“If I know about your little root beer date with Damon, you know your mom is going to hear about it. And the real date. You have to tell her about it too. Social currency is a big-ass deal in this town,” Nichole said.

  “Yeah, you’re right. If she got called about the date and I hadn’t told her she’d be so pissed. Good call. You’re settling into Diablo Lake just fine.”

  “Everyone loves gossip.”

  “Especially when there are no nightclubs and a one-screen movie theater that doubles as the public meeting hall.” Ruby picked her phone up to give her mother a heads-up.

  “I’m going on a date. Friday night. With Damon. You already knew he and I were flirting and all that. But once we go on a date, there’ll be talk. I wanted you to know first.”

  Her mom made a noncommittal sound. “There’s already talk about you two driving around town looking for a rental and then today you apparently got chummy with him in public on the Ave. But I’m glad to know before the date. I just want to ask you if you think he’s worth it. You dated before and then you didn’t. I assumed you broke up for a reason. I want you to be happy.”

  Ruby’s mom was the best.

  “We broke up but not because either of us had wronged the other. I liked him then. A lot. Breaking up wouldn’t have been my idea, but we’d have had to at some point. I was going to leave for years. So, he didn’t cheat or hurt me like that. If he had I wouldn’t be dating him again. I don’t know where this will go. But I also understand we’re not nineteen. I’m open to something serious but also old enough to know I’ll survive if things fizzle and it goes nowhere after all.”

  Her mom let out a breath. “Okay then. Keep me updated. I love you. Oh! I need to update you on some Lovie info. She got wind of that argument you had with Scarlett at the market. Your dad and I had to reassure her that you were fine and it wasn’t like you got jumped or stabbed or what have you. Then she calmed down. For a while there I thought me and your Pops were going to have to duct tape her to her recliner to stop her from heading out to find Scarlett.”

  That would have been something to see. Lovie was petite, five feet tall on a good day. Hair always done if she went outside her house. She’d had a cute little pixie cut for the last decade or so, but before that, well the pictures of her Lovie with big-ass hair gave Ruby life. Beehives? Check. Giant afro? Check. Wigs of every type imaginable showed Lovie’s change over the years. She was generally loved in Diablo Lake, having taught a few generations piano over at the community center. Those kids, now adults, also knew how lightning fast and unflappable Pearl Thorne was. If you dared not take your piano lesson seriously, you’d have found yourself on your butt as she pushed you off the bench for lagging or lollygagging. Two things she did not abide.

  There was a list somewhere, Ruby was sure, of all the things Lovie didn’t abide. Gum chewing in church. Cigar smoking. Being interrupted while watching Family Feud. Off-brand cereal and baked goods. “That had better be Cheerios and Little Debbie. Last time you brought me some other kinda health food Moon Pie that tasted like sadness. I eat a Moon Pie because I’m sad already!”

  Lovie might be cute and feisty, but in defense of those she loved? Scarlett might be a wolf shifter—an alpha wolf shifter—but Pearl was absolutely not one to mess with.

  “Good thing for Scarlett that Lovie’s walker will slow her down when Scarlett makes a retreat,” Ruby said with a chuckle.

  “Good Lord, Ruby! Do not even joke. You never know with your grandmother,” her mom chided through laughter. “Tell Nichole I said hello. I’m going to see why your father has been out back for forty-five minutes. I bet he’s out there with that brother of mine drinking beer and playing dominoes.”

  Ruby’s dad and her uncle Lamar had been best friends since childhood. It was an adorable story that her parents had been the older brother’s best friend love match. Lamar was mellow like Ruby’s grandfather. He and Ruby’s dad were hilarious together, both of them having married fiery women but being more of the quiet type unless and until you pushed one of them too far. Then watch out.

  Nichole stayed for another hour or so before heading home. Ruby, nice and tired, but also nice and satisfied with her life, sat on her back porch steps and watched the boys play and get their last bit of energy out before bedtime.

