Page 5 of Darrin: The Wolves
Wolf shifter. Bartender. Looking for something real.
Her thumb hovered.
“Oh,” Lena said, looking at the screen. “I’ve loved bartenders ever since I saw that one movie. Are you going to swipe?”
Audrey blew out a breath. Then swiped.
To her surprise, they matched.
Hi Audrey. I’m Darrin. I was wondering if you’re free for a date tonight?His message appeared almost immediately in the app.
“That was fast,” Audrey said.
“Yeah, it was. Are you going to answer?”
“Yes. He’s…”
“Hot?”
“I was going to say handsome.”
“You’re twenty-four, not one hundred and four. Hot is hot and Darrin is hot. Go for it.”
Feeling bold, she responded:Hi! Yes, I’d love to. Do you have a place in mind?
Have you heard of The Amber Howl?
Sure, it’s right across the river from where I live. Does six work? I can meet you there.
That’s perfect.
See you then!
Everyone in Mill Creek knew the tavern in the shifter town across the river, even if they’d never been there. And Audrey hadn’t.
She put the phone down and noticed Lena smirking.
“It’s just a date,” Audrey said.
“Your happily ever after has to start somewhere, and it might as well be at The Amber Howl with a sexy bartender.”
Audrey felt something loosen in her chest.
She could admit that this seemed different, but that could just be the hopeful part of herself that wanted to believe she might find love on a dating app.
The rest of the day dragged.
Audrey returned to her desk after lunch, answered the phone, buzzed parents into the front office, and tried hard not to look at the clock every few minutes or worry too much about the date.
At three, the buses pulled away and the office shut down, and she closed up her desk and walked out into the warm afternoon with Lena.
“I think I’ll wear jeans.”
“Not a dress?”
“I don’t know. What if a dress is trying too hard? It’s a tavern. Have you been there?”
“No. But a cute dress and a light jacket would be nice. But if you’re comfortable in jeans, then wear that.”
