Chapter 6
Hadley
I know something is up the second he steps inside my ice cream shop.
Not because the bell over the door jingles.
Not because my helper—Tommy Knowles, a local high school kid and Tiger Shifter, working weekends and holidays, including festivals—suddenly stands up a little straighter like someone important just walked in.
Nope.
I know it because my she-Bear loses her mind.
Completely.
My inner Sow chuffs inside me, paws scraping at the ground in my mind like she’s about to charge, and suddenly every nerve in my body lights up like I’ve been struck by lightning.
Mate.
The word rolls through me like thunder.
I freeze behind the counter, extra-large scoop in hand.
“Nope,” I mutter under my breath.
Absolutely not.
I try to play it cool.
Because number one—I am not in the market for a mate, no matter what that old man in the brilliant white suit might think.
Uncle Uzzi and his ridiculous magical dating app.
Of course, when I downloaded the thing earlier and that bright blue sparkly MATCHED notice popped up?
I was interested.
Okay, fine.
Maybe I did a tiny little happy dance.
Maybe.
But that doesn’t mean anything.
Because I am completely prepared to let Casanova here down easy.
Only, well, when I finally look at him?
Holy heck.
I am not prepared for what he is.
Tiger Shifter.
I scent his beast immediately—his male musk is delicious.
Like caramel and dark chocolate with a hint of sea salt.
He’s big.
Powerful.
Predatory in a way that makes the Bear inside me sit up and take notice.
He’s also—good grief.
Handsome as sin.
Golden-brown hair, the color of honey in sunlight.
Tanned skin.
Broad shoulders that stretch the fabric of his T-shirt like it’s doing the Lord’s work trying to contain him.
And that body?
Yeah.
Definitely built like someone who wrestles with monsters for a living.
But it’s his eyes that stop me.
Deep vibrant blue.
The kind of blue you find in oceans and deep seas after a hurricane.
Fierce.
Wild.
They’re focused entirely on me—and my entire being seems to notice.
And his mouth?
Hard lips that look decidedly unfriendly.
Except now I’m wondering what it would take to make them soften.
I blink.
Then, I shake my head sharply.
Absolutely not.
I don’t want a man.
I don’t need one.
Men are distractions.
Messy, complicated distractions that cheat on you with their assistant and call you “too nice” on the way out the door.
No, thank you.
So I plaster on my best professional smile and call out brightly, “Next!”
The word rings through the shop as I try to hide behind the counter, the scoops, the safety of customer service voice.
But the giant Tiger of a man steps right up to the counter like he belongs there.
And for a moment?
He just stares at me.
Like the entire world stopped spinning.
Then he says the one thing I never expected to hear in my ice cream shop.
One word.
Low.
Rough.
Certain.
“Mine.”
My scoop slips right out of my hand and clatters into my soon-to-be patented cookie dough waffle batter.
Tommy drops a stack of cups.
And my she-Bear?
My she-Bear stands up inside my chest and roars.
Oh.
Oh my.
Yep, this is going to be a problem.
For a solid three seconds after he says it, nobody moves.
Not me.
Not the giant Tiger of a man staring at me like he just discovered gravity.
Not Tommy, who is still holding a stack of cookie dough waffle cones and looks like his brain has rebooted.
Then Tommy blurts, “Dude, did you just call her mine?”
“Tommy,” I hiss.
The kid is a Tiger Shifter. He belongs to the local Pride.
So, he should know better than to blurt things out like that.
“What? Sorry. It’s just, well, that’s how these things start,” Tommy says, shrugging as he goes back to his station.
Tiger guy blinks.
Like he just realized words came out of his mouth without permission.
His eyes flick to me, then the counter, then the floor.
“Sorry,” he says quickly. “Um. I didn’t mean, uh, what?”
“Ha! You absolutely meant it,” another voice says cheerfully.
I look past him.
And there’s a second man standing there, grinning like he’s been waiting for this moment his whole life.
He looks like Tiger guy, but happier.
Softer around the edges.
And he’s holding the hand of a pretty woman who looks like she’s trying very hard not to laugh.
“Hi,” the man says, stepping forward. “I’m Reg Cray this is my wife, Gretchen.”
Oh.
Oh no.
I recognize the last name.
Cray.
My phone buzzes in my apron pocket.
That freaking app.
I don’t even need to check it.
“So, let me guess,” I say slowly, taking note to make sure no normals have wandered into my shop. “He’s your brother. And you two have been talking to a sweet old man in a white suit who’s been pitching his magical dating app around town?” I whisper the last.
Reg nods proudly.
“Yep. Uncle Uzzi is great, and Date to Mate is an awesome app. Oh, by the way, this Neanderthal here is Rob.”
