The Shifter's Gift Page 18

  "Uh, Monday morning, I guess. Hmm... I could pop in and pick up an extra strong espresso on the way home after the meeting before I start work." The idea of getting espresso sounded good, but so did plopping back onto her bed, even if the first choice would be more productive than the latter. And she needed productive right now.

  "Monday morning, it is," Isabella said, and then lowered her voice a little. "Maybe you could get the espresso on your way here. Pick me up one too? I'm kidding. Maybe." She cleared her throat and continued talking in a normal tone of voice. "Okay, so... when you come in on Monday, I'll ask you about your current situation, your preferences in men, and then I'll get you signed up in our computer system. You'll meet with Ms. Prince, who will sit you down for some more in-depth questions. If we're lucky, after a few days, you'll be contacted via telephone or email on your perfect match. Do you have any questions so far?"

  Sophie's thoughts began to drift a little over halfway through Isabella's explanation of the process. She blinked a few times and shook her head. "It all seems pretty straightforward. What kind of questions about preferences are we talking about here? Nothing too... outlandish, right?" She hoped she wasn't getting into anything too kinky or exotic here.

  "No, no. Of course not. Preferences on height or body type, hair color, that sort of thing."

  "That makes sense. Just wanted to make sure." Her cell phone vibrated, and she glanced down to see one of her clients calling. She wanted to smack her forehead against the desk. It was way too early for her to be dealing with clients. "I'm sorry to cut the conversation short. I'm getting a call from a client on the other line. I'll call you after work, okay? Thanks for running me through all of this, hon."

  "No problem, Sophie. Bye," Isabella replied.

  Sophie switched over to the other line. "Hello, this is Sophie Jensen. How may I help you?" Her voice was professional and cheery, just as it was when she usually answered the phone. She glanced down at her coffee cup. Fake it until you make it. At least that was what she’d keep telling herself about her current state of awareness.

  * * *

  While Will did not end up chatting with his brothers on the phone the other day, he had the chance to talk with them this morning during his family’s weekly Saturday breakfast. Apparently his mother helped see to that. He knew she was serious about making sure they talked, but he didn’t realize she would actually nudge them in front of their mates to all get together sometime. If it hadn’t seemed like her idea, he probably would have been mortified.

  At first, Noah got a little moody at the idea of more family time, but he warmed up to the idea when Mason agreed to come. Of course Noah would like spending time with Mason. The kid thought of him as the perfect role model, even if he wasn’t sold on the idea of taking a mate.

  Will browsed his email inbox as the rest of the pack's members arrived for their prowl through the forest. His bear craved the chance to hike through the trees surrounding his family's land, but Will did not really feel like it. Despite the productive conversation with his parents, he was still bummed about not having found his mate yet.

  His father chatted with other bears from the pack near the tree line and waved over at him. Will waved back with a smile, even if he wasn't quite thrilled right now. He should be happier and ready to shift, but it was hard for him to connect with his bear when they seemed to be at odds. Or maybe he was imagining that, since he didn't feel entirely connected with himself right now.

  Noah walked past Will before stopping and letting out a sigh. He took a few steps back and turned to look in Will’s direction. "What are you doing on your phone?"

  "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm busy checking work email." He glanced up at Noah. That was true, but he wasn't looking at anything important.

  "And what's so important that you're checking it on Saturday evening rather than spending time with your family and pack? Hmm?" He tilted his head to the side, looking a little too cocky for Will's liking. If they were younger, he'd have smacked his brother upside the head for his attitude. But they were all adults now, whether or not Noah chose to act like it. Not to mention that Noah was going for his black belt in karate in a few weeks, so Will wouldn't try anything physical. For safety’s sake.

  "There were a few things that needed my attention. Back off, Noah. Why do you care?" He kept his voice low and a pleasant look on his face just in case anyone around tried to figure out what they were talking about.

  Noah, even if he wasn't the best at keeping his cool, sat beside Will on the porch calmly. His face settled into a neutral expression as he waved to their father. "You're brooding, and it's not like you. I know we've never been that close, but I still care. You're are my older brother. You are always the guy who is encouraging everyone else, with tough love or kindness. I know you haven't been happy lately, but you've got to stop worrying about what may or may not happen. Pick yourself up by the bootstraps." He clapped his hand on Will's shoulder. "Don't give love a time limit.”

  Will nearly dropped his phone when Noah opened up to him. He could hardly believe that his punky younger brother was saying this to him. Will was shocked that he really cared and saw what he was about. Will really did try to encourage others around him. It was important to him that others didn’t give up on their dreams or waver in the face of adversity, like he was now. The last person he expected to be getting a pep talk from was Noah, much less one about love. “Wow, Noah. I don’t know what to say.”

  “Actions speak louder than words. Get off your butt and let’s go. You’re not going to make me break out some love poetry, are you? I’m not that kind of guy.” Noah gave him a look that could’ve been grumpy, if he hadn’t heard the slightest tinge of humor in his tone.

  “Geez… Fine. I’m coming,” he said, and cleared his throat to keep from laughing. “Let me go put my things away. I’ll be right there.” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his mother smiling at the two of them giving them a small wave as she spoke with one of the other female werebears.