  And just up the rise, she knew Damon breathed and worked and existed. That knowledge settled in her belly. Leaving a lovely warmth in its wake.

  Chapter Seven

  When Ruby had arrived home from work Friday, she was bone tired and if she hadn’t already agreed to a date with Damon, she’d have showered and headed to bed early. But she had agreed and he was delicious and easy to look at and be with and she didn’t have to cook at all so really, it was a total win for her to go out with him.

  On her front doorstep there was a container of cuttings—the note said from bushes and flowers from his maternal grandmother’s yard—and tulip bulbs. The end of the note told her he’d be by to pick her up at seven thirty and to dress warmly.

  He gave her cuttings and bulbs. No suitor had ever given her anything like it before. She was utterly delighted and flattered that he’d put effort into a gift she’d enjoy. And if she planted them within a week, they’d be happy to return as flowers.

  Ruby put them in her garden shed while the boys ran around the yard peeing, digging, barking, chasing birds and squirrels and then starting the whole cycle again. “Door’s open for you to come inside when you’re ready,” she called out, leaving the sliding glass door open enough for them to come back in when they tired of peeing and barking.

  The note said to dress warmly, but what for? Naturally this led to eleven wardrobe changes. What did that mean anyway? Dress warmly because they were walking along the Ave after dinner? Or because he was getting a pizza and they were eating it outside? What?

  “Well we know your hair looks good,” Nichole said as she came into the house ten minutes later after Ruby called her and asked for help getting ready.

  “Thank you. It’s nice to finally have a hair salon in Diablo Lake. I spent many a Saturday on the porch at Lovie’s. She can’t do it now because of her arthritis, but she used to be the best braider ever. Patterns and stuff. Our hair was always looking fantastic when we were growing up. But it sure is nice to be inside, out of the cold. I can have a coffee or whatever while sitting in a comfortable chair. Bonus is that Claudia doesn’t whack me with the comb if I move too much like Lovie does.”

  They both laughed.

  Yesterday, Claudia, her second cousin and hairdresser, had braided Ruby’s hair away from her face but left her curls free at the back. It looked super cute, if she did say so herself.

  “So the note said to dress warm. But does he mean formal warm or rugged warm?” Ruby asked, glancing at the clothes on her bed.

  “Chances are he doesn’t mean either. What formal events are there in Diablo Lake? Aside from Samhain and other holidays, it’s not like there are fancy restaurants here, or anything fancy at all, for that matter. But he’s not going to make you chop wood on a date either.” Her sister-in-law began to look through the piles of clothing, pulling out a few things here and there. “We can definitely blow his socks off with a cute outfit you’ll also be warm in when you’re outside.”

  Nichole held out a bright yellow sweater. “This.” And then pointed at a pair of black pants still on the bed. “With those.”

  Naturally her friend was right, and the combo was colorful and very flattering.

  “You look like a sexy wasp,” Nichole told her.

  “Wasp? Not a bee?”

  “Ma’am. A wasp keeps going even after they avenge whatever bullshit they had to suffer through. I love a bee, Rube. But you can sting and keep going.” Her friend held out a pair of pretty dangle earrings.

  “You look great. Sexy. You smell good. He’s gonna be pleased as he should be.” Nichole hugged her quickly. “Text me when you get home.”

  * * *

  He knocked on her door not ten minutes later. “Hey,” she said, opening up and coming face-to-face with Damon.

  Damon Dooley on her doorstep. Ready to take her on a date. Things were looking up daily around Diablo Lake.

  “Hey yourself.” He grinned and then kissed her cheek quickly. “You look real pretty.”

  “Thank you. You look good too. That green is good with your eyes.” He wore a fisherman’s sweater of deep green that brought out the caramel of his hair and the hazel in his eyes.

  God he was handsome. Especially when he blushed. He was big and tall and took up so much space and her lungs were full of him.

  “You want to come in and see what I’ve done with the place?” Ruby asked, amused. Wolves were so curious and nosy. She knew he’d want to come inside but the way his entire being lit up brought a laugh spilling from her belly.

