The Shifter Romances The Writer (Nocturne Falls Book 6) Read online

  “Slack? Mom, he’s lived in my house for almost a month rent-free, utility-free, everything free. How much more slack can I give him?”

  “Just be kind to your brother. He’s had a hard road.”

  Alex couldn’t stop the growl that built up in his throat. “I’m sorry, a hard road? In what way?”

  “Well, he can’t seem to find a woman who appreciates him.”

  The snort of laughter that Alex answered with earned him a long sigh. “Yes, Mom, that’s Diego’s problem. He can’t find a woman. I think he’s found too many women, frankly.” Alex really didn’t want to participate in this conversation. Diego was the baby of the family and always would be where their mother was concerned. He could do no wrong in her eyes. “I love you, Mom, but I need to get ready for –”

  “Speaking of women, I understand you’ve met someone.”

  She’d obviously been saving that one up, testing him with the initial barrage of questions to see if he’d say something, then yanking that out as a last resort when he didn’t. “I suppose Diego told you that.” Probably as his own out when the conversation went in a direction he didn’t like.

  “What’s she like, this new chica?”

  “She’s my neighbor. She’s very nice. And I only told Diego I liked her so he would leave her alone.”

  “That wasn’t very nice. What if she’s the right woman for him?”

  “She’s not.” But she could be the right woman for Alex. If only she were a shifter too. He sighed.

  “What was that sigh? You do like her, don’t you?”

  “Yes, but not like that. Just as a friend.” Because that’s all he could be. “She’s not a shifter, Mom.”

  “So? Witch, vampire, whatever she is. No one gets hung up on labels like that anymore.”

  “Really? Not even the label human?”

  His mother went silent, a rare and curious moment for both of them. After a long break, Carmen finally spoke. “That’s not what your father and I would want for you. A mixed marriage can be very difficult.”

  Alex doubted his father cared half as much as his mother did. “Slow down with the M word. This isn’t even in the same zip code of that ballpark.”

  “Does she know what you are?”

  “No. And it’s going to stay that way.” At least until Delaney decided otherwise.

  “But I thought everyone in your town was some kind of supernatural.”

  “Not everyone. Most. But there are still plenty of regular humans who live here too.”

  More silence, but this time the pause didn’t last as long. “Do you think she’d understand? If you told her the truth?”

  “Not happening.”

  “But if you like her—”

  “I really need to get ready for work.”

  “I just want you to be happy, Alex. You deserve that. You’re a good man, you work hard, you’ve earned the right to be happy and have a family. I want that for you. Unlike Diego, you’ve never given me a reason to worry or lose sleep, but my heart aches for you to find the kind of happiness that your father and I have.”

  “I appreciate that. I’ll talk to you soon.” He hung up, a small knot in his throat. It was nice to hear his mother say those sorts of things. And to hear her admit that she understood more about Diego than she let on.

  Alex knew he deserved to be happy. Everyone deserved that.

  Roxy wasn’t that happiness, though. And that wasn’t a gray area, it was black and white. At least to him. Beyond the fact that she wasn’t interested, beyond the fact that she wasn’t a shifter or any kind of supernatural, she also wasn’t his soul mate.

  He’d thought he’d felt that thing that he’d expected to feel, but the more he mulled it over, the less sure he was. He needed to have that sense of absolutely knowing the person across from him was his one true match. And so far, he didn’t. Maybe if Roxy hadn’t been his neighbor, maybe he would have pursued a fling anyway, had some fun and been okay with that.

  Except flings weren’t his style and she really had become a friend to him. And while the surge of excitement and interest he felt when she was around was fun, infatuation—or whatever he was feeling—wasn’t something to build a future on.

  With an odd sense of disappointment curling through him, he put the last of the groceries away, then went to get dressed.

  He might not have a soul mate, but he had his job. And if no woman needed him, the town of Nocturne Falls did.

  For now, that had to be enough.

