Free The Patient Wolf (Wicked Urban Fantasy #1) by Karen Hodges Miller

sister or next door neighbor. Of course, that never stopped Monica from gossiping. And somehow, even though she’d only lived in Rivelou for five years, she not only knew everyone’s cousins, sisters, and neighbors, but also the best gossip about them all.
    It seemed unfair that Monica heard all the gossip when, as a life-long resident of Rivelou, Ana had cousins, aunts, uncles, two brothers, a sister, parents and grandparents, not to mention dozens of assorted friends and acquaintances running all the way back to kindergarten. Why did Monica hear every interesting piece of news before Ana?
    Well, news flash! Ana planned to surprise Monica on Monday. Ana Dugan had two dates in one weekend. Who would ever have believed it?
    Her thoughts had run full circle when the doorbell rang and she headed to the front door to let Chris in. He cleaned up well. He’d traded the rumpled khakis for a pair of grey dress slacks and the plaid flannel for a blue Oxford shirt. It was a contrast to the designer jeans and fitted turtleneck Alexander had worn so elegantly that afternoon, and Ana grinned at Chris’s obvious discomfort at dressing up even this much. She thought he looked like a puppy dog who’d just had a collar put on him for the first time. She could almost see him squirming. Or maybe it wasn’t his discomfort with the clothing, but the whole dating thing. He held out a cheerful bouquet of brightly colored chrysanthemums and sunflowers.
    “They’re beautiful. We have the same taste,” Ana laughed, leading him into the kitchen, where sitting on the table was the bouquet of the exact same flowers Alexander had bought for her that afternoon at the farmer’s market. No need, she quickly decided, to mention she hadn’t chosen them herself. And thank goodness she hadn’t run into Chris at the market, also, since it was obvious he had been there. Running into her family had been bad enough.
    Chris’s face fell when he saw the other bouquet. “Oh, you already have some.”
    “Not a problem. I love flowers—the more the better. Now that I have enough for two vases, they’ll look great on the mantel in the living room.”
    Ana quickly pulled out another glass vase, added water, and arranged the flowers. “There, you carry this one and I’ll take the other,” she said, leading him back to the living room. “They look gorgeous together. You can never have enough flowers. Thank you so much.”
    “Glad you like them. Um…are you ready for dinner?” From Chris’ stumbling manner it was clear he was no more used to going on dates than she was, Ana thought. It made her feel more sure of herself.
    “I thought we’d go to Flannery’s,” Chris continued. “My sister says the food is good and the atmosphere is casual, but quiet. I haven’t been here in town long enough to really try out many of the restaurants myself.”
    “I’ve been to Flannery’s. It’s quite nice and they are known for their excellent steaks,” she said as they headed to Chris’ car.
    Flannery’s was a family-owned restaurant that had been in Rivelou for decades. Located downtown on the river, it had a quiet atmosphere and simple, excellent food. The walls were paneled, the booths were deep, comfortable, and private. The ambiance was that of an old boys’ club, and it had a reputation as the place where business deals, and private trysts, occurred.
    Night was falling as they got to the restaurant, and with the help of a few outdoor heaters, it was warm enough for them to sit on the outdoor patio. They watched the lights of barges heading down the river. The riverboat gambling casino, lighted from smokestack to paddlewheel, was just heading out for the evening cruise. Several couples and families strolled along the riverfront sidewalk.
    “There won’t be many more nights this beautiful and warm,” Ana said.
    “Or with so large and beautiful a moon. Not quite full anymore. A waning moon.”
    “You are interested in the moon? I’ve always had