Am I being too picky?
“Hey,” she reaches for me and puts her hand on my shoulder. Turning around, I look at her. Foxy looks upset with me, and I don’t blame her. I’m being super bitchy because I just can’t seem to get my emotions under control. “I know it’s hard to love someone new.”
I bite my lip.
“But give him a chance, Meredith. You never know what could happen. Besides, you don’t want to end up like me.”
“Foxy, if I ended up half as wonderful as you, I’d be the luckiest girl alive.”
I hug my friend, pulling her close, and kiss her on the cheek. She really is a wonderful person in every way. Besides, most people wouldn’t have been half as willing to go out of their way for me.
But she was.
Pushing open the door to her house, I take off back toward my own. The crisp morning air feels great against my skin. No, it feels great against my mark. I reach for my neck and touch the claiming mark. It feels soft: not hard the way I thought it would. It’s a nice feeling, actually. It’s not something I’ve spent too much time thinking about.
This type of mark is so special that it’s almost sacred. It’s one of the most beautiful parts about being a shifter and I suppose I never really thought I’d be lucky enough to have one. Who would ever want to mark a girl like me? I guess that’s what I thought. Who would ever want to touch me like this?
Robert isn’t really what I expected. I mean, when he walked into the bar, he was just so confident and playful and handsome. His over-tipping and his happiness was just really enticing. I still can’t believe that we matched on Team Shifter or that he’s interested in me. He claimed me.
I realize that if I’m going to make it through all of the dumb stuff I have to do today, I’m going to need to get some coffee, so I make a little detour on the walk home and head to the local coffee shop.
Beans is more than just a coffee shop. It’s kind of a local legend. It’s the perfect place to grab a biscuit or a muffin or a cookie after a long day. I welcome anyone into my bar whether or not they drink, but there’s something really homey and wonderful about Beans. At the end of the day, a bar is still a bar, but a coffee shop...Well, I’m a fan.
I push open the door and head inside. Instantly, I’m overwhelmed with the scents of baking and freshly brewed beans.
“Welcome to Beans,” a man behind the counter says.
“Thanks.”
I join two other people in line and wait for my turn. I order my coffee and as soon as it’s in my hands, I instantly feel more relaxed. I find a little seat in the corner, sit down, and start drinking. I haven’t showered since yesterday, so I’m feeling gross despite the fact that I did brush my hair and put on clean clothing before going out. I’m more than happy to lurk in the corner of this coffee shop and not talk to anyone, but there are a couple of women next to me chatting, and it’s hard not to eavesdrop.
The first one is older, taller, and has the loveliest silvery hair I’ve ever seen. It’s piled on top of her head in a messy bun, and she’s laughing with her friend. The second woman is younger and shorter. She’s curvy with short blonde hair, and she also has a ready smile.
“And the bridesmaids dresses are perfect,” the younger girl, whom I instantly think of as Goldilocks, is gushing. Her friend, whom I mentally name Silver, smiles.
“That’s wonderful. What color did you choose?”
“Blue.”
“Interesting choice,” Silver nods in approval.
“Plus,” Goldilocks continues. “This way, each of my bridesmaids can choose a dress or suit they feel most comfortable in.”
“Suit?”
“One of my girlfriends feels most comfortable in a suit,” she says. “And one of my bridesmaids is a gentleman.”
“That’s kind of you to be so flexible.”
“Well, it’s not all about me, right?”
“That’s a good attitude,” Silver agrees. “A lot of new couples get that wrong.”
“I’m not going to say we have a perfect relationship, but Hank is a good guy. He makes me happy. The wedding...well, we don’t need it. We’re already mated.”
From where I’m sitting, I see Goldilocks push over the top of her shirt to reveal a mating mark. It’s beautiful. While mine is a straight line, hers is almost curved. It looks like an “s” shaped mark.
“Beautiful. May I?”