Chapter 2 #2
He seems like a nice guy, but that doesn’t change what he is.
I blow out a slow breath, refocusing on the task at hand. I can always count on work to shut out the negative thoughts. I’ve been losing myself in it for months, distracting myself from confronting my own grief.
“Hey, she’s back!” Avery comments gleefully as she strolls into the command center, Cam right on her heels.
I whip my chair around, straightening my posture. “Hey,” I reply, tossing up an awkward little wave. “So, about yesterday…”
“Are you here to work?” Cam asks as the two of them come to a stop beside my desk.
I nod.
“Then don’t even worry about it,” he says, rapping his knuckles against my desk before continuing on to his own at the back of the room.
My brows shoot up as I watch after him, then shift my gaze to Avery.
She smiles back at me. “Glad to have you on the team, Blair,” she remarks, giving me a little nod and following after her mate.
“Glad to be here,” I call after her, grateful that yesterday’s outburst was so easily forgiven.
Swiveling to face my computer again, I dive right back into my work, determined to channel my rage into something positive.
If I can actively prevent the hunters from regrouping and targeting shifters, maybe I’ll get some sense of justice for Dylan.
Maybe I’ll finally be able to move into the acceptance stage of grief and life won’t suck so damn much.
Matty takes the hint and doesn’t try to strike up conversation again, but he does ask a couple work-related questions.
I field them with one-word answers, avoiding eye contact whenever possible.
It works, and the morning passes without incident, time flying by while I’m immersed in internet research.
“Do you wanna break for lunch?” Matty asks, the deep rumble of his voice breaking my intense focus.
“Huh?” I blurt, glancing up at him.
He grins, blue eyes sparkling. “Lunch?”
“I’m not hungry,” I mumble, averting my gaze.
He pushes back his chair and stands, my stomach choosing that moment to grumble in protest. He arches a brow, flickering a glance toward my belly. “You sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure,” I huff.
“Okay,” he sighs, swiveling around. “You guys wanna grab food?”
“Sure,” Cam replies smoothly, tapping Avery’s ass in a signal for her to get up from his lap. He eases to his feet after her and they stride up the aisle to join Matty, Avery pausing beside my desk while the guys continue toward the door.
“You two go ahead, I’ll catch up,” she tells Cam, dropping down onto the edge of my desk and looking down at me.
My stomach sinks, because of course, I immediately assume I’m in trouble for something. Probably yesterday’s freakout.
“You’re being a little hard on him, don’t you think?” Avery asks once the guys are safely out of earshot.
I furrow my brow, peering up at her in question. “Who?”
“Matty, obviously,” she replies with a chuckle.
“We barely even talk.”
“Exactly,” she declares, giving me a pointed look.
Her eyes round in sympathy as I stare back at her, and she blows out a slow breath, shaking her head.
“Look, I know you’ve been through a lot, Blair.
I can’t even imagine losing my mate, and I’m so sorry you’ve had to experience it.
I know that’s why you wanted this job, and it’s why Lo said you were the best person for it.
You’ve got a personal stake in this, just like everyone else in this room.
Matty’s a good guy. He's not the enemy, he helped us defeat The Guild…”
“He was a hunter, so he’ll always be the enemy,” I grumble.
“Well, Cam was a hunter too,” Avery scoffs. “Do you feel that way about him?”
I open my mouth to respond, but she holds up a finger, narrowing her eyes on me. “I would think very carefully about how you respond to that.”
I press my lips into a tight line, battling back all the snarky responses pinging around in my brain. “He’s your mate,” I say, leveling her with a stare. “You still have yours, and I lost mine. I think that prevents us from seeing eye to eye on some things.”
“Fair enough,” she concedes, stabbing her fingers through her hair. “Just try to take it easy on Matty, okay? He’s been through some shit too. Maybe not the same as yours, but everyone here has baggage they’re dealing with.”
I nod, biting back my response. My mother always said if you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all.
“Do you want me to bring you back something?” Avery asks as she pushes off my desk.
“No, I’m good,” I murmur, my stomach rudely gurgling again at the mention of food.
“I’m gonna bring you something anyway,” she quips, tossing me a wink as she starts for the door.
I’m left alone in blissful silence, content to sink into the solitude and get lost in my work again. Time slips away as I research names and addresses, compiling a list of affiliates and donors warranting further follow-up.
Matty’s the first to return from the dining hall. He strides up to my desk, sliding a plate onto the surface. I glance over at the sandwich upon it, then up at him.
“Just in case,” he remarks, smiling bashfully as he walks around to his own desk.
I grind my molars, staring at the sandwich for a long moment before returning my attention to my work.
It sits there untouched for the rest of the day, just like the damn coffee.