Gerri was the first to speak again after the waitress left. “I’m sorry. You can tell me to fuck off if you want. You don’t have to answer. It’s in my nature to be nosey. Especially when it comes to all things love. I really can’t seem to help myself.”
“It’s not that. I just don’t want you to think I’m nuts. I’ve scared many people off by opening my mouth, thinking they actually cared about what I had to say.”
“Oh please—I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t care. Besides I don’t think there’s anything you can tell me that I haven’t heard before. I’ve been around for a while.” Gerri laughed at Daisy’s assumption. She felt a strong connection to this girl who had run into her.
Sure, she could have avoided the collision with her. Her wolf had warned her well in advance—but so had something else. She was destined to meet Daisy. Why? She didn’t quite know, but she had a feeling that should would know why soon enough.
“So is there someone special in your life?”
“No. Not recently,” Daisy sighed.
Was that a hint of sadness she detected?
“Buck up, dear. There are plenty of handsome men out there who would scoop you off your feet in no time flat! You’re stunning with that dark hair and bronzed skin. And those curves—it’s enough to make an old woman like me jealous.”
“Ha. Hardly. Besides, in case you haven’t noticed, I’m not exactly tiny like you. That’s what all the rage is today. I’m tall and have curves and love handles, and I swear to Jesus, each of these suckers weighs twenty pounds,” Daisy said as she motioned to her chest.
“Please. I know what men are looking for. I run a dating agency and you know what? Not one of my clients has ever complained about a girl with curves. Honey, your body type is exactly what’s asked for the most.”
“I find that kind of hard to believe. All the guys I’ve ever dated have criticized me at some point in our relationship about my curves. They’ve all been full of backhanded compliments. You know what I’m talking about, right?”
Her voice dripping with sarcasm, she continued on, “I used to love it when one of my exes said, ‘You’d be smoking hot if your ass wasn’t so big.’ Gerri, I could go on and on with the stories, but it’s just not worth it. I’m fine with being single for now. I’m tired of being picked apart by guys who think they’re better than everyone else, and don’t get me started on their over-opinionated families. I just don’t need that sort of drama, so I’m focusing on my career for now.”
Gerri thought about what Daisy had said, but—knowing the girl was completely wrong in her outlook on love and relationships—she had to find a way to help her. Daisy may have dated before, but Gerri would bet her ass that she’d never dated the right type of man. Which led to her next question. “Have you ever dated a shifter?”
Daisy looked up at Gerri, puzzled. “A shifter? Umm, no. I’m fully human and pretty certain a requirement of dating someone like that is having the ability to shift into an animal. Which I don’t.”
Gerri smiled at her naïve comment. “Do you have any shifter friends?”
“No. I haven’t lived in this area all that long—well, a few years, but I don’t really have any friends. Human or otherwise.” Daisy blushed. “I guess I’ve gotten used to saying I’m new here or I haven’t lived here long. It’s kind of been my go-to excuse, even though it’s not exactly true anymore.”
“Well, now you do.” Gerri reached across the table, lacing her fingers with Daisy’s. “We were destined to meet today.”
***
Daisy had no idea why she was drawn to Gerri, but she was. It was more than her friendly face and her soothing yet inviting smile. The woman was a firecracker, just like her Aunt Lucy had been before she’d succumbed to cancer.
“Can I ask you something?” Daisy leaned in to whisper the question to Gerri.
“Sure.”
“Why did you ask if I’ve ever dated a shifter? Have you?”
Gerri laughed at her question. “Oh, girl. You are too precious.” Gerri fished one of her business cards out of her purse and slid it across the table to Daisy. “I run the Paranormal Dating Agency.”
“Wait! What?” Her chin nearly hit the floor. The sassy look on Gerri’s face left her speechless.
“My clients are all shifters.”
“Wow.” Daisy had a million questions and no idea which one to ask first. She’d never met a shifter in person. Well, none that she knew of. It was always possible, but the only way to tell that someone was a shifter was for them to transform from human to animal in front of you—and that had certainly never happened.
“And you were the one worried about scaring me away,” Gerri joked. “The look on your face right now is priceless.”
“Yeah. How about that?” Daisy’s mind was blown. “So how does it work? Your dating agency, that is? Are guys in the shifter world like regular human guys?”
“Let’s break it down. One question at a time. My service works like any other dating service out there; the only difference is that I specialize in helping shifters find their mates. Men are men, no matter what species, but generally speaking shifters are different with their relationships than humans.”
“What do you mean, ‘different,’ and what’s the difference between a mate and a boyfriend or spouse?”
Daisy sat on the edge of her seat waiting for Gerri to answer. She wanted to shout in frustration, anxious to hear the answers. But that would be rude, crass, and uncalled-for, so she sat patiently waiting as Gerri slowly sipped at her coffee before answering.
“Well, for starters, most of my clients have tried the standard dating scene and weren’t impressed by it. They are tired of the games and run-around. These people are focused on finding the one person they are destined to spend their lives with—a.k.a. their mate. Think of a mate as your soulmate. The one person that you’re supposed to be with, forever.”
“That’s pretty heavy stuff.”
“Indeed it is. But shifters know immediately when they meet their mate. It’s kind of like an instant sensation, a recognition that tells them the person they just met is the one they are meant to be with.”
“That’s kind of odd.” Daisy couldn’t imagine meeting someone and knowing immediately that they were the person she’d spend the rest of her life with. “What happened to becoming friends, and falling in love?” Not that she’d had much experience with love, but whatever. She was an old-fashioned girl with old-fashioned dating ideas. Like actually leaving the house to go on dates, courting, the guy bringing the girl flowers—the formerly standard, but now very outdated, romantic ideas.
“You’d be surprised how attentive male shifters can be in a relationship.”
“Really?” Gerri’s simple statement had Daisy fully intrigued.
“Absolutely. The old-school courting usually doesn’t happen because a shifter male is very intense when it comes to claiming his mate, but he will always make up for it in other areas. Would you ever consider dating a shifter?”
Daisy thought about the question. Would she? “I’m not sure. Maybe? I’d be so nervous. I’d have no idea how to act around a shifter.”
“Sure you would. You’ve been wonderful company the entire time we’ve been together.” Gerri smiled as she revealed the truth.
“You mean you’re…?”
“Have been all my life. I tell you what, I have to run. I have a meeting with a client this morning. Why don’t you think about it and give me a call? We can set something up if you’re interested.”