Chapter 6
“YOU look like shit.”
“Gee, Ry. Thanks a lot.” Connor stormed into his friend’s office and plunked himself into a chair.
Ryland sat across from him, his expression wary. “Bad night?”
“You could say that.” He composed himself even though he wanted to pick up the sharp letter opener on the desk and plunge it into his heart. “Thanks for seeing me on short notice. I know you’re busy, what with the party tonight.”
“No problem. Everything is under control. Any security issues?”
“No. Bart and I are all set, and the hired guys are in place. I wanted to talk to you about something else.”
“Shoot.”
Connor swallowed. “Would you say you know me well, Ry?”
“Yeah. Of course.”
“And if there were any…defects in my character, you would have seen them, right?”
“I’d like to think so.” Ryland stared. “What are you getting at?”
“If you had to describe me to someone, how would you do it?”
“Fishing for compliments?”
“No, I’m serious. Would you describe me as levelheaded? Rational? Sane?”
“Dude, what’s going on? Is something wrong?”
You mean other than my dead best friend appearing to me in dreams, begging me to fuck his widow? No, not much. “I just…”
“Is it Elaine?”
Elaine. Even though he knew the dream had been a figment of his imagination, it had felt so real. The look in her eyes had been one of pure allure. Her pink nipples had been taut. Her sex had been moist.
For him. Not Lloyd.
“Fuck.”
“Connor?”
“Do you really think I would have made a good cop, Ry?”
“A fantastic one, but why are we talking as if it’s never going to happen?”
“Even if I’m a little bit insane? Because they test for that sort of thing.”
“You’re not insane.”
“Oh, yeah? Then why am I dreaming about having sex with Elaine?”
“Our Elaine?”
“Yes, our Elaine. Lloyd’s Elaine.”
“Oh.” Ryland’s mouth fell open, retaining the shape of the ‘O’ and his face lost all color. “Night dreams or day dreams?”
“Truthfully? Both.”
“I see. How long has this been going on?”
“Lloyd said it’s always been going on and I just didn’t know it.”
“Wait. Back up. When did Lloyd say this?”
“Last night.”
Ryland raked his fingers through his hair. “Is this a prank? If so, it’s in poor taste.”
“It’s not a fucking prank, Ry. He came to me in a dream. A couple of times now. He told me he wants me to be with Elaine, to make love to her.” Connor hoped his clawed air quotes looked bitter because he felt bitter.
“He used those words?”
“Pretty much.”
“I’m going to be honest, Connor. You might actually be a tiny bit insane.”
“I know! That’s what I said. It’s crazy, right? But I can’t stop thinking about her. I worry about her and the kids all the time. When I’m not with her, I want to be with her. And it’s not just because of their health issues. I just like being with her. And she smells like roses, you know? Really nice. My mountain lion sniffs her all the time. It wasn’t the least bit interested in Marcelle, not even when she kissed me.”
“You’re going too quickly now. Marcelle kissed you?”
“Yeah, and it was okay, but just okay. You know what I mean? It didn’t fire me up. It didn’t make me want to tear her clothes off. In fact, I couldn’t wait to get away from her. I just wanted to kiss Elaine instead.” He ended on a huff. “I’m a very bad man.”
“You don’t have a single bad bone in your body. Connor, you and Elaine have been through hell, just like the rest of us. There have been some pretty intense emotions flying around this resort for the past while. Everyone’s been upset. Everyone’s been confused.”
“But that’s the thing. I’m confused and I’m not confused. When I’m with her, I’m happy. And when she’s sad, all I can think about is how to make her feel better. Putting a smile on her face has become an obsession for me. I can’t go five minutes without trying because it makes me feel so good.”
“Jeez, Louise.” Ryland shook his head and sat quietly. “Connor, if she makes you happy, and if she feels the same way, you need to explore this.”
“What if she thinks I’m a dick?”