  He got to work a few minutes early, so he headed for the sheriff’s office to check in. Birdie was already packing up and getting ready to go home since her day was over.

  “Night, Alex.” She hoisted her big floral purse over one shoulder. She had the biggest, brightest smile on her face that he’d seen in a long time. And that was saying something, because Birdie was generally one of the happiest people he knew.

  “Something going on?”

  She giggled. Giggled. “Oh, yes, but it’s not my place to tell. Everyone will know soon enough, though. No hiding a thing like that.”

  All right, then. “Well, you have a good night, Birdie.” He jerked his thumb toward the sheriff’s door. “He in?”

  “Mm-hmm.”

  Alex knocked. “Sheriff?”

  “Come in,” Hank called out.

  Alex opened the door. “Anything going on?”

  The sheriff broke into a rare smile. “Sure enough. Ivy’s pregnant.”

  “Hey, congratulations! No wonder Birdie was grinning like that. I thought maybe she’d hit happy hour early. You must be thrilled.”

  Hank laughed. “Yeah, we’re pretty excited.” He cleared his throat. “I don’t imagine that’s what you came in here for, though.”

  “Just wanted to check in before my shift started, see if anything was going on.”

  “Nothing much. Quiet day. That’ll change soon enough with the parade coming this weekend.”

  “That’s for sure.” Alex hesitated. “You mind if I ask you something?”

  Hank tipped his head at the chairs across from his desk. “Have a seat.”

  Alex closed the door and took the chair closest.

  Hank leaned forward. “What’s on your mind?”

  Alex took a breath. “How did you know that you and Ivy were meant to be?”

  Hank snorted. “Our marriage was arranged. You know that. We didn’t have much say in the matter.”

  “Yeah, but you’re obviously in love with each other now.”

  “True.” He took a moment. “It happened over time, as we got to know each other.”

  “Would you say she’s your soul mate?”

  Hank nodded. “Sure, I’d say that. We’re bonded. I suppose you cats can do that the same way us wolves can.”

  “Yes. Doesn’t happen to all of us, though.”

  “Doesn’t happen to all of us either.” Hank’s gaze narrowed. “What’s all this about?”

  Alex sighed. “What would you have done if Ivy hadn’t been a wolf shifter? Would you have been able to stay away from her after you fell for her?”

  Hank frowned. “That didn’t happen, so what’s the point of speculating?”

  “I just want to know if it would have been a deal breaker.”

  Hank seemed to mull that over briefly. “No. Once I fell for her, that was that. She could have been anything—human, bird, mountain lion—and I would have chased her to the ends of the earth. That’s what love is.”

  “I guess.”

  Hank’s face screwed up in disbelief. “You’ve been in love, haven’t you?”

  Alex sat back. “I don’t know.”

  Hank snorted. “Then you haven’t been. Because when you are, you’ll know it. She’ll be all you think about and all you want to think about. You’ll be happy when she’s around and miserable when she’s not.” He tapped a finger on the desk. “Love is not a feeling you can ignore.”

  “Good to know.”

  Hank tilted his head. �
�This about someone in particular?”

  Alex shook his head. “Not really. Maybe. I don’t know.”

  Hank laughed softly. “Sounds like you’re off to a good start.”

  “Thanks for your time, boss.” Alex stood, the feeling that everyone around him knew more than he did still clinging to him. Maybe he was overthinking this way too much.

  It was time to focus on his job and his upcoming exam and put Roxy, and his feelings for her, out of his head.

  Pages done, house buttoned up for the night and light beer in hand, Roxy headed to the couch for some downtime and to catch up on The Bachelorette, a guilty pleasure she liked to consider research. (Much like its sister show, The Bachelor.)

  She was just about to plop down and get comfy when she saw her purse on the kitchen counter, which reminded her about the check she’d meant to send to her narrator for the last audiobook.

  With a sigh, she set the beer on the coffee table, ran back to her computer to get the amount, then dashed off the check, popped it in an envelope and stuck a stamp on it.

