As soon as he walked through the door, Jonah was stricken by the incredible scent of Maurice’s cooking. Because of their heightened senses, shifter cuisine was top-notch, and Maurice had managed to perfect it in a simple way that even humans could enjoy.
“Jonah?”
The sound of Maurice’s voice struck Jonah hard. It had been a long time, and Maurice was one of those guys who managed to make it feel like he truly cared about you, no matter what you’d gone through. When Jonah had lost his parents, he had spent a lot of time with Maurice, who seemed to act unofficially as a mentor for young shifters with troubled backgrounds. He was a great man, in Jonah’s opinion. An unsung hero.
“Maurice,” Jonah said, smiling broadly.
“I can’t believe it! You’ve grown so much! And your power…”
Jonah shook his head modestly. That kind of attention always made him feel a little uncomfortable. That was partly why he was so comfortable in the SEALs. It was work he could do well but do without credit. Behind the scenes was his ideal; being the center of attention just wasn’t the kind of thing that he enjoyed.
“How have you been, Maurice?”
“Not bad,” Maurice said, his blue eyes glittering as he led Jonah and Lyla to a booth. “Have a seat. What are you drinking?”
Jonah glanced at Lyla, and she smiled shyly. “Just water for me, please.”
“And let me guess. Jonah will have the apple juice.”
“Damn right.”
Lyla laughed, a sudden musical sound that made Jonah’s heart pang despite itself. There was something beautiful about her voice, whether speaking or laughing. But it wouldn’t do him any good to focus on that. He turned his attention back on Maurice.
“Here are a few menus,” he said, giving Jonah a wink. “I’ll be back soon to take your order.”
Jonah held the menu in his hands and gazed around the familiar establishment. The booths were the same as he remembered, but some of the interior was different. The tile behind the counter was red now, not brown, and the pictures hanging on the walls had multiplied in number. A few he remembered were missing. How strange that a place could be so similar, and yet so different. It felt surreal, in a way, to be home after all this time, holding the familiar laminated menus with Maurice’s name splashed over the cover.
“Are you all right over there?”
Lyla’s voice reached him and the sudden vulnerability he felt was shocking. But he wasn’t the kind of man who talked about how he felt. He would rather die than say he was feeling nostalgic.
“It’s just weird to be home,” Jonah said. “That’s all.”
“I understand,” Lyla said with a light laugh. “It’s so weird for me to be home that I moved here.”
“I didn’t think you were a native,” Jonah said, though there was something about her that seemed very much at home in Stonybrooke. Whether she was human or not, she seemed to fit right in. That was rare. Especially, when it came to Cameron Davis and her welcoming party. Any human who moved to Stonybrooke without already having a claim to a native shifter, as far as Cameron was concerned, anyway, didn’t belong there and she was adamant about making that much clear.
“No, not at all. Though, my grandfather was. And considering he practically raised me when my parents were out of the picture, too caught up in their own lives, I was raised as a shifter. But I know I’m not, not really.”
Jonah scoffed. He had encountered many purists out there who felt as if anybody who couldn’t shapeshift may as well not have shifter blood within them.
“That’s a pretty close-minded view. Don’t let other people tell you who you are or which part of your identity to value more. All right?”
“Right,” Lyla said, a pink flush coloring her cheeks. Jonah gazed at her for a moment, the wolf ready to go right across the table, to make her his, but he shook the urge away. There was no way he could possibly allow himself to give in to the wolf. Not this time.
“All right,” Maurice said, just in time to help him forget his unwanted impulses. “You kids ready to order?”
“Yup,” Jonah said, clearing his throat.
When the food finally arrived, Lyla took a bite and studied him for a moment before smiling. “Did you hear about Betsy’s organization yet?”
“Only what she’s written me,” Jonah said. “Not a whole lot.”
“She’s kind of a big deal in Stonybrooke, you know.”
“Yeah?”
Jonah wasn’t surprised. Betsy had always had big ambitions, and a bigger heart. He had expected great things from his older sister.
“She’s done an amazing job at creating a community for people who otherwise wouldn’t have anything.”
“Is that how you met?” Jonah asked, suddenly burning with curiosity about this beautiful woman across from him. Sure, he couldn’t have a relationship right now, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t have a friend. Besides, it was just a little friendly conversation over lunch. What could it hurt?
“Yeah,” Lyla said, her ocean-colored eyes sparkling. She was breathtaking. Even more so knowing she wasn’t even trying to be. “Betsy was the greatest supervisor a girl could ask for.”
“Ah, so you must be a good volunteer. Did you know my sister is very selective?” Jonah asked as it suddenly dawned on him that Betsy would only have been willing to hire Lyla if she was the best. And from the looks of the fliers and the stacks of material about Betsy’s organization, he had seen for himself how Lyla’s help had allowed Betsy to gain the courage to really ensure that her business was able to take off. Now, rather than just being not for profit, she was able to create jobs and increase the span of her work.
“I do believe I am,” Lyla said, looking away from Jonah quickly. She seemed to have a hard time holding his gaze. Was he intimidating to her? It really wouldn’t be surprising. He wasn’t very used to entertaining women. He had spent the past three years undergoing grueling training and embarking upon, and succeeding at, strategic missions.
“I’m glad you’re confident. It’s clear that you guys know what you’re doing here. Anybody would be lucky to get help from Shifters United.”
Lyla laughed. “You sound like you’re advertising for something. Are you a charity mugger? Do you want my money?”
Jonah grinned. “No, but it looks like you’re in the right business.”
They grew quiet as they began to eat, and Jonah almost found himself regretting it when they were both finished with their meals and it was time to take the donations back to the house.
“Thanks, Maurice!” Jonah said, giving Maurice nod as they left. Maurice beamed at him.
“Come back soon, Jonah. We can catch up a bit.”
“You can count on it,” Jonah said.