“First and foremost, you’re her good friend. If you’re honest with her, she’ll understand. Elaine’s not the kind of woman to give a man grief for caring. I just can’t guarantee she’ll be of the same mind. Lloyd was her mate. She’s still grieving. Even if she’s interested, you have to be ready for the fact she might make you wait a long time.”
“I’d wait. I would.”
“So where does that leave you with the Toronto Police Services? The last time we spoke, you were getting ready to ship out.”
“I don’t want to leave her. I can’t imagine leaving her and especially not now.”
“Well, I guess it’s a good thing you always have a job here with me.”
“Thanks, Ry. I’m sorry for this mess.”
“My friend, you’ve cleaned up more messes than you’ve made.”
“Do you think you’d mind holding off on hiring someone new, at least for now?”
“I wasn’t planning on it anyway. I was secretly hoping you’d change your mind.”
“I’m fucked, Ry. I don’t know what to do.”
“Talk to her. No one will fault you for falling in love.”
Love. Mother of God. He didn’t know what the hell that felt like. He wasn’t sure he’d ever been in love before. “What if she hates me?”
“Impossible. She loves you, Connor, at the very least as a friend. She might not want to kick it up a notch yet, but she loves you. Can I make a suggestion?”
“Please. Make as many as you want. I’m out of my depth here.”
“Yeah, I know, Mister One-Night-Stand.” He grinned. “Go slowly. Take it easy with Elaine. A subtle seduction is best in this situation.”
“Okay. I can do subtle.” He’d never done it before, but it wasn’t too late to learn.
“Be a dad to her kids. Lend a hand around her home. Right now, she just needs support. But while you’re supporting her, maybe you could throw in a few coy looks and a couple of nice compliments. You don’t need me to tell you how it’s done. You might just need to tone it down. Help her realize she can’t live without you.”
He’d already been doing some of those things. He could do this. “Do you think it’s possible for a shifter to find love with another mate after the first one dies?”
“What the hell do I know? A couple of years ago, I would have said no. A couple of years ago, I didn’t even want humans on this island. Now I’m married to one and expecting a kid. I’m not so sure about all our old shifter wives’ tales. Since Lloyd passed, everything feels different. I do know this. If you don’t try to have something real with Elaine, and I mean real, you might regret it for the rest of your life.”
“You’re right. I have to try.” Connor stood, determined, and walked to the door. “Thanks for listening.”
“No sweat. Oh, and one more thing, Connor.”
“Yeah?”
Ryland picked up the letter opener and ran his finger along its sharp blade. “You’re my friend and I love you like a brother, but if you hurt that woman, everyone here at the Ursa will form a line and take turns whooping your sad ass.”
“Noted. See you tonight.”
The phone rang. “Oh, hang on a second. I need to take this call.”
He sat back down and waited, his head perking up when Ry mentioned something about illegal hunting.
Ry rested his head in one hand and stared at his desk as he listened to the person on the phone. “Yeah. It doesn’t sound good. No, I realize it’s a busy week for me, but I’m going to ask my people to keep an eye on the area. There’s no way anyone at the Ursa would tolerate this shit. Okay, Drew. We’ll be in touch.” He hung up.
“Was that the cops?” Their friend Drew Maitland, a bear shifter, was chief of the small police force on the mainland.
“Yeah. Drew wanted me to be aware of a situation. It seems someone has been hunting wild bears the past few weeks.”
“But hunting season is over in November.”
“Exactly. Drew mentioned this to me a while ago. He seemed to think the incidents were isolated at the time, but they’re seeing patterns now. They suspect the bears are being hunted for their organs.”
“For the black market?”
“You got it. There are people out there who’d pay a lot of money for bear gallbladders and bile.”
Connor made a noise of disgust. “No self-respecting hunter would attack a bear when it’s in torpor.”
“As you know, this isn’t about sport. It’s about greed.” Ryland frowned. “I don’t like this. Drew said they’ve found brown bear and grizzly carcasses near the entrances to some caves, and the path seems to be leading in our direction. I promised him we’d keep an eye out for any suspicious characters.”
