Page 28 of My Big Fat Shifter Wedding

She let out a nervous giggle, then sighed. Something had shifted between us, but it didn’t feel bad. Just different.

“I suppose that’s something I’m a little new to asking myself. I’ve... I’ve made some big changes lately that are forcing me out of my comfort zone, and that’s scary too, but I’m beginning to find that there are all sorts of wonderful and amazing things outside of said comfort zone.”

If I wasn’t so captivated by the woman in front of me, I might have looked around for cameras, because surely I was having a Truman Show moment. However, since my eyes were locked with hers, I said the only thing that I could think of. Which was the truth.

“That’s pretty brave. I’m going through a bit of a transitional period myself. Sometimes it feels like I was on cruise control my entire life and now I’m trying to take the wheel and be more proactive.”

“Really? Huh, what are the chances?”

What were the chances indeed? Two total strangers on similar journeys just happening to meet in my casual hobby workshop. “I’m not sure. Maybe there are more people like us than we think.”

Or maybe...

“Yeah, haha. Things are certainly tumultuous in the world right now.”

… maybe there was something about our meeting that was meant to be.

I wasn’t really into the concept of “fate,” and I knew I was taking a risk that could make the rest of the course very awkward, but something about the moment told me I had to trust my gut and take a leap of faith because this had the potential to be incredible.

“They sure are,” I agreed, giving myself one more beat to think. Although, thinking was the last thing I needed to do, because if I got too far into my head, I would chicken out entirely. “Hey, no pressure or anything, but would you like to go out and grab dinner sometime?”

I’d done it.

Those gorgeous eyes of hers widened once again, and her rounded face flushed an even deeper pink than it was before. No matter her answer, I could be proud that I’d gone out on a limb and been assertive.

“I’d love to!”

“You would? I mean, great! Here, let’s exchange numbers, so we can work out the details later. I’ve got to finish cleaning up here, and I’m sure you’ve got your own thing to do.”

And so, we did just that, leaving me with a whole lot more to look forward to than I’d had in a long, long while.

8

OLIVIA

FIRST DATES, SECOND MEALS

I was going on a date with a human.

I was going on a date with a human!

I was going on a date!!!! WITH. A. HUMAN!

“Okay, and what’s the number to the restaurant again?” Rolando asked as I tried for the third time to put my earring in. Going on the first date I’d had since college had put a tremble into my hands, which was making it difficult to do tasks that required fine motor skills. Thankfully, my makeup had turned out okay, but the closer it came to the time I was supposed to leave, the worse it got.

“I texted it to you, love,” I murmured, setting the earring down and taking a calming breath. I usually only had to do that when I was anxious. It was an entirely new experience to do it when I was anxious and excited.

“I know, I know, I just want to double check that everything is right.”

Strangely, my baby brother’s nerves about the situation eased my own, and I let out a soft laugh. He was the only one I’d told, because after years of my mother, aunts, sisters, and various cousins always trying to set me up with some nice, young, Italian wolf, I knew better than to invite them into my personal affairs.

Besides, I didn’t need them knowing that my first date in years was with a human man.

A possibly Scandinavian human man.

I didn’t know what would offend them more, him not being a wolf or not being Italian, so I chose not to find out. Maybe that was me being secretive, but I preferred to think of it as proactively avoiding drama.

Yeah, that was it.