Werewolf Boyfriend: Ryker Part One (complete)

I was hoping a trip would be just what we needed - something Del and I could share even through our grief. My husband Michael passed away last year, and I feel it was time that I move on. Del chose the location of our vacation after hearing some of her friends talking about it and I decided driving would be fun. I’d get to show Del tourist traps, fun locations, and introduce her to some very good food. Del was picky like her father used to be, the kind of kid who only atechicken nuggets, andI was out to change that. Being someone who loves food and everything about it, I want to help her grow outside her nugget shell.

The trip down south was going to take us a few days. We were headed to Myrtle Beach, where I had rented a cabin for us to stay in. I hadn’t traveled like this since before she was born. Back in the day, Michael and I used to go on little vacations all the time. We even went on one when I was pregnant with Del. Michael and I always hoped that, one day, we’d be able to take Del on vacations with us more often. This was the least I could do to honor Michael and his love of travel.

We make a rest stop in North Carolina. I get gas and take Del to the bathroom, and we get some drinks and a couple of snacks for the road. As we’re leaving, Del was looks over the brochures for tourist attractions by the door.

She gasps dramatically and loudly. “Mama! Mama!” She yanks a brochure from the stand, making all the rest shoot out of the cubby.

“Del! Baby!” I huff as I kneel down to pick them all up. “You have to be careful!” I start stuffing them all back into the cubby while Del clutches hers preciously.

“But, Mama!” She prances excitedly as she holds it out to me.

I sigh and take it. “Hearthway Forest Wolf Reserve,” I murmur as I look over the pamphlet. “Wolf rehabilitation and study center, located in Hearthway Hollow. Come see the wolves that make Hearthway Hollow the treasure of the mountains. Donations help in the rehabilitation of the endangered wolves of the area.”

“I can pet a wolf, Mama!” Del bounces excitedly.

I turn to the cashier at the register. “This Hearthway Hollow, is it close by?”

“Oh, yeah,” she says with a cheery smile. “You just follow Locklear Road, and the signs will direct you the rest of the way.”

“What’s it like?” I ask cautiously.

“It is amazing!” The cashier gushes. “I go to the local college there, and I plan on moving into town soon.”

I think for a long moment. “Any good restaurants? Places to stay?”

“Oh there’s tons of good places to eat. I would check out Guillermo’s, it’s my favorite place to go. My friends and I go there to celebrate after tests and junk.” She then smiles down at Del. “There’s a killer park there too, she’ll love it. If you’re looking for a place to stay overnight, just go to Big Billy’s Hardware.”

I furrow my brow. “A hardware store?”

“It’s the heart of the town! Big Billy looks scary, but don’t worry, he’s a sucker for cute kids. Take your daughter in there, and he’ll find you a four-star place to stay dirt cheap,” she laughs.

I think for another long moment while I pay. As I get Del into her car seat, she’s still clutching that brochure for the wolf reserve. Wolves have always been her favorite animal, aside from sharks. Her father used to watch nature documentaries with her, and both of them would play wolves on full moons.

“Are we gonna go, Mama?” Del pouts.

I give her the stink eye. “Don’t try that with me, young lady.”

Del giggles and wriggles in her seat. “So are we going?”

“Just sit still. I’ll think about it.” I get into the car and drive off, and when we come to Locklear road I start traveling down it. Sure enough, I all sorts of signs for Hearthway Hollow pop up on the roadside. Rounding a bend, we come to a massive ‘Welcome to Hearthway Hollow’ sign, sticking out like a sunrise against the dark trees.

Entering the town is like stepping into one of those landscape paintings. The main downtown area is all old brick buildings with enchanting storefronts. As I find a place to park, Del squeals excitedly in the back seat. 

“Let’s find this Big Billy, first,” I say. “We’ll find a place to stay the night, get something yummy to eat, and tomorrow we’ll go visit the wolf reserve. Sound like a plan?”

“Yes! Yes! Yes!” Del cheers excitedly as I take her from the backseat.

The hardware store is easy to find. It looks like many of the other buildings, yet it sticks out like a sore thumb - the sign hanging above the door to the otherwise ordinary hardware store is a black wolf’s head, snarling through baredteeth, with the word ‘Billy’ burned into the wood.