“Of course. Do you want me to bring Bart and the other guys up to speed?”
“I’ll call a meeting for this afternoon. This bothers me. We’ve had to deal with enough shit around here. If anyone so much as puts a foot out of order around this resort, they’ll regret it. We’ve all reached our breaking points. I won’t lie, Connor. I’m glad you’re staying.”
“Yeah, me too.” If there really was a threat out there, he wouldn’t feel right leaving the island.
He’d wanted to make a contribution. A perfect one had landed in his lap.
There was no way he’d leave the Ursa knowing unsavory people were hunting nearby. As shifters, they probably had nothing to worry about, but the very fact someone would attack a hibernating bear made his stomach turn. Even his mountain lion objected with a yowl.
As shifters, they were connected to the earth in a way most humans weren’t. To them, trees weren’t just trees. Leaves weren’t just leaves. And animals weren’t just dumb beasts; they were majestic creatures, God’s handiwork at its best. They all had a purpose, and the shifter community owed it to their animal counterparts to protect them when they couldn’t protect themselves.
As he left the office, he made another vow. He would do everything in his power to find the piece of shit who was killing bears and treat him to a bit of shape shifter justice.
God only knew, he was just pissed off enough to do it.
* * * *
“I think you made my hair too big.” Elaine caught her reflection, her big reflection, in one of the lodge windows as she entered with Fleur and Jani. “Seriously, Fleur, I appreciate you giving me a makeover, but the hair’s in another solar system.”
“It looks great.” Fleur glared. “Stop touching it. And it’s not big. It’s full of body. There’s a difference.”
“Well, maybe I should just pop into the restroom and remove some of the eye shadow. It’s really dark. I’m not used to this shade of gray.”
“I’ve given you a smoky eye, just like the picture in the magazine. It makes your pale eyes pop.” She turned to her mate. “Don’t you think so, Jani?”
“They are popping.” He winked. “You both look beautiful.”
Layla danced in front of them, dragging her brother. Under her winter coat, she wore her new party dress and her puffy boots, but she was more interested in her mom’s ensemble. She kept opening the flaps of Elaine’s coat to look at “Mommy’s party dress.”
Elaine hadn’t dressed up in a long time and was sure she stuck out like seventeen sore thumbs. The paths had all been cleared of snow for the event, so Elaine was able to put on some borrowed heels from Gioia. In them, she felt as tall as the trees.
Her dress, borrowed from Marci, seemed snug, but the girls had assured her it was a perfect fit. Copper in color, it was dotted with a few beads in the same shade. It came down to just below her knees, flaring softly. It was the sort of dress that swished as she walked, the kind that encouraged a woman to take pride in her wiggle. At the same time, it wrapped around her torso like a second skin, plumping up her cleavage. She tried not to look at her décolletage and made a mental note not to bend over during the course of the evening. Nothing like offering the world a peep show.
“This is the biggest party the Ursa has ever seen,” continued Fleur. “And to think you were going to wear jeans.”
“Nice jeans. No holes.”
Fleur put up a hand.
“I’m sorry. You’re right. I’m being silly. I haven’t dressed up in ages. Thanks for helping me, Fleur. You look gorgeous, by the way.”
Fleur twirled and smiled. Dressed in a form-fitting black dress, so different from her customary sneakers and slogan T-shirts, she was a vision of loveliness. She’d lined her eyes in kohl and had thrown on several silver bangles. “Rock chick chic,” she called it. Whatever it was, Jani couldn’t take his eyes off her.
Jani ushered them into the lodge. They all gasped. The Ursa had never looked so beautiful.
The reception area was ablaze with light. Tea lights had been placed in strategic points all over the great room, and everything twinkled. All the new furnishings had arrived, and the sofas were dotted with bright red pillows and attractive throws. Ryland had commissioned some new wood pieces from Byron Moon, their own personal wood sculptor. Although Byron typically created sculptures of animals for the forest pathways, he’d built several gorgeous tables for the facility. The wood grain shone under the many lights. His brother, Percy, a landscape painter, had provided his own works of art in the form of several paintings. And Fleur, who was turning into a photographer extraordinaire, had offered her talents as well in the form of numerous photos capturing the local wildlife.
