The best part about being alone with my dad is that he doesn't want me to be a lady. He doesn't expect me to wear make-up or a fancy dress. I could have come down stairs looking like a homeless man who hasn't showered in a week, and he wouldn't think twice about piggybacking me to his truck like he did wen I was little.

I come down the steps with a natural face, messy hair pulled into a ponytail and my barn jacket, only having exchanged my Muck boots for Uggs. My dad applauds from the kitchen when he sees me, and I can't help the huge grin that spreads across my face.

"Ah, there's my beautiful girl. You ready, bud? April's fed and watered, so everything here is good to go," Dad hasn't changed his clothes at all, but now has a pair of wire framed glasses perched on his nose. He holds out one of two travel mugs for me to take, and judging by the heavenly scent in the air, he's made a fresh brew of coffee for us. This man knows me too well. "Two tablespoons of hazelnut creamer, just the way you like it. You know, I'm glad you didn't turn out as one of those fru-fru latte drinkers."

I take my light blue Yeti from him, cradling it close to my body for warmth. "Thanks. I do love a good caramel macchiato, though. And besides, I hate to break it to you, pops, but that's a Starbucks brew you're drinking," I say with a smile. I always make it a point to buy my ground coffee from Starbucks, because it's the best. Not that I don't appreciate a good cup of Maxwell house, but Starbucks always wins out over the two. "But don't worry, it's not your fault. I think they sprinkle crack in their coffee."

Dad shrugs, taking a swig from his cup. I know that his coffee is back, because he always drinks it free of additives. "Well, this I like, crack or not. Anyway, you ready? We're killin' day light." 

"Yeah, yeah," I say with a wave of my hand, heading for the door. "Come on then, old man." 

~

We roll into town a half an hour later, and I peer out the window at the names of shops. We pass the main gas station and a tobacco shop, but I haven't seen a place to eat anything that won't give us diabetes, yet. 

"The pizza shop is up here a ways. You wanna keep going?"

"Yeah, lets explore a little, I'm not hungry yet." I say, watching snow begin to fall outside. I take a drink of my coffee and let it warm my insides. It crosses my mind to text Hunter and ask if he knows of any good places to eat nearby, but it would be much more entertaining to hunt for one with my dad. We never get to do this anymore, and I miss aimlessly wandering with him. Every time we moved, he would take me out with him to check everything out. That was the one thing that made being packed up and hauled away every few months bearable. 

Indie rock pours out of the radio and the interior of the Avalanche smells like cedar, leather and pine. The music and the scent of my dad comforts me, and I haven't felt this happy in a long time. I feel myself smiling. We exit the small town and make our way for the next one, pulling onto a stretch of road with woods on either side of it. I'm just thinking how beautiful the conifers look with fresh snow on their branches when my dad swears. And then something runs into the road ahead of us. 

The figure of a wolf stands in the headlights for a millisecond before charging across the other side to the ditch, narrowly avoiding our front bumper. Dad slams on the brake and I almost loose my coffee as we slide to a stop. Luckily we hadn't been going fast because of the snow that covers the road, but the force is still enough to lock my seat belt against my chest.

We both  peer out dad's window as the black wolf stares at us from the other side of the ditch, standing stark against the white snow. Just like my wolf had the day I first saw him. That couldn't be him, could it? 

I hardly have time to form the possibility in my mind before three other wolves run in front of the immobile truck, one of them getting too close and nicking the front end in it's haste.  One white pelt and two tawny brown flash before the headlights. One of the brown colored ones limps as it follows it's comrades, leaving me to figure that it's the one responsible for the loud thud.

In seeing them, the black wolf takes off into the woods beside us, blending with the shadows. The others look like they're chasing him, but in no time at all they're gone, disappearing into the shaded treeline. 

It happened in a matter of seconds, but my heart pounds in my chest and my hands shake around my travel mug. I hope that wasn't my wolf. I hope he didn't pick a fight with anyone he shouldn't have. I hope he gets out alive.

"Wow, that was strange. You alright, bud?" Dad asks, slowly setting the truck back into motion.

"Yeah, I'm fine. The truck might be dented now, though. I'm glad we didn't hit any of them, that could have been bad." I say, trying to keep my voice from shaking.