As we walk inside, old-timey music plays over a stereo. A young man is behind the counter, arguing with someone in the back.

“Hello?” I ask. “I’m sorry to bother.”

The young man looks at me and smiles. “One sec, let me get through with this.” His smile vanishes, and he snaps towards the back. “I’ve got a customer! Shut the hell up!” He glances back to me. “Hi, I’m Jack. Sorry about that, arguing with the old man.”

“Don’t call me that!” a thundering voice snarls from the back.

“Oh, uhm-” I hesitate. “I’m in town for maybe a day or two with my daughter.”

Del stands on her tiptoes to look over the edge of the counter. “Hi,” she waves.

Jack breaks into a big grin. “Hi there!”

“I was told if I came here we’d be able to find a place?” I ask. “I’m sorry if I was misled. I don’t mean to be a bother.”

Jack shakes his head to show that’s nonsense. “I’m sure the old man has a few places he can rent for a couple of days.” He turns and whistles. “Yo! Billy! You got some potential renters up here!”

There is snarling and growling before a man who is closer to the size of a mountain emerges from the back. I’m sure back in his day he was a real looker - hell, he’s quite good looking now - but there is a dark look in his eyes as he walks out.

“I’ve got a couple of cabins,” the big man huffs as he takes out a three-ring binder. “Lemme see here, lemme see.” He glances down to see Del staring up at him with a wide-eyed, blank expression. “What’s this here?” He leans over the counter. “How old are you?”

Del holds up her hand, spreading out all five fingers. 

“You’re the same age as my granddaughter,” he chuckles. 

“My daughter,” Jack huffs.

Billy rolls his eyes. “What are you doing here, then?” he asks Del.

“Wolves,” Del blurts out.

I chuckle and pet the top of her head. “She saw a brochure for the wolf reserve, and they’re her favorite animal.”

“Besides sharks,” Del corrects me.

“Two very good choices.” Billy takes a key from behind the desk and hands it to me. “Address and everything is on the keychain,” he says. “Small cabin, good for a new family.”

A cold, stabbing pain radiates through my chest. “Just me and Del,” I say quietly. 

“Ah.” Billy nods. “Well, it’ll still work out for you. How long you plan on staying? A week?”

“Two days, at most,” I say with a nod. 

Billy chuckles. “Well, $65 a night, regardless.”

I balk for a moment, letting my jaw drop. “That’s it? For a cabin?”

“I got a lot of cabins, and they ain’t getting used,” Billy says with a shrug. “Kid discount.” He motions to Del.

“Oh, wow, thank you. I promise we’ll keep it clean.” I take Del’s hand to go back outside. “Oh, uhm… I was told to try Guillermo’s,” I say. “Where is it in town?”

“You go down Main Street and make a left. It’ll be right next to the Silver Bullet a few blocks that way,” Jack replies. “It’s great. You really should try it before you leave.”

“Okay, thank you!” I wave goodbye as I take Del back to the car.

We find the cabin, which is located pretty close to town, behind a house with a moving truck parked out front. I see a woman sitting outside by a stack of boxes, fanning herself.

Del and I go into the cabin. Aside from it being stuffy, it’s cute and cozy.

“This is like the Three Bears house, Mama!” Del races around the place, opening the curtains that screen off a sliding glass door. She gasps loudly the curtains part to reveal an endless expanse of woods behind the cabin.

“You think wolves can see us?” She bounces on her heels.

“If you leave that curtain open,” I chuckle. “Now come on, let’s go find a bed so you can have a nap.”

Del whines and drags her feet. “But I don’t wanna!”

“But I want you to be nice when we go out for dinner tonight,” I tell her. We find the bedroom, and I tuck Del into the king-sized bed. “I want to show off my nice Del.”

Del giggles. “Then the wolves?”

“Then the wolves.” I kiss her forehead and turn out the light. “Sleep well, baby.”

I go out into the living room and settle down on the sofa. Just as I’m getting my phone out I hear a knock at the door. Feeling a bit timid, I peer through the window to see the woman from the house below at the door. As I open the door, she has an embarrassed look at her face. 