  Will waved back to her before turning and heading for his room. He set his cell phone on his nightstand and changed out of his clothes, getting into a more comfortable pair of sweatpants. None of the pack members would steal his belongings, but some of the bears in his pack weren’t the most graceful. There had been a few broken phones simply because they’d been laid on tables outside, bumped into and stepped on. He didn’t want to risk it.

  Regardless, he felt even better than before. Between the chat with his parents, knowing all of his brothers would be hanging out soon, and now this chat with Noah, it felt like the pieces were clicking into place to help him feel whole again.

  Chapter Five

  Looking into the mirror this morning, Sophie noticed that the puffiness and dark circles under her eyes had improved significantly. Yesterday, she’d forced herself to stop working at a normal time to relax. She put on a face mask and soaked in the bathtub for a while, and went to bed early. From the moment she woke up, her nerves were back on high alert.

  Something about going to the dating agency today just felt...right. The vibe of the place was great, and the receptionist was cheerful and young. The other employees she'd seen who had brought different clients back were also very friendly. Everyone seemed like they were glad to be here.

  She took one of the coffee cups for the Keurig machine and contemplated what type of coffee she should have. It was hard to focus on coffee flavors when she looked around at the different people in their fancy dresses and well-tailored suits. It almost made her wonder if she shouldn't be here. Was she out of her league?

  She finally picked a medium roast and started up the machine. She picked up her coffee when it was ready, and headed over to an empty seat. The women had all seemed to be taken away, leaving her with a few rich-looking men reading from their cell phones.

  Again, for just a moment, she wondered if she was crazy for coming here. What did she have in common with guys like this? Nothing really. She wasn't l
ooking for some billionaire to sweep her off her feet to their beautiful beachfront mansion. Not that she had anything against a lovely alternative reality like that…

  Worst case scenario, if this entire meeting went badly, she was at least spending time with Isabella. That wasn't a bad thing. Time seemed to tick by slowly. Part of her thought about pulling out her cell phone and browsing through Instagram, but she figured the wait would be over as soon as she got comfortable. Just as she reached into her purse for her phone, she heard a familiar voice call her name.

  "Ms. Jensen?" Isabella called with a smile on her face. "Please come with me."

  Sophie stood up, tossing the empty coffee cup into the trash on her way over, and smiled back at Isabella. "Thank you." She figured it was better to keep up the facade of professionalism in case the others didn't know the two of them were friends. She wouldn't want Isabella to get into trouble if there was some sort of company policy against setting your friends up. They walked back toward the offices and passed several women who smiled at them. When they made it to Isabella's office, she was surprised by how nice it was.

  “Wow, this is really nice, Isabella,” she said once Isabella closed the door behind them. “Look at this!”

  “I know right. I love it.” Isabella waved toward the chair in front of her desk. “Let’s go ahead and get started” She seated herself behind her desk and clicked around a few times at her computer as Sophie settled in. “So, what are you looking for in a man?”

  * * *

  Other finely dressed men and women sat in the Prince Dating Agencies waiting room with Will. He called this morning to let them know he wished to speak with Ms. Prince. Surprisingly, she had time available for him. Maybe it was his lucky day, or maybe it was because his family had a loyalty membership he didn't know about. Could it be some sort of a buy two get one for free deal?

  He chuckled to himself as he swiped through his email. There were a few things of note, but nothing that couldn't wait until he got to the office. Mostly, he was just looking for a way to dull the boredom of waiting. The minutes ticked by, and he checked the time again. Ms. Prince brought another client back and nodded to Will pleasantly. He knew she was busy; he didn't exactly expect her to drop everything to meet with him.

  Will replied to a few messages, deciding it was better than putting them off until later. At this point, he wasn't exactly sure when he'd be getting into the office. When Ms. Prince said she had time to talk, he'd anticipated his wait would be shorter.

  All of the sudden, his nostrils flared, and he heard one of the sweetest laughs he'd ever heard. Standing in the hallway that lead to the agency’s offices was a young woman with dark brown hair in a black skirt and a white blouse. She chatted off to the side with one of the women he'd seen here before. It seemed like the pair were friends. His bear's insistence to meet her drove him to his feet.

  Will stood up, unable to control his own body for a moment. He tore his gaze away from the two of them, but not a moment before his eyes connected with the woman's lovely green eyes. She stopped talking for a moment before turning back to her friend and resuming their conversation.

  If he sat right back down, that might look odd, so he took a step toward the Keurig machine just as Ms. Prince appeared.

  "Mr. Sinclair? If you would come with me, please," Ms. Prince called, her tone prim and pleasant.

  Will redirected his movements toward Ms. Prince. As he walked closer to the two ladies, he shoved his hands into his pockets, his anxiety rising. He took a deep breath to savor the green-eyed woman's scent.

  "Thank you for your time, Ms. Prince. I'm very excited to be working with you all," Green Eyes said. She smiled at him before turning back to the other woman who worked there. "Thank you as well. I look forward to hearing from you about next steps." With that, she ducked her head and walked out of the office.

