Chapter 40
Lucy
Olive
Good morning! How is everyone doing today?
Ivy
I’m doing well. Thanks for asking.
Summer
I am also well. How are you, Lucy?
8:41 a.m.
Olive
Lucy? Are you ok?
Summer
She’s probably sleeping like all of us should be
But I’m drinking a double espresso this morning so I’m ready to murder those insensitive assholes
Ivy
Summer
Summer
What? This is me being a good friend. Assholes who stand up our friend deserve to perish
Olive
We discussed taking a more subtle approach, remember?
Summer
You discussed it. I didn’t agree
9:57 a.m.
Ivy
Omg Lucy!! James just called me
Lucy brought in an injured baby bunny to the clinic!!
Summer
What?? How did I miss this?? MY BAKERY IS ON THE WAY TO THE VET
Olive
Is the bunny ok?
Summer
This is why I need to set up cameras to notify me of any movement on the street!
Olive
Where did you find the bunny?
Summer
I hate not being the first to know important information!!!
Olive
I want to see the bunny
Ivy
That’s not all. She was accompanied by LEO, KING, AND WILDER!!!!
Summer
THAT’S IT. brEAKFAST IS HAPPENING NOW. GET YOUR BUTT OVER HERE.
Olive
Bring the bunny!!
“Lucy!” Ivy waved at me from the table in the corner of the diner.
I carefully set my bag down on the table.
“Did you bring the bunny?”
I grinned at Olive’s look of pure desperation and gestured at my bag. “See for yourself.”
They all leaned over and gasped at the tiny little bunny curled up on the plush piece of velvet I’d folded on the bottom.
“Oh my gosh! She’s so cute,” Olive cooed. “What’s her name? Is she doing okay?”
“Her name’s Blossom, and I think so. She drank some goat’s milk before passing out. James stitched up her leg, so hopefully she has a full recovery.” I couldn’t handle anything less.
Summer brushed a gentle fingertip across Blossom’s ears. “Where did you find her?”
“In the woods.”
“Lucy,” Ivy said, her voice full of reproach. “You weren’t hiking again, were you?”
I pursed my lips. “No. I just went on a walk to clear my head.” I jumped when Felix hopped up on the chair next to me. “Where did you come from?”
“He insisted on coming with me,” Olive said, taking the seat beside the mayor. “He would not be dissuaded.”
Felix put his paws on the table and peered into the bag. “Um.” I grabbed his body. “You’re not going to eat the bunny, are you?”
Felix fixed me with a withering stare before turning back to Blossom, a purr bursting through his chest. He didn’t look particularly hungry, so I loosened my hold.
“Do you have a new best friend?” Olive asked, scratching his ears.
“Just don’t let Stanley see her or he’ll start having ideas about how she’ll feature in the Easter Eggstravaganza,” Summer said.
“That would be so cute! I have to make her a little Easter bunny outfit.” My heart sank. “Except the wildlife rescue people are coming to pick her up tomorrow.”
Everyone at the table looked as dejected as I felt, Felix included.
“Do they have to take her?” Olive whispered.
I nodded, throat tight. “James said wild bunnies can’t be domesticated. I probably shouldn’t have brought her here. I don’t want to stress her, but she looked too sad for me to leave her behind.”
“She doesn’t look stressed,” Ivy said as Blossom let out the most adorable little squeak before falling back asleep.
“Good morning, ladies.” Char came over, notepad in hand. “And Felix, even though the last time you were in here I distinctly remember telling you to stay out.”
“What did Felix do?” Olive put her arm around him, squishing her face against his.
“He stole one of Stanley’s blueberry pancakes. Snatched it clean off his plate and ran away.”
The four of us looked at each other and Summer shrugged. “Eh, who’s to say the pancake didn’t fall off the plate? Moving on.”
Char snorted and took our orders before doing a double take at my bag. “Is that—” She shook her head. “Never mind.” She muttered something about omegas as she walked away, and all of us laughed.
