Moon Struck: When Were & Howl Book 1 Page 6
Chapter 6
Rob wanted to take me with him to scout out a few of the properties he had found. He usually goes alone, but I figured he wanted to apologize for last week and lunch with an outing definitely qualified as a satisfactory apology. We had a small office, but when I was out, Rob called in Shelly, a retired real estate agent who helped him get started years ago. She didn’t mind filling in a few times a month.
Spokane itself was a bit crowded for what Francis needed, but some of the outlying properties would work perfectly. The first few stops were too small and immediately crossed off the list. Our third stop was a three bedroom one-story a few miles outside of Cheney.
The style was a seventies family home with a master and guest bathroom, newly updated. While we did the walk-through, I said, “This is a nice one.”
Rob looked out the window to view the pine trees scattered on the property. “Too close to the freeway.”
“You can’t even tell.” Well, I couldn’t, anyway.
“He’s a vampire. They’re a sensitive sort.” That figured. The great thing about picky buyers is that they know exactly what they want because they’ve researched, which also means that if you can find exactly what they want, you’ll make a sale. Finding the perfect place was the hard part.
I marked my page with an arrow down and wrote the word freeway next to it. “Okay, what’s next?”
Rob grinned and his whole face lit up when he looked at me. I found my stomach do a flip flop. I sighed. This was Andrea’s fault. She was the one who told me I was in love, otherwise, I wouldn’t have noticed how good he looked this morning. Well, I would have noticed, but only in my heart, not my head. “About fifteen minutes away we’ve got a really good prospect.”
I used to be really comfortable talking to Rob. We would talk about music and books, the latest in politics or art. He was intelligent and fun. And now that I suddenly felt butterflies when he was next to me, I couldn’t string two words together, even after the talk we had about feeling comfortable around each other. Awkward.
A long stretch of highway and all I could think of was how much I wanted to be back at the office hiding behind my computer. Rob noticed. How could he not? “What’s going on?
I sighed. Some conversations are just not appropriate for the workplace. Of course, Rob hasn’t exactly followed workplace etiquette but that’s not my problem. Well, it is…
I answered in the only way I could. “Nothing.”
“Oh.” Rob seemed upset, and I felt sorry for him, but what else am I supposed to say? He took a deep breath, looked like he was about to say something, shook his head and then put his foot on the gas. We were up to ten miles over the speed limit and Rob’s limit is usually five over.
“You’re going a bit fast.”
I was trying to be helpful but he took it badly and growled under his breath.
Rob took a deep breath and then said, “Look, do you want to go with me on the next full moon?”
My heart leapt in my chest and I had to force myself to stop and think. Just because I like a fellow does not mean that I should date him and look what happened to those other girls in the office. What the heck was going on here?
Rob asked me out on a full moon. The idea shocked me. I almost said yes—wanted to say yes. My Grandma’s favorite phrase passed down from her grandma came to mind…fiddlesticks.
“Can’t we go out on a day that isn’t a full moon?” I felt a small constriction as my throat tightened. I wanted to cry, mostly because I knew things that Rob didn’t. I knew that I belonged to the rodent, not the lupine family. And I also knew what werewolves thought of other weres, the un-wolfy kind.
“How will we know if we’re meant for each other?” Rob asked.
“The same way anybody knows.” I stared out the window at the trees flashing by.
Rob’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. I wondered if he was angry with me. He turned his head for a moment, and the anguish I saw in his eyes shocked me. Rob was in love…with me. He swallowed and turned back to the road. “I thought. Never mind.”
We missed our turn, but I was in no way going to tell Rob that now. I softened my voice, wondering if I had hurt him somehow with my brusque attitude. “Please tell me.”
“I just thought I saw something a few days ago.” Vague, but I knew what he meant and it scared me.
“And you think a tumble on the desks will tell you if it was real?” I tried to be cool, but my whole body ached with loneliness. I’d never been with another were. I’d kissed a few humans before, but that’s as far as it went. I wouldn’t even know what to do on a moon night. I hardly know what to do at any other time. I ached to be held.
Rob didn’t answer. He just stared at the road. I tried to relax, to lean back in my seat and pretend that it didn't matter. Well, at least I could get us going in the right direction. “We missed the turn a few miles back.”
Rob nodded and pulled off the road along a muddy turn-off next to a field. He drove the whole way to the house in silence. I wanted to make it better, to say something to take back my sarcasm, but I knew that the end result would be the unveiling of my limitations and I’ve had enough rejection.
I needed help. Ali was definitely not the person to go to with a problem like this, but maybe my sister Andrea could help. I hoped so, because otherwise, I'd be spilling some top secret information for nothing.