“What do you mean you can’t go?” I stared at Leif as if he had two heads, which would have been less surprising than the words that had just come out of his mouth.

“I can’t go. I’m leaving to visit my parents that afternoon. The flight was way cheaper than if I flew out the next morning.” He stretched his arms out along the back of my hand-me-down black leather couch. He was sitting on the cushion with the tear down the side, so from where I was sitting I could almost pretend the couch wasn’t twenty years old.

“And you couldn’t have asked me to pay the difference?” Not that I had loads of extra cash sitting around, but I would have spent the money to avoid the embarrassment I was about to face. “You know I would have paid it.”

“Maybe this is a good thing.” His expression was serious despite his words. He had to be kidding. Good for me?

“How in the world is my having to find a date for the Christmas ball in three days a good thing? You’re my best friend. You look amazing in a tux. This is kind of your job.” Technically he was one of two of my best friends, but the other was happily married to the man of her dreams.

He smiled, and it just annoyed me more. Leif and I been close friends for years now, and he’d never let me down before. “There are plenty of other guys who look good in a tux. Maybe some who even look better.”

“Did you really just admit that?” Now I was worried. Leif wasn’t bashful about owning up to his good looks.

He laughed. “You know I like to help you out. I like when you help me out too, but eventually we’re going to have to actually meet people.” He put his feet up on my wooden coffee table. I didn’t mind; the white veneer had been chipped many times over.

“So now I’m not a person?” I knew very well that’s not what he meant, but there was no way was going to admit it yet.

“You are, and you know exactly what I mean. Eventually we’re going to have to meet people we want to spend our lives with—and before you start trying to talk me into a single at thirty-five pact, forget it. We have many things, Nancy, but chemistry isn’t one of them.” He put his feet down and straightened up.

His words didn’t sting at all. I’d never harbored romantic feelings for Leif even if I did find him aesthetically pleasing. “I know, but you look really good in a tux.”

“You’ve already said that.” He crossed one leg over the other. “What about the guy from Forest Ridge? Alex’s brother-in law?”

“No way.” I shook my head. “Nuh uh.” There was no way I was giving my other best friend’s brother-in-law a call.

“Why not? I bet he’d look really good in a tux.”

“Not a chance that’s happening.” There was no way I was asking him to come. It would be better to face the ball alone.

“Why?” Leif pressed his hands into the couch cushions on either side of him. “Because he’s a wolf?”

“Leif…” It’s not that the existence of shape-shifters were a secret, but it still wasn’t something you talked about a lot. Not to mention I wasn’t going to let Leif insinuate I was somehow discriminating against a man for his duel nature. It wasn’t about the wolf inside him. It was about the man on the outside. Or really the way that man made me feel, which was completely and utterly vulnerable.

“Hey… just saying. It’s not like he’s going to go all hairy on you at the ball.” Leif grinned, and I knew he was picturing exactly that.

“If you’re going to be like this, get out.” I pointed to the door.

“And you said you didn’t want me to leave.” Leif laughed.

“I didn’t want you to leave and miss the ball.” I stared at the black and white analog clock on the wall. The hands proclaimed it was two thirty in the afternoon. It was really six. One of these days I’d pull over a chair and fix it.

“Sure, sure that’s what it is.” He made no move to get up. “I'm starting to feel used.”

"Not used. Appreciated for some of your finest attributes.” I wanted his company at the ball far more than his body in a tux, and he knew it. Leif helped calm my nerves, and he kept me social when I needed to be. I would need both of those things at this ball.

"What about that Forest Ridge guy. Was he Ned?" He wouldn’t drop it.

"Norm." A shiver ran through me as I said the name. It wasn’t from the cold or any sort of fear. It was over the memory of a kiss that never should have happened.

"Don't you think Norm would look good in a tux?"

"He's a wolf. Didn’t we already establish that?" I pushed the unwanted memory of the kiss far away.

"So? Wolves can't wear tuxes?" Leif smirked.

"They didn't even wear blazers at Alex's wedding." I leaned back in the only other seat in the room. I’d gotten a great rental deal on the apartment from my cousin, but that didn’t mean I had the extra money for furniture.

"It was on the beach." Leif knew full well considering he’d been my plus one for that occasion. We’d been helping each other out with those sorts of events for years.

