Chapter 190

Sarah POV

It was lovely to see Melissa again, even though I envied her with the passion of a thousand suns and all that. She looked incredibly smart and chic in a wool pencil skirt and trim leather jacket of the exact same burgundy color that looked like Oscar de La Renta. I was glad I’d worn Gucci just to keep up.

She smiled at me brilliantly, and I just went for it and hugged her as she got to the table.

“I’ve been wanting to try this place,” she said as she sat down and looked around at the cozy tables and airy décor.

“Read the menu disclaimer,” I said with a grin.

She took up the menu and looked at the bottom. She read aloud, “Please note that our menu changes often and features only dishes that promote the consumption of local cuisines. We cannot accommodate the following allergies or intolerances: fin fish, soy, tree nuts, gluten, shellfish, alliums, daily, and honey. We CANNOT prevent fumes coming from the kitchen to arrive at your table. We CANNOT accommodate a vegan diet. We DO NOT PERMIT moon rituals on the premises before meal consumption regardless of temple certification.”

We laughed together. “How many demands do you suppose they’ve gotten from customers to have that printed up?” I asked.

“The poor servers,” Melissa said while shaking her head, which seemed to draw one of those servers over to us. He was tall, human, and looked vaguely like a failed model. His teeth were solid white.

“Hell, my name is Zander, and I’ll be helping you enjoy your meal today. May I get you something to drink besides water to begin?”

“Vodka martini, human-proof, two olives,” I said.

“Same, but wolf-proof.” Then she grinned at the server and growled just a little.

He laughed, which made me wonder how many times he had to hear that joke in a day. He nodded and walked away.

“Sorry,” she told me in a low voice. “I always make an obvious joke before I order. If they laugh, I know they’re willing to work hard for a tip.”

“How Machiavellian.”

She shrugged. “I tip well regardless. I just want to know what I’m getting.” She looked at me a little oddly.

“Thank you so much for allowing me to use the grounds for my moon greeting the other night.”

“Oh, my goddess!” I was instantly contrite. “With everything that’s been going on, I forgot to check with Zane. Oh, dear.”

“It’s all right. Actually, he said it was OK.”

“He did?”

“Yes, when he found me making my greeting.”

“Oh.” I tried to remember just what night the moon had been reappearing. Was it the night he’d left in a strange mood once the girls had gone to sleep?

“Yes.”

Zander returned then with our drinks. We raised them at each other in a human custom Melissa and I both enjoyed and then took a sip, perfectly cold and smooth. Then she put her glass down, and I started to feel dread in my stomach.

“Sarah, I think you can understand why I felt I needed to offer myself to him.”

“Yes!” I said too loudly. I put my hands together in my lap and wished I’d had more of my drink before she shared that with me. “You’re an alpha, and perfect for—”

“He said no.”

“What?” My ears were ringing; maybe I’d misheard.

“He said he was honored but that he couldn’t.”

“Why not?”

She sent me a look. “You know why not.”

Zander came back to our table. “Have we made our selections?”

I stared at him then looked back down at the menu.

“We need a few more minutes, please, Zander,” Melissa said.

“Of course.” He smiled and moved away.

The menu, I thought, was a great idea. I picked it up and read, Caviar Service with Heirloom Milled Cornbread Hot Cakes and Accoutrements.

“Sarah, please don’t hide behind the menu.”

I put it down. “We can’t talk about this.”

“Zane and I did.”

“You did?” I told myself to keep my voice down. “You talked with Zane about me?”

“He said being with you presented challenges, and I said you were worth it.”

I just sat there for what felt like an hour or two.

“Zane and I cannot be, well, anything more than what we are.”

She shrugged. “Things cannot be until, sometimes suddenly, they are.”

“I’m human, and he’s the Pack Alpha.”

I was getting a little tired of the looks she was sending me. “I do know that.”

I wanted to say something cutting, but then I just deflated. Then I grabbed my martini and tossed it back.

“Oooh, good idea!” Melissa said and then did the same. Zander was there in a flash asking if we wanted another round.

“Goddess, yes,” I breathed.

Three hours and several drinks later, I made my careful way into the villa, having been driven there expertly by Ollie while Danielle said not a word. I knew Zane and the girls were all out, so I quietly made my way to my room, kicked off my shoes, thought about taking off my jacket, and then lay down on my bed and closed my eyes.

“Mommy? Mommy, are you OK?”

“I’m fine, Chloe,” I muttered.

A little voice giggled, and I opened my eyes enough to see it was Grace standing by my bed. I made my eyes stay open through sheer force of will, and managed to ask, “You girls are back from school?”

“Yes. Are you feeling OK?”

“I’m fine, sweetie. I just took a nap.”

She frowned. “Adults don’t take naps.”

“Who told you such nonsense?” I demanded with a mock-frown back. I sat up, and my head cleared considerably. “We take naps sometimes, I promise.”

She looked awkward standing there.

“Are you OK, Grace?”

She took a little step forward and whispered, “Is Ella coming to dinner tonight?”

“Not that I know of.”

She looked relieved. “OK.”

Damn it. I had seen this conversation coming, and I still wasn’t prepared, not the way I wanted to be. Goddess knew what garbage Ella had been telling Grace or what crap she had been making this vulnerable little girl feel.

I leaned forward too and kissed her forehead. “Do you want to talk about Ella?” I asked.

Grace shook her head.

“Can we maybe talk about her later, me and your father?”

She nodded hesitantly, then almost shouted that she had a music lesson and basically ran from the room.

I let my head fall back and looked up at the clean white ceiling.

“Damn her,” I announced. “Just damn her.”