It was so ingrained in Meadow to steer clear of lycanthropes in Arrowfield, just to keep the peace at home, that she'd never eaten anywhere in Arrowfield but at a human owned and operated restaurant. And here Hale was, walking her straight into Floros - an authentic Greek restaurant run by a lycanthrope couple.

The restaurant had only been around for a few years. The couple were fairly new to the area. But in recent Christmases, when Meadow was up visiting the fam, she had passed by their bright windows and admired the warm family environment inside. More than once she had wished to go in because the aromas coming from the place were nothing short of divine. But, she didn't dare for fear of setting her father off the moment he heard she'd dined there. 

And now, here she was, boldly walking into Floros with the Ranger. Her cosmopolitan palate was thrilled, but her socially condition brain was a little reluctant. What would her father say when he found out? And how would these lycanthropes feel about Niko Rask's daughter walking in and having a meal? Meadow put on her professional persona and prepared herself for a cool welcome.

The restaurant was busy, but not overly crowded. Meadow quickly glanced around. It was filled with lycanthropes. She didn't spot one human face among the crowd. Certainly no human faces she knew at any rate. Part of her was relieved. If there were no human locals there, her father might not find out she'd been there, which would mean less drama to deal with in a few days when she tried visiting the house again.

The whole place, which had been buzzing with friendly chatter, fell silent the moment she and Hale stepped through the doors. Meadow shot him a quick look. He was relaxed and smiling. He didn't seem the least bit aware that all eyes were on them. Meadow swallowed her discomfort and did her best to ignore the intense stares as Hale led her to a private table for two by the window. She also tried not to let the hush that had come across the previously noisy establishment get on her nerves.

But it was hard not to feel like they were eager to listen to every word of her conversation with Hale as she opened her mouth and politely asked, "Is this your favourite spot in town?"

"One of them, " he answered with a grin. "Have you been here before?"

"Never," she replied. She didn't bother saying why.

His expression fell a tiny bit as he asked belatedly, "Do you even like Greek food?"

Meadow gave him a bright smile, leaned her arms on the table and nodded her head, "I do. And the place smell delicious," she offered to help persuade him that she wasn't just being polite.

He sat back with relief and laughed a little at himself. "I should have asked. I don't know why I didn't," he gently upbraided himself.

"Don't worry about it," Meadow shot back with ease. "If I didn't like Greek I would have told you before we stepped in," she confessed.

"You would?" he asked looking at her with increased interest while pulling his seat closer to the table and folding his arms on it. Mimicking Meadow's body language. 

"How shall I say this?" she asked him with a little chuckle. "Lets just say that I like food too much to spend time eating food I don't like, if that makes sense. And I'm not shy about it."

Hale's smile widened with pleasure and his eyes sparkled. Meadow felt her breath catch a little and it was like a thousand tiny butterflies were released in her stomach. But, she couldn't hold his eyes. She felt a nervous kind of energy between them that made her highly aware of herself.  Looking away, to give herself some breathing room, she was just in time to catch a handsome couple walking straight to their table.

Meadow smiled at them automatically. It was the hazard of her profession – always smiling politely at lycanthropes regardless of whether they were smiling back or not. In this case, the attractive duo were all smiles.

"And who do we have here?" the woman asked in a beautifully melodic voice filled with friendly charm.

Meadow blushed a little at the warm greeting. Though the woman was looking from Hale to her, the question was clearly directed at Meadow. 

"This is a little nymph I found up at Copper Lake. She's starved. I need to feed her or bear the consequences," Hale said quite soberly.

"A nymph indeed," the woman said with a wicked grin on her face. She then introduced herself and the man beside her to Meadow. It was clear that the pair already knew Hale and knew him well. "I'm Cara Floros and this big guy here is my mate Vesper. We own the place."

The couple made a beautiful match with their classically Greek looks - olive coloured skin, large dark eyes, thick black lashes, Grecian noses, and luxurious wavy dark hair - and their lycanthropian characteristics - tall, lean, and good-looking. But, what struck Meadow the most was their candid and friendly countenances. Working at the Bureau, Meadow saw all kinds of model-worthy lycanthropes, but she rarely saw a genuinely affable face among them.

"It's a pleasure to meet you both," Meadow replied trying to keep the Bureau out of her voice and just sound natural. "I'm Meadow Rask."

At the mention of her name, both sets of deeply dark brown eyes, eyes so dark they were almost black, lit up with recognition. The two exchanged a look and then Vesper responded by asking, "As in Forrest and River Rask's little sister? The one who works at the Bureau?"

"That's me," Meadow said with a little laugh. "Do you know my brothers then?" she asked with some hesitation.

If Cara and Vesper had lived in the town for a decade or two, well, she wouldn't be surprised to hear that they'd run into her brothers here or there in town and over time had become acquainted. However, since the Floros had only been in the area a few years, and must work the restaurant day and night, it seemed unlikely that they would have time to meet River and Forrest, let alone know them well enough to even identify their sister by name and occupation.  Meadow was puzzled to say the least.

