Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
The architect showed up around two in the afternoon. Jasper and Adam had already been at the house, waiting for him with Adley and me.
We met for hours.
The Alpha architect, Blake, is kind and respectful, keeping his distance from our Omega without being obvious about it.
I think Adley doesn’t notice a thing, but after talking with Asher, Matthew, and Will the other night, there’s been a shift between my pack brothers and me.
I can sense us growing closer at the thought of living together soon, of taking Adley at the same time.
And I don’t know if it’s just me, but shit, I am excited about it.
Something visceral slithers through my veins when I think of watching my brothers fuck Adley, making her come. I’m not embarrassed to admit I’ve jerked off more than once thinking about it.
But the timing needs to be right.
Adley obviously came from a pack, so she probably knows all about pack dynamics, but she’s never had one of her own. And I can tell she’s never been taken by more than one man at the same time.
This will be new and exciting for all of us.
“Is this okay with you, Ez?”
My gaze shoots up to Adley, the look on her face so innocent, her big chocolate eyes blinking up at me as she points to the sketch on the table. The looks in my brothers’ eyes are knowing, though. Like they can read my thoughts.
Maybe they can now. Who knows?
I look at the sketch. It’s of the basement layout, new walls to section off different spaces. One is Adam’s office, another in a main room, and on the other side, the home gym I’d requested.
I smile at my love. “That’s perfect, cowgirl.”
Everything is going to be just perfect.
“How’s this look, Ezra?”
Taking my hat off, I wipe my brow of sweat and peer over at Vaughn and Quinn. They stand at the other end of the new temporary fence we’re building around the trailer for the pets.
“Looks perfect. Great work, guys.”
It’s the truth. The two of these Alphas are perfectionists. You can see it in every measured movement they make. And I’m happy about it.
It’s the weekend, and word definitely travels fast in this small town.
Or, maybe word just travels fast among friends here.
After Izzy and her pack had offered to help us with all the work we needed to do, Violet’s pack also volunteered.
With all the people who showed up to work, we’ll get this done in no time.
By the time we start on the gate, the banging coming from the dumpsters gets much louder, and I look up to see the rest of our friends are tossing broken and damaged furniture inside now.
They definitely worked fast.
After all, we have eleven workers and three cheerleaders.
Violet and her two kids have been available for moral support and to keep the pets busy in the yard while everyone else works.
I haven’t been around kids much, but I will say, those two are pretty great.
Well behaved for such little ones. The girl, Lilly, is five-going-on-thirty, always with a book in hand, always with an inquisitive look and thoughtful questions.
The boy, Brandon, is a two-year-old gentleman if I ever saw.
These kids have been raised right, and it’s something special to behold.
A hand claps on the back of my shoulder. “So, when are you all going to start your family?”
I sputter a bit at Quinn, and he laughs at me.
“I noticed the longing look you’ve had on your face whenever we interact with the kids.”
Was I doing that? Am I longing for a family?
I swallow hard. “I haven’t really thought about it.”
“Don’t rush.” This from Vaughn. “There’s time to make decisions. But for what it’s worth, I think your pack would be perfect for a family.”
“Yeah! And you’ll have three great uncles to help out.” Quinn pauses. “Unless any of you have more brothers. Then, the more the merrier.”
“Adley has three brothers,” I murmur. “She doesn’t seem very fond of them.”
Quinn is quick to respond. “Well, you can’t choose the family you’re born into, but you can choose your forever family. And we’re all your forever family.” His hand pats my shoulder, and we all return to finishing the gate installation, leaving the conversation at that.
For now.
Much later on, Adley orders Chinese take-out food for delivery and we set up the bigger folding tables and chairs outside the trailer, away from the trash. Vaughn supplies the beer, bottled from his own brewery—and really good—while Adley handles wine and non-alcoholic drinks for everyone.
“Gotta get rid of most of this stuff,” she had told me in the kitchen with a kiss on the cheek.
We already moved the freezer for all the pet food into the trailer. Heavy lifting is a lot easier when you have a full crew helping you. Which sounds like it should go without saying, but I didn’t realize how much of a difference it would make.
Back in Texas, traveling all over and working on ranches my whole life, you found different kinds of folks in different places. Some helpful, some not so much.
I don’t know I’ve ever been so grateful that the people of Crescent Lake are so incredible.
Would they be if they knew your past, though?
That question has been floating through my mind since gathering at Violet’s house, then even more after going to Izzy’s and chatting with their pack. Everyone is so nice and understanding, but what if they knew I was a convicted felon?
Arms wrap around my shoulders, and Adley’s sweet scent envelops my senses. She leans in under the brim of my hat, lightly kisses my earlobe and whispers, “Stop thinking so hard. You’ll break something.”
As she confiscates my hat and puts it on her head before walking away, I can’t help but laugh despite my dark thoughts. And get a little turned on.
Okay, a lot.
Sue me.
“Jasper, did you know Quinn was a wide receiver in college?”
Quinn cringes at Violet’s words, his head shaking. “Vi, sweetheart, you don’t compare college ball to professional league.” He looks at Jasper, who’s grinning ear-to-ear. “Sorry about that.”
“It’s no problem, man. Your Omega is proud of you. Let her hype you up.”
Quinn smiles back at him, then turns to Violet down the table. “Sorry, sweetheart. Please, stroke my ego more.”
The look she gives him could melt the lawn furniture, I swear.
“Should we leave you two alone?”
Laughter rumbles through the table at Adam’s quip, and I lean back in my chair, take it all in.
This place, the people in it, all feel like home.