Conversation moved on, and twenty-five minutes later we were driving into Bendigo. He found a parking spot just opposite Officeworks, then hurried around to help me out of the truck. Nerves rose, but I tamped the ridiculous things down. No matter what was going on, Aiden absolutely wouldn’t do anything to break my trust.
He placed a warm hand against my spine and lightly guided me toward a small but stylish-looking restaurant. As soon as we stepped inside, a waiter approached, his outfit as understated and elegant as the room itself.
“Good evening,” he said in a low but warm tone. “How can I help you?”
“We have a booking—Aiden O’Connor.”
“Ah, yes,” the waiter immediately said. “The third member of your party has already arrived. If you’d please follow me, we’ll get you both seated.”
He turned and moved toward the rear stairs. Aiden pressed me forward, leaving me little option but to follow.
“And just who are we meeting?” I whispered urgently. “What the hell are you up to?”
“Nothing serious,” he returned evenly. “Someone just wanted to meet you, that’s all.”
“Who? And why all the secrecy?”
He hesitated. “The latter is at her request. I can’t gainsay her, no matter how much I might want to.”
Her. Not him, not my father or husband. I took a deep breath and tried to control irrational fears. Aiden would never contact either of those men. In fact, he was far more likely to go after them.
“Aiden—”
“Just wait,” he said softly. “It’ll all become clear in another few seconds.”
Frustration stirred yet again, but I held my tongue and clattered lightly up the steps after the waiter. This area was smaller—and more intimate—than the downstairs room, and contained booths and half-walled rooms. We were led into one of the latter.
Seated at a small round table that dominated the area was a woman. She was rangy in build, with silver-gray hair and eyes that were a deep, almost sapphire blue.
I knew in an instant who she was, even though I’d never seen her before.
Karleen Jayne O’Connor.
Aiden’s mother.
Seven
For a moment, I could only stare. In any other relationship, it would have been a natural progression for me to meet his parents, but this wasn’t any other relationship. He was a werewolf, and I was a witch, and never the twain shall meet—at least not in terms of a serious relationship, anyway. His parents had only given way to Katie’s desire to marry Gabe because she was dying.
His mother was the last person I’d expected to be here—the last person I thought would want to be here.
But it explained the secrecy. Explained why he couldn’t say anything. She wasn’t only his mother, but his alpha—one of his pack’s leaders—and he certainly wouldn’t gainsay her orders for someone like me. If I’d been a wolf, things might have been different… but I wasn’t, and never could be, so it was stupid to even start thinking along those lines.
It also explained why we were meeting in a restaurant well beyond the reservation’s boundaries, in a room shielded from prying eyes. It wouldn’t do for her to give our relationship any sort of credence by being seen with me.
Aiden pressed his hand harder against my spine, all but forcing me into the room. His mother stood, her gaze cool as it met mine.
“Elizabeth Grace.” Her mellow tones belied the ice in her blue eyes. “I’m pleased to finally meet you.”
“And I you.”
I took her offered hand warily, but my psychic senses thankfully remained mute. Her aura wasn’t giving a whole lot away, either—it was almost totally red, an indicator of someone who was powerful, passionate, and competitive. Everything you’d expect an alpha wolf to be, in other words. But there were also faint wisps of black moving through the red, and that was often an indicator of either grief or an unforgiving nature.
In her case, I suspected it meant the latter.
I forced a smile and added, “I hope you don’t mind me saying this, but I’m utterly surprised to see you here, Mrs. O’Connor.”
“Please, call me Karleen. There’s no reason to be formal in a place such as this.” Her gaze flicked to Aiden. “You did say she was straightforward.”