished.
Reality hits me. Of course. The contract’s over.
We were only meant to kiss. And maybe she regrets what happened last night?
Except I’m sure it was more than a one night stand to her.
It certainly felt like more to me. But maybe I’m living in a fantasy world.
I remember her riding on top of me, calling out my name, and my dick stiffens.
She should be right here with me. Nowhere else.
Right here, in Snowflake Falls. I’m starting to fall for this quirky small town, with its clear mountain air and gorgeous scenery.
I enjoy the early morning rumbling sound of the truckers heading out into the woods, the chatter of the birds in the morning and the peace of the stars twinkling in the evening sky.
When I was busy filling my life with addiction, a place like this would have made me agitated.
I wouldn’t have been able to sit still, acknowledge the silence and enjoy it.
Instead I just wanted the next distraction so I didn’t have to sit with my own pain.
I’m a different person now and I know what I want. And I want Madison. But first I have to find her.
Stretching, I have a brief shower and then go to the coffee machine. It reminds me of her and I have a brainwave. Of course! She’s probably gone to Gingerbread for work. I scramble to get my clothes on, jam on a hat and drive down to town.
Marco is outside Silver dismantling the big red balloon arch as I park outside Gingerbread. The wind whips up one side of the arch, slapping the balloons against the glass of the restaurant’s windows. I hop out of the car and grab the other side of the arch, tethering it with my weight.
“Thanks, man. I mean, Mr. Tyler. You are up early!” Marco’s hair, which was carefully gelled and combed last night, is a wild mess of black curls.
“Hey, call me Wolf. Yeah, I needed a really good cup of coffee, so I thought I’d come to Gingerbread.” I hold down the balloons as he lifts up the other side.
“You’re breaking the internet, I’m not surprised.” Marco waggles his bushy eyebrows up and down.
“I am?” Of course, Jael will have released the photos.
“I’m delighted you are engaged to that beautiful Madison.
A good Snowflake girl, so sad about Dana, her Mom.
But this is great publicity for my restaurant.
You can even see me in the background of one of the photos.
Look!” Marco reaches into his back pocket to grab his phone, trying to keep a hold of the balloons at the same time.
As he shows me the screen, the photo of Madison’s gorgeous face stops me in my tracks. I forget what I’m meant to be doing and step forward to get a better look. A gust of wind grabs the arch and it floats off into the air.
“Merda! I hate balloons!” Marco and I stare as the arch of red, heart-shaped balloons drifts up higher before snagging on the roof of the town hall. “The mayor is going to be pissed. Oh, well.”
I can’t help laughing and he joins in. “Not our problem anymore, huh Wolf? You bring your lovely fiancée in for dinner again soon, okay?”
I nod as he walks inside the restaurant, gazing up at the balloons. I want to take Madison out to dinner. I want her in my bed. I want to listen to her singing every day. I want everything.
I walk inside Gingerbread, the warm air and smell of cinnamon hitting me like a wave. Madison isn’t behind the counter. A woman who’s almost as tall as me, with a shaved head and freckled deep brown skin, looks up. She pulls herself up to her full height.
“I’m not going to pretend I don’t know who you are, Mr. Wolf Tyler.
I was a huge fan of The Red Boys when I was a teenager.
And right now anyone in Snowflake can talk about is your appearance at Silver last night and this morning’s announcement of your engagement to my co-worker and close friend Madison.
I’m Zuri, by the way. Coffee order?” She puts her hands on the counter and waits.
“Hey Zuri. An oat latte, please. Is Madison here?” I walk closer, trying to see if she’s in the back of the store.
“I’m not telling you. This whole thing is weird.
All I know is that I lent her my dress to go out last night and now it’s all over the papers this morning that she’s your fiancée?
I know you only got here a few days ago.
Unless she’s been hiding a secret long distance relationship with a massively famous rock star for the past few months, this whole thing is fishy as hell to me.
” Zuri plunges the frother into the milk to emphasize her point.
“Look Zuri, I need to speak to her. I thought she’d be working today.
I’ll let her explain the fiancée business to you, but it’s not as nefarious as it seems. I’m in love with her.
I knew it from the moment I saw her. And you’re going to be seeing a lot more of me around here, so we should be friends too.
” I lean on the counter so she can hear me over the sound of the aggressive frothing.
“Madison isn’t as tough as she looks, Wolf.
She’s had a really hard time, first with that stupid boyfriend and then her Mom dying.
She doesn’t have any money and her music is all that matters to her.
If you leave her high and dry you’ll have me to answer to.
” She places the coffee down hard on the counter with a snap.
I tap my card against the machine as I sip my drink. “I won’t. Please tell me where she is.”
Zuri sighs.“She’s gone to the realtor to do the handover so he can start showing people her Mom’s house. Then she’s due onstage to play the lunchtime slot at Friar’s. Why are you staring at me like a mad scientist?”
“I have an idea. You might not trust me yet, Zuri, but I think this will show I’m serious about Madison. But I need your input. Will you help me?” I put the coffee back down on the counter.
Zuri rolls her eyes. “You get one chance, Wolf Tyler. One. Okay, what is it?”
“How are you with heights?”