“Hi, this is Sarah. Leave a message after the beep.” Beep .

“Sarah, it’s Gabe.” A resigned sigh gusted out of the speaker. “Call me.”

Sarah grabbed the receiver. “Hello!” But he’d already hung up. “Double damn.” He’d sounded so tired.

She dialed him back, but his line was busy. She left a message, hoping he’d call her back that night, but knowing that he wouldn’t. He never did.

She knew what he was doing was important. She wasn’t selfish enough to keep him from that. But why couldn’t he have mated her before he left? Things would have been so much easier. For one thing the fact that she got to hear more about what was going on in his life from fucking Chloe Williams, aka Super Waitress, wouldn’t bother her quite so much. He managed to talk to the redhead way more than he did Sarah, and it was really beginning to bug the shit out of her.

What really sucked was the fact that he’d managed to get home for Christmas. Unfortunately Sarah hadn’t known he was coming, so she’d made plans to visit her family in Florida. She’d left the day before Gabe arrived in Halle, much to their mutual annoyance.

She heard he’d spent a nice time with Chloe. He’d bought the other woman a pretty little charm bracelet with tiny cats and foxes on it. Sarah had to hold back a growl every time she saw it. If it wasn’t for the fact that she’d struck up a friendship with Jim Woods she’d have lost her mind long ago.

The handsome veterinarian was a lifeline for her. They went everywhere together, had a good time together. He knew all about her love for Gabe and accepted the fact that he’d never get any further than friendship, so the tension that usually came with a new relationship wasn’t even there. He was funny, he was kind to animals, and he’d grown up in the area so he knew almost everyone. They had a blast together. He was even Emma’s ex-boyfriend, but somehow he’d managed to make friends with Max, something Sarah hadn’t thought possible considering how territorial the Alpha was towards his mate.

She’d met him at Max and Emma’s, in fact. He’d been there when she’d gone over to discuss a new development with Max, something that had scared the crap out of her at the time. She hadn’t understood what was happening to her at first, but Max had managed to help her sort out what was wrong, and Emma had introduced her to Jim.

But Jim wasn’t Gabe. He never could be. And she was missing her mate more and more with each passing day. The mate dreams were shocking, explicit, and left her damp and wrung out. The marks on her body were a constant reminder of what awaited her once Gabe got over his training and came home to claim her.

If he claimed her. She was slowly beginning to have doubts about that. He’d spent an awful lot of time talking to another woman for Sarah to feel upbeat about their future mating.

She tried one more time to call Gabe back, but got his voicemail. “Gabe, it’s Sarah. I was bringing in groceries and missed your call. Call me back, okay? I have something to tell you.” She sighed, grabbing the mop out of the closet. “I miss you.” She hung up and began to clean up the spilled cola.

“So will Gabe be back in time for the wedding?” Jim picked up his French fry and dipped it in some ketchup.

“I have no idea. I haven’t spoken to him in about two weeks.” Her nerves were completely frazzled. The last time she’d heard his voice had been on her answering machine. He’d never called her back, never heard her news.

This long-distance crap really sucked. If it wasn’t for the fact that she knew he was alive she’d be much more upset. Not that she wasn’t thinking of killing him when she finally did get hold of him.

“Tell you what, if he’s not back in time we can go together.”

She smiled at Jim. God, he was so nice. Jim Woods felt…sweet. Safe. Like a man you could rely on no matter what. But deep down, there was a small spark of mischief in him that would be irresistible to the right woman, and a core of strength that would shock anyone who took him at face value. All of that was wrapped up in a package that screamed all-American hometown boy-next-door. Blond and hazel-eyed, he stood a full head taller than she. He wasn’t as broad-shouldered as Gabe, his legs not as muscular, but his grin was engaging in ways not even Gabe could manage. He was a treat to all of her senses. If she hadn’t been so hung up on her mate she’d have made a move on him a long time ago. “Wouldn’t you rather bring a real date?”

His expression was charming and open, but that little mischievous spark danced in his eyes. “Think of the fun we could have!” He shrugged. “Besides, you know I’m not interested in dating right now.”

Liar. She had a good idea of exactly who he’d like to be dating, and it wasn’t her. “You should ask her out.” It would certainly make Sarah feel better if he asked out the woman he really wanted.

He made a face. “She’s too young for me.”

She tried not to eye the bouncing red ponytail of Chloe Williams. “She’s not that young.”

“She’s twenty-two.”

“Yup. And you’re an ancient, wrinkled mess.”

He almost choked on his French fry.

A new iced tea landed in front of her. “Can I get you anything else?”

Sarah held back her sigh. For some reason Chloe seemed to be pissed at her today. “Nope. Thanks.”

“Oh hey, I heard from Gabe last night. He said to tell you hello.”

Sarah gritted her teeth. “Thanks.” The sympathy in Jim’s gaze was almost too much to bear. “That will be all, Chloe.”

Chloe hesitated for a moment. “Right. Should I tell him to give you a call tonight?”

He’s calling her again tonight? He talked to Chloe almost every day, but couldn’t be bothered to call his mate. Sarah’s temper, normally hard to rouse, snapped its leash. “Don’t bother.”

Chloe looked like she wanted to say something more, a frown marring the smooth surface of her skin, but Sarah chose to ignore it. “All right. Holler if you need anything.”

Sarah ignored the other woman, focusing instead on her nearly empty plate. The burger sat in her stomach like lead.

“So. Want to be my wedding date?”

Sarah looked up into Jim’s warm hazel eyes. “Sure.” After all, it looked like her mate wouldn’t care one way or the other. But first she was going to make a little appointment with Dr. Howard. She was tired of dreaming about something it looked like she was never going to have.