"Oh yes," Cara said with enthusiasm. But, a funny look from her husband seemed to stop her in her tracks. She laughed nervously and finished with, "We see them in here with their better halves from time to time."

This news truly stunned Meadow. Did the boys really come into the restaurant with their partners? It seemed highly unlikely and yet, she was sure the woman wasn't lying. Did their father know? Were the boys secretly rebelling against his strict no-lycanthropes-in-or-near-the-family rule?

Meadow couldn't believe it. Despite the fact that River and Forrest were grown men, in the thirties, with independent lives, they just weren't brave enough to start bucking the Rask family tenets now.  The boys liked to stay on their dad's good side and wouldn't do anything to jeopardize his good opinion of them.

Niko had not oppressed his sons, like he had Meadow. In fact, they were his pride and joy. But, that's exactly why Meadow didn't think either of them had the guts to eat at a lycanthrope run restaurant in town. They might anywhere else, but not here in Arrowfield where their father would certainly know about it within a few days. Eating here would put the boys in some pretty hot water with Niko Rask.

"I didn't know Forrest and River liked Greek cuisine," was Meadow's very lame response to this unexpected bit of news.

What she really wanted to say was that Cara had to be mistaken. There was no way either brother would come to this restaurant while her dad lived and breathed.  But, not wanting to appear rude, she kept her thoughts to herself.

A guilty expression flitted across Cara's unpretentious eyes, which gave Meadow cause to pause. But, she didn't have time to scrutinize the woman's expression since Vesper suddenly piped up and asked, "You home for a visit Ms. Rask?" 

"Just call me Meadow," she automatically replied with her Bureau smile, which was also automatic. 

"Meadow," he repeated with a friendly little nod.

"Yes, I am," she told him, but said nothing more. She didn't want to talk about why she was home. Certainly not with lycanthropes who couldn't know the fear a human experienced when facing a grown lycanthrope who was in the middle of a rage induced transformation and was hell bent on killing her.

"Will you be here long?" he continued.

"Just a couple of weeks," Meadow supplied.

"Do you think you'll drop in again?" he inquired.

Meadow's smile faltered a little. It was a peculiar question. Meadow hadn't even tasted the food here yet and he was already asking if she'd be back? Did that make sense?

"I don't know," she said honestly as her gaze floated from Vesper's face to Cara's and then Hale's. Cara was the only one with an anxious expression. Meadow zeroed in on her for the moment.

The woman stiffened a little as she casually interrupted Vesper's little impromptu interview saying, "Well, since it's your first time here with us Meadow, and you're Hale's ..." she paused a moment before saying, "guest, we'll forgo menus and give you the chef's special. How does that sound?"

Hale looked to Meadow and she, not being the least bit particular about food, easily agreed with an appreciative smile. Besides the fact that she was famished, food would be a good distraction from both the odd conversation she was having with Vesper, and the nervous glances she was picking up from Cara.

"That sounds wonderful," Meadow replied. "Thank you."  

With the order settled, Vesper and Cara left straight away for the kitchen. As they disappeared, the place seemed to fill with regular customer noise. And, the dinner crowd forwent staring at Meadow for filling their hungry stomachs. She was relieved. It was hard being on display. Always having to put her best foot forward and remember she represented the Bureau even during her off-hours.

"Everything alright?" Hale asked her. His face showing some mild concern.

Meadow shook her head and smiled. "Everything is fine. I was just surprised to hear that my brothers come here with the family dynamics and all." He did say up on the mountain that he knew her father and brothers. So, she was sure he also knew what she was eluding to.

Hale nodded his head and with a troubled expression asked, "Are you on good terms with your brothers?"

Meadow grinned straight away to dispel any of his concern.

"Oh yes. I'm especially close to River, the younger of the two. He and I are just three years apart; whereas, Forrest is six years older than me and the age gap shows a little from time to time. But, don't get me wrong, Forrest and I get along well too," she promised.

"Anyway, the two of them have been saving me from Dad's wrath," she explained with a humorous chuckle, "since I was a teen. I owe them a lot. They've been terrific older brothers," she gushed with a grateful heart. 

"My only regret is that I don't see them as often as I would like. My job and my move to Rutherford has really kept me away. And my Christmas holiday is not long enough as far as I'm concerned. It's such a busy time of year that, even when I do get home, I feel like we are only just reconnecting when I have to fly off to work again," Meadow confessed with a slight frown.

Hale's eyes were twinkling again. Was he laughing at her? Meadow blushed self-consciously. She did have a tendency to go on and on whenever she talked about her brothers.

But, before she could ask him, her phone buzzed in her purse. Pulling it out, Meadow quickly glanced to see her mother's number. It was a call she didn't feel like taking, but one she couldn't ignore either. 

"It's my mom," she said to Hale quietly. "I need to take it." She gave him an apologetic smile.

Hale waved the smile off though and said, "Go for it."

Meadow smiled in return as she swiped across her phone and then said, "Hi, Mom."

