“Tell him I owe him.” How his sister had found such a decent mate, he didn’t know.

“Don’t we all?” Eloise whispered something into the truck, kissed her mate on the cheek, and slapped the hood.

9

Emma stood for a long time at the window, wondering if the wolf, who she knew wasn’t a wolf, would come back. But he hadn’t. So she showered and thought about what she should do for the day. Living on her own was a daily adventure in how to entertain herself, and so far, she wasn’t coming out ahead.

The bathroom needed to be scrubbed, and there were dirty dishes in the sink. But again, no roommate. Emma put on her rain boots and raincoat and hoped it didn’t snow again today. She left her house and the car behind. With her green cat backpack strapped under her raincoat, she headed down to the little grocery story on the other side of the river downtown. She could get in her car and head into town to the big grocery store, but that was a commitment she didn’t want to make today.

She wanted to find out more about her visitor, the one with the soft ears. Walking, she might run into that Vivianne Westbrook again.

She made it over the bridge and took a right into town, passing the Easy Rabbit bar, Wolf’s Den pizzeria, and Tinsey’s Florist Shop, although she did stop and window shop at the gorgeous displays. Tulips and pussy willows. She had been saving up for a while to afford her new car. The one she barely used anymore. But it was better than nothing, which was what she would have had after untangling her finances from the shithead cheater of an ex of hers.

Emma grabbed one of the world’s smallest grocery carts and strolled into the Freshmart. There were two places to shop in town: here and the Pick-n-Pay. Townies sat outside of the PNP, and while she wanted answers to her questions, she also wasn’t ready to walk the plank of the old man’s club. The Freshmart smelled like a European market—or at least what she imagined a European market might smell like—a cross between fresh-baked croissants, hanging cured sausage, and handmade candles.

She hadn’t expected to find such a wonderful shop in little Hundsburg, but then again, shifters liked to eat. There was a fresh meat counter and a cheese counter longer than one had the right to be. In fact, she hadn’t known there were that many types of cheese until recently.

Picking things she couldn’t mess up like pasta, sauces, and such, she filled her little cart. Then she turned a corner and there was Vivianne. Without her adorable little baby, but with Mr. Cranky Pants himself. She should have known that someone as hot as him already had a wife, or mate, or whatever it might be. Another female tossed a two-pound brick of chocolate into their cart.

“Oh, Emma.” Vivianne smiled. “What a small world.”

“It’s a small store, Viv,” Mr. Cranky Pants growled.

“Flint, be nice,” said the other woman.

Zips of uncomfortable adrenaline shot through Emma’s brain. All the sexy thoughts she’d had of the hunky fireman the night before lingered, a residue of guilt over her conscience.

“Emma, these two uncivilized beings are my siblings,” said Vivianne. “This disagreeable lunkhead is Flint Larsen, and this is our older sister⁠—”

“Wiser sister. I’m Eloise Morris. It’s nice to meet you. Viv was telling us about you.”

Flint grunted.

“Was she? And what was she saying?” Emma let her eyes flit between the siblings. Eloise looked nothing like Vivianne and Flint.

Flint. Even thinking his name made her insides flip a little, and she settled her eyes on his jawline. She couldn’t look away. Yes, it was rude. But she didn’t care. She was appraising him the same way she’d looked over the roasts she didn’t buy. And he was even juicier than they were.

Her clothes were too warm, and her raincoat suddenly became a subzero weather jacket. She was wet everywhere—like everywhere, everywhere.

The sisters shared a glance.

“I don’t mean to be forward, but do you have a boyfriend, Emma?” Vivianne smiled, her hand resting lightly on Flint’s shoulder.

Emma’s chest heaved a little.

Flint let out a low grunt. “You’re pushing into waters you don’t need to be in, sis.”

“It’s a simple question,” said Eloise. “Yes or no?”

“I don’t have a simple answer for that. No, I don’t have a boyfriend, but I just got out of a serious relationship. We were engaged, but he cheated and I . . .”

The low growl coming out of Flint’s throat made all three females turn.

“It’s fine. Really for the best. I’m glad it was out of the way before we could get married.” Emma’s hands flew around when she talked, and she knocked a box of hot chocolate off the shelf. It landed in Eloise’s cart.

Emma reached for it.

“Leave it. My kids will love that, and I never think to buy it until they are coming inside all cold and miserable.” Eloise tossed a second one into the cart without looking at the box.

Viv peered into Emma’s cart. “What ya making for dinner?”

“Pasta. I’m not much of a cook.” She usually used her powers to cook. But with the new job, she was trying her best to cook the human way.

Eloise laughed. “You are my spirit animal. I can’t cook either. That’s part of why I mated my guy.”

Vivianne and Flint gave their sister a look, and Emma knew there was more to it than that. She didn’t have any siblings, but she did have Shiori and Daphne, and she understood that look.

“Flint’s a skilled cook.” Vivianne patted her brother on the shoulder like a prized show dog.

“Pushing,” he grunted under his breath.

“But you know who is an even better cook? Nate down at the Riverside Cafe. Have you been?” Eloise raised her eyebrows at Emma.

“No, I can’t say I have. I’ve had the pizza at Wolf’s Den.”

“Ew. You need to drive over to Spring Ridge if you want decent pizza because Wolf’s Den isn’t worth the cardboard they call crust. Or better yet, the best rib joint around is in the next town over. Boners. Our little sister works there.” Vivianne grabbed Emma’s arm and kept talking as if Emma wasn’t trying with all her might to keep a straight face about a rib joint called Boners. “I’ve got a great idea. Let’s pay for what we have here. Neither of us have any perishables, so we can head over to Riverside Cafe and have some lunch and get to know each other better.” The corners of her lips turned up.

“If I say anything other than yes to her, it’s going to turn out badly for me. Isn’t it?” Emma looked between Eloise and Flint.

Flint’s tone was low. “I wouldn’t know. I’ve always done everything she’s told me to do.”

“Flint Lock Larsen, that is a complete lie.” Vivianne pinched Flint’s cheek, but he didn’t take his eyes off Emma.

Flint Lock?

Flint was scowling at his sister, but he turned to Emma. “Would you like to go to lunch, Emma? It’s okay to say no.” Flint leaned in and put his lips near her ear. His scent of citrus surrounded her. “Choose wisely. My sisters are a little crazy.”

“We can hear you,” Eloise said from behind Flint’s colossal frame.

Emma’s heart pounded. “I’m a little crazy too. Let’s do it.”

Vivianne grabbed a few more things, and Flint tossed junk food into his sister’s cart anytime she was looking the other direction.

Emma had completely forgotten about shopping for herself. She hadn’t planned on buying much since she didn’t have a car. And it was only when they were outside that she realized she was going to have to take the bags into the restaurant with her.

She finished paying before them and waited patiently by the door as the three siblings jovially argued about something.

“Ready?” Flint asked, holding four bags, his sisters behind him. She nodded, and they walked out together.