Fleur squealed when she saw her photos hanging in the room. “Look!” She dragged Jani off to check a couple of them out.
Jani grinned, so proud of his mate, had no choice but to follow her.
“Mommy,” said Andy, craning his neck. “It’s all sparkly.”
She’d slicked his hair back for the evening, but she couldn’t resist ruffling it. “It is, baby. It’s beautiful.”
“Wow. So are you.”
Elaine turned upon hearing the deep voice. Connor stood before them. Although he was scheduled to work security the first couple of hours, he’d been given the rest of the evening to enjoy himself. Rather than wearing a uniform like the hired security personnel, he wore a suit, a nice one. It was black and cut perfectly, showing off the bulges at his arms and shoulders. He’d slicked his hair back as well and looked like a grown-up, hairier version of Andy. His tie caught her eye. Its striking blue color looked familiar.
Elaine had to remind herself to breathe. “Thanks. You look, um…”
“Daddy Connor!” Andy jumped into Connor’s arms.
Connor’s worried gaze flicked toward her.
“That’s a new thing. I’ve been trying to explain…”
“Andy, come here, little man.” Connor put him on the ground and crouched next to him. “I’m honored you would call me that, but you know I’m not your dad, right? Lloyd was your real dad and the best one a kid could ever hope for. You understand that, right?”
“Yeah, I know. I just like saying it.” His finger slipped toward his nose, but Elaine brushed it away. “Should I call you uncle again?”
“That would be great.” He held up his hand. “Fist pump?”
Andy fist pumped him, and they both said “Whoosh” and pretended to make hand explosions.
Layla, whose grin reached her ears, tapped Connor on the leg. “Look at my new dress, Uncle Connor.”
Connor held her little hand and kissed it. “You’re the prettiest girl on the whole island.”
Layla fluffed up the layers of her skirt. “Do you think they have cupcakes at the party?”
“They have tables full of food in there. I think I even saw a cupcake or two. Why don’t you head in with your brother and check? Jani and Fleur will take you in. Your mom and I will be right there. I just want to talk to her for a second.” Once the kids were led away by Fleur and Jani, Connor turned to Elaine.
His shy grin did strange things to her. As for that suit, it was giving her all sorts of ideas, none of which were appropriate or welcome.
“So,” he said. “You really are sparkly.”
She must be blushing. Her cheeks burned. “It’s Marci's dress.”
“Well, I’ll have to talk to Marci and reimburse her. That dress was clearly meant for you.”
She didn’t think it was possible, but the heat level in her cheeks went up. “Thanks. You look nice, too, Connor. I don’t think I’ve seen you in a suit since…” The funeral. She didn't want to talk about the funeral. “In a long time.” She straightened his tie, which was a little crooked. Her fingers heated like her cheeks. “This tie is an amazing color on you.”
“It’s my favorite color.” He gazed at her, his face serious.
She made the connection. It was the same blue as her eyes.
“Oh.”
“How was your night with the ladies?”
“Good. How was your night with Marcelle?” She hated herself for asking but didn't want to appear rude. Plus, she really wanted to know.
“It was quick.”
Too much information. That’s what you get for asking dumb questions, Elaine.
“Marcelle’s a great woman, but we didn't hang out long. I wasn’t really into it.”
“So you didn’t sleep together?” The words tumbled out of her mouth. Horrified, she brought her hands to her cheeks. “Oh, my God. I have no idea why I just asked that. It’s none of my business.”
He laughed. “Don’t sweat it. And for the record, no, I didn’t sleep with Marcelle.” He reached for her hand. “Elaine, I’ve got to go to work, but I’m off at ten. Will you save me a dance?”
“I might step on your feet with these heels.”