  She was about to put it on the counter next to her purse, when she realized the smart thing to do was put it in the mailbox now. Monday mornings were hectic, and she didn’t want to forget until the mailman came by and she ended up running down the street after him.

  Flip-flops on, she walked the envelope down to the mailbox. The night was balmy and beautiful. The faint perfume of some night-blooming flower drifted past, along with the gentle hum of insects. She paused to take it all in and enjoy that this was where she lived now. Her own little piece of paradise.

  Her gaze shifted to Alex’s house. A few exterior lights brightened the outside, but she knew no one was home. His offer to use the hot tub echoed in her head, and as enticing as that was, she was too worn-out to take him up on it.

  She smiled, thinking about him. If this were a book she was writing, the heroine would definitely use the hot tub. She’d also forgo a bathing suit, since no one was home.

  Of course, then Roxy would give the hero a reason to come home unexpectedly, putting her characters in an interesting situation that would lead to their romance leveling up a notch.

  But this was real life. And as much as she liked Alex, friendship was as far as she was willing to go. Her heart just wasn’t ready for more. Not yet.

  She stuck the envelope into the mailbox, yanked the red flag all the way up and walked back up the driveway.

  She took her spot on the couch and started to turn on The Bachelorette, but the thought of watching all those men vie for the attention of one woman no longer held any appeal, research or not.

  For the first time since she’d left Thomas, a sense of loneliness came over her. It was such an odd feeling that she allowed herself to wallow in it a bit. Sure, she was alone, but was she really lonely? She didn’t think so, but then, she’d never felt this way before, hollow and achy for something she couldn’t express.

  She’d been homesick when she’d been in college, but that had been definable. This was so nebulous and deep that, for a brief moment, she wondered if she was slipping into depression. It happened to writers, creative types more specifically, all the time.

  And it had happened to her mother. Among other things.

  But this could also be a side effect of her divorce. What was a little depression on top of the hallucinations she’d already had?

  With that thought in mind, she turned off the TV, picked up her beer, dumped it in the sink and went to bed.

  She couldn’t afford this feeling. Not with her book already behind schedule. She was going to get a good night’s sleep, then first thing tomorrow, she was getting outside for a long walk and some fresh air.

  Right after she called her attorney and told him to get Thomas’s signature on the papers immediately.

  Because it was high time for Thomas’s influence on her life to come to an absolute end.

  Alex pulled onto his street after a long but thankfully uneventful shift. All he wanted now was a hot shower and his bed. Thankfully, he had room-darkening blinds to shut out the morning sun.

  Then he saw Roxy walking down her driveway in spandex capris and a tank top and his mind turned to other things. He pulled into his own, parked and got out.

  “Morning,” she called. “Just getting home?”

  “Yep. You look like you’re off for a walk.”

  “I am.” Her smile was wistful and not full of the usual joy it normally contained. “I need some fresh air.”

  “You okay?”

  She shrugged and glanced away for a second. “Yeah. My ex is really dragging his feet on signing the papers. I left a stern message for my attorney this morning, but I’m not sure how much good that’s going to do and…” She shook her head.

  “What?”

  “I don’t know. I’m just in a funk, I guess.”

  He put his hand on his belt. “You want some company on your walk? Just take me a minute to change.”

  The light finally showed up in her eyes. “You just got off work. You really want to go for a walk with me?”

  He nodded. “I’m always a little keyed up after a shift. It’ll help me unwind. If you don’t mind me butting in.”

  She smiled. A real smile. “You’re not butting in.” She leaned against the mailbox post. “I’ll be right here.”

  He grinned and headed for the house. “Back in a sec.”

  He jogged inside, not caring if the door closed too hard and woke Diego. Alex actually hadn’t been keyed up before, but now he was.

  He shucked his uniform and changed into gym shorts and a sheriff’s department T-shirt, then went in to brush his teeth. Just because. He caught a glimpse of himself in the bathroom mirror and was surprised by how happy he looked.