  The other woman who worked there nodded to Will and left him with Ms. Prince.

  "Come on back to my office. I think I have some news that you've been waiting to hear," Ms. Prince said, waving for him to follow her.

  "Thank you...wait, you do? You've found a new match for me?" This was wonderful news. He hoped that something like this would happen, but hadn't felt confident that it would.

  "That I do, Mr. Sinclair." When they headed into her large office, she sat beside him on a large white couch. A flat screen TV was mounted on the wall in front of them, and she tapped a few keys with her manicured nails before pulling up a match profile.

  He saw Ms. Prince scroll past the profiles of the women he dated before. At first, he couldn't help but feel his enthusiasm waver a bit, but when he saw the picture of the green-eyed woman from the waiting room, he sat up a little straighter. Her name was Sophie Jensen. His bear had reacted to her. He wanted to get to know her better...he had to.

  "Here we are. Just from your brief meeting in the waiting room, I can see that Ms. Jensen caught your eye. You’re giving her the same look now. I believe this is the perfect match we've been waiting for, Mr. Sinclair. Don't you?" she said, sounding pleased as she typed a few commands. The printer whirred to life and spit out a few sheets of paper.

  "Yes, I think it is. Thank you for your persistence. I guess it’s not a sure thing yet. I haven't really introduced myself to her yet, but I'm looking forward to that chance."

  Ms. Prince stood and headed over to her desk. "You will be getting that chance soon. I included the time of your date with Ms. Jensen on the print out. I hope it's enough time for you to plan something suitable, but I am confident in your abilities." She came back with the papers and handed them over to him. "A copy has also been emailed to you. My apologies for the wait this morning. It has been quite a busy Monday. Love is in the air, I suppose." She extended her hand to him, and he rose from his seat on the couch to shake it.

  "I suppose you're right. Let's hope it's lasting love."

  A zing of electricity raised up his arm as he shook Ms. Prince's hand. If it weren't for the hardwood floors all over the building, he would have suspected it was due to intense static electricity, but this wasn't the first time he'd shaken her hand. He wondered briefly if there was more to Ms. Prince than meets the eye. He opened his mouth to ask her more about herself, then smiled as he shook his head, rethinking that decision. It didn't matter what she did as long as it worked, right?

  “True love lasts, Mr. Sinclair. What people fall into these days is usually nothing more than lust. That’s why I’m so careful with who I accept as my clients. I wouldn’t want anyone to suffer through a relationship that leaves them feeling cold after the initial temptation dries up.” She released his hand and headed toward the door to her office. “Do you have any more questions for me? I’m sorry to cut this meeting short, but I have more people to meet with.”

  “No, Ms. Prince, I appreciate your time.” Will smiled as he followed her back to the front of the building.

  He peeked at the time available to plan the date, and his eyebrows shot up. That couldn’t be right. Tomorrow night? Looked like it was time for him to dust off his brothers’ phone numbers. He needed some help if he was going to plan a night to remember with such short notice.

  He hopped in his SUV and glanced down at his phone, his thumb hovering over his brother Liam’s number. He blew out a breath and tapped the screen.

  “Hey, Will,” Liam greeted. “You caught me at a good time. I’m just about to grab some coffee from downstairs. Want to go with me?”

  “Actually, I’m not at the office yet. I dropped by the Prince Dating Agency to check on the progress. Good news. They found a match. I really think this might be the one. But the bad news is that the date is tomorrow. I’m really freaking out, to be honest. Maybe you have time to help me plan after work?” he said, grimacing. He wasn’t sure if this was a good move, but he didn’t know where else to turn.

  “Wow, that’s great! Don’t worry about it one bit. I’ll recruit Mason to help plan as well. We’ll all get together tonight to go over al
l the details. I suppose I could wait on the coffee until you get here. How much longer will you be?”

  Will grinned from ear to ear, and the tension he had been holding in his shoulders calmed a bit. “I shouldn’t be long. I’ll call you when I get there.”

  Chapter Six

  Music played through her computer speakers as Sophie worked. The meeting at Prince Dating Agency went really well, much better than she expected. It hadn’t been as intense or overwhelming as her anxiety convinced her it would be. Just felt a fun chat about what kind of guy she wanted to meet. They discussed tips on how to make the most of her date, and a lot of dating tips in general.

  She contemplated ordering in lunch again, but she decided against it. She'd gone to the grocery store, and did not want to waste food like she always did. So she headed for the kitchen even if her brain argued with her over the convenience of ordering take-out again. Her cell phone rang, and she pulled it from her pocket. She paused her music before answering it.

  The number was vaguely familiar, but she couldn't place it. It could be a client, so she defaulted to her usual greeting. "Hello, Sophie Jensen here. How may I help you?"

  "Hey, Sophie," Isabella responded. "Did I catch you at a bad time? I have some great news for you. This is almost...unprecedented, from what I've heard."

  With her attention fully captured, Sophie shook her head, only to realize that of course Isabella couldn't see her. "Hey, hon. No, not a bad time at all. What's up?"

  "I know I said it could take a few days or possibly longer, but we've found you a match!" Her tone was giddy with excitement. "Isn't that incredible?"