“Hi, sorry,” she mumbles. “I know you’re here just trying to enjoy your vacation but, uhm-” she fidgets in place. “The electricity at my place was supposed to get turned on today, and it’s not.” She holds up her phone and a charger. “Do you mind?”

I shake my head. “No, come in.”

“I’m Amelie, by the way,” she says quickly.

“Zara,” I reply. 

“Thank you, so much, Zara. I need to call my boyfriend and tell him the electricity isn’t on yet, but of course my phone dies.” Amelie goes into the kitchen and plugs her phone in there.

“Are you just moving here?” I ask.

Amelie shakes her head. “I moved to Hearthway Hollow about a year ago. I just got engaged, so my fiance and I decided to find a new place together. He didn’t wanna live in a house so close to his work, and I didn’t want to live directly in the woods. This was a compromise,” she chuckles. “So, how did you end up here?”

“The wolf reserve,” I say with a shrug. “Me and my daughter are headed to Myrtle Beach for a vacation.”

“The wolf reserve is pretty cool. If you’re lucky, they may have the rescued wolf pups out and about now.”

“She’d go nuts for that,” I sigh. 

“So a beach vacation with just the girls,” Amelie chuckles. “Did you have to leave Dad at home?” 

“Oh, uh-” I start off unsurely. “No. I mean-” I press my lips into a tight line. “Michael, my husband... he died about a year ago.”

Amelie gasps, horrified. “Oh, oh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to-”

“It’s okay.” I shake my head. “It’s taken some time, but I’m ready to move on. I wanted to create some happy memories with Del, get out of the house. Live a little,” I chuckle.

“Well, you came to a great place. Hearthway Hollow,” she smiles for a moment. “I don’t know what it is about this place, but it’s a perfect spot for healing. When I came here, I was-” she shakes her head. “I was in a really, extremely, horribly bad place. In a way, Hearthway Hollow saved my life.”

“Oh, wow,” I murmur.

“I suggest letting yourself linger here for a while. You’ll never know what you might find.” Amelie gives me an encouraging smile. “Aside from the reserve, what were your plans?”

I shake my head and shrug. “Oh! Well, I was told to go to Gueillermo’s,” I say.

Amelie gasps. “That place is awesome! My boyfriend’s best friend is the chef there, and he does absolute miracles with food. Shahan and I were going there tonight, you should join us and get some special treatment,” she says with a grin. “Shahan and Ryker grew up together, they’re practically brothers.”

“Ryker?” I murmur to myself.

That evening, Del and I go to dinner with Amelie and her fiance Shahan. The restaurant already looks packed, but we are taken to a back room that has a view of the kitchen. 

“So, what do you like to eat, Del?” Shahan asks.

“Chicken nuggets,” Del says, grabbing some crayons on the table and scribbling on the paper table cloth.

“She’s a picky eater,” I sigh. “I’ve been using this trip to try to get her to like other types of food.”

“How is that going?” Shahan asks.

“It’s still a stalemate,” I grumble. 

“Well, if anyone can get her to try new things, I think it would be Ryker,” Shahan chuckles. “We grew up together, and he basically lived with me and my family after his dad passed away.”

“His daddy died too?” Del asks softly.

“Oh uh, sorry kid,” Shahan says gently. “You miss your dad?”

Del nods. “We used to watch Shark Week together,” she grumbles before going back to scribbling on the paper tablecloth.

“Shahan!” A man comes around to the table. “Oh, wow, new people.”

The man that stands beside the table has me as dumbstruck as if I’m a high school girl again. He’s a tall, burly guy like a lumberjack, with a farmer’s-market vibe to him. He’s wearing the white chef jacket and the tall paper hat, which I can’t remember the name of. He’s got dark brown hair, which might me long - I’m not sure - but it looks like most of it is pulled back under the hat. His bright blue eyes look me over, and I am instantly smitten.

“Well, hello there,” he says in a bright, charming voice. “Is this couple here bothering you?”

“No!” Del blurts from her booster seat. “They invited us.”

The man chuckles. “Well, I am certainly happy to hear that.”

“This is Zara and Del. They’re renting the cabin above the new house for a spell,” Shana replies. “Amelie invited them out.”

“You did?” the man laughs.

