Island Stripe Pride - Chapter 48: Chapter 48

Carter had spent the better part of the day calling and visiting restaurants within a sixty-mile radius of the lodge, trying to get someone to take on the impossible job he’d offered them. But catering a Shifter event was a huge to do. He knew it, and all the supernaturally run establishments he’d talked to knew it.
No one seemed to have the time or the desire to take on the affair. But Carter was no quitter, and he sure as fuck was not gonna tuck tail and run. Somehow, he found himself back at Any Time Eats.
The diner of his youthful summers and holiday vacations had undergone an entire remodel. He was impressed with the rustic design and charming dining tables with their large, Shifter-sized chairs. It was a fair cry better from the worn vinyl booths and cracked linoleum floors that used to be there.
The biggest surprise though was her. Antonia Casabella. His Tiger had roared ferociously the second he saw her, and Carter had been damn near close to shifting. For a guy who prided himself on his control, it was startling to say the least.
Fuck.
Could it be she’d gotten more beautiful since he’d last seen her? She’d certainly filled out. His eyes had bulged at the shapely curves that had blossomed and filled in. He’d always known she’d be a knockout. Hell, she was back then, but even more so now, fulfilling the promise of womanly beauty that had been there at just seventeen years old.
His heart stuttered in his chest, and he’d felt as if a mule had kicked him right there. The useless muscle must have forgotten what she’d done to him to go crazy at the mere sight of her in her chef’s uniform. He didn’t even know she could cook.
But here he was, three plates in, and damn, was it delicious! An idea formed, and he knew he was playing with fire. But what choice did Carter have? The Pride was counting on him. His Neta had given him a responsibility, and he was going to do his best to fill it.
If that meant revisiting the past, then he was gonna put on his big boy pants and be the boss of that motherfucker. Sitting across from him, Toni crossed her arms over her ample bosoms, but he managed not to look. Barely.
She wasn’t trying to entice him in her worn t-shirt and sweats. Hell. She’d just finished working and was probably bone tired. But there she sat, cobalt blue eyes spitting fire at him. Her full strawberry pink lips torturing him. Fuck. Was he sure he could do this?
Yesssss, hissed his inner beast. The Tiger inside him was determined to see this through.
“Why are you here?” she’d asked.
“I’m here for you,” he’d replied.
Of course, he had not meant to say that. It just slipped out, and once it did, he realized it was true. The Tiger in him roared his agreement.
Carter felt something stir within. Like a warm, familiar fire. Something he’d been missing for a long time, and it sparked to life at his announcement, kindling emotions he’d thought dead deep within him.
He was a Tiger who believed in fate. So yeah, maybe he was there for her. The words had been spoken, and he was not taking them back.
“Bullshit,” she replied, eyes flashing dangerously at him.
For a Rabbit Shifter, Toni Casabella was a mean little thing when she wanted to be. But that only made her cuter. Something that had also pissed her off to no end back in the day. She hated when he called her cute.
“Look, I’m here to hire you for the gathering⁠—”
“And I already told you, no way. There’s not enough time.”
“You know, I never took you for a quitter.”
“I can’t quit something I never agreed to take on,” she pointed out.
“Semantics,” he replied. “I was told by some of your competitors not to bother. They said a female chef, especially a vegetarian, couldn’t do the job, anyway. Maybe they’re right,” he said and reached for his wallet.
“What did you say?” she hissed, and he hid his smirk as he counted out some bills, leaving a hefty tip for the server.
“No worries, cuteness. You’re not up for it. I understand⁠—”
“The hell I’m not! Fine. I’ll take the job,” she snarled, standing up so fast he almost got whiplash.
That was his Bunny. Feisty and fur-ociously adorable. He bit the inside of his mouth to keep from grinning at the blue fire in her eyes as she placed both hands on either side of her ample hips.
“Meet me here at eight to go over the details,” she growled and left him grinning like the Cheshire cat.
“I see you still rile my sister up, Carter Marrow,” Mara Casabella said from her position leaning up against the wall.
