Veronica was drained. Completely worn-out. “I’m not even close to your size. You’ve got way bigger boobs than me.”
“Boobs aside, we’re so close to that same size that it won’t really matter. The fitting is more to make sure the dress is seamed correctly with no showing threads or beads falling off. They know what they’re looking for and it’ll be fine. Like I was saying, lie low and get my dress, and the week will be over before we know it.”
“Uh-huh. Sure thing.” Veronica started as Cocoa jumped onto the bed and nestled into the crook behind her legs. “See you then.”
“V?” she said softly.
“Yeah?”
“Not all werewolves are bad. I was attacked by a bad one, and a bad one is following you, but Jake and Logan have a pack full of werewolves who are just the sweetest people if you’d get to know them.”
“Do you even hear yourself anymore?” Veronica mumbled.
“If you gave Logan a chance before you found out he was a wolf, what’s changed so much between then and now?”
“Everything,” Veronica said, and ended the call.
Chapter Fourteen
Bright and early Monday morning, Veronica waited in the lobby of the hotel for the valet to bring her car around. She was more nervous to be on her own than before. Since the attack, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the stalker was closer. Watching her at all times.
Maybe she was safe here. Maybe he wouldn’t be able to find her if Logan’s name was the one attached to the reservation. It was the only thing keeping her nerves in check.
As her Lexus pulled up in front of the hotel, Veronica walked out and met the valet at the hood.
“Thanks,” she said, and handed him a five-dollar tip.
“No problem, ma’am,” he said, but instead of taking the money, he handed her a small white envelope. “I found this beneath your windshield wiper. Didn’t want it flying away.”
He handed her the keys and walked inside to help another hotel guest, leaving Veronica on the sidewalk, struggling to catch her breath.
She knew what the envelope was and whom it was from before her fingers curled around the edges. Flipping it over, she read: “The future Mr. & Mrs.…”
“Oh my God…”
He found me.
It was Leah and Jake’s wedding invitation. She recognized the red-ribbon decal lining the envelope right away. It was the same size. With the same rose bundle stamp that she’d ordered a month ago, specifically for Leah’s wedding.
Hands beginning to shake, Veronica bent the edges of the envelope and peered inside. No wolf hair. No red bloodstains. No emerald jewelry.
She sighed and pulled out the wedding invitation.
It was exactly how she remembered it. But there was another card inside. The RSVP card. Slowly, she pulled it out.
The will attend line was checked, and written at the bottom of the card was the word “soon…”
“Damn it all to hell.” Veronica hopped into her car and put it in gear.
Was the stalker watching her now? Waiting for her to leave so he could follow her to her next stop? She checked down the street, scanning both directions. Nothing. She glanced in the rearview. Everything was quiet.
Without thinking, she dug her cell phone out of her purse and started scrolling for Logan’s name.
No.
What was she thinking? Were her instincts totally out of whack?
She’d have to take care of herself. Look over her shoulder everywhere she went. Maybe after the dress fitting she should buy a can of mace or a knife. Better yet, maybe she’d stop by an ammo shop and see if they stocked Tasers.
Thinking about her course of action, Veronica took off as fast as she could into town.
Once she pulled into the Bridal Beat parking lot, Veronica got her things ready before opening her door. She took a deep breath and darted inside the building. The place was located in west Seattle, and had a Victorian theme going on with its gold-tinseled marble columns and long swags of fabric draped in front of the windows. She pushed through the glass front door and let it close quickly behind her.
Logan.
He was sitting on a puffy chair against the far wall. A rack of bridesmaid dresses stood to his right, towering well over his head, and a pedestal had been set up on his other side providing the perfect place for brides to spin and twirl in front of their entourage. He wore jeans and a mocha-colored sweater that really made his light eyes pop.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, repressing a sigh at the sight of him.
“My job.”
“Yeah, well, this was stuck to my windshield this morning. Looks like the guy knows how to sneak into parking garages.” She tossed him the invitation. “Should make your job a little easier.”
“Shit.” He read quickly, then met her eyes. “Are you okay?”
“Of course I’m okay.” She pushed out a laugh, but it came out tight and much too chipper. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Because now you have a definite meeting date,” Logan said, checking out the RSVP card. “Soon…”
“Soon could be any time,” she said. “Not necessarily the wedding.”
“Which is why you should be extra vigilant.” He scrubbed his hands over his face. He looked as if he hadn’t slept a wink last night. “I don’t know when he could’ve put this on your car. I was up all night.”
“What good would that do when I’m staying across town?”
“I slept across the street from the hotel. In my truck.”
“Oh.” That was sweet of him. Selfless, too. The truck couldn’t have been comfortable to crash in. “I guess he found another way in.” Veronica tried to keep her tone light, but her insides shook. “I’m getting so tired of this. I just want this to be over so life can go back to normal.”
“It’s all right to be afraid.” Logan’s voice was a melody of deep rumbles. “Anyone would be under the circumstances.”
“If I’m afraid of anybody, it should be—”
“Can I help you?” the saleswoman behind the counter asked. She was blond and young. Too perky for 9:00 a.m. Monday morning.
Veronica spun around. “I’m here to try on and pick up Leah Vale’s wedding gown and the bridesmaids’ dresses.”
“I see the dresses right here.” She pointed to the computer screen. “Go ahead and meet me in dressing room A and I’ll bring the dresses right in.”
“Okay, thanks.” Veronica watched as the blonde swept by the rack of dresses near Logan. He winked as she walked by, souring Veronica’s stomach. She shouldn’t have skipped breakfast. She was getting sick. “I don’t mean to cut in front of you, sir,” she said to Logan. “Were you trying on dresses today, too?”
Logan smirked and his dimple returned full force, making Veronica want to kiss his cheek and lick the sexy indentation. Wolf, she reminded herself. Not sexy. Hairy, foul, growling werewolf.
“I still have a job to do, Veronica,” he said, “and now that I know what the guy looks like, I’ll have a better shot of finding him.”
Striding past the pedestal, Veronica entered the dressing room and stripped down. “I feel awkward doing this knowing you’re sitting right there,” she said, stopping at her white lace bra and matching panties.
“What’s there to feel awkward about? Are you touching yourself in there or something?”
“If I were out there I would smack you.” She covered up. “If you have to be here, couldn’t you at least wait outside in your truck? You’d be annoying either way, but that way I wouldn’t have to look at you.”
“Don’t want me to see you in a wedding dress? Don’t worry,” he said, much too confident. “I won’t be getting any ideas. I don’t like weddings, remember?”