“I think so.” There had always been someone around at Westhorne too, only it was never crowded and there were places to go when I wanted to be alone. I liked being on my own, but I also missed having other people around. Guess I couldn’t have it both ways.
Hearing Roland talk about his family made my chest constrict. I’d give anything to be able to spend an hour with mine, let alone days or months or years. I didn’t begrudge him his family, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t envious. To belong to so many people, to always know you were loved and there were people who had your back no matter what. I could imagine no better life.
“You okay? You went quiet on me.”
“Just trying to imagine what it’s like living in a big pack like that. Do you all get together for holidays, too?”
“No, thank God.” He gave me a sideways glance. “Just once a year. This is my first time being there for the whole thing since I was fifteen. I never realized how crazy it is.”
“Where did you go if you weren’t at the gathering?” He seemed to almost dread the idea of being with the other wolves, and I couldn’t help but wonder why.
He cleared his throat. “I…stayed with Sara whenever I could. I’ve slept on that old couch in the loft more times than I can remember.”
“Oh.”
“I didn’t mean to put you on the spot,” he said. “Even if I could stay at the apartment, it wouldn’t matter. My Alpha is making me attend a lot of the meetings this year. All adults have to be there.”
I relaxed my body. “What do you do when you’re not in meetings?”
“We have cookouts and parties, lots of them.”
The note of distaste in his voice told me he didn’t enjoy them, which was at odds with the Roland Sara had described. She’d told me he and Peter were always trying to get her to go to parties.
“When I don’t have to be there, I’m usually at the garage or patrolling,” he added. “Then there’s training and my job at the lumberyard.”
“Wow. It doesn’t sound like you have much free time.”
He shrugged and gave me a playful smile. “I manage to squeeze in some fun time – like teaching pretty girls to ride scooters.”
My stomach fluttered. He thinks I’m pretty?
Roland chuckled. “Are you blushing?”
“No.”
“Yes, you are. You Grey women are all alike. Sara turned red every time I flirted with her.”
“I…”
He laughed again. “I’m teasing you.”
“I know,” I lied.
“So, what do you do when you’re not working at the diner?” he asked as he took the exit to the highway. “Other than painting and exploring old mines.”
“How did you know I was at the mine?” I stared at him. “The black wolf told you.”
He gave me an indecipherable look. “You didn’t mind hanging out with a werewolf?”
“I’m hanging with you now.”
“I mean a werewolf in his fur. I know you have some kind of history with my kind and it made you afraid of us.”
I opened my mouth to say I didn’t want to discuss it, but he beat me to it.
“I’m not trying to pry into your past. I get that you’re private about some things, and I’m cool with that. I’m just trying to get a feel for what you think of us now. I want you to be happy here, and I’d like us to be friends.”
“I’d like that, too,” I said, warmed by the sincerity of his words. “And to answer your question, I am still a bit nervous around werewolves in general, like those two at the cove. But I’m not afraid to be with you. And your friend hasn’t given me any reason to fear him either. He’s actually pretty nice.”
“You like him?” Roland asked. He didn’t look at me, but he sounded pleased.
“Yes,” I said, surprising myself. I liked a werewolf – well, two werewolves. How about that?
He concentrated on the road for a minute. “Did you go to the cliffs while you were down that way?”
“No. Sara told me what happened there.”
A shiver went through me. Sara had almost died at the cliffs. If she hadn’t killed Eli, he would have come after me, and his punishment would have been merciless. Sometimes, the nightmares felt so real, I awoke thinking he was still alive and looking for me.
“I don’t like to go there either,” he said gruffly.
“I don’t blame you. Can we talk about something less depressing?”
“Yeah.” He smiled at me. “How are you liking the Vespa?”
“I love it.”
We spent the rest of the drive talking about scooters and cars I should look at when I was ready to buy one. He told me to bring the Vespa to his cousin’s garage and he’d give it free tune-ups.
Our first stop in Portland was at the home of the Chevelle owner who had the part Roland needed in his garage. I stayed in the car while Roland went in to get the part. Five minutes later, he was back with a cardboard box he stored in the trunk.
“Alright, let’s hit some stores,” he said as we drove away. “You have any in particular you want to go to, or should I take you to the ones Sara liked?”
I pulled a small notepad from my bag and gave him the names of two art supply stores. Fortunately, he knew where they were. He took me to both, where I loaded up the back seat with canvases, paints, and a new set of brushes I didn’t need but couldn’t resist. Roland patiently followed me around the stores, pushing a cart and carrying my purchases to the car.
“Where to now?” he asked when we left the second store.
“Are you hungry? I wouldn’t mind some lunch.”
He laughed. “I’m always hungry. What are you in the mood for?”
I shrugged. “I’m not picky. Where do you like to eat here?”
“I usually go for burgers,” he said.
“Burgers sound good.”
“I knew I liked you.” He tapped the steering wheel as he thought. “There are some nice places downtown with outdoor seating.”
“Okay.”
Roland found a parking spot near a busy shopping area full of restaurants, stores, and art galleries. We walked a few minutes before we found a small restaurant with open tables outside, and within minutes, we were sipping sodas and waiting for our food.
“Portland is great,” I said, watching people walk past us.
“It is. It’s small compared to other cities, but there’s plenty to see and do here.”
I returned my attention to him. “How do you like it compared to all the other places you’ve been to?”
He gave me a questioning look, and I smiled.
“Sara told me all about your adventures in December.”
He stopped toying with his straw to stare at me. “She told you all of it? You two must be close.”
“She’s my best friend.”
“Mine, too.” His boyish smile sent warmth through me. “See, we already have so much in common. We’ll be besties before you know it.”
“Besties?” I grinned. “Isn’t Peter already your bestie?”
He scrunched his nose. “Okay, when you say it like that it doesn’t sound manly.”
I laughed at his goofy expression. “If it helps, I think you are very manly, except when…”
“Except what?” he challenged.
My lips twitched. “When you ride on the back of a scooter.”
He opened his mouth to say something, but he was interrupted by the waitress bringing our food. My eyes bulged at the two double burgers and fries she set before Roland. My single cheeseburger was tiny in comparison.
“Can you really eat all of that in one sitting?”
“Easily.” His blue eyes sparkled. “And have room for an ice cream float for dessert.”
I shook my head. “How did your mother ever keep you fed?”
“She and my aunt took turns feeding Pete and me.” He ate a fry. “We all have big appetites, so they’re used to cooking a lot.”