"Yeah, good thing. A little dent isn't anything to worry about, we just got lucky I saw him coming out of the tree line. Otherwise, we probably would have killed him."

For some reason his words hit me like a punch in the gut. We almost killed my wolf. But I don't even know if that was him, so why am I so relieved that we didn't hit it? Either way, I count my lucky stars and thank whoever might be listening. I don't know if God really cares about us, but I thank Him anyway.

Dad turns the radio up a bit and falls into asking me questions about school and how I'm doing with the move.

I don't know why I do it, but in the midst of my questioning I pull my phone from my jacket pocket and send a text to Hunter. I almost hit a wolf. I send him, as if it matters at all.

"Is that a friend?" Dad asks curiously as I stuff my phone back into my pocket.

"You could say that, I'm going on a date with him later this week."

My dad nearly spits the mouthful of coffee he has all over the windshield. "You have a date? Already? Bring him by the house before hand, I want to talk to him."

I almost laugh. "Yes, daddy. But you don't really have to worry about him, he wouldn't do anything. He's too chicken." I try to convince him and myself.

"Ah, but he just wants to make you believe that. Then bam, he'll be making a move on you before dessert."

I laugh, the sound mixing with the music and I begin to feel better, though the black wolf never leaves my mind for long. "Of course, I'll have him over before then."

After another fifteen minutes we get to the second half of town, leaving the image of wolves in headlights behind. I run out of lukewarm coffee and set the empty Yeti in the cup holder beside me, pairing it with dad's. 

We roll by a few shops that are nestled together, and I scan the names that are painted on windows. There's an antique shop filled to the brim with fancy looking junk, the pizza shop dad mentioned, a used clothing store... my bored expression fades when we come up to an old book store. 

"Dad?" I ask hopefully, pointing out the window. 

He turns his head to see what I'm looking at and slows the Avalanche, pulling into a parking spot. "They look open." He observes, leaning over to look out the windshield at the lit up  interior. 

Rose's used books and bake shoppe it reads in red, faded paint that was skillfully written onto the inside of the picture window. From here, I can see rows of book shelves and small, cafe like tables and chairs that are lined along windows and clustered near the front. 

I don't realize I'm smiling until dad grins at me. He punches my shoulder and opens his door, pulling the key from the ignition. He jogs over to my side, huddled against the cold, and  opens the door for me like a gentlemen. He turns his back to me, bending a little at the knees expectantly, like when I was little. 

I step off of the running board and onto his back, unable to help the giggle that escapes my lips as he jiggles up and down before closing the passenger side door. It's still snowing, but it's toned down a bit since the wolf incident. The lot in front of Rose's is pretty full, surprisingly, considering how sleepy the town appears to be. 

Dad jogs with me on his back to the door of the book store and yanks it open, nearly hitting my knee against the metal frame. By the time the door closes and cuts the draft down, I've already been seduced by the aroma of coffee and bear claws. Dad sets me down and re-adjusts his glasses, cognac eyes roaming around the book shelves. 

If I step to the right several paces, I can see the bakery at the other end of the shop, where it seems the real draw is hidden.

A line of a dozen or so people cram the front half of Rose's, and a kind looking girl works the register while an older woman races to bag everyone's orders. A fluffy ginger colored cat lays in one of the windows, lazily swishing it's tail as it gazes out at the snow.

Well this is no Starbucks, but in a way, I almost prefer the feel of this place. It's cozy and friendly- the exact place you would want to buy a book and take a window seat with a hot cup of something, looking on at the frozen Wisconsin winter raging outside. 

No one but a child looks as us from the back of the line, and I offer a smile to him. He is bundled up like a marshmallow in a hat, coat and scarf, and I would imagine that he would have trouble walking too far. He grins shyly and hides behind his mother's legs, chubby cheeks nipped with pink.

I start towards the maze of crammed bookshelves, and it looks like no one's been here to so much as look at them. Dust cloaks every novel and I feel sorry for their neglect. 

I take a hand from my jacket pocket and trail the forgotten books with a finger, head tilting to the side as I read the words scribbled on their spines. Dad comes to stand beside me and knocks me with his elbow. 

"You want anything from the bakery? I'll go stand in line if you wanna stay here." 

I nod without taking my eyes from the shelves. "Yeah, I'll take a hot chocolate and a cookie or something." 

