Chapter 3
THREE
Holly
I’m not surprised that I dreamed about the man from yesterday. He was all I could think about during my interview, my dinner with Adeline and Rhodes, and as I got ready for bed. I can’t seem to get him or the way he made me feel with one look out of my head.
I sigh as I climb out of bed and get dressed. I can hear the soft murmur of Rhodes and Adeline talking in the kitchen as I go downstairs, and I clear my throat as I get closer.
“Morning!” Adeline says as I walk into the room.
“Morning,” I greet them both.
“How did you sleep?” Adeline asks as Rhodes fills a travel cup with coffee.
“Good, thanks.”
“I’ve got to head out, but I’ll see you both later,” Rhodes says.
I smile and wave as he kisses Adeline goodbye and heads out the front door.
“He’s up and at it early,” I comment.
Adeline nods, looking worried.
“Is everything okay?”
“There’s been some trouble with a cult to the north of us,” she admits. “The Alphas are taking turns keeping an eye on the property line.”
“What kind of trouble?” I ask warily.
“I’m not sure. Rhodes didn’t elaborate.”
She turns the kettle on and passes me the tea box. I pick out an Earl Grey tea bag and pass the box back to her.
“I know that some members have come onto our land, looking for help,” Adeline continues.
“Maybe that’s why they’re up there then. They want to help and make sure people who want to get out can,” I suggest.
“That’s probably it. Still, we should be careful and stay away from their property,” she says.
“Agreed.”
The kettle boils, and Adeline pours the water into a mug and passes it to me. She tops up her teacup, and I smile as I dunk my bag into the hot water.
“This reminds me of old times,” I reminisce.
“I know! Our Saturday morning tea dates,” she sighs, smiling softly.
“I’ve missed this.”
Adeline reaches over, squeezing my hand. “Me too. I’m so happy you’re here.”
Adeline and I only had each other growing up.
Her mom was a single mother and spent most of her time working.
My parents were always working, and when they weren’t, they were at home yelling at each other.
I used to lie awake wishing they’d just get divorced.
It would have made everyone happier, but nope.
They ended up in a car accident when I was seventeen and passed away, leaving me all alone right before I graduated high school. Well, all alone except for Adeline.
“What did you want to do today?” Adeline asks, pulling me from my thoughts.
“Um, I have another interview this afternoon.”
“Have you heard anything back from the diner?”
“No, not yet. They told me they had interviews today, too, so I probably won’t hear back from them until tomorrow at the earliest.”
She nods as she slides onto the stool next to me. “I’m sure you’ll get it. It would be crazy for them not to hire you.”
“Thanks.”
“You don’t sound very excited about the prospect,” she remarks.
I sigh. “I don’t know. I want a job. And I don’t want to be a burden to you.”
She shakes her head. “You’re not.”
“I just… I’ve been a waitress forever. I want to do something else, something that seems better or, I don’t know, more interesting.”
“So do that!”
“I wish. I don’t know what that great job is.”
“You’ll figure it out,” she assures me. “We can look together.”
“Maybe.”
I stare off into space for a minute as my mystery man from yesterday floats into my mind.
“What’s got you so distracted?” Adeline asks, sipping her tea.
“I saw this guy in town yesterday.”
“Yeah?” she asks excitedly.
I laugh. “Yeah. We didn’t talk or anything, but I don’t know, there was something about him. I can’t stop thinking about him. I’ve never had such an immediate reaction to someone before.”
“That’s how it started with Rhodes and me!” she gasps, practically bouncing in her seat. “Maybe he’s a shifter and you two are fated mates!”
I smile. “That would be nice, but I doubt it. I mean, he stared at me, then turned and stalked off without a second glance.”
“Hmm,” she hums. “Who was it? What did he look like?”
“He had dark brown hair, was like 6’3”, toned, smoking hot.”
She pulls out her phone and starts flipping through photos. “Does anyone look familiar?” she asks, handing me the phone.
I scroll through some group shots of Adeline and Rhodes with people in town and stop when I see him. “Him. It’s him,” I whisper, pointing to the stern-looking man standing off to the side in one of the photos.
“That’s Camden. He’s an Alpha like Rhodes,” Addy says, sounding excited.
“Does he have a fated mate?”
“Nope, not yet.”
She looks so excited for me that hope blooms inside me, too.
“So, what do I do now?” I ask.
Adeline blinks. “I don’t know. I’m sure Camden will handle it.”
“Handle what?”
“Explaining shifters and fated mates to you. I’m not sure, really. He’ll have to talk to you, and then he’ll bite and mark you.”
“Sounds fun,” I deadpan.
“It feels good,” she promises me.
“I’d hope so.”
We spend the next hour drinking our tea and giggling over our boys. By the time I get dressed and leave for my interview, I’m excited to see Camden again.
I get my wish as I head to Bella Italia and lock eyes with Camden on the sidewalk outside the restaurant. I stare at him, waiting to see what he’ll do.
Camden returns my stare for a beat, then turns on his heel and walks away from me like yesterday. My heart sinks, and I deflate as I watch him leave.
Guess I’m not his mate, after all, I think as I head inside.
The interview goes well, and the people seem friendly, but my head and heart aren’t in it. I drive back to Adeline’s house and collapse next to her on the couch.
“How did it go?” she asks.
“Okay. They seemed to like me.”
“What’s wrong then?”
“I saw Camden.”
“And?”
“And he turned and left just like yesterday.”
“Oh,” she says, her excitement leaving her all at once.
“Yeah.”
We’re silent for a minute, and she stares straight ahead.
“I guess we’re not fated mates,” I say.
She shakes her head. “What you described is exactly how it felt for me when I met Rhodes.”
“Then we’re fated mates, but he doesn’t want me.”
“That doesn’t happen. I mean, I don’t think it does. Why would anyone reject their fated mate?”
I shrug. “I don’t know.”
“I’ll ask Rhodes when he gets home.”
As if he heard her, Rhodes walks into the house and makes a beeline for Addy, dropping a kiss on her lips. “Ask me what?”
“Would anyone ever reject their fated mate?” she asks him.
“No, or if they did, it would be rare. I mean, no shifter would reject their fated mate because they know she’s literally destined for him. If he rejects her, he knows he’ll be alone forever,” Rhodes says, sitting in the armchair and pulling Adeline onto his lap. “Why?”
“Cause I think your friend is rejecting me,” I confess.
He stiffens. “What?”
“I think that Camden and Holly are fated mates,” Addy tells him, “but Camden keeps walking away every time they run into each other in town.”
Rhodes looks confused and then annoyed.
Embarrassment and sadness overtake me, and I push to my feet.
“Holly—”
I shake my head at Addy. “It’s fine. I need to take a shower.”
I go upstairs, trying to ignore my hurt and disappointment as I head into my room. It isn’t until the door is closed behind me that I let the tears fall.
No one has ever wanted me. Why would Camden be any different? I think as I head into the bathroom and crank the hot water in the shower.
I need to forget about Camden and focus on figuring out the rest of my life, I remind myself.
Unfortunately for me, that’s easier said than done.