The Wolf and the Bobcat: by E A Price Read Free Book Online

abruptly.
    Carl nodded at the auto shop.
    Deanna flushed a little. “No, no trouble, at least nothing I can’t handle.”
    She was embarrassed by how even an innocuous question put her on guard. She couldn’t help herself; if ever she suspected anyone was insinuating that she was having problems, and couldn’t look after her family, financially or otherwise, she went on the defensive. She’d been taking care of her family off and on for many years, and she hated people trying to butt in and tell her she couldn’t.
    At least Carl didn’t seem to notice. Nothing seemed to annoy him . He bent down and picked up the trembling rabbit, who immediately snuggled into Carl’s sweater.
    “Will you go out on a date with me?” Carl looked at her with interest.
    Deanna stared at him, wide-eyed. Of all the things she was expecting him to say that was way down the list. She’d have thought it was more likely for him to tell her about the time he was abducted by aliens. Her bobcat growled in disapproval, and Deanna tried to get her to pipe down. She wasn’t interested in Carl; the cat had nothing to worry about.
    “Uhh, thanks, Carl, but I’m not really interested.”
    Carl continued staring at her with a dazed smile; he didn’t even falter at her rejection. “Well, let me know if you change your mind.”
    “Sure.”
    “See you around, Deputy pretty kitty.”
    Deanna sighed; she figured it wasn’t worth the fight . “See you around, Carl.”
    She chuckled as she watched him amble away, chatting to his rabbit. When he was out of sight, she groaned and sank back onto the wall.
    She still had to come up with the money to fix the car; either that or the whole family would have to figure out a way to share the minivan. Maybe she could ask the Sheriff if she could have a patrol car. No, she doubted Alec would want her using it when she was off duty.
    Then there were her grandmother’s hospital bills; they weren’t going to pay themselves.
    She fiddled with her ring. It had belonged to her great-grandmother, given to Deanna on her eighteenth birthday by Grams. It wasn’t worth a lot, but if she went to the right pawnbroker, she could swing six hundred bucks. It was hardly a precious treasure, but it did have sentimental value. That would have to be a last resort.
    Her bobcat almost purred. If only her handsome wolf were there, he’d save them.
    Ugh, no way! She didn’t need a man to swoop in and make all her problems go away – as if he could anyway! Deanna Hardison and her family stood on their own feet; they didn’t need charity or handouts.
    But wouldn’t it be nice to be taken care of? Instead of us always having to take care of everyone else .
    Deanna shook her head, got up and began walking home. They would be fine. Darcy would use the car to get everyone to school and doctor’s appointments, Dennis would need to get lifts to and from Darlington for his shifts at the hospital, and she would just walk to and from work. Easy peasy.
    Deanna had no problem walking everywhere. God knows, when she was little she had to walk home from School dragging Dennis behind her, whenever her mom forgot to pick them up. Which was more often than not.
    Besides, things would pick up once Dennis was fully trained as an EMT, he’d get a higher salary and they’d be a little more secure. See, who needed a man to ride to her rescue?
    Who needed a tall, handsome, magnificently sculpted, potent, gorgeous wolf? Not her, no way, no how. Nope, she was fine spending her nights curling up in bed with a good book, and a cup of hot chocolate. Yep, that was all she needed… yep… definitely…
    Deanna sped up and thrust her hands in her pockets. Jeez, she was pathetic . Her bobcat concurred with that sentiment.
    She’d been dreaming non-stop about him. If she were half as brave as she liked to think she was, she’d track down her guy, and find out whether there really was anything more to this attraction, or if it was all just in her