"Alright, I'll be right back." He says, then makes his way to the front of the shop, leaving me in the trance. 

I make my way down the isle, picking out a few books when I find myself interested in their titles or descriptions. None of them are new books, but I find several classics that I wouldn't mind adding to the library I've been collecting since middle school. You probably wouldn't expect a blonde barbie type to have a passion for reading, right? Well, have I got news for you. I'm probably one of the biggest nerds you've met around town- I love Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings, though I never really could get into Star Wars or Star Trek. I'm a closet nerd and proud of it, even if my mother isn't.

By the time I realize I've been joined by someone, the stack of books in my arms has gotten heavy and nearly as tall as my chin. When I look up I expect my dad, but instead meet the eyes of Hunter's father. I hadn't noticed him in the bakery earlier, but I didn't hear the door of the shop open, either. 

"Oh, fancy seeing you here," I say, masking my surprise with a polite glaze. "It's Jacob, right?"

Mr. Evans flashes a megawatt smile that doesn't reach his eyes. "Yes, it is. I have an odd question for you, Ms. Reed." 

"Shoot." I reply, going back to my browsing the shelves. He offers to take my books collection from my burden, and I allow him to.

"You haven't heard from Hunter lately, have you?" Jacob sounds more worried than I think he would like to let on.

I furrow my brow, a frown tugging at the corners of my mouth. An image of the black wolf from earlier comes to mind, but I quickly write it off. My wolf has nothing to do with Hunter. "What makes you think I talk to your son outside of school?" When I move to the next bookshelf, he shadows me.

I feel Mr. Evans smile. "Because he talks about you all the time and has gotten into the habit of checking his phone very five minutes." 

With a sigh, I turn to face him. "I texted him earlier, but he didn't reply. So, no, I haven't heard from him. You're his father, aren't you? You should know where he might be. Maybe he's  at a party or something." 

"A party, without asking you to come? Unlikely."

I'm starting to feel uncomfortable with the conversation, and a knot of worry has dug it's way into my belly. "I'm not the only girl in town, you know." I find myself saying a tad bitterly. 

Mr. Evans smirks, reminding me of Hunter in so many ways. In fact, the two would look like twins if not for Jacob's graying sideburns. "But you're the only one he talks about." 

"Alright, that's enough," I snap. "I don't know where your son is, and it isn't my responsibility to know. You're his father, so you go look for him." I know that I'm being harsh, but I can't help it. My natural reaction to anxiety is to fend it off with tooth and nail, and Mr. Evans is making me anxious as hell.

My dad turns the corner right then, holding two cups of something hot and a chocolate chip cookie. "Is there a problem here?" He asks, coming to my side.

"No," I respond, taking one of the cups from him. "Everything is fine, dad. Mr. Evans was just wondering if I've heard from his son lately." 

"Is that who you were texting in the car?" 

"Yeah. He never replied though, so I don't know where he is." I say with a pointed look at Jacob.

Mr. Evans looks stricken with near panic now, as if ignoring a text from me meant Hunter was in grave danger. "Would you just try to call him? Please. If he doesn't answer, I promise I'll leave you alone."

I stare at him a moment before reaching for my phone. Dad looks over my shoulder as I scroll through my contacts, stopping at Hunter's name and pressing the call button. It rings for such a long time that I nearly think he won't pick up, and with each second my heart pounds harder and harder. What if something really happened to him?  On the last ring before the voice mail, someone answers. 

"Hey there, beautiful. Miss me already? Jeez, I ignore one text and you get so worked up you have to call me. Ah, but it's so nice to know that you care." Hunter sounds as cocky as ever, but like he's out of breath and trying to hide it.

 A wave of relief washes over me at the sound of his voice, but I mask it with anger. "What the hell are you doing?" I ask a bit too loudly. "Your dad's over here bugging me about you. Why don't you call him?" 

"I didn't have my phone," He answers easily. "Put him on for a sec, just so he knows I'm okay."

I hand the phone to Mr. Evans, who passes my book stack to my dad. I take my cookie from him, nibbling on it as I keep my eyes on Jacob as he steps a few feet away, pinching the bridge of his nose. He looks furious, and I know that Hunter is in for a bad night.

