The Mating(91)

Her nerves were on edge the whole time she was working. Usually, the soothing ambiance of the restaurant made her feel calm and at ease throughout her shift. Soft music played in the background and numerous potted plants ensured the air was always fresh, while the burgundy and cream decor created a warm, hospitable atmosphere.

Today it was a totally different story. The smell of the food, the sounds from the kitchen, the murmuring of the patrons—everything seemed heightened and grated on her nerves. For what seemed like the hundredth time that day, she inhaled deeply, pasted a smile on her face, and tried to look patient while her customer dithered over the cream of tomato soup and grilled salmon, or quiche and a roll. It was all Elise could do not to scream at the woman to hurry and make up her mind. Was this what being in heat was supposed to be like? Or was it a combination of frustrated desire, lack of sleep and nerves about telling Kane and finding Bryan? It was with great relief that she hung up her apron at the end of her shift.

There was a small area near the rear of the restaurant, which housed the employee’s washroom, a place to hang coats and a few chairs for sitting. Elise plopped down and dug through her purse for her phone. First she called home, but Helen said Kane had already left. Chewing on her lip, she wondered if Kane had gotten her message and if he’d noted the ‘love’ at the end or not. Would he see the significance of it? She hoped so.

Since he wasn’t home, she had a few minutes to try and find Bryan and discover who he’d met with. If it was Ryne, she’d warn him about how dangerous the other man was. On the off-chance that Bryan had turned his cell phone on, she tried calling him again. It rang through and she gave a silent cheer! Something was finally going her way!

“Bryan! Thank heaven I got a hold of you ... No, everything is fine, but I have to see you right away ... Really? ... Okay, I’ll be by my car in five minutes ... It’s parked right across the road from the Grey Goose ... Right. Bye.” Elise smiled as she hung up the phone. Bryan was just around the corner from her. She could meet him in the parking lot, quickly warn him not to get involved with Ryne, and then be on her way home to Kane.

As she flipped her phone shut, she noticed that Mr. Mancini was standing in the doorway. From the look on his face, he wasn’t pleased with her.

“Er... Hello, Mr. Mancini. I was just talking to a friend.”

“So I heard.” He nodded towards the phone in her hand. “Might I remind you, Elise, that you are married?”

She forced herself not to roll her eyes and respond calmly. “Yes, I’m fully aware of that fact, Mr. Mancini. The call you heard, it isn’t what you think. Bryan and I are old friends. We grew up together.” Mr. Mancini gave her a sceptical look and Elise opened her mouth to explain further, but the man was called to the kitchen and he left before she could say anything.

Exhaling gustily, Elise pulled on her coat. Why was everyone so quick to believe the worst of her? She wasn’t promiscuous. Just because she was talking to a man didn’t mean she was involved with him. What was it with the people in this town? Yes, they were all fond of Kane, but why assume she was cheating? So what if Marla had been two-timing him? That didn’t automatically mean that she was! Well, she’d deal with Mr. Mancini tomorrow and make sure he understood how wrong he was. Right now, Bryan was waiting for her.





*****





Standing in the parking lot watching the traffic go by, Elise gave a start of surprise when someone’s hand landed on her shoulder. Swinging around, her arm automatically rising in a defensive gesture, she laughed when she realized it was Bryan. He’d always enjoyed sneaking up on her, supposedly proving his superiority through his stealth.

“Ha! Caught you off guard again, Elise!”

She playfully shoved his shoulder. “Bryan, quit doing that. You know I don’t like it.”

He simply grinned at her before enveloping her in bear hug. The hug lasted slightly longer than necessary and Elise noticed that Bryan was sniffing her neck. Blushing, she realized that he was reacting to her being in heat and extracted herself quickly, all too aware of how things could easily be misconstrued.

Bryan cleared his throat and looked over her shoulder rather than at her, obviously realizing what he’d unintentionally been doing. “Er...sorry about that.”

“It’s all right.” She decided to overlook the matter and get to the point of why she’d needed to see him. “Bryan, I called you for an important reason. That wolf you were meeting with—the one who wants to start a new pack—what was his name?”

“You mean my new Alpha?” Bryan seemed to swell with pride, forgetting the awkward moment that had just occurred. “His name’s Ryne. I’m going to be his Beta, and as soon as he finishes some personal business here, we’re heading out.”