"So?" I closed my eyes and tried to stay calm. There was another option. There was always another option. I opened my eyes. “Whether he’d wear a tux or not, he's not going to want to come."

"Why not? What man wouldn't love to go to your dad’s ball with you?" Leif waggled an eyebrow.

"It's not my dad’s ball. It’s a charity event.” I hopped to my feet. I was too impatient and stressed to sit down any longer. “It's for a good cause and—

"It's your dad’s ball.” Leif interrupted. “Why you are even going is beyond me."

"Because my father is trying to repair our relationship. I have to try too." I tried to play it off as if my decision was normal and nothing major, but it was. I hadn’t said more than a few words to my dad for years, not since his reaction to our mom’s disappearance. He begged me to stop looking for her—which of course I wouldn’t do. He threatened to cut me off financially—which he did. I still wasn’t going to accept any of his money, or stop looking for my mom, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t talk to him once in a while. And fine, it didn’t mean I couldn’t try to get new information from him about my mom’s disappearance. None of my other leads were going anywhere.

"Ding, ding, ding. We have a winner. See, it's all about your dad." Leif cocked his head to the side.

"Fine," I grumbled. I would rather admit that than tell him the truth about my reasoning. "That still doesn't mean Norm’s going to want to come."

"He'll want to go for you." Leif rolled his shoulders back. “Trust me.”

I shook my head. "Nope."

"I've seen the he way that man looks at you." Leif got that annoying know-it-all expression on his face.

"Oh yeah, yet you couldn't remember his name?’ I tried to play it off as cool as I could, but I’d been part of the kiss. I knew Norm felt something for me—the problem was I knew that something wasn’t what I needed in my life right now.

He shrugged. "We remember the important things."

“Who is this ‘we’ you talk about? I remember lots of things.”

“Yet you don’t seem to remember how much you like Ned.” He pulled out his phone and glanced at what I assumed was a text.

“Norm. His name is Norm.”

“Whatever. The fact that you care about his name says it all.”

“So, you did know his name…” I narrowed my eyes.

“This isn’t about me. It’s about you.”

“No, it’s about you leaving me hanging after you RSVP’d yes.” I brought things back around to the ball again. It was safer than talking about Norm.

“No, you RSVP’d me yes.”

“You verbally agreed.” He had agreed over a month ago.

“I have to see my parents. Don’t you want me to see my parents?” He gave me his best attempt at a puppy-dog face.

“Of course I do. I want you to see your parents one day later.”

“I’m not going to spend all day arguing with you. Invite him or don’t. You could also always go alone.”

“But I RSVP’d for two.” And I really wished I hadn’t.

“And it’s your father’s event. Who’s going to care?”

“I’ll figure it out. Enjoy your visit.” I didn’t want to be mad at Leif. He only went back to Wisconsin to see his parents once a year, yet the selfish side of me was angry with him.

“I’m not leaving for a few days.”

“I know.”

“Come on, Nancy, you aren’t actually mad.” He stood up and walked toward me.

“No.” I agreed. “Not mad. Disappointed.”

“Well there’s always another option.”

“You changing your plane ticket?” I let the tiniest glimmer of hope fill me.

“That’s not happening. Move on from me.”

“Fine. What’s this other idea?” I slumped down in the chair. Who needed good posture anyway?

He sat down on the arm of my chair. “Look online.”

“Excuse me?” I had to have heard him wrong.

“Look online. Say you’re looking for a last-minute date. An ad or what not.”

“An ad? For a date to the ball? Are you kidding me?” I may not have been insulted about his lack of chemistry comment, but suggesting I post an ad? Was he crazy?

“No. I’m entirely serious. If you are dead set on having a date, find someone interested.”

“And what, pay them? Because that’s not happening.” Hiring an escort wasn’t something I would ever do.

“Maybe having the opportunity to attend the ball with such a beautiful date will be enough for someone.”

“Sure.” I rolled my eyes.

“Then call Ned. I’m sure he’ll come.” He pulled me into a hug. “Don’t miss me too much.” He broke the hug, despite my wishing he would hold on just a moment longer. It had been far too long since I’d been given a proper hug. I was still thinking about my last hug—and my last kiss—as Leif let the door close behind him.