My Shifter Boss

“That’s a beautiful ring. Did Lucy help you pick it out?”

“No sir. I chose it on my own.”

Frank smiled at Nathan. “You know my daughter well, then. That is the perfect ring for her. Both fancy and simple at the same time.”

Nathan chuckled as he put the ring back in his pocket. “The second I saw it, I knew she’d love it.”

“Are you asking her while y’all are here?”

“I don’t think so, unless the perfect time comes up. But I want to take her to the restaurant where we ate together on our first date. Make it special.”

“She’ll like that,” Frank mused. “You’ll make her happy, I can tell.”

“Thank you, Frank. I’m going to spend my life making her happy.”

“Good to hear! Now let’s get this food going. I’m starving.” Frank slapped Nathan companionably on the back as they rose and gathered the steaks.

Lucy stepped out on the porch at that moment. “Hey, guys! How much longer?”

“Twenty minutes,” Frank called.

She walked across the patio and joined them, glancing at the grill, sniffing in appreciation. “I’m starving!” she exclaimed with a smile. “Mom and I have decided we’re going to eat out here on the patio.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Frank answered as he flipped the steaks, the sizzle causing Lucy’s stomach to growl loudly. She put her hand over it and laughed out loud.

Maryann stepped out with plates and silverware. “Lucy, go inside and grab the napkins. Iced tea ok?” she asked the group. Everybody nodded. “You boys finish those beers before sitting down to the table.”

Frank rolled his eyes and took a long pull of his beer. “She doesn’t think beer belongs at the table, but wine is ok.”

Nathan laughed but drained his beer and tossed it in the outside trashcan. The woman was not only his future mother-in-law, she was also his new boss. He wasn’t going to annoy her the first time he was in her house.

Twenty minutes later, they sat down for their meal. They ate heartily, talking about everything except Maryann. They talked about what had happened to the Head and Marissa, and Lucy told her father about her new position with the Guard. Frank expressed concern about the safety of working there, so Nathan explained what his job was as second in command of the Guard. Frank was impressed.

Maryann excused herself to get the banana pudding and dished out large dollops for everyone. When she sat down again, Lucy and Nathan looked at her expectantly.

“So, Frank, I have something important to talk to you about,” Maryann began.

His spoon halted midway to his mouth; her tone of voice had warned him this was important. “Is everything ok?”

“Of course.” Maryann cleared her throat. She loved this man and didn’t want to distress him. His concern about Lucy working there meant he might not approve of her position. She looked at Lucy, who nodded her support. She yanked the Band-Aid off. “Frank, I’ve been elected as the new Head.”

Other than the sounds of birds and bugs in the trees, the yard was silent. Maryann watched her husband. Frank’s eyes had widened; he put his spoon down slowly, his banana pudding forgotten. Lucy held her spoon in a grip like a vise, while Nathan had sat back to watch; this wasn’t his discussion.

Maryann laid her hand over Frank’s. “Honey, I need you to talk to me. Tell me what you think.”

“The Head? Of the Guard?” Frank asked as if he was confused about what she meant.

She nodded. “Yes. I was elected two days ago.”

“I thought you hated the Guard. They banished you from the city all those years ago.”

“I did hate the Guard when I was younger, but the Head, the one who was murdered, changed the Guard, made it better, more judicial and fair. I want to continue the changes that he started and make it even better.”

Frank shook his head. “I don’t understand. You were only there for a week!”

“Yes, but things were put into motion before I even got there.” Maryann looked at Nathan. “What I’m about to say doesn’t leave this table. Understood?”

Frank interrupted before Nathan could reply. “Wait a second. You mean you appointed Nathan as second in command? He works for you?”

“Yes.” Maryann returned her gaze to Nathan, eyebrows lifted in question.

“As your Second, Maryann, all of our conversations will remain private,” Nathan assured her.

Maryann nodded and returned her attention to her husband. “Do you remember my best friend, Sarah?” Frank nodded, and Lucy gasped.

“She’s the Sarah you’ve always talked about?” Lucy asked, astonished. Maryann nodded and Lucy shook her head. “I had no idea.”

“No one did, really,” Maryann commented. “Anyway, the night of the Head’s death, Sarah called me and told me to get my ass to the city. She’s been pushing me to return and campaign for the title of Head when it became available. She’s been working that angle for the last year because the Head had told her he planned to retire by next summer.”

Nathan’s brow furrowed. “I didn’t know that.”

“No one but Sarah knew,” Maryann told him. “She was planning to remain with the new Head for a year, then join him in retirement. She loved him, you know.”

“That’s so sad,” Lucy commented.

“I knew she loved him. She didn’t hide it well, if you were observant, but I had no idea it was that deep,” Nathan explained.

Frank huffed out a breath, exasperated by the tangent the conversation had taken. “Would you please get back to explaining to me why you are now the new Head of the Guard?”

“Sorry, honey,” Maryann placated. “I’ve already accepted the position. I should have asked you first, but the Guard, the whole city, really, is in an uproar because of Marissa and her rebels. Something had to be done.”

“And you’re going to do it,” he stated, but Lucy could not tell what he was thinking; his tone of voice was robotic. “What happens now?”

“The Head must live in the city. There is a penthouse apartment at the top of headquarters that belongs to the Head. It’s bigger than our house,” she laughed, but sobered quickly at his look. She held his hand. “Frank, I know this is sudden, and I know this means uprooting our lives and moving far away, but I want to do this. I’ll be good at it. I can make a difference.”