He listens for a minute before whispering, "We'll talk about all of this later. Get your ass home. Now."

Dad stands beside me, watching the scene as well. "So, that's the guy who wants to take my baby girl on a date?" He leans over to ask.

"Yeah," I answer, taking a sip of my hot chocolate. "He's a real idiot." 

"I don't know, bud. He seems like trouble. Anyone who disappears like that... God knows what he was out doing." I know dad's trying to talk me out of my date with Hunter, but he also knows that it won't work.

"He probably lost his phone is all. I'm sure he just went for a hike and dropped it somewhere. He's really stupid like that." I say, making up an excuse for him. But why am I? I don't know Hunter well enough to know if he was out drinking or partying. Maybe he was doing drugs or got into a fight. How do I know? Maybe this date isn't such a good idea, after all. 

After a few minutes, Mr. Evans comes back over to us and hands me my phone. "Thank you, I'm so sorry to have bothered you," The man turns to my dad, and I take the opportunity to exit the conversation. "He left his phone in his truck when he went into the store, I'm such an idiot for worrying. Teenagers, what are we gonna do, eh? They drive us crazy with little things like that. He's my only one, you know? He's old enough to make his own decisions, but I always feel like I have to be right behind him, looking over his shoulder." He talks to my dad, bashfully rubbing the back of his neck. 

"I know just what you mean. I'm glad everything is alright." Dad responds as I put my phone back up to my ear. 

"You know, you're ruining my day." I say, stepping away while our fathers converse. 

"I'd be glad to make it up to you," Hunter replies. "Sometime when I'm no longer grounded would be nice. Sorry, but this time it's me postponing our date. Say... Friday after school?"

"Wow, you're a real smooth talker. You really think you deserve that now? It's not nice to leave girls worrying about you, idiot." I can't help the smile that tugs at my mouth as I scan the shelves around me. 

"So you admit it, you were worried about me." He sounds far too triumphant for someone who just got grilled by his dad.  

"It was your dad who had a stroke. I was only mildly concerned." I say flippantly, taking a drink of my beverage.

"Only mildly? Huh, we'll have to work on that, then. I'll just have to charm you even further."

I laugh. "You can try, but it won't work, you know. Friday it is."

"Friday?"

"Yeah, you're coming over Friday. Don't get in anymore trouble until then."

"I'll try. You don't think I can woo you? How about this-" He clears his throat and deep end his tone. "What are you wearing, baby?" His voice changes to a laughable tone of seduction. He sounds like Batman.

"Oh, it's baby now, is it? Sorry pal, you'll have to buy me coffee first." I say, setting my hot chocolate down to pull a book from the shelf in front of me. I hold my phone between my ear and shoulder as I flip through the pages, deciding if I want it.

I hear the smile in Hunter's voice. "That can be done. Anything for you, darling."

I close the book and set it back in it's place. "No makeup, a hair riddled barn jacket with hay in my ponytail."

"What?" He laughs.

"You asked what I'm wearing, so there you go."

"What, no Barbie today? Reed in her natural habitat. I have to see this. Where are you?"

My heart flutters a bit, but I ignore that. "Ah-ah, no sir. I'm on a date."

"With who?"

I pretend not to notice the hint of jealousy in his tone. Who does he think I would be with? "Easy there, Evans. I'm with my dad. Besides, shouldn't you be getting home?"

"Probably," It sounds like he stretches by the little sound he makes into the receiver. "But," he drags out the word. "My dad's a push over," he sighs. "I have less than half a week of jail time for my horrible crime."

Looking over my shoulder, I see the conversation between Mr. Evans and dad ending with a hand shake. "Your dad's heading out now..." I turn my attention back to the shelf, chewing my bottom lip. "Hey, Evens?" My voice is softer than before.

"Yes, Reed?" Hunter sounds like listening to what I have to say is the most important thing in the world to him.

My voice is serious when I speak. "I'm glad you're okay, but if you do that again... I'll kill you." I whisper before hanging up.

~

A/N

It's been a long time, I know, I'm sorry! I'll be writing in this book again thanks to a faithful reader who asked... you know who you are!

Thank you so much guys, I'm sorry for leaving you hanging for so long. I'll get back to updating for you.

Thanks again and hope you like it!

-A.