She’d been there about three minutes and had caught the tail end of the conversation between him and Toni. If he could even call it that.
“Some things never change,” he replied, standing up to greet the woman he knew since she was nothing but a kit. “Just look at you, woman. All grown up. You breakin’ hearts around here left and right, or what?”
“Yeah, right,” she snorted, rolling her eyes at him. “Toni’s the heartbreaker of the family. It’s a shame though,” she hinted.
“What is?”
“Well, she gets asked out all the time. Had one buck sniffing around her for months, all last year in fact, till the poor guy finally got the hint she wasn’t interested. But that’s Toni for ya, ice cold.”
“Really?” he asked.
“Yep. She hasn’t been the same since you ran off and enlisted in whatever it was you went and did. You never even came to visit, Carter. I was really surprised by that.”
“Yeah, well,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably. “Your father let me know you were all fine, and he told me Toni was doing great without me.”
It was true enough. Carter had tried to forget it, but those first few months after he’d gone were rougher than hell. He’d broken down and called from basic training only to have Mr. Casabella answer the phone. The old Alpha Buck had been kind, but positive when he’d said Toni wanted nothing to do with him anymore.
“She’s still running wild, son. I expect she will settle down when she’s ready. Rabbits have a habit of behaving promiscuously until they find their mates you know. I thought it was you, and nothing could have made me happier. I am sorry for my kit’s hardheartedness, son. Very sorry.”
“M
y father? He wouldn’t have known or cared what Toni wanted. He was so busy trying to get her to marry this buck he had picked out from a neighboring Warren, and let me tell you, I had never seen her so miserable. The buck found his mate and backed out last minute, and Toni was so relieved. Of course Daddy tried again, but she flat out refused to be set up with any more males. Been alone ever since,” Mara said.
“What?” he asked, having a hard time digesting that much information at once.
Could it be true? Why would Mara lie to him? She had no horse in this race, or did she? Toni could have put her up to it, but Carter had worked as an Enforcer for so long, he could scent a lie almost as quickly as his Neta could.
Fuck. Old man Casabella had pulled the wool over his eyes then, hadn’t he? How could he have been so stupid? His Tiger growled, the beast wanting revenge on the buck who kept him from his mate. Of course, it was too late for that. Besides, he’d probably fucked everything up at this point. Second chances didn’t come often in life, especially not for him.
“Carter, are you okay? You look like a ghost,” Mara said, eyes narrowing at him.
“You look like Toni, you know that?” he mumbled, and she really did a little.
Same familiar blue eyes, same stubborn chin, and pert nose. Only Mara had brown hair, and Toni’s was silvery blonde.
“Not me, kitty cat. You better go home and start thinking up a plan to win my big sister’s heart. The gods know it is way passed time you two got together,” she said matter-of-factly. He couldn’t think to respond. So, he just waved goodbye and left the diner.
Carter’s lungs were burning, fuck he needed air. His heart was pounding so hard in his chest it sounded like thunder roaring in his ears. Twelve years. That’s what the old man’s lies had cost them both. Twelve lonely fucking years.
And he was not going to waste another fucking second.
The next morning, Carter showed up bright and early for his meeting with Toni. He was carrying a tablet with all the pertinent information, including the menu, the other caterer had supplied before quitting.
He scented her before he saw her. The faint fragrance of fresh strawberries danced along the cool morning air, tempting his inner beast, and making him salivate. Carter was a fan of berries. Especially hers. He could still remember the first time he’d seen Toni remove her top, revealing tip tilted blushing pink nipples that had made his mouth water. She’d tasted even better than she looked, and that was saying something.
“Morning, cutie,” he greeted her.
She growled, lip curling as she used her key to unlock the door, typing in a code quickly on the alarm system as they entered. There was nothing fake about that sweet berry scent. Fresh as a field, he thought and grinned like the predator he was.
“So, I thought we could start⁠—”
“Shhh,” she grunted, holding her finger to her lip while she walked over to the counter and began to make a giant carafe of coffee.
