Mating the Red Wolf: (Book 10, Grey Wolf Pack Romance Novellas) by E A Price Page B

Marie was at that moment, she still managed to give an exaggerated eye roll as Harold led her away.
    Kim sighed.  Harold Jr. did not like her.  That was pretty darn obvious.  Why – she had no idea, and nor did she really care, but for Ed’s sake she would put up with it.  She would go through just about anything to be with Ed.  Hot coals, broken glass – bring it on.
    She'd felt a connection to him the moment she saw him, and on their first date, she knew she wanted to be with him forever.
    *
    21 st September
    Kim grunted.
    “Breathe in, honey.”
    “I am; if I breathe in anymore, I might just inhale all the furniture in the room.”
    Kim tensed as her mom finally pulled up the zipper. “Yes!” exclaimed Angela in triumph.  “You can relax; you’re in.”
    Kim stood up straight and let out a testing breath.  Okay, it wasn’t too bad.  As long as she took shallow breaths and didn’t eat anything she’d be fine.  Although, her breasts seemed to be trying to make a break for it – they were pushing the fabric of the dress to breaking point.  Ed would probably like that.
    “You look beautiful,” gushed Angela as she led Kim over to the chair and started pinning back her hair.
    “Thanks Mom,” said Kim smiling nervously.
    It was her first date in, oh, about six years, and she was just a tad anxious.  Since meeting Ed, he had been a regular visitor to Bar Luna.  They had flirted, talked, made out and then talked some more.  Kim was pleased that Ed hadn’t tried to push her too fast too quickly.  It annoyed the heck out of her wolf who was all for ravishing the young red wolf on the spot, but Kim was relieved.  She didn’t need some pushy asshole; she’d dated plenty of them over the years and ended up married to one.  She hated the 'me wolf, you wolf, we mate,' caveman bullshit.  She wanted someone who would actually take things a little more slowly, and get to know her.  And she’d found him.
    And tonight was the night they would go on their first date.  She felt as nervous as a 16-year-old who'd just been asked out by her high school crush.
    She’d pulled her date clothes out of retirement, and settled on her favorite - her little black dress.  Or rather, her sexy, men fall at my feet, dress.  It was just a tiny bit tighter than she remembered.  It must have shrunk while it was hiding in the back of her closet.  Yep, no other explanation for it .
    Her mom carefully finished her hair and Kim applied a thin layer of make-up.  Not too much and not too little.
    Angela beamed at her in the mirror.  “I gotta get to work, honey.  I love you.”  She kissed the top of her daughter’s head.
    Kim blew her a kiss as she left.
    “Knock him dead,” called out Angela as she left.
    Angela usually worked at the hardware store in town.  The store was owned by a local coyote shifter who found that Angela was good for business.  Men seemed to get a kick out of buying hardware from an attractive six-foot she-wolf.  More than once, an unsuspecting male customer had wandered in looking for nails and come out with several new power tools he had no idea he needed.  However, that night she was covering Kim’s shift at Bar Luna.  Angela insisted; she was more than a little keen for her daughter to get out and enjoy herself.
    Kim stiffly got to her feet and made her way downstairs.  She started walking laps of the living room, hoping to loosen up the dress a little.  Jamie huffed at Kim every time she walked in front of the TV. Jamie was sat watching her favorite TV show, Emily Wolf of Wolften Hollow.  It was a very basic cartoon show about a young wolf shifter called Emily.  It was heavy on moral messages about being kind to others and not judging people based on their species.  Although Jamie knew every episode inside out, she would watch them over and over again. 
    “Mommy!” admonished Jamie, dark red pigtails bobbing, as Kim stopped in front of the TV to check her watch.
    Kim groaned