Chapter 1
Celeste checked the time.
It wasn’t too long until closing, but she was absolutely done with today. It had been busy in Reads, the little cafe-bookshop that she worked in, and it was high time for a cold glass of wine in the pub down the road and then home with a takeaway.
The bell above the door tinkled and she sighed, pushing her blonde pony tail over her shoulder. She could do without making (yet another) iced coffee mocha with half fat milk and a pump of hazelnut for (yet another) entitled teenager with daddy’s credit card.
To her surprise, it was a women in her late twenties in slouchy jeans and a form fitting white top, who looked like she’d had the same kind of day Celeste had had.
“Hey,” she said. “What can I get you?”
“What’s good?” the woman replied, her green eyes glinting in the late afternoon sunlight. Celeste felt particularly dowdy in front of this auburn haired beauty, and wiped her hands on her apron self consciously.
“It’s all good, but you look like you could do with something a bit stronger than a coffee,” Celeste said, giving her a sympathetic look.
“Oh god, I’ve had such a day,” the woman said, leaning heavily on the counter. “I’m new in town, and this is the first place I saw. You don’t happen to know anywhere that serves a good wine do you?”
“Yeah, the pub down the road has a selection. But don’t drink the rose,” Celeste looked around dramatically. “It tastes like cat’s wee.”
The woman laughed, showing her beautifully white teeth. She tilted her head to the side.
“I’m Ava.”
“Celeste,” she replied.
Ava sucked in a breath. “What a beautiful name!”
“Thanks,” Celeste smiled.
“Is it weird if I ask if you want to go for a glass of wine when you finish? I could really go for one and I don’t want to drink alone,” Ava hesitated. “Of course, I completely get it if you don’t want to, I just thought it might be nice to make a friend.”
“Do you know what, I was thinking I could go for a glass of wine after work. I finish in twenty minutes. Meet you over there? It’s just on the corner,” Celeste pointed across the road to the Duke of Clarence pub.
Ava grinned at her and let out what looked like a relieved sigh.
“That would be perfect, thank you so much. I’ll get them in. White?” Ava said, gratefully.
“White, red, as long as it is wet and alcoholic,” Celeste said.
“I’ve got you,” Ava said, and left the shop with the bell tinkling as the door closed behind her.
She was nice, and Celeste thought it would be good to make some new friends, considering all her old ones were married with children. Having neither a husband nor children kind of made her a little bit left out. Of course, her friends tried their best, but she really didn’t want to have yet another conversation about nappies or why someone’s husband hadn’t done the washing up.
No, perhaps Ava was exactly what she needed.
Ava held the phone to her ear.
“Finn, I’ve found her, I’m sure it’s her,” she said, breathlessly.
“How do you know?” The voice at the other end of the phone was just as breathless.
“Because I know you better than you know yourself sometimes, and she is it,” Ava said, rolling her eyes. “Besides, she smells like you.”
“Are you-
“Finn, if you ask me if I’m sure again,” Ava trailed off.
“Okay, sorry, I trust you, Beta,” Finn said, then reverted to his more commanding tone. “I’ll be there soon. Drop me your position.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
Ava pressed the red button on the phone and quickly sent her location to Finn.
Her Alpha and his closest would be in this little town soon enough.