“I wouldn’t mind one bit. I’ll come find you. Have fun, okay?”
“Okay.” As he drew closer, her bear stood up and took notice, doing its best to bump its head against him. She’d only ever seen the bear do that with one other man, Lloyd. The novelty and the familiarity threw her for a loop, and she froze. Connor leaned in, kissed her on the cheek, and smiled.
Something inside her melted. She was pretty sure it was her common sense.
“I’ll see you later, lady.” He headed off down another hallway.
She stood in the same place for a couple of minutes. It wasn’t until Soren and Gioia walked up behind her that she remembered where she was.
Gioia normally tackled her with a hug, but she stood absolutely still, wedged against Soren’s arm. Not a centimeter of space separated them. They looked as if they’d been glued together.
“Hey, guys. Why the stiff posture?”
Gioia and Soren stepped apart. Her son, Gunnar, unfolded from somewhere behind them. All six feet of him.
“Gunnar.” Elaine gave him a hug. “You’ve grown.”
The teen turned red. “Hey, Mrs. Gleason.” His voice cracked.
Elaine turned to Gioia, gobsmacked. “What do they feed him at that school?”
“I know.” Gioia grabbed him around his middle. “He’s still my baby.”
“Mom.” Although Gunnar wore a suit, he also wore black Converse sneakers. He dug the toe of them into the carpet. “I’m not a baby.”
“You’ll always be my baby.” Gioia turned to Elaine. “We weren’t sure he could make it here for the party, but he’s been doing so well in school he was able to take a bit of time away.” Due to his musical prowess, encouraged in no small way by percussionist Soren, Gunnar now studied at a prestigious music school in Toronto. He boarded there most of the time. On some weekends, he visited Gemini Island, and on others, Gioia and Soren visited him. He also made regular trips back to Calgary to spend time with his dad.
“I heard Andy and Layla are here,” said Gunnar. “Can I go find them?”
“Go right ahead,” said Elaine. “They’ll be thrilled to see you, although they might not recognize you.”
The teen blushed and sauntered into the reception room.
Elaine grabbed Gioia’s hand. “You guys have done such a good job with him. He’s become quite the young man.”
Soren kissed his wife. “That’s because Gioia is an awesome mom.”
It wasn’t all that long ago Gunnar had been a struggling boy, dealing with the supposed death of his father. To see him flourishing and happy gave Elaine hope for her kids.
Gioia shrugged off the compliments, a tear in her eye. “Hey, you look amazing in the dress.”
Soren smiled. “You really do, Elaine. Is Connor in there?”
Funny how everyone associated them. “He’ll be in shortly. I was just headed there myself.”
Soren put his arms around the two of them. “Let’s go, pretty ladies. I’m grateful for such gorgeous arm candy. You’ll make me look good.”
Elaine had to laugh. He didn’t need her to make him look good. A blond rock god, Soren looked amazing to most people. Tonight was no exception. Attired in a dark suit, like the other men, he’d added a rock-star touch by wearing a black hoodie under the jacket instead of a dress shirt. With his longish hair clubbed back, he was enough to make most women forget their own names.
However, the famed percussionist had eyes for only his mate, Gioia. The brunette outshone even her gorgeous husband this evening. Dressed in a royal blue, wraparound dress, spiky black heels, and diamond earrings, Gioia beamed. Elaine didn’t think she’d ever seen them happier and was so relieved she hadn’t lost them after they’d sustained serious injuries during the battle with the Alpha Brethren.
The ballroom was ablaze with light and color. Huge silver centerpieces, laden with candles and flowers, decorated each table. Silver streamers had been strung across the massive room, crisscrossing at intervals, making it appear as if moonlight’s soft glow had permeated the space. Several large buffet tables had been set up so guests could mingle and try out different edible treats. Despite this casual approach, servers moved among the guests, carrying platters of hors d’oeuvres.
There were many guests, at least two hundred. Most of them were families who’d visited the Ursa in the past. Their children had struggled with the challenges of being teen shifters, and in taking part in the programs at the resort, they’d become part of the extended family. Elaine recognized many faces and was glad to see them all.
