178
Lucy
We left the café and rode back to the pack house. The goodbye lingered longer than I admitted, and I quickly used my Moving Ring to go to Stacy’s building with all of my bags. I got into the elevator, and a dreamy smile played on my lips. The day had been fun but at the end of it… I couldn’t shake off the warmth that had settled in my chest, the memory of David’s laughter, and his teasing remarks.
The look in his eyes when we were seated by the window.
Just as the doors of the elevator opened, Tina’s mischievous voice rang out from in front of me.
“Well, well, well, look who’s got that starry-eyed glow! Must be a hell of a guy!”
I looked up to find Tina leaning against the wall near the entrance of the elevator, a knowing grin on her face. My cheeks flushed with embarrassment, but I couldn’t hide the contentment that radiated from me.
“Hi, Tina,” I replied, trying to sound casual but failing miserably.
She chuckled, pushing herself off the wall and sauntering over to me. “Oh, come on, Lucy. I’m not blind, you know. No one is blind. Reception told me you practically floated back here.”
She stepped into the elevator, and I realized that she was dressed for a night out. Before I could say anything, she pushed the ground floor button. The doors closed, and I was trapped in the elevator with her on the ride down. I rolled my eyes, feeling a mixture of embarrassment and amusement.
“I did not.”
“Did too. If I hadn’t said anything, you might not have even realized you reached the floor,” she pulled out her compact and dotted lipgloss on her lips. “Next thing you know, I’ll be getting a panicked knock and a request for make-up tips.”
I flushed. “That’s not going to happen.”
“Sure. You had a nice time? Shopping bags usually mean a nice time…”
I huffed. “It wasn’t like that.”
“Did he pay for it all?”
My face heated. I felt like I was going to explode. “Yes, but that’s not… It’s not like that. I had a good time, but it wasn’t… It wasn’t….”
A date. It wasn’t a date. It couldn’t have been a date.
Tina’s grin widened. “A ‘good time,’ huh? That’s code for ‘I had the most magical evening of my life.’”
“W-We’re just friends.”
“Yeah, sure.” She laughed. Tina nudged me playfully. “So, spill the details. What happened? Did he sweep you off your feet with his dashing smile and charming words? Embarking on a new romantic adventure? Crossing the line between friends and something more? Is he a good kisser?”
I blinked. I couldn’t even think. I could almost feel the heat of his mouth on mine. Would he be gentle at first? Did I want him to be?
“So you’re thinking about it.”
I scowled at her as she wiggled her eyebrows.
“It wasn’t like that. Just a shopping trip and tea at a café. But it was...nice. Really nice. A-And we’re friends. And I wasn’t thinking about it until you said something!”
Tina’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “Nice, huh? Well, it sounds like you’re trying to downplay what was obviously a romantic date.”
“It wasn’t a date!” My cheeks grew warmer, and I looked away, embarrassed by her teasing. “It wasn’t.”
Tina raised an eyebrow. “Come on, Lucy. You don’t just go shopping with a guy and have tea and come back looking like you’re on cloud nine without it being a date. A good one too.”
“It wasn’t a date.”
“You don’t have to call it a date for it to be a date,” she said. “Though if you two are going on not-dates and you’re looking like that, then I wonder what you’ll look like on an actual date.”
“Tina—“
“So who is this guy, and what’s the hold up on the actual date?”
“We’ve… known each other since we were kids. He was at the orphanage with me. And… And it’s complicated.”
“On your end?”
I nodded. “And… maybe his? I don’t know. We’re friends. We didn’t… Well, not until recently….”
Tina patted my arm, a supportive smile on her face. “Chill. It’s good to see you getting out from under that shadow. You deserve all the happiness in the world, so don’t be afraid to chase it.”
The elevator dinged, and she sighed.
“Duty calls, but we’ll catch up more. I want to hear more about this…”
I bit my lip. “David.”
She wiggled her eyebrows. “David. Get some rest. Remember to get off on the right floor.”
I waved her goodbye. The receptionist grinned at me, and I pushed the button to my floor with a sigh. Was she right? Was it a date, even though we didn’t say anything about it? It felt a bit like a date out of a movie or something. I got back to my room and set my new stuff on the table with a sigh,
As I climbed into bed that night, my mind was a whirlwind of emotions. The city’s sounds outside faded into the background as I closed my eyes, and suddenly I was transported to Shell Cove. The crashing waves, the salty breeze, the feeling of sand between my toes – it all felt so real, so vivid.
And there, in the midst of my dream, was David. His smile was as bright as the sun, and his eyes held a warmth that melted away any doubts or worries. We walked along the beach, our laughter mixing with the sound of the waves. As I watched the dream unfold, a sense of calm settled over me. The uncertainties of the future seemed to fade away, leaving only the promise of a connection that had begun to blossom. And as the dream led us to a beautiful sunset over the horizon, I couldn’t help but believe that maybe, just maybe, I was leaving everything that had happened to me behind.
Days passed, and while I wasn’t more certain about what to call that outing, I was happy. Fall classes were in full swing, and the bustling energy of students hurrying to and from their lectures was both familiar and comforting. As I navigated my way through the crowd, my mind couldn’t help but drift to the dream I’d had of David.
“Hey, Lucy.”
I looked up wide-eyed as David approached me. He was wearing a three-piece suit without a tie.
“You’re all dressed up?”
He shrugged. “I had some business before class. Can I walk with you?”
I nodded. “I’m just headed to the library. I’ve got some time before my next class.”
“Me too.” He said. We walked past a banner that said the Crescent Moon Festival was coming up. I approached it. I frowned. The name was familiar like I’d heard it before.
“What’s the Crescent Moon Festival?”
David’s smile widened, his eyes twinkling. “It’s the one time of the year that it’s unlikely anyone is going to start a fight.”
I snickered. “What does that mean?”
“Well, first, there’s a grand supernatural ball. The lunas of packs are supposed to get together and organize a separate werewolf-only ball, but it’s always boring.”
My heart raced as I remembered those women talking about it.
“I-It’s not a werewolf-only event?”
“No way,” he said. “The Crescent Moon Festival is a supernatural event, even if the werewolves like to try and section themselves off.”
He rolled his eyes. “After the main ball, the festival opens up. It’s like a giant supernatural fair. It’s hosted in the neutral area between all the territories, deep in the forest, away from where any humans might be.”
“You look nervous,” he said. “Something wrong?”
I looked down. “I… When I was at Blue Moon… some women came to talk to me about… my duties. They mentioned it then.”
David caught my hand in his. I looked up at him. “You don’t have to worry about them. I know things feel a little up in the air at the moment, but it’ll clear up.”
I nodded. “I’m… I’m okay. I just... It feels like something that we should be attending.”
“White Moon, you mean?”
I nodded. “If the Council is trying to make it seem like a pack… Then, we should be doing everything a pack would do.”
Even if it meant being near Matt, Tony, and their father. I shivered. The fear crept through me.
“I don’t disagree,” he said. “It would… certainly send a message. At least to the supernatural community, the werewolves, too, if you went to both. But that doesn’t mean you, in particular, have to go.”
I looked up at him. “You don’t think I can handle it.”
He smirked. “I don’t think they can handle you.”
My eyes widened. My heart fluttered as he squeezed my hand.
“If you’re really in the mood to… be contrary,” David whispered. “Or maybe if you just want the backup… would you like to come with me as my date?”
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