Chapter Four
Ty
“Hey there! You’re late. Happy birthday to my best friend!” Freid jumped up from the booth and held his arms out to embrace me.
His hug did nothing to alleviate the heaviness in my gut. “Sorry,” I said, as his arms squeezed tighter, warm and safe, making me wish for the thousandth time we were more than friends. “I got a late start.”
He tapped my back twice and stepped away. “It’s all good.” Then he frowned. “Why so glum?”
Were my emotions that obvious? I couldn’t look him in the eye as I shrugged. Instead, I stared at the usual shirt he wore. The tiger. It looked worn, not as flashy as the first day we’d met almost three years ago. It had been through hundreds of washings and a lot of hope by its wearer.
“You’re not depressed about turning thirty-two, are you?” he asked as we sat facing each other.
“I don’t know. It’s just another day, right?” But I did know why I wasn’t happy. I’d been in love with my friend for three years and been too chicken to say a word about it.
Tell him. He’s our beautiful stranger. He should know.
My tiger was right, but I still couldn’t do it.
Freid smiled. “I will argue that a birthday isn’t just any other day, but a very special day.”
“Yeah, well.”
“Talk to me, Ty. Do you think thirty-two is old?”
“It’s not my age. And no, I don’t think it’s old. You’re even older, and you look young.”
“Thanks for the compliment.” He puffed out his cheeks.
“It’s just that it’s like a milestone reminder of how long it’s been—” I chickened out again.
“How long what’s been?”
“That I’ve been alone. Well, both of us, actually. Alone and waiting for something that’s never coming.”
“You’re right about that.” He tilted his head. “But I haven’t quite been alone.”
“What? Do you have a boyfriend you’re not telling me about?”
“I meant you. You’ve been with me the whole time. That’s what I meant by not alone. Thank you for that, Ty.”
“Oh, well, okay. It’s easy being with you. I feel like I’ve known you my whole life.”
“Same.”
“You mean a lot to me.”
“Same.” He gave me a smile and a nod.
“But, well, um—”
“Hold on. Before you say anything else, there’s this.”
On the bar top sat a wrapped gift with a tall red bow. He slid it over to me.
I reached out and touched the bow. It was silken like his hair against my cheek whenever he hugged me. “Thank you, but you didn’t have to get me anything.”
“I know. But we always exchange gifts. Plus, this one is special. Open it.” His elbows were on the bar, his hands clasped, his gaze deep.
Slowly, I removed the ribbon and peeled the paper back. Freid let out a big sigh.
I glanced up. “What?”
“You’re taking too long.”
“I’m savoring the moment.”
“Savor it later. Just open it.”
I pushed the wrapping aside and lifted the lid from the box. Inside was white tissue paper. When I folded it back, I saw what was underneath. A shirt. Not just any shirt but a specific shirt.
It was a T-shirt with a rhinestone tiger on the front. Twin to Freid’s own.
“What is this?” I didn’t know if I should laugh or cry.
He chuckled. “Do you like it?”
“Where did you find one just like yours?”
“Where else? Online.”
I held the shirt up to my face and sniffed. I didn’t know what I was looking for—some sort of affirmation? His scent? But all I smelled was a clean new shirt.
“Well?” Freid asked. “What do you think?”
“This is your shirt from your dream.”
“I know. And you’ve shared that dream with me for a long time. Waiting with me. Being my friend. My best friend, in fact. It’s time.”
What did he mean?
Beautiful stranger knows he’s ours? my tiger asked.
“Time for what?” I asked.
“Time you got in on this, too. We’re both waiting together. Now, we can match.”
He was being too vague. Or maybe he wasn’t. We now had twin shirts. But he still wasn’t looking at me as a mate.
I had to clear this up. It had gone on too long. I was desperate to know if he had any feelings for me in return. It might risk our friendship, but this was too much. And now, a matching tiger shirt?
Did he not think the tiger on his shirt might be another sign from his dream that I was a possible mate? And now, here I was holding the same tiger shirt in my hands.
“Freid. Listen to me for a second.”
He frowned at me. “What? You don’t like the gift?”
“I love it.” To prove my words, I quickly took off my lightweight button-up right then and there in front of everyone.
I didn’t care if people looked. This was important.
I noticed Freid’s gaze traveled down my torso.
Did I dare hope he liked what he saw? His lips curved up in a smile, and warmth poured through my veins.
I shouldered into my new gift, and bit my lip before I spoke. “I love it so much.”
“Looks great.” Freid grinned.
“Thanks.” Could he know how much this really meant to me? I had to find my courage and finally speak. “I have something to say to you.” I gulped. “I know I’m going to fumble my words, but be patient with me, okay?”
“Of course.”
A sour taste came into my mouth. My nerves couldn’t take this. My tiger wanted to jump out of my skin. I drew my hands down under the bar, clenching them, feeling the first touch of big, sharp claws.
“Ty?” Freid bent closer to me, his arms stretching to me. “Hey, babe—”
It didn’t make this any easier when he called me that.
My confession was everything to me. I knew Freid well by now.
If he didn’t reciprocate my feelings, he wouldn’t hate me.
He wouldn’t stop being my friend. But I would feel it.
Deep inside forever. Seeing him every weekend.
Texting every day. Knowing he knew what I felt and didn’t feel the same.
The ease we had with each other would dissipate. It couldn’t be avoided.
I looked down, stumbling over my words. “I love the shirt. I really do. But I think it means something different to me than it does to you. Your dream is your dream. The signs you saw are what your mind interprets. But my mind, well, it’s different.
I see the tiger shirt and I’m a tiger even if…
if it’s not what you’re looking for.” My throat went dry, my voice scratchy.
“But now, you give me my own tiger shirt and it means, well, everything to me. Everything, Freid. But I don’t think that what I’m saying about it meaning everything means the same for you. ”
Did that speech even make sense? My face had grown hot. My tiger claws dug into my palms, though my beast was silent.
Freid’s dark eyes never left mine. Beneath his own tiger shirt, his chest rose and fell.
“I’m not sure I’m being clear,” I continued. “But—but don’t you think the tiger shirt was a symbol in your dream? I mean, it was right in front of your face. And then the next day we met.” I held his gaze. “And now, you’ve given me one just like yours. Right?”
His eyes softened even more. “Ty, I never meant—”
“Don’t say another word.” I bowed my head, unable to look at his sweet face another second.
“You didn’t let me finish.” His tone grew rougher.
I wished the floor would open underneath me and drop me away from this moment.
“Ty, can you please look at me?”
I shook my head.
“Babe, I know we’re in this together. I don’t know how, but we are. I feel it, too. Why do you think I gave you that shirt? The connection between us. Plus, you’re one really hot alpha.”
What? Did he just say I was hot?
“I’ve been trying to figure it out for so long,” he continued.
Abruptly, his words stopped. I couldn’t even hear his breaths now. It was as if reality had been disconnected. All my senses froze.
The lights in the club flickered. Suddenly my mouth and lungs were filled with the scent of orange blossoms.
“Do you smell that?” Freid’s voice dropped with wonder.
My head came up. Our gazes met. “What is that? It’s—it’s amazing.”
“It’s wonderful.”
Mates. Here. Now.
We both jumped out of the booth and spoke at the same time. “He’s here.”