Magic and Wolves: Book 1 of West Mountain

Not Too Ridiculous?

Standing in front of Hammers shop Cecilia fidgeted nervously. It was Friday night, and they were going out. Their first official date. She wanted to do this before the full moon before the pack meeting where things will really get crazy.

Cecilia didn't date, she had been on 2 or 3 actual, official dates. She typically just did hangouts and hookups. Therefore, she had turned to Franny for help. Which is how she ended up outside of the Apothecary in a sundress. Franny had found a halter dress with a tight bodice, a wide black belt, and a full knee length skirt. The material was white with black lines like tree branches all over it. She wore a pair of black high heels, and her hair was pulled back into a fancy intricate French Twist. She was more put together than she could ever remember being.

She looked around at the activity downtown, hoping to focus on anything other than her nerves. She almost didn't notice the man across the street, if she had been just glancing around, she would not have seen him. He was partially hidden in the shadows of an alley between two buildings. His tall wiry frame was leaning, his shoulder against the brick of the shop next to him. One hand was in a pocket, the other held a cigarette that he lazily moved to his lips. His hair was black, like squid ink, so dark it seemed to absorb the light. She was too far away to tell the color of his eyes, but they were brooding eyes, dark and intense, even across the street.

It seemed to Cecilia that he had been staring at the Apothecary Shop but as she looked at him, his focus shifted to her. As the stared at each other Cecilia felt a sense of Déjà vu, like she had seen him before.

Before she could figure out why she was feeling the Déjà vu, the door behind her opened. She turned to see Hammer locking up behind her.

He was well dressed, as per usual, well fitted black slacks and a crisp midnight blue button down. He had left a few buttons near the collar undone and had rolled the sleeves to his elbows, making him look slightly more casual.

He froze when he turned around, and his eyes widened as he looked Cecilia up and down.

"Whoa!"

Cecilia could feel herself blush, "Not too ridiculous?"

Hammer shook his head as he walked over to her. Even in heels she was shorter than him. He gently placed a hand on her neck and rested his forehead against hers.

"You look like perfection."

Cecilia blushed harder, "Flatterer. You ready for this?"

Hammer straightened and offered Cecilia his arm, "More than ready."

When they turned toward the street Cecilia noticed that the dark-haired man was gone. She looked up and down the street, but she couldn't see any sign of him.

Probably nothing, just a guy smoking outside, Cecilia told herself but a part of her could not shake that feeling of Déjà vu.

"So where are you taking me this evening Miss Lawson?" Hammer's question pulled her from her thoughts, and she looked up at him smiling.

In the few days since they had laid everything out in the open, she had noticed a subtle change in his demeanor. He seemed lighter, more at ease with himself. Cecilia suspected he was finally letting go of the unnecessary guilt and stress he had been holding onto since leaving his Coven. There was a childlike enthusiasm to him, an innate curiosity about the world around him. Like everything was a wonderful new discovery to be made.

His enthusiasm was infectious, and he spoke with so much passion Cecilia could listen to him for hours.

"Well Mr. Steinson, I thought you'd enjoy a nice dinner and a little tour of our town, introduce you to a few people." They started walking down the street, Cecilia leading him around the Downtown area.