He slid into a seat at the counter, watching as she methodically went about her work. Even as a teenager, Toni was not a morning person. She needed coffee before she could behave in any way resembling a normal person. He did not speak again until she held a steaming mug of Columbian roast in her hot little hands, tempered with one cream and one sugar.
“For an adorable little Bunny, you sure are grouchy without that first cuppa joe,” he observed.
“I’ve only had one sip, Carter. You know what that means?”
“No. What?”
“That means no talking. Not until I’m at least six sips in,” she said, handing him his own mug filled to the brim.
She left no room for cream, sugar, or anything, and a part of him was ridiculously pleased that she remembered how he took his coffee. They sat there for so many minutes, drinking their coffee and listening to the hum of the air conditioning unit switch on inside the still empty restaurant.
“Alright, I have to turn the ovens on and start the prep for the day. You can meet me in the kitchen in five minutes.”
Toni walked away, coffee in hand, and Carter watched her leave. He hated to see her go, but damn, she had a walk that made him want to drop to his knees and worship at her feet. He’d always enjoyed a woman with a luscious backside, but no one could compare to Toni’s fanny. Her ass was a perfect heart shape ten he’d recognized easily enough in the tiny shorts she wore.
How was she going to cook in those? He wondered, standing up and following in her wake. He figured enough time had gone by, but he was wrong. The door to the sister’s office was open and inside he saw Toni wiggling her bottom as she tugged on a pair of bright red chef’s pants up and over her cute little butt. The cheekster panties she wore were tiger striped, and his inner beast snarled approvingly. Kitty liked seeing her in stripes. Wondered how she’d look wearing his.
Grrrrr.
Down boy.
He backed out of the kitchen, re-entering noisily so she would have ample warning to cover her assets. More’s the pity.
“Let’s go, cutie. I've got to get back to the lodge, but first I need to know you can handle this.”
“I can handle any job you give me, Garfield,” she replied, reverting to the nickname she’d called him in their youth.
All because of his insatiable hunger for the multilayered cheese and pasta casserole he could not get enough of. Toni had made one helluva pot of Sunday sauce back in the day. He wondered what he’d have to do to get her to make it again.
“Earth to Garfield. Show me the thing already,” she said, snapping her fingers in his face.
When the heck had she crossed the room? Whatever. She was right. He had work to do, and he couldn’t stand here staring at her all day. Or could he? Making some quick adjustments in his head, he handed her the tablet with the menu the former caterer had decided on along with their updated guest list.
“One sec,” he said and grabbed his cell phone. “Bradley? Yeah. I need you to fill in for me today. You did? I see. Great job, buddy. Yeah, I’m working on that.”
“That Bradley Furlong?”
“Yes. How do you know him?”
“He’s dating Carol Bunford, she’s a member of the Cottontail Flock. I’ve known her since she was a kit,” she said with a grin.
“So, what do you think?” he asked, stepping closer than necessary.
The air was charged between them. For a moment, it was enough that he was standing there with her. She looked so good with her platinum hair braided and bound in a tight, professional bun behind her head. She wore not even a speck of makeup. Nothing to embellish her natural beauty.
Fresh and smooth, her skin glowed a second only to her bright blue eyes. They were rimmed in impossibly dark lashes that matched her eyebrows. Her coloring was so unique, he’d never seen anything like her. She was like stardust personified. A walking, talking ray of light he wanted to keep with him always.
Maybe this time I can.
“I think, um, that this won’t work,” she replied in a throaty whisper.
Her eyes were glued to his mouth, and he felt himself lean into her. Electricity charged the space between them, like the whole world was holding its breath to see if they would come together.
He wanted to, so fucking badly. Her breathing was unsteady, and he could see her heart racing by the rapidly throbbing vein on the side of her neck. He could kiss her right then if he wanted to. She seemed ready, willing even.
The thought filled him with trepidation. Did he dare touch her one more time? Was he willing to take a chance that might cost him his heart? The answer was easy. Carter was a Tiger, not a mouse.
“It will. This time it will,” he answered, closing the distance, and taking the plunge.