"Are you settled in at Britta's?" Noora asked straight away. "Do you want to come home for dinner? I can swing down and get you," she offered as if she'd forgotten all about the early tension of the day.

Meadow, who had been facing Hale, turned in her chair so that she was looking out the window with the phone far from him. He was still a stranger to her in most ways and this was a family call about family drama. Meadow wanted to limit what he heard, if possible.

"I am settled in. It was good to see Britta. And no, I wont be coming home for dinner. It's best if I steer clear of home for a couple days. You can come visit me here in town though. We can spend some time together just you and me. How does that sound?"

"That would be nice, Darling. But, what will I tell your father?"

"I already told him I was going to Britta's. So, you wont have to say a thing. In fact, the less you talk about me the better his mood will be. Right?"

"Right," she replied hesitantly. "Well, what will you do about supper?" She asked in her motherly way.

Meadow laughed softly.

"I'm having dinner with Ranger Seppanen at the Greek place," she replied while looking at Hale from the corner of her eye and smiling brightly. She didn't need to hide this from her mother. Noora Rask had been Meadow's secret-keeper since her relationship with her father had soured. And she was good at it. 

Meadow looked back out the window again and in a bit of a whisper relayed to her mother the most shocking news of the day, "Apparently Forrest and River come here. Did you hear about it?" If Noora Rask kept Meadow's secrets, she was sure she probably kept Forrest and River's too. It's just that Meadow didn't know they had any secrets to keep. At least, none from their father.

"Anyway, I hope Dad doesn't find out and ruin their fun," she confided with a heavy sigh. Meadow didn't bother to ask if her mother had been to Floros. She knew the answer would be a resounding 'no' because her father simply wouldn't allow it.

But, to Meadow's surprise, her mother never said a thing about the boys being at the restaurant one way or another. She wasn't even interested enough to make a comment about Meadow being at Floros right then, which did surprise Meadow a little. Instead, her mother focused on who Meadow was with.

"Ranger Seppanen?" Noora asked in a voice saturated with trepidation.   "You are having dinner with the Ranger?"

Meadow felt an inexplicable chill take hold of her at the sound in her mother's voice. That chill ran up and down her skin in a quiet hair-raising tremor. Something about her mother's tone rang like a warning through Meadow's mind.

She cast another side look at Hale from the corner of her eye. He was entirely at ease, half watching her and the people walking by on the street, and looking as warm and inviting as ever. Meadow smiled to herself.  There really was something disarming and irresistible about the man. Just looking at his handsome face put her in a good mood. Meadow quickly dismissed the apprehensive notes in her mother's question. 

"Yes," she answered. "He found me walking around and invited me to dinner."

"Meadow," Noora began hesitantly. "I wonder if that's a good idea, Sweetie?"

Meadow felt her temper spike and she had to do a mental countdown to prevent herself from arguing heatedly with her mother over her dinner plans. There was silence on the line for ten seconds and then, in a strained but relatively even voice, Meadow replied, "If you and Dad can sit down with your friend Eddie at the kitchen table for lunch and supper, I think one dinner with Hale wont do me any harm."

"Eddie's different," Noora said quietly. "I wish I could explain."

"A lycanthrope is a lycanthrope, Mom," Meadow was quick to respond though she too had lowered her voice considerably considering her company and the clientele of Floros.  Not wanting to argue with her mother any more Meadow took in a deep breath, exhaled slowly and in a gentler voice said, "Look Mom, I have to let you go. I'll talk to you later tonight and we'll arrange a time for a visit tomorrow. How does that sound?"

"Alright," was Noora's unenthusiastic reply.

Meadow ended the call and turned back in her seat to face Hale.

"Sorry about that."

"No need to apologize," he returned. "I'm quite content just to sit and watch my little nymph."

Meadow blushed and looked away from him. There was something quite appealing about being his little nymph despite how embarrassing the origins of that nickname were. Meadow couldn't put her finger on it, but belonging to someone you were attracted to had a powerful allure. And even though Meadow wasn't a teenager and had survived two serious relationships that cooled and died with time and familiarity, she wasn't immune to such a romantic notion.

Knowing this about herself, and how physically drawn she was to Hale, she did wonder briefly, while looking out across the restaurant, if she weren't courting danger. Lycanthropes were notoriously possessive. If she continued to let him call her my nymph, would he develop those covetous tendencies that ailed his kind? Where was the line between casual, harmless flirting and destructive, possessive behaviour? Did he know it?

For a second, she wondered if maybe her mother's unspoken concerns were legitimate. Then Hale reached out and gently touched her hand with the tips of his fingers bringing her attention right back to his beautiful, chocolatey brown eyes. Meadow smiled. She could look at him all day, she thought with a little inward laugh at herself. Her fear, or perhaps it was her good sense, vanished the moment he smiled at her in return.

She didn't know what tomorrow would bring her way, but right then, she was out on a dinner date with the most captivating man she had ever met. And, for once in her life, she just wanted to be in the moment.