While Gunnar and a couple of the other teens took turns giving Layla and Andy piggyback rides, Elaine circulated with the adults. Soren found drinks for her and for Gioia, beautiful cocktails that were just as pretty as the decorations. Elaine took a sip, savoring the sweet taste of pineapple and rum. Josh had cautioned her about drinking, but she didn’t imagine one cocktail would be an issue.
“Ryland and Lia have really outdone themselves,” said Elaine. “The place looks amazing.”
Gioia smiled. “I’m so glad you’re here and able to see it.”
Ry and Lia stood at the front of the room, greeting guests as they wandered in. He looked handsome in his black suit. Never completely comfortable in fancy clothing, Ry tugged at his tie a couple of times. He was far happier in his customary plaid flannel shirts. However, in a cheeky nod to his own fashion sense, he’d found a bowtie that was red plaid.
As for Lia, the expectant mom looked beautiful. She’d pinned up her long hair, and Ryland seemed to like it because his hand lingered at the back of her neck. Lia wore a silky chocolate-colored dress with lace edging, one that hugged her bump. No heels for her this evening, but her ballet flats were embellished in gold. Elaine eyed the flats and wished she could trade shoes with her friend.
Lia looked over, saw Elaine, and her face fell.
Elaine recognized guilt when she saw it. She knew her friend felt badly about discouraging her feelings for Connor, even though they hadn’t spoken about it again. She didn’t blame Lia, even though Lia clearly blamed herself.
Elaine waved, hoping it would make her feel better. Lia waved back, and the smile returned to her face.
Their friendship wouldn’t be hampered by some difficult truths, no matter how hard it was to face them.
Elaine returned her attention to Soren and Gioia. They chatted and danced and had fun catching up with a number of former guests. Quite a few people offered condolences for Lloyd, and she appreciated it. Whenever the conversations struck home, Soren or Gioia would jump in and change the subject, coming to her rescue.
It made Elaine so thankful for her friends.
No matter how much fun she was having with everyone, Elaine couldn’t stop looking at Connor. He was stationed in the ballroom, right near the stage. Ryland and Lia held court there, with Connor acting as their sentry.
They didn’t expect trouble at the party, but they’d seen their share of trouble at the Ursa and it didn’t hurt to be prepared.
Connor was all business tonight. He held his head high, surveying everything. His lips were set in a thin line, and his hands were at his sides, ready for anything. She’d seen him take this stance numerous times at lodge functions, often with Lloyd or Bart at his side, but tonight he looked different.
Dangerous but in the best way possible.
She stole several glances when he wasn’t looking. Each time, she was convinced he hadn’t seen her stealthy looks. However, on her fifteenth glance or so, he turned his head and stared right at her.
Busted.
He must have sensed her embarrassment because his lips turned up in a slow, sexy grin.
All her saliva dried up.
Wanting to appear unfazed, she waved and tried not to resemble a smitten teenager.
He picked up his walkie-talkie, spoke into it, and walked into another room.
“Ready for another drink, Elaine?” Soren’s question startled her.
“Yes.” Her throat had never felt so parched. Watching Connor’s retreat, his strong body moving so gracefully under that hot suit, made her head spin. “But make mine a water, please.”
She doubted it would help. Something told her even the cleanest, freshest water in the world wouldn’t quench this thirst.
* * * *
Come on, ten o'clock.
Despite how often Connor looked at the clock on the wall, the last five minutes of his shift dragged. Luckily there hadn't been any incidents during the first part of the party, not that he expected any. The only guests were good people, folks they'd helped at the Ursa, people who wished Ryland and his staff well. Former teenage program participants had a chance to catch up with one another. Parents mingled while dancing to the music from Lex's band. Employees past and present laughed and circulated.
Elaine was mingling with them. Although he would have wanted the entire evening off, it was nice to have an opportunity to stand off to the side and observe her. She was smiling more these days, in spite of her concerns for the kids.