  She stepped aside to admit him and the dogs...where were the dogs? Ruby looked around until she saw them sitting side by side, tails wagging, gazes snagged on Damon.

  Damon’s grin transferred to the dogs and Ruby was grateful the looks were not the same. He made a sound deep in his throat and the boys came to attention. Biscuit’s tail had slowed down to nearly a stop, though his joy at seeing Damon broke through every few seconds when it couldn’t help itself but thump a few times.

  It was so cute it took all Ruby’s control not to fall to her knees and smooch his sweet little head. Also grab a few smooches from Damon because he was so adorable with the dogs her ovaries were having a dance party.

  What a very good boy K Mags was sitting there so pretty and still! So handsome for Damon. He deserved an extra cookie before bed for that.

  She really wanted little bow ties for each of them so her mom said she was going to make each of them one for Samhain. Her big old softhearted mom who tried to act like she’d never in a million years put a bow tie on a dog to make him look dapper but who already apparently had some sort of pattern ready.

  Ruby bet Damon would find bow ties absolutely adorable.

  * * *

  When Damon looked back over his shoulder toward Ruby, he caught her, hands clutched against her heart, big-eyed with love for these darned little nuggets. She was normally beautiful, but just at that moment she was radiant and he swallowed against the lump of emotion.

  “You’ve done a very good job patrolling the yard,” he told them seriously. He could hear their chatty little vocalizations over the course of a day, but very rarely did he hear alert or danger barks or growling.

  “Look at you two already part of the neighborhood watch,” Ruby said at his back, making him laugh and give the dogs a quick scratch behind the ears.

  “They’re happier to see you than they are to see me,” Ruby told him as he stood.

  “How about you?” he murmured, getting closer. “You happy to see me?”

  She squeaked what sounded like assent. A full two beats later she said, “I mean, yes. Yes, I’m happy to see you. I even made you treats.”

  The little intake of breath, the speed of her pulse was catnip. She swallowed and then chewed her bottom lip for a brief moment and hers wasn’t the only pulse set to racing.

  More. More. Damon wanted more of her.

  “I like the way you smell, Ruby darlin’,” he said leaning in to sniff deeply.

  “It’s probably the cookies. Half butterscotch and the other chocolate chips. That way you don’t have to choose.” Her gaze, those big gorgeous dark brown eyes held his. Met the challenge of the wolf by not looking away.

  Her lips hitched into a sexy smile. Openly attracted. Flirtatious.

  Damon liked this Ruby too. Bold and sexy. Confident.

  “I’ll have to taste all three. To be sure.”

  “Only two kinds of cookies. Not three. Greedy.”

  Damon closed all but the barest of space between them and tipped her chin up with his finger. “I know. I meant you too. When it comes to you, I think I’m going to be very greedy.”

  “Oh, then we should be sure. For science,” she said faintly, moving toward him as he did the same, meeting in the middle with a soft kiss, a sweet and sexy hello there, it’s been a while feel.

  He allowed himself to bury his consciousness in the experience. Glorying in the way she tasted and felt against him after so many years. Like yesterday and yet totally different. The heaviness of the moment hung between them warm and full of promise.

  She tasted of honey and chocolate. Rich and decadent. The lush, heady aroma of roses with the sweet hint of jasmine rose and a growl of satisfaction rumbled in his chest. His hands rested at the swell of her hips.

  He practically vibrated, a tuning fork that she had awakened that reacted only to her.

  Damon needed to slow down or he’d gobble her up in one bite. She deserved savoring. Regretfully, he broke the kiss and stepped away.

  She was all over him. Her taste, her scent, the way she’d felt against his chest, under his palms. The wolf retreated a little, satisfied to be marked like that.

  * * *

  It took a few moments for Ruby to get herself together after the kiss ended. He hadn’t had a beard the last time she kissed him. “I like the bristles,” she said, fingertips briefly brushing against her lips.

  “Yeah?”