The big Tiger growls.
“I can introduce myself.”
Reg pats him on the shoulder.
“You were a little busy with one-word claims to introduce yourself to the nice ice cream shop owner,” Reg says to his stern-looking brother.
Gretchen giggles.
Tommy snorts.
I just cross my arms and look at Rob Cray.
Up close, he’s even worse.
And by worse, of course I mean devastatingly handsome.
Tall. Broad.
Hands that could probably crush coconuts.
Those blue eyes watching me like I’m the last dessert on earth.
My Bear shifts inside me.
Cute. Lick him.
I ignore her.
“So,” I say politely. “You all want some ice cream, or were you planning to keep announcing ownership of small businesses?”
Rob clears his throat.
“Look, I’m sorry, Miss?”
“Hadley Smith,” I supply for absolutely no reason at all.
Get a grip, Hadley.
“That’s a real nice name,” he growls.
I clear my throat.
“Anyway, um, I’m sorry about that whole ‘mine’ thing. That came out wrong.”
“Oh, good. Well, now that you cleared that up,” I say sweetly.
“I just meant that I don’t want a mate.”
The words pop out of his mouth so fast, that they practically trip over each other.
Reg chokes.
Gretchen covers her mouth.
Tommy whispers, “Bold strategy.”
I nod approvingly, ignoring the sting in my eyes and the twisting of my gut.
“Excellent. Same page. Next?”
I’m opting to ignore both my idiotic emotions and him.
Rob relaxes immediately.
“Right. Good.”
“So that’s settled,” I say.
“Yes.”
“Yep.”
We both nod.
Then I smile brightly.
“Well, thank you. Goodbye!”
Rob freezes.
“Wait. What?”
“You said you don’t want a mate. I said I don’t want a mate. Perfect agreement. Conversation over.”
I gesture toward the door.
“You’re free to go. I’ve got customers.”
A couple of teenage girls walk in.
Tommy starts chatting them up.
Reg bursts out laughing.
Rob turns slowly back toward me.
Those vibrant navy blue eyes narrow.
“Hold on.”
Uh oh.
“What do you mean, hold on?”
“What do you mean you don’t want a mate?”
I blink.
“You just said—”
“That’s different,” he says, dismissing my retort before I even finish it.
Rude.
“Okay, pal, how is it different?”
He straightens, suddenly looking very territorial.
Like a Tiger realizing someone else is touching his dinner.
“I meant I don’t want a mate. I wasn’t even looking for one,” he says carefully.
“Yes. So?” I ask.
“So, that doesn’t mean you don’t want one.”
I stare at him.
“You’re kidding.”
“No, I’m really not.”
“You literally just said you don’t want a mate.”
“That’s right, but now we’re talking about you.”
“So you don’t want one, but you think I should want one?” I ask incredulously.
“Well… ”
He pauses.
Reg is practically vibrating with laughter behind him.
“…Yes.”
My mouth falls open.
“Sir,” I say slowly, “I just reopened this ice cream shop. I’m rebuilding my life. I’m not looking for a man, a mate, or whatever supernatural soulmate nonsense you’re selling.”
Rob crosses his arms.
His Tiger is definitely showing now.
“Why’d you download the app?”
“Why’d you?” I counter.
“My brother dared me. Now, it’s your turn. Why did you download it?”
“Fine. I was curious. I’m not now.”
“Ooh, that sounds like a challenge, Cookie.”
Oh, hell no.
Oh, this man did not just say that.
My Bear perks up.
Definitely interested.
I shut her down immediately.
“No,” I say sweetly. “It sounds like a boundary.”
Rob smiles.
It’s not friendly.
It’s the kind of smile a predator gives when the chase has officially started.
“Good,” he says.
My stomach flips.
Because somehow that sounded like great news to him.
Reg leans over the counter.
“Hadley?”
“Yes?”
“You might want to start locking your doors at night.”
“Why?”
He jerks a thumb toward his brother.
“Because once Rob decides something is his, he doesn’t quit until he gets it.”
Rob’s eyes are still locked on mine.
My Bear purrs.
I glare at both of them.
“Congratulations,” I say. “You’ve officially made me never want to date again.”
Rob’s grin gets wider.
“Good.”
My heart does something weird in my chest.
“Why is that good?”
“Because,” he says calmly, “you’re not dating anyone else.”
My Bear practically melts.
I grab a scoop and point it at him like a weapon.
“You want ice cream or a restraining order, Tiger?”
He doesn’t even blink.
“Surprise me, Cookie.”
That’s it.
Inside my brain, I hear alarms going off. Battle drums, too.
Because this?
This means war.