47. Rosie
Chapter 47
Rosie
N ash pulled out all the stops, the romantic.
The owner of Tony’s steps back with a flourish. “Enjoy. After you settle in with the wine, the server will be up for the first course.”
Tony’s is a quaint Italian restaurant in one of the original brick buildings in the older part of downtown. I’ve been ordering pizza from here since I was a kid, but I didn’t know they had a rooftop table.
It’s a snug space, crowded between two taller brick buildings with a narrow railing on both ends that face the street. But the smallness adds to the ambiance, making it seem as though we're in our own world. Vines crawl along the faded painted brick, and the floor is covered with potted plants that circle the table at the center. They've hung twinkling lights between the two taller buildings, and a pretty mosaic fountain gurgles happily in the corner.
“This is amazing,” I say, tugging on Nash’s hand as I take a tour. “I didn’t even know about this place.”
Nash ropes his arm around my front, his hand holding my hip while he nuzzles my neck. From here, we can hear people passing by on the street below, but our view is of the stars above. “I can’t take credit. The place was all Dane.”
I twist in his hold. “Speaking of, I’m surprised this isn’t a pack date.”
“Are you disappointed you only got me?” he says, feigning a wound to his heart.
The smile I give him for his dramatic puppy-dog routine doesn’t help my situation. “Yes, heartbroken.”
His palm finds my back, and he leads me to the table, pulling out one of the thick wooden chairs. “We go on pair dates. I hate official functions, so once I was done with football, that was mostly Quinn. Dane gets freaked out at scary movies, so he always sits them out. But yeah, we usually go in groups.”
Nash takes the seat across from me. He’s dressed up tonight in a fitted dark-grey button-up that accentuates his massive arms. Combined with black jeans, boots, and his tattoos, people would probably say he looks menacing. Those people are idiots. He’s a very hot teddy bear.
“That makes sense. I’ve never courted a pack before?—”
“We’re the only pack you’ll court,” Nash says, the possessive edge to his voice crackling along my spine.
I lift my brow. “Okay, big talker. I just meant it’s good to discuss this stuff.”
Nash picks up the wine resting at the table and pours me a glass.
“Quinn said he would see me later and hinted it was tonight.” Maybe it’s just the surprise that’s throwing me off. Quinn could have meant at home. I don’t know why it matters, except I have this gnawing feeling that I’m missing something. “Where are the others exactly?”
The way Nash clears his throat tells me I’m right, and my gut sinks.
“What happened?” I ask.
“—gonna be pissed,” Nash mumbles under his breath, and I miss the first part.
“Who is gonna be pissed?” I ask, leaning in. “Because if you don’t start talking, I think it’s about to be me.”
Nash holds up his hands. “They’re at Dane’s dads’ welcome home party. But they’re meeting us here?—"
My eyes widen. “And you and I are here because?”
The reality that Nash and I are here sinks like a weight in my stomach. Years of bullshit come crashing back with a vengeance, and even though I know it’s not the same, it feels as though Dane is embarrassed to be seen with me.
Deep down, that’s been my fear all along. This is Dane’s pack, and he’s from Marigold’s glittery world—a world I learned a long time ago doesn’t fit me. The vile soundtrack of my deepest fears plays on repeat, reminding me that my own mother didn’t want me when she learned I was a beta. The loud buzzing in my brain twists everything, distorting what I know and making my insides raw until I don’t recognize myself.
Something in my expression must tip off Nash because he’s out of his chair and kneeling by my side. “Hey, look at me, baby.”
I can’t. I can’t do anything but feel the spitting, spewing battle between shame and rage taking place in my heart.
Nash cups my neck. His brows furrow, and his eyes are pleading. “Whatever you’re thinking wasn’t our intent, but I’m sorry our decision not to tell you made you doubt that. Baby, please, look at me.”
I force myself to meet his gaze. I know I’m triggered—I know it—but I don’t know how to stop the blowback.
“This doesn’t reflect how anyone feels about you or your status in our pack. You made clear you have boundaries, and we didn’t want to pressure you to break them. They’re planning to meet us here after, and…”
His words start to get through the mess in my head. The shame still stings, raw and open, even if it wasn’t meant to strike, but now that I’m listening, I can understand. I’m still pissed, and I’m sure it’s aided by the adrenaline racing in my veins.
