Chapter 2 Kael #2
I didn't turn around because I didn't need to. I could feel his presence, all six-foot-four of him, probably wearing something that cost more than my monthly rent.
"Damon," I said flatly.
"Little brother." He appeared in the mirror's reflection, all dark hair and sharp features. The oldest of us four and the heir to the Solas Holdings. The one who'd followed in our father's footsteps without question.
Behind him came Ryker and Caspian.
Ryker looked perfect and sleepy all at the same time with his perfectly styled blonde hair, ice-blue eyes that missed nothing. He was the charmer and the society pages loved to discuss his social life.
Caspian was my quieter brother. He had dark hair like Damon's but with our mother's green eyes. He caught my gaze in the mirror and gave me a slight nod.
"Look at you," Ryker said, circling me like a shark. "Getting all dressed up for the Valentine gala. I'm shocked. Didn't think we'd actually get you out of that apron this year."
"Mother's orders," I said.
"Damn right," our mother said from her chair. "All four of my sons will be there. Looking perfect. Acting perfect. This is for charity."
Laurent stuck a pin too close to my ribs and I flinched.
"Sorry, Mr. Solas," he murmured.
Mr. Solas.
I hated that too, I was just Kael.
"So," Damon said, settling into the chair next to our mother. "Who are you bringing?"
"No one," I said.
"No one?" Ryker's eyebrows shot up. "The youngest Solas son, still unmated, showing up alone to the biggest social event of the season? The Omegas are going to eat you alive."
My dragon stirred at the mention of Omegas.
Only one Omega.
Mine.
"I'll survive," I muttered.
"You smell different," Caspian said suddenly.
I froze and noticed he was watching me in the mirror, his green eyes sharp and assessing.
"What?"
"You smell different," he repeated. "Like... lavender. And something else. Old books?"
Fuck.
Amara's scent must have clung to me and I hadn't even noticed. It had to be from this morning when our fingers had brushed every so briefly. From every morning for the past six months…
"It's probably just the bakery," I said quickly. "We use lavender in some of the pastries."
Ryker leaned in, sniffing dramatically. "That's not lavender extract, little brother. That's Omega."
My mother sat up straighter. "Omega?"
"It's nothing," I said.
"It's clearly not nothing," Damon said, grinning now. "You've been holding out on us."
"There's no one," I lied.
"Liar," Ryker said. "You reek of her."
Laurent cleared his throat awkwardly. "Perhaps I should step out for a moment..."
"Stay," my mother commanded. Then to me, "Kael Solas, is there an Omega?"
I closed my eyes. This was not how I’d wanted this conversation to go.
"Maybe," I admitted.
The room exploded. Ryker whooped. Damon laughed. Even Caspian cracked a smile.
"Finally!" Ryker said. "I thought you were going to die a virgin."
"Fuck off."
"Language," my mother said, but she was smiling. "Tell me about her."
"There's nothing to tell."
"You literally smell like you've been rolling around in her scent," Damon pointed out. "That's not nothing."
"We haven't... it's not like that," I said, my jaw tight. "She's just... she comes into the bakery. Every morning. We talk. That's it."
"That's it?" Ryker looked skeptical. "Then why do you look like someone kicked your puppy when you talk about her?"
Because I've been lying to her for six months, I couldn’t make myself say that part outloud.
"It's complicated," I said.
My mother stood, walking over to the platform. She reached up and touched my face gently.
"Does she know?" she asked quietly. "About who you are?"
I shook my head.
Understanding crossed her features. "Oh, Kael."
"I was going to tell her," I said. "But then it just... kept not being the right time."
"And now the Valentine gala is in two weeks," Caspian said in a nonjudgmental way.
"Yeah."
"So tell her before then," Damon said, like it was the simplest thing in the world.
"What if she..." I stopped, swallowing hard. "What if she only wants the prince?"
The room went quiet. Ryker's smirk faded. Damon's expression softened. Even Caspian looked sympathetic.
"Then she's an idiot," Ryker said finally. "But you won't know until you ask."
My mother squeezed my shoulder. "Kael, sweetheart. If she's been coming to your bakery every morning for six months, she's not coming for the prince. She doesn't even know he exists. She's coming for you."
I wanted to believe that.
God, I wanted to believe that so badly.
"What if I tell her and she walks away?" I asked quietly.
"What if you don't tell her and she finds out anyway?" Caspian countered. "At the gala. In front of everyone. How do you think that's going to go?"
Worse.
So much worse.
"You have to tell her," my mother said gently. "Before the gala. Give her time to process. To decide if she wants to be there. With you."
"And if she doesn't?"
"Then at least you'll know," Damon said. "But my money's on her showing up anyway."
Laurent cleared his throat again. "Shall we continue with the fitting?"
"Yes," my mother said, stepping back. "Make him look perfect, Laurent. He needs to look perfect."
For Amara.
For the moment when she walked into that ballroom and saw me for the first time as Kael Solas instead of just Kael the baker.
I just hoped she'd still want me when she realized who I really was.
By the time I got back to the bakery, it was late afternoon.
Marco had already closed up and gone home. The shop was quiet, just the hum of the refrigerators and the settling sounds of the old building.
I stood behind the counter and pulled out my phone.
I had her number. She'd given it to me months ago when I'd offered to sign her up for the Ember Rewards because she came so often. I'd never used it for anything else.
Too afraid of crossing that line.
But now...
I typed out a message, slowly, overthinking every single word. Hey. It's Kael. From the bakery. I was wondering if we could talk sometime soon. There's something I need to tell you.
My finger hovered over the send button.
Do it, my dragon urged. Tell her.
My finger dipped down and I erased the entire message. None of what I'd written seemed quite right. Once again, I slowly typed another. Hope you're having a good evening. See you tomorrow morning?
Still too much.
I deleted that too.
Finally, I just set the phone down and scrubbed my hands over my face.
Coward.
My phone buzzed. For a wild second I thought maybe I'd accidentally sent something. But it was just a text from Caspian.
Stop overthinking it, Little Bro. Tell her. Before it's too late.
I stared at his message for a long moment. Then I picked up my phone and shoved it in my back pocket. The urge to bake something delicious had hit. If I couldn't tell Amara the truth with words yet, maybe I could tell her with pastries.
Something new and delicious might do the trick.
Something that said everything I couldn't.
I pulled out some lavender and chocolate, the aromas hitting me immediately. Next, I started working on a fresh batch of dough. I let my hands do what my mouth couldn't.
And when it was all baked and pretty looking, I prayed that when I finally found the courage to tell her, she wouldn't walk away.