“I’m growing, learning to trust,” Amelie says with a shrug. “This is the Ryker, by the way,” she says to me.

“THE Ryker! I like that,” he laughs. His bright smile turns on me, and I am that dumbstruck little girl again. “Ryker Guillermo, at your service.” He holds out his big, sexy hand to me, and it’s all I can do to not giggle like a loon.

“H-hi,” I choke out. “Nice to meet the miracle-worker. I’ve heard so much about you.”

“Aww, are they bragging on me?” he asks. “I just try to make good food, that’s all.”

“What’s the special tonight?” Shahan asks.

“Good question,” Ryker laughs. “What are you in the mood for?”

“Chicken nuggets,” Del pipes up.

Ryker makes a face. “Bad news, kid. This is an anti-chicken nuggets restaurant.”

“Excuse me?” Del blurts. I have to cover my mouth to keep from falling to the floor with laughter. I glance up apologetically at Ryker.

“You do realize if you eat too much chicken, you’ll become a chicken?” Ryker says. “Do you want to become a chicken?”

A horror-stricken look comes over Del’s face. “But they feed chickens to sharks!”

Amelie and Shana start to snort and laugh, while I struggle to keep composure. I glance at Del and pat her on the back. “That’s right. They feed the sharks raw chickens sometimes.”

“I don’t want that!” Del blurts.

Ryker leans down so he’s level with Del, putting his hands on his knees. “Then do you trust me to make you something just as good as chicken nuggets - but way, way better?”

“I don’t wanna be a duck either!” Del shakes her head.

I finally snap, and have to fake that I’m coughing.

“It won’t be any sort of bird, I promise.” Ryker crosses his heart. He then winks at me, and I melt like processed cheese.

Del grabs my sleeve and shakes me. “Mama, why didn’t you warn me?” 

I giggle while Shahan is having a full on belly laugh. “I thought you knew, baby.” I say, catching my breath. “I was all prepared to start raising a fluffy baby chick.”

“You monster!” Del gasp in horror.

A few moments later, a waitress brings by a basket of tortilla chips and two bowls of salsa and white queso.

“What’s that?” Del points at the queso.

“Cheese,” Shahan says. “You should try it. The salsa too, Ryker makes it from scratch every day.”

I sample the salsa first, and I feel like I’m just shoving a whole garden into my mouth. “Oh my god,” I gasp. “That’s some Willy Wonka antics but it’s salsa.”

Amelie chuckles. “See? Told you he works miracles.”

Shahan helps Del get chip covered in queso, and when she eats it she almost sucks the skin off her fingers trying to lick up all the cheese. I have to warn her to not ruin her meal, she wants the queso so badly.

Ryker returns, carrying out the plates for us. “I hope you all enjoy,” he says. “I tried something a little different tonight to appease the chicken.”

“Am not!” Del whines. She looks at her plate, and her eyes light up when she sees a moat of queso around the main dish. 

“These are my special Shawarma enchiladas. I figure if you add enough cheese, kids will eat anything,” he chuckles. 

The enchiladas are served with a vibrant salad, and a small dish of black rice mixed with chorizo that tastes like heaven. I have never seen Del eat something with as much fervor as she does those enchiladas. 

Ryker comes back to the table when the food is done. “I take it she liked the meal?” 

“I’ve never seen her so excited for something before,” I chuckle. “Thank you so much.”

Ryker grins. “No problem. Here.” He offers us a to-go bag. “I thought she might enjoy these later. You can warm them up for her breakfast.”

“Oh, wow, thank you,” I gasp. “We will probably be back again before we have to leave,” I say with a big grin. I feel like a dork every time I talk to Ryker. He’s so handsome I just want to kiss him all over.

“I hope you do.” His voice is gentle. “Well, uhm, back to work!” He seems to want to linger, but he pulls himself away.

That evening after Del has a bath and is lying in bed with a food coma, I go to the kitchen to unpack the to-go bag. As I place the containers into the fridge, a piece of paper falls out and floats to the ground. I pick it up to see a phone number scrawled on it. On the back there’s a message. “If you need an advice to combat your picky eater, call me. Ryker.”

My head nearly explodes. I have the cute chef’s number.