“Come in.Would you like some coffee?”
“Thanks.”
She leads me to the kitchen, and I catch a glimpse of herlaptop on the counter.Smooth R&B music floats through the speakers.
“Who’s that?”
“Are you kidding me?I swear everyone here lives under a ‘countrymusic only’ rock.That’s John Legend.”
“He’s good.”
“He’sawesome.”
I take a closer look at the open browser.“Wolves?”
She turns to me with a huge grin as she pours my coffee.
“You’ll never believe what happened to me last night!”
Her eyes light up with the glow of a kid getting ready totell a story.She peers down the hall then leans in toward me.
“I saw a wolf.”
“What do you mean you saw a wolf?”
“A gigantic wolf, in my backyard.He was likethisclose to me.”
She steps closer to me to show her proximity to the animal—well,to me.
“What?Are you hurt?”
“No!But hediddo the strangest thing.He justrolled over onto his back.Everything I’ve been reading so far says it’s an actof submission.No one,nothinghas ever submitted to me before.”
I needed you to know I wouldn’t hurt you.“I knowthis seems exciting, but wolves are dangerous animals.”
“I don’t think he is.I hope he comes back.”
“And what will you do if he does?”
“I’m going to try and touch him,” she says excitedly.
“Casey, don’t.This is a wolf, not a puppy.”
She sets the coffee mug down in front of me and continuesanimatedly.
“I know that.It’s not like I’m gonna go looking for him.Cream, sugar?”
“Black’s fine.Promise me if you see him again you’ll stayfar away.”
I hope she doesn’t, but I can’t say that to her.Then again,now that Stone has her in his sights, I don’t need her getting comfortable withwolves.
She rolls her eyes in annoyance.“Fine.”
Not fine because I know she only said it to shut me up.I feelas if she just patted me on the head, knowing she’s going to do whatever shewants to do anyway.I sip my coffee and watch her as she moves around thekitchen making breakfast.Go figure; every other woman would run in theopposite direction, but she wants to make a wolf her pet.She’s the one.Icouldn’t be more convinced.
“Good morning, moonbeam,” her father says as he walks in.
“Good morning, Daddy.This is Sheriff McKenzie.”
