As Lance Knight drove his fuel efficient hybrid into the parking lot of the Moon Lake Diner, he couldn't help wondering which car might belong to his late lunch date, the weretigress he met at his first Elders' Council meeting.
Not being able to figure it out, he was about to go into the diner when he heard a roaring sound, accompanied by a horn beeping.
Lance turned around and saw a motorcycle pull up and park near his car. It wasn't until the rider took off their safety helmet that he realized it was the lady he knew only as Lila.
"Some entrance," he said, as she approached.
Like Lance, Lila was currently in her human form, but still as beautiful as when she was furry, in his opinion. Almost six feet tall (which put her just an inch or so shorter than him) with jet black, shoulder length hair and a body most normal/non-were women might be jealous of, Lila cut a very curvy hourglass figure squeezed into a slinky red dress.
"I was afraid you wouldn't make it," he said.
"I wasn't sure you were here when I pulled in."
"Just got here. Had to phone in the details of my brother's press conference announcing his plans to rebuild the elementary school at his own expense. Something I had to attend as both a Council member and a reporter, since the lady I originally assigned to it called and said she had a hot lead on another story."
"Guess he's trying to get back into everyone's good graces after that debacle at Tachibana?" wondered Lila.
"Something like that," conceded Lance.
"Which one's yours?" asked Lila, looking over the parking lot.
"That one," said Lance, pointing to the hybrid.
"Good choice," she said, nodding her head in approval. "Great gas mileage and fantastic for the environment." Also proves you're frugal, wise, and not as flashy and flamboyant as your brother about your wealth.
"How's your mechanical knowledge," asked Lance, trying to avoid saying anything dumb like You know about cars?
"Had a semester of auto mechanics in high school so I could keep my bike up and running, plus my brother owns a garage here in town, so gives me a place to work when it needs maintenance."
"Impressive," said Lance, while holding the door open for her.
After they had ordered lunch and were served their meal...
"So, tell me about yourself," requested Lance Knight, after tasting his meatloaf.
"Well, I graduated Moon Lake College with honors a couple of years ago, and now work as an administrative assistant for the town," she said, smiling at him before taking another bite of her double cheeseburger.
"You mean you're a secretary?" asked Lance, curious.
"Not exactly. I'm more like the assistant administrator in Town Services. My office makes sure the people pay their taxes and bills so Moon Lake in turn can pay its debts. We make sure budget funds get to their proper places. The sheriff and fire departments are paid, stuff like that."
"I see. Do you like it?"
"Yes. Tedious at times, but important. My immediate supervisor reports directly to Samantha Twist, the Town Chancellor. Someday I'd like to be the supervisor myself, but I'm not sure if I'd ever want to go higher up and actually enter politics," admitted Lila.
"I can't blame you. From what I hear, it's lonely at the top," said Lance, after taking another bite of his meatloaf. Then he looked at her and said, "I do have a couple of more... personal questions for you, if you don't mind."
"Fire away," she said, while leaning forward to put her elbows on the table's edge and chin against her hands.
"Is Lila your real name?"
"Yes. Lila Carpenter. I'm 25 no matter how you look at it. Naturally born weretigress, but don't ask me my astrological sign. I've never believed in that to begin with. Maybe because I'm stuck with Aquarius."
"Yeah. Fur and water don't really mix. I'm a 30 year old naturally born werepanther, but a Pisces if it matters," said Lance.
"Sounds promising," said Lila with a smile.
"How did you get involved with the Elders' Council?"
"Volunteer work. Another Council member asked me to serve. I think because he had the hots for me, until he hooked up with this werevixen a couple of weeks ago," explained Lila.
"You're not paid to..." said Lance, his voice trailing off because he didn't know how to phase the question.
"Heavens no!" exclaimed Lila. "Only the guards and support services like the caterers actually get paid. I have to escort people to and from their respective destinations, but anything else is of my own free will. I'd get fired and arrested if I tried to collect anything for my... services."
"So, last night... was that offer genuine?" stammered Lance.
"You know, you're cute when you blush," said Lila, noting the red flush of embarrassment in his cheeks. "And yes, it was. I heard we were getting a new member after that debacle with your brother, but I didn't know it would be you. I only wanted to meet the new were."
"Err... I have to ask this one. Did you and my brother ever... that is..."
"First off, whatever happens in the Council Chambers stays in the Council Chambers," began Lila. "Secondly, if Benton Knight has ever enjoyed any of the other services available, it hasn't been with me and I have no knowledge otherwise, because everyone signs non-disclosure agreements when we start work and cannot discuss such matters even if we wanted to. And third, I'm single but I don't have relations with married men, which is why we got off on the wrong paw this morning. When I heard that Mrs. Knight had taken ill..."
"I understand," said Lance with a smile, happy to hear that Lila was single. "I only have one question left. Are you free for dinner later tonight?"
"Yes, but what about dessert first?" asked Lila in return, showing Lance the bottle of weretigress birth control pills in her purse.
"I would love to, but I still have other commitments to honor this afternoon first, which is why I asked about dinner," said Lance, thinking about his responsibilities to The Moon Lake Gazette, Knight Media in general, and the need to check on his niece Frieda and see exactly what she was up to. And all that was before he met Benton at the hospital in Amanda's room about whatever he wanted to talk about.
"Well, either way I'm free and all yours," said Lila with a smile, before putting the pill bottle back in her purse.
"Great. Unfortunately, I can't promise you an exact time though," he said with a frown, planning to check on Frieda first before heading back to the newspaper office.
"I understand. You're a busy man while I'm more a 9 to 5-er."
"Nothing wrong with that. Our father started out life that way, but Benton doesn't like to recall that part of dad's past before he struck it rich," revealed Lance.
Then, before Lila could reply, Lance's cellphone chimed.
"Excuse me," he said, before answering it. Then Lance read his his text message.
BACK AT HOSPITAL. DON'T FORGET OUR MEETING TONIGHT HERE.—B.
"Everything all right?" wondered Lila, as Lance put his phone away.
"Just business. Afraid I have to go now," he said, reaching for the check.
"Tell you what, let me give you my number and even if you wind up not being able to make it tonight after all, it'd be great to see or even just talk to you again sometime," said Lila, before reciting her cellphone number.
"I'd like that," said Lance with a smile, before kissing her hand. Then he walked to the front counter, settled the bill, and left the diner.
Lila watched him leave, wondering if she was doing the right thing getting involved with a member of the Knight family.
Only time will tell, she realized, before leaving the diner herself.