From what he’d learned, Sharon had been working here since her fifteenth birthday, bussing tables and dishing out friendly smiles even to the most hostile customers.
Dane regarded her with a nod. “That’s probably because I’ve been cross country for the past two months on business. I only just came back two weeks ago.”
“Hmm, that’s why your boys haven’t been behaving themselves.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Brock, Raoulf, and Garrett have had several run-ins with the law. They’ve been in the news more times than I can count on one hand and the human police have been in here several times asking questions about their dealings.”
He sat back and ran the pad of his thumb along his jawline. “You know how folks these days bend rumors. Don’t worry about my brothers. If they’ve gotten themselves into any mess, I’m sure they can get themselves out of it.”
She nudged him on the shoulder. “It’s you I’m worried about. I don’t want your brothers giving you a bad reputation with the humans. It’s time they settled down. Speaking of settling down…that Meredith chick was boasting about your skills in bed at Haney’s party last night.”
Dane flexed his jaw muscles in irritation. People liked to spin tales out of rumors these days. “Not true. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been with Meredith. At least three months.”
Sharon and him and were cool like that, and being a woman, she always seemed to have all the latest gossip in their small community.
“There’s talk in the village that you’re looking for a mate,” Sharon said in a teasing voice, quirking her eyebrows at him.
“Like I thought, rumors get bent.”
“It would be so much easier on you if you had a woman to go home to tonight, don’t you think?” She winked. “After a hard day’s work…you wouldn’t have to come to this nosy place anymore. I’d be sad about that, though…but I know just the woman for you.”
He gave her a knowing look. “Who?”
“Cindy Porter. The judge’s daughter. She came in here trying to sell us some fancy computerized order-taking system and had nearly every man in here drooling at the mouth. I have to admit, she’s a cutie. Little innocent thang too.”
He knew exactly who Sharon was referring to. He didn’t want to bust her bubble by telling her that Cindy wasn’t that innocent after all. He knew three shifter males by name who had already bedded the chick, including his oldest brother, Garrett.
“Too young.” Dane shook his head. “Stop trying to set me up.”
Sharon had been trying to hook him up for months. Everyone in the pack knew he was mate-less. Of course, this fact didn’t agree with many of his followers given the fact that he was the Alpha and leader of the pack.
An Alpha with no mate. He smiled inwardly. Heck, he’d take the title. After all, he’d been known to stir things up in and out of the shifter community.
“Well, the next time you stop by I’ll have another candidate for you. Are you into cougars these days by any chance?”
He glared at her pointedly. “I’m a wolf. What would I need with a cougar?”
She put a hand on her hip. “I meant an older woman, Magnus.”
“I know what you meant, but I don’t like getting set up.”
“Fine.” She shrugged and dug a pad and pen out of her apron. “I’ve got eight tables to serve so I’ll have to chat with you later. The usual?”
“Yeah. The usual.” Dane’s stomach rumbled once again just thinking about the T-bone steak with a healthy side of potatoes and cheddar-covered broccoli.
As he waited, he pulled a small envelope from the inside of his jacket pocket. He swallowed in apprehension as he peeled back the broken seal and slipped the letter out. The words were already engrained in his short-term memory, but he read the note again.
Mr. Dane Magnus,
You are hereby called to appear before Judge Henry Wright at Tellevue County Court on October fifteenth at noon to
Dane regarded her with a nod. “That’s probably because I’ve been cross country for the past two months on business. I only just came back two weeks ago.”
“Hmm, that’s why your boys haven’t been behaving themselves.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Brock, Raoulf, and Garrett have had several run-ins with the law. They’ve been in the news more times than I can count on one hand and the human police have been in here several times asking questions about their dealings.”
He sat back and ran the pad of his thumb along his jawline. “You know how folks these days bend rumors. Don’t worry about my brothers. If they’ve gotten themselves into any mess, I’m sure they can get themselves out of it.”
She nudged him on the shoulder. “It’s you I’m worried about. I don’t want your brothers giving you a bad reputation with the humans. It’s time they settled down. Speaking of settling down…that Meredith chick was boasting about your skills in bed at Haney’s party last night.”
Dane flexed his jaw muscles in irritation. People liked to spin tales out of rumors these days. “Not true. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been with Meredith. At least three months.”
Sharon and him and were cool like that, and being a woman, she always seemed to have all the latest gossip in their small community.
“There’s talk in the village that you’re looking for a mate,” Sharon said in a teasing voice, quirking her eyebrows at him.
“Like I thought, rumors get bent.”
“It would be so much easier on you if you had a woman to go home to tonight, don’t you think?” She winked. “After a hard day’s work…you wouldn’t have to come to this nosy place anymore. I’d be sad about that, though…but I know just the woman for you.”
He gave her a knowing look. “Who?”
“Cindy Porter. The judge’s daughter. She came in here trying to sell us some fancy computerized order-taking system and had nearly every man in here drooling at the mouth. I have to admit, she’s a cutie. Little innocent thang too.”
He knew exactly who Sharon was referring to. He didn’t want to bust her bubble by telling her that Cindy wasn’t that innocent after all. He knew three shifter males by name who had already bedded the chick, including his oldest brother, Garrett.
“Too young.” Dane shook his head. “Stop trying to set me up.”
Sharon had been trying to hook him up for months. Everyone in the pack knew he was mate-less. Of course, this fact didn’t agree with many of his followers given the fact that he was the Alpha and leader of the pack.
An Alpha with no mate. He smiled inwardly. Heck, he’d take the title. After all, he’d been known to stir things up in and out of the shifter community.
“Well, the next time you stop by I’ll have another candidate for you. Are you into cougars these days by any chance?”
He glared at her pointedly. “I’m a wolf. What would I need with a cougar?”
She put a hand on her hip. “I meant an older woman, Magnus.”
“I know what you meant, but I don’t like getting set up.”
“Fine.” She shrugged and dug a pad and pen out of her apron. “I’ve got eight tables to serve so I’ll have to chat with you later. The usual?”
“Yeah. The usual.” Dane’s stomach rumbled once again just thinking about the T-bone steak with a healthy side of potatoes and cheddar-covered broccoli.
As he waited, he pulled a small envelope from the inside of his jacket pocket. He swallowed in apprehension as he peeled back the broken seal and slipped the letter out. The words were already engrained in his short-term memory, but he read the note again.
Mr. Dane Magnus,
You are hereby called to appear before Judge Henry Wright at Tellevue County Court on October fifteenth at noon to
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