Free Stalking the Pharmacist by Tamsin Baker Page B

her, she’ll be moving here. I
want you to be a part of our lives, and besides…aren’t you at least a tad
curious?”
    Scott huffed and puffed a
minute, then went quiet.
    “Okay, I’ll join you guys for
dinner. But don’t expect anything more than that, Jack. I’m happy as I am.”
    Jack grinned so big his
cheeks ached.
    “I know, bro. See you at O’Meara’s at six thirty.”
    ****
    Scott stood on the nature strip and took a
deep breath in through his mouth. He let it out slowly, his shoulders sagging
from their too high position near his ears. A strange swirl was making his
belly feel sick. He didn’t want to do this, he really didn’t.
    He glanced in through the glass door of the
only nice restaurant in Trenthy and felt as though
something akin to a two-by-four smacked him squarely in the gut.
    There
she is.
    Everything in him relaxed and purred, his lion supremely happy with fate’s choice. His
gaze practically devoured her healthy, glowing skin and the huge smile Ash was
giving his brother who sat across the table from her.
    Could he really do this? Meet Ash as his
brother’s girlfriend, then walk away.
    He shook his head and reached for the door
handle, even though he knew he wouldn’t be able to walk away once he got to
know her.
    Then
run! What are you doing?
    His hand shook as he pulled open the door
and stepped over the threshold, the light of the brightly lit room making him
blink as he took another deep breath to calm the racing of his heart.
    Together, he and Jack had decided that
their fated mate didn’t exist. After his horrendous marriage, he was certain
he’d end up alone. He still may, of course, but he’d been wrong about one
thing. She was most definitely real.
    Each step he took through the restaurant
made his thigh muscles flex and shake a little. He was certain he’d end up
alone, but as he walked closer to Ash, the inevitability of his new future now
felt like a river breaking its banks and flowing over new land. Was he really
going to have a new future?
    This wasn’t what was meant to happen; he’d
wanted to hold on to his pain forever. That might have sounded stupid, but it
was what he knew, and where he was comfortable.
    He stepped up to the table, his skin now slicked
with an uncomfortable sheen of sweat as Ash turned toward him. Her quick intake
of breath and the lust swirling in her eyes made him want to sink to his knees
and thank whatever supreme being had sent her his way.
    “Hi, Scott.”
    Her voice was husky and soothing, yet warm
and welcoming like a spring rain. Swallowing past the lump that rose up his
throat, he rubbed at the aching spot on his chest where his heart was kicking
out at him. He’d never believed in love at first sight, but God, if there was such
a thing, this was it.
    “Sit down.” Jack pulled out a chair next to
him, and Scott fell into it, absurdly having to blink away hot tears as Ash
continued to smile at him like he’d just come home.
    He coughed and cleared his throat, picking
up the menu lying on the table in front of him.
    Cool,
stay cool. You have no idea if she even wants you as her second mate yet.
    “You guys ordered yet?”
    Jack moved from the chair next to him and
slid onto the seat next to Ash, his arm moving around her with familiarity as he
pulled her close.
    Scott held his breath and almost groaned as
Ash settled against his brother, her gaze flicking up to Jack’s face with a
smile before turning back to him.
    Oh
that’s right. They’re dating, and you’re just the third wheel. Fuck!
    “No, we were waiting for you. I’ve never
been here before. Can you recommend anything, Scott?” Ash smiled at him again,
and Scott stared down at the printed words on the white paper. His eyes kept
crossing, which made it impossible to read. He breathed deep through his nose
as he fought with the molten anger flowing through him.
    “Ah…” He made humming noises as he
struggled with his breathing, his throat closing up on him.
    Jack