Chapter 29 Tray #2
“Yeah, she couldn't even tell the washer from the nut.” He glanced at his partner, rolled his eyes, and then looked back at me. It was an outright lie. I’d heard the girl telling him what they needed earlier, and she seemed perfectly in command of the parts list. He pitched his voice conspiratorially. “Women, am I right?”
The girl looked like she wanted to protest, but I turned to her at such an angle that the guy couldn’t see my lopsided smile and accompanying wink.
She was smart and understood, mouthing ‘thank you’.
The guy jumped to his feet, eager to impress, and shoved the instructional booklet at his partner before jogging over to the last box.
To his credit, he seemed adept at basic inventorying, granted all that required was matching pictures and counting quantities.
After giving me a grateful smile, the girl went to work.
Alone, she moved quickly, her eyes checking the diagrams as she plucked parts off the floor and made quick work of assembling.
She impressed me, because, damn, it would take a college degree to decipher the small diagrams on the booklet.
A college degree. Ha. It kept surprising me that I’d decided to give academia another try.
You’d think a guy who’d been forced to finish high school and walk the stage wouldn’t touch college with a ten-foot poll.
“Hey, guys?” Catalina’s voice rose above the din. “Eros sent a pre-shipment email with some new photos.”
Like she’d just spoken some magic words, Mac and Ryder immediately came to life, both dropping what they were doing—or pretending to be doing—and heading towards where Cat had just appeared after forcibly pushing her way through the garage door and past crowded clothes racks.
I wanted to bolt over, see the photos first, but instead I strode quickly to the courtyard doors which were already open.
“Dix!” I hollered. He cocked his head, so I knew he heard me. “We got new pictures of Tessa!”
Dixon comically scrambled to his feet, slipping on the smooth surrounding pool tile in his urgency to get inside. “Don’t you fucking look at them before me!” He bellowed, crossing the distance quickly thanks to his long legs.
The guys and I huddled together, Cat holding the tablet turned towards us.
She tapped the scroll arrow slowly, giving us plenty of time to digest. In the new photos, Tessa looked healthier.
She seemed well fed, with blushed cheeks and glossy hair.
There was no way this was the same girl as the last picture, unless they’d digitally retouched.
A person’s cheeks didn’t fill in so quickly, no matter how much they were eating.
When I thought that, I immediately saw the truth under the manipulations.
Her expression was strained. She felt vulnerable.
Exposed. Scared. She wasn’t wearing anything except for underwear.
She held a cat, which I could only assume was the cat, against her chest to cover her upper body.
They’d put her on display... on display for us. Because we’d paid to find her.
Fuck me, they were both beautiful.
“She needs to be here now,” Dixon breathed out, the slightest quake in his words as he took great pains to stay in control.
His hands were painfully clenched, his nails beginning to draw blood from his palms. I reached over and took one, covering it with my own.
He relaxed at my touch, hand un-fisting.
Mac noticed too and took Dix’s second hand.
It was almost supernatural the way Tessa’s scent had changed Dixon back to his old self.
Almost back. Back enough that gentle nudging could restore his rational mind.
“She’ll be here soon, Dix.” I soothed.
“If I can hang on, you can,” Ryder added, moving behind Dix and curling his hands over our pack brother’s shoulders. He massaged firmly.
“You broke a damn cabinet,” Dixon seemed pleased to point that out. “Think I’m doing better than you at this point.”
“Fine, if you can hang on, so can I,” Ryder corrected.
“Damn right,” Dixon jerked his head in a quick nod, then wiggled his body so we’d all stop touching him.
“Cat, what did The Institute say?” I focused back on the email. We’d scrolled through the photos but ignored the rest. Cat pulled her tablet back, closing the attachments and checking the message.
“The stylist said to avoid pastels because of Tessa’s coloring.
They sent her measurements too.” She paused for a second, reading ahead.
“There’s a recommended diet and The Institute will be sending over three months’ supply of Omega tonics to compensate for the product flaw.
Apparently, she’s malnourished and a little anemic. ”
“Product flaw,” I said stupidly. “They mean Tessa, right?”
“They mean Tessa,” Cat confirmed. “The paperwork has always referred to a potential scent match as a product. It’s just standard.”
“It fucking shouldn’t be,” Dixon grumbled.
“I agree. It’s gross.” My mocha, caramel lattes sloshed around in my belly, and I felt a little sick. Mac and Tray exchanged a knowing look, as if they’d already had this conversation.
“Again, it’s just a label the company uses. And once Tessa is here,” Catalina smiled at us all, “she’ll never be called that again.”
Each of us voiced agreement, though in different ways. Damn, right. Let someone fucking try calling her that. Never again.
“On that note,” Cat pulled up a new file on her tablet. “This is ridiculous.”
She flipped the screen our way again, presenting the budget spreadsheet that she loved, and we absolutely hated. The top three rows were highlighted in glaring yellow. Paradise Pets, $1,586.39. California Couture, $13,056.12. Richard Makes it Right, $2500.
When she spoke again, her tone was that of a scolding mother. “Half the clothes need to go back. Should be easy. No pastels. Nothing too gothic. I mean with her pale skin and dark hair, she’ll look like a vampire. As for the cat stuff—”
I jumped in. “Can’t return anything. It’s all opened already.”
“All of it?” She asked incredulously, frowning.
“Every bit. Even licked the unopened soft food. So, you know, germs.” I raised my hands apologetically. “Can’t in good conscience return things I’ve licked, CeeCee.”
“Hmmm.” She narrowed her eyes. “I don’t believe you, but I really don’t have the energy to argue today, Tray.”
I grinned. “If that’s the case, we really should revisit the topic of you singing the intro to a song on our next album.”
“I’m not that tired. I’ll never be that tired.” But she couldn’t help smiling. Even when I drove her crazy, the woman loved me.
“Never say never.” I winked at her.
I meant those words. I really thought I’d never settle down.
I couldn’t imagine marking and mating with someone and it being for.
.. fucking life. Even though I’d always known biology would eventually force me into a corner, Alpha ferality taking hold, I’d wanted to delay the inevitable as long as possible.
Never settling was never going to happen. Never finding Tessa? I already couldn’t imagine it. Never say never.