“I’ll give you a bite of pancake,” Olive cooed to Felix. He gave her sad eyes and she huffed. “Fine, two bites.”
I grinned. Olive couldn’t refuse Felix anything. Not that I could, either.
Char dropped off our drinks and I stirred creamer into my coffee, doing my best to ignore the conspicuous silence that had fallen over the table.
“Sooo…” Olive said.
Summer huffed, clearly having exhausted her patience. “What’s going on with you and the guys? Did they tell you why they didn’t come to the event?”
I shrugged, my heart still aching. “Wilder said he wasn’t feeling well, and Leo got caught up with a family thing. I’m not sure about King.”
“Why didn’t they let you know right away? Did their phones simultaneously break?” Summer’s tone was scathing.
“Wilder and King didn’t have my number. They were waiting outside my store this morning when I walked by with Blossom on the way to the clinic. I was a bit distracted so we didn’t really talk. It’s not like they actually owe me anything.”
“They owe you human decency and basic consideration.” Olive and Felix crossed their arms at the same time, both looking murderous.
“We’ll egg their cars and TP their homes,” Summer said. “I’m sure Easton will help us.”
“My guys will, too,” Ivy added.
My lips quirked. “Even Rome?” Rome and Ivy were both sticklers for the rules.
“He cares about you. All my guys do. This whole town loves you, Lucy.”
“I appreciate it. But I just want to move on.”
“But…revenge.” Summer sounded so disappointed it almost made me smile.
“We’ll find someone else to get revenge on, I’m sure,” I said.
Char delivered our food—four orders of strawberry cheesecake pancakes—and Olive mercifully asked Summer how the bakery grand opening was coming along. Summer launched into a long discussion on the pros and cons of industrial bread ovens, drawing the attention away from me.
I immersed myself in the conversation with a smile I didn’t quite feel. Ivy’s words replayed in my mind. I knew the town loved me, but I couldn’t help but wonder what they really thought behind my back.
Lucy, so flighty and unserious. That must be why she can’t land a pack.
As soon as I finished eating, I started gathering up my things. “I’ve got to get going.”
Ivy frowned. Our breakfast dates usually stretched for hours until an exasperated Char kicked us out. “So soon? Why?”
“I got behind on some custom orders with the workshop and everything, and Blossom needs some quiet.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Olive asked softly. “It’s okay if you’re not.”
“Thank you. I’ll be fine.” I leaned down and gave her a hug. Ivy and Summer joined in, squishing me among them, until I pulled away with a strained smile.
I picked up the bunny transport bag and headed out the door, Felix slipping outside with me.
“Are you hanging out with me today? I don’t have a new outfit ready for you yet, but we could brainstorm for the Eggstravaganza.”
He flicked his tail, leading the way as we crossed the street. I hadn’t been lying to my friends—I had a ton of work to catch up on—but as I walked into the shop, I knew I didn’t have the energy for any of it. My omega was crushed by rejection from the guys she’d already claimed as hers.
I headed upstairs to my nest. Some omegas slept in a normal bedroom and just used their nests for heats, but my omega instincts had always been…intense. Without a pack, being in my nest was the only thing that settled me.
I filled another syringe with milk for Blossom, and the three of us curled up in the middle of the plush velvet pillows.
“You are the cutest in the world,” I whispered to Blossom as she ate. Felix’s paw landed on my arm, his claws slightly digging in to my skin. “And you’re the handsomest boy.”
He purred and settled in beside me.
Once she was done eating, Blossom made a few tentative hops.
Her leg was already looking much better.
Felix and I watched her, mesmerized. After a few minutes, she hopped back to me and curled up in the crook of my neck.
Everything I’d read about wild bunnies said that they were scared of people, so I had no idea what to make of her behavior.
All I knew was that I wasn’t ready to say goodbye.
Felix curled up against Blossom’s other side, nuzzling his face against her little ears before falling asleep. I carefully pulled out my phone and took a selfie of the three of us. If these were the only moments we would have together, I wanted to remember them.