Is it sweet that they were trying to protect me? Yeah . Do I believe they thought they were doing the right thing and trying to respect my lines? I really do. But they were also seriously misguided. I don’t know what I would have decided if given the options, but I damn sure know what I’m doing now.
I force myself to bottle up the extra energy riding my spine and fuel it into determination. “You could have asked, and I could have said yes or no. Date night for couples, that I get. But don’t use that as an excuse to hide something from me because you assume you know how I’ll react,” I say, using all my control to not raise my voice or act any more a fool.
Nash folds his head onto my lap. “Yeah, you’re right.” He kisses my knee. “I’m sorry. We were trying to protect you, but I see how we fucked up?—”
I push back the chair. “Come on. We’re going to the party, and I assume that means we’re late.”
Nash stumbles back. “Wait! We have plans?—"
“Reschedule them.” I nod toward the door. The energy pulsing inside me gives me courage. Now I’m determined. I turn toward the staircase just as the server opens the door.“Also, this is the second time our first date has been interrupted. I expect one to go off without a hitch in the future, and there’d better be a roof.”
“Have I told you yet that I’m madly, deeply, hopelessly in love with you?” Nash calls dramatically.
Rounding on him, I give him my best haughty look even though my heart melts. “Know I love you too, but I’m still all irritated. So, you’ll have to tell me again later.”
Nash coughs over a laugh. “Yes, ma’am.”
* * *
Dane’s family pack house is pretty much what I would expect. It’s an older lake home on the side with the larger estates, closer to town than the new construction or the rental homes out in Waverley.It’s grand, with steady columns, a huge porch, and a sprawling manicured lawn leading to the lake.
Nash parks his truck, and I check myself in the mirror. My makeup looks great, but I’m not exactly dressed for this kind of party. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have chosen this flashy ensemble. But then, maybe that's better armor than trying to blend in.
Dane’s dad is a prominent man in town, and his omega father is from the circle my mother and aunt travel in. My grandmother too, although not in years. This isn’t just any welcome party; Dane isn’t just some alpha. This has the potential to be a disaster. What if I embarrass them in front of everyone?
Nerves bubble up as I wait for Nash to open the door. They were right that this is the type of place I typically avoid, but this matters to Dane, whether he wants to admit it to me or not.
I’ve spent my adult life carving out my own space. It’s steady and solid. I like who I am. I also like who I am with this pack and these men, even if they have moments of misguided overprotectiveness. But the reality is we won’t work long term if we don’t tackle our unlikely match head-on.
Nash holds my hand to help me out of the truck.
I shimmy my dress down, but there’s nothing to do but own it. “You’re sure it’s okay that I’m here? Because walking in there is gonna make a statement.”
Nash’s palm slips around my waist, but it’s Dane who answers.
“Sweetheart, you make a statement wherever you go.” Dane steps out of the shadows of a tree on the front lawn. “You look incredible, and I heard I’m in the doghouse. I’m sorry for being an overbearing ass. It was never about not wanting you here, and I’m sorry my actions made it feel that way.”
Quinn steps up beside him, pulling a yellow rose from behind his back. He comes closer, breaking the stem before tucking the flower by my ear. “We’re sorry we kept this from you. We were trying not to pressure you into doing something that would make you uncomfortable. We won’t make that mistake again.”
I eye Nash. “I was prepared to give them hell.”
“I sent a text telling them that we’d fucked up and to beg. Luckily, we had premade signs.” He covers my eyes with his big hands, his chest against my back.
“What are you up to?” I ask.
His beard tickles my neck. “See, we planned a whole surprise, but now we’re improvising.”
Music starts from somewhere. It’s an indie folk song I know from Kelly, and I can’t help but grin.
Quinn laughs, and Dane curses. There’s mumbling and shuffling. Nash removes his hands and runs to stand next to Dane.
I can’t help but giggle at the picture they make. It’s seriously the most adorable thing. There, on Dane’s dads’ lawn, the three of them stand, holding signs.
Altogether, they read: “Will you go to prom and join our pack?”
It’s a pack proposal! Done like something I’ve only seen people do for school dances. The sweetness of it rights an old wrong, makes me feel seen even as they heal something deep inside. I squeeze my eyes shut and give in to the excitement washing over me, shimmying in place before leaping into their arms. My ass is probably hanging out of this dress, but I don’t care. Dane catches me, and the others circle me, pulling me into a group hug.
My all-time fantasy pack really does want to keep me.
“Yes,” I say, planting excited kisses around my group.
Now all I have to do is get through tonight.