She had such a great smile.
Was it really possible he'd contributed to it, as Layla had suggested? He liked to think so.
He checked the clock again. Nine fifty-seven.
Dammit, he was going to claim that dance as soon as he could. His palms itched. He wanted so badly to touch the skin on her arms and see if it was as soft as it looked.
“Hey, Connor.” Marcelle sidled up to him, dressed in her white waitress outfit. “Slow night for security?”
“Nothing wrong with that. There have been too many crazy nights here the past year or two. I’ll take a slow one right now.”
He must have been staring at Elaine because Marcelle’s gaze followed. “Elaine looks nice.”
“She does. So do you.”
“Thanks.” She dismissed the comment with a wave. “It’s nice to see her feeling better. I thought about her a lot when I was away.”
“That’s kind of you.”
Marcelle looked between them a couple of times. “Elaine, huh? I wouldn’t have believed it.”
Connor was about to deny it but decided to own it instead. “Is it that obvious?”
Her genuine smile took some of his guilt away. Okay, not really, but at least she wasn’t condemning him for his interest. “You should go for it. You’d be great together.”
Elaine glanced his way, saw Marcelle at his side, and looked away. Her movements were subtle, her frown a mere twitch, but her disappointment couldn’t have been clearer.
He really needed to talk to her. Nine fifty-nine.
“I won’t keep you,” said Marcelle. “I’m off now, too, and just wanted to make sure you were okay, you know, after our last meeting.”
“Thanks. You’re a good woman, Marcelle.”
She grinned. “I know, but I appreciate you saying it.”
As she turned, she bumped into someone walking past. It was Josh Douglas. Connor was glad to see the doc had been able to get away from the mainland to join the party.
Josh had been holding a Coke. Upon impact with Marcelle, the brown liquid splashed all over the front of her pristine uniform.
He reached out a hand to steady her. “Your uniform. Shit, I’m sorry.” He grimaced. “Sorry for the language too.”
As Marcelle looked up, Josh’s blue eyes widened. His mouth hung open. Her smile turned into a thing of flirty perfection.
Connor almost laughed. This was too perfect. “Marcelle, have you met the doc? You probably should, seeing as he’s going to be paying for your dry cleaning.”
Josh grabbed a wad of napkins from a nearby table and thrust them at her. He stretched out his hand. “I’m Josh, Josh Douglas.”
“I’ve heard about you. You’re the famous shifter doctor.” She wiped her torso and then shook his hand.
“I don’t know about famous.”
“Famous around the resort, then. I’m Marcelle Burgess.”
“I haven’t seen you around here before, Marcelle.”
“I don’t work here anymore, but Ryland calls me when he needs extra help.”
“I’m glad he needed extra help tonight.” Josh’s nervous chuckle sounded familiar to Connor. He’d made a few of his own in Elaine’s presence. “I don’t suppose I could buy you a drink to make up for my clumsiness.”
“I’d like that. Just give me a few minutes to change. I’m clocking off, and I have a dress in the staff room. Meet you at the bar?”
“You bet. I’ll be waiting.”
Marcelle headed into the back, turning once to glance at Josh over her shoulder. Josh turned to Connor, his eyebrows raised.
“She’s cool,” said Connor, leaning in. “Don’t spill any more drinks on her tonight and you should do just fine.”
Still wearing a look of bemused delight, the doctor aimed for the bar.
One of the hired security officers arrived to relieve him. “You’re outta here, Connor. Have a good one.”
“Thanks. I plan to.” He headed toward the security office to return his walkie-talkie and check a couple of things before signing out.
He moved quickly, not wanting to miss another minute. He didn’t like seeing that frown on Elaine’s face and didn’t want her working under any misapprehensions about him and Marcelle. There was only one woman he wanted to dance with tonight and she was wearing a sexy copper dress that was testing all his fortitude and patience.
He was determined to make this evening an event Elaine would always remember.