  He should look tired. But he didn’t even feel that way anymore.

  Because Roxy did that to him.

  He stared at his reflection without seeing it, his mind too focused on the thoughts unfolding there. Thoughts he shouldn’t even be having.

  Was Roxy the one? Was that what these feelings meant? Hank had said that Alex would know when he knew, but that was easier said than realized.

  He leaned on the sink. There was no way this was love. It was much too early for that, and they were still getting to know each other.

  But this was something. That was for sure. He stuck his toothbrush back in the holder, rinsed his mouth, then went back outside to join the woman he couldn’t stop thinking about.

  Roxy was staring at her mailbox like it was about to do something interesting.

  “What’s up?”

  She glanced at him, then shook her head. “I put a letter in here last night so I wouldn’t forget today.”

  “And?”

  Her mouth scrunched up on one side like she was thinking. “Well, for one thing, I’m sure I closed the mailbox all the way and I just saw that it’s barely shut. I’m mailing a check. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to it.”

  The door was closed, but only just. “You think someone tampered with it?”

  “I don’t know. The flag isn’t all the way up either, and I made sure it was.”

  “Did you check that your mail is still in there?”

  “Didn’t have a chance yet. It’s okay to touch it right?”

  He hitched one shoulder up. “It’s not like we’re going to dust for prints.”

  “Yeah. Okay.” She pulled the door open, looked in, then shut it again. Firmly. “Yep, my envelope is in there.”

  “It’s probably nothing.”

  She gave a little half nod, then tilted her head to look up at him. “Ready to walk?”

  “Let’s go.”

  For the first minute or so, they didn’t speak, just found a rhythm. Alex shortened his steps a little so that Roxy could keep up, and after a bit, they fell into a good pace.

  When he glanced over at her, she seemed to be miles away. “You don’t look like you’re here.”

  She turned. “What?”
r />   He laughed. “I said you don’t look like you’re here. I doubt the mailbox is bothering you that much so it’s got to be something else. The divorce?”

  She kept her gaze straight ahead. “That’s part of it.”

  “What’s the rest?”

  She stayed quiet and he let it be, figuring she didn’t want to talk. But then she answered him. “It’s a lot of things, I guess. The divorce, being behind on my book, working on my new life…feeling a little lonely.”

  “Lonely?” He wanted to put his arm around her, but that was probably crossing the line of friendly neighbor.

  She nodded. “Yeah, it’s weird. I’ve never felt this way before, but it really hit me last night. I just kind of fell into this dark place. My mom had some issues with stuff like that when I was a kid, so maybe I’m just extra sensitive to it.”

  Now he really wanted to hug her. “Are you feeling better this morning?”

  She made a noncommittal noise. “I guess.”

  “Very convincing.”

  She smirked. “Getting out for this walk was part of my ‘snap out of it’ plan.”

  “Is it working?”

  She smiled up at him. “Maybe.”

  He changed the subject in an attempt to draw her out a little more. “Do you believe in soul mates? You must, right? You write about them after all.”

  “I do write about them, but honestly, I think they’re mostly fictional.” She shrugged. “That might also be my divorce talking.”

  “You sure this walk is helping?”

  “Yep.”

  But something lingered in her gaze, something he’d come to recognize in his years on the force. She wasn’t being completely honest with him. Something was still bothering her. He held the eye contact for a moment. “If you ever want to talk, I’m a good listener. It’s part of my job, you know.”

  She shifted to look down the sidewalk ahead of them. “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.”

  “We should go out.”

  “What?” There was an edge of panic in her voice.

  He put his hands up. “Just as friends. I could introduce you to some people, you know, help you feel less lonely maybe.”

  “That’s really sweet of you. The thing is…I don’t really like people that much.” She laughed. “That sounds way worse than I mean it. I love my readers. I love the emails they send me and the notes they send via social media, but I’m not great in big groups.”