  “Aside from being very handsome, it adds a nice texture to smooching you.”

  “No better reason to have it then.” Damon tipped his chin in the direction of the dogs. “Figured, if you want to and all, that you could bring them along.”

  “You haven’t said where we’re going,” she reminded him.

  “I made dinner up at my place. Thought we could eat outside. Don’t worry, you’ll be warm.”

  “They might get into your construction or dig holes.” Or run off into wherever. But Ruby figured he’d be able to catch them pretty quickly if they did. Hopefully before they got eaten by something bigger and tougher.

  He laughed. “They won’t.”

  Ruby thought anyone who thought they could tell a Cairn not to dig holes and have them listen and obey was bananas. But it was sweet of him to offer and the boys seemed to really love having him around.

  “They’ll be fine. Especially when they know you’re fine.” Damon gave them both a stern face. “They’ll be safe and won’t run off or use a nail gun on one another.”

  “That sounds pretty specific, Damon,” Ruby said.

  “I’m surprised Major never told you the story. He tells it all the time like it was some big tragic event and I was Freddy Krueger or whatever. Didn’t even leave a scar though he had a little groove on his left cheek for a few years until it grew back in.”

  Not for the first time, Ruby winced even as she marveled at the relationship between the twin brothers. Tight. Even in the middle of a fight, they’d drop everything to save the other. They bickered constantly but even though their personalities were different, they were one another’s biggest fan.

  “Anyway, I just mean they’ll be safe,” Damon attempted to reassure her after that tale. “I drove over so you can bring their beds if you want.”

  “You’re a big old softie,” she said on her way past him. “Come let me show you the rest of the house and then we can go.”

  * * *

  When he pulled in at the bottom of a slight rise she could see the house in progress and his trailer off to the side. Damon turned to the dogs, who sat excitedly in the jump seat where he’d installed them. “You can smell all you want. Lots of wolves around so be aware. Don’t leave the clearing or I’ll put you on a lead or never have you back.”

  He was very serious and the way the dogs so obviously wanted to please him was so cute she wanted to faint at the sweetness of it all.

  When they got out, the dogs raced ahead, but not too far, and they kept checking in with Damon and Ruby, which admittedly eased Ruby’s mind.

  “It’s going to be a lot for them,” Damon said as he took her hand. “Half the pack was here last night helping get the final part of the roof in place.”

  Ruth lost the last bit of his sentence because once they’d gotten up the rise, she could see Damon had been busy preparing for their date.

  He’d strung white lights up around the trailer he was living in and around the firepit where two chairs sat side by side, a table between them.

  “I brought out blankets too. Once you’re ready to sit, I’ll tuck you in. Keep you warm.”

  “This is...wow.” She turned in a circle to take it all in. “It feels like a fairy tale.”

  “I figured this would be nicer than a restaurant. Quieter for sure. We won’t get interrupted. At least I hope not. Plus, I get you all to myself.” He kissed her quickly, blushing, before getting about building the fire up.

  Ruby gave him a little space, walking around the area, checking out the progress on the main house as well as she could by fire and fairy lights.

  Biscuit followed her, dashing just slightly ahead of her and then waiting somewhat impatiently. He seemed rapturously happy to stop every few seconds to smell something else. “What do you think?” she asked the dog.

  Biscuit barked sharply a few times, before sneezing and sitting down to stare up at her. Obviously he was happy. A new place to sniff and pee all around. Their superhero Damon to watch and learn from. Possible table scraps. Snuggles with mom. All big positives in their little canine world.

  This was all so thoughtful. From the bulbs to making sure she’d be warm.

  Outside Diablo Lake she’d wonder if a guy like Damon doing something like this was only trying to get into her panties. Though, lord knew someone with a face like his didn’t need to work that hard to get into anyone’s underpants.

  But the truth she felt in her gut was that he wanted her to feel comfortable and taken care of. The way it made her feel was that she deserved a little taking care of. And wasn’t that pretty wonderful?