Chapter 41
Jamie blinked. He felt heat all along his back. “Mmmm.” He sighed and leaned back against Aiden, using his free hand to pull Aiden’s left arm tighter around his body. He was wrapped in an Aiden burrito, and he loved it. He buried his head down against the pillow, tucked up under Aiden’s chin, and sighed.
“G’morning,” Aiden rumbled. He ran one arm from Jamie’s shoulder down to his hand, then wrapped his hand around Jamie’s. He planted a chaste kiss on Jamie’s temple. “Are you OK? Not too sore?”
“I’m good.” Jamie inhaled and rubbed back against Aiden. Aiden’s hardness pressed against his lower back. He wiggled until Aiden groaned. “I’m actually very, very good. How ’bout you?” he asked on a yawn.
Aiden’s arms squeezed tighter around Jamie’s body, stopping his wiggles. “I’m holding on by a thread here,” he crooned into his ear. “If you don’t want to make an even bigger mess of your bed, you better stop moving.”
Jamie let out a dramatic sigh and moved to sit up. “Fine, we need to get going anyway.”
Aiden tugged him back down within his arms. “No, it’s still early. And where do we need to get going? The bakery’s still closed today.”
“We need to start our investigation,” Jamie said.
“What are you talking about?” Aiden asked, suspicion lacing his voice.
“I’m finally going to use my telepathy for good. We’re going to do some detective work,” Jamie said.
“Detect—? Where? Why?” Aiden barked. He moved to sit up, taking Jamie with him. Aiden held Jamie in a bear hug, his head tucked down against Aiden’s neck.
Jamie wriggled free so that he could turn to look Aiden in the eyes. “We’re going to head out to where the Lakers hang out in groups, and I’m going to read some minds. I’ll do my best to just skim the surface of their consciousness, you know, to see who’s acting deceptively. When I get the impression someone’s hiding something, I’ll dig deeper. I’ll be as non-intrusive as possible. I think it’s the only way to see if anyone’s working with your father,” Jamie said.
“What? Why now?”
“Look, everyone’s doing what they can. You’re training. Mac’s helping the hospital prepare for more casualties. Piper’s pouring through all her spell books like she’s cramming for the test of her life. May’s painting until her fingers are bleeding. Leah’s teleporting senior citizens all over town. This, this—” He paused and waved a hand at the side of his head. “This mind-reading that I can do is my gift, my ability. I want to use it to help.” He stopped and took in the scowl on Aiden’s face. “Please, I know you’re worried, but you know I can do this. Besides, you’ll be right next to me. What could happen with a fire-breathing beast by my side?”
Aiden pulled him back into his arms and hugged him closely. “Don’t ask questions like that.” He huffed out a breath and was silent.
Jamie thought he’d continue to sulk, but after a couple of minutes of silent hugs, Aiden surprised him.
“Where did you want to start?” Aiden muttered, nuzzling the top of his head.
Jamie felt his lips curve up in a smile, but he tried not to gloat. He leaned back so he could see Aiden’s face. “Well, I was thinking of hitting up the diner in town for breakfast. We can ask to be seated in the middle of the dining room. See what I can hear.”
Aiden groaned. “Don’t like being in the middle of the restaurant.”
Jamie patted his cheek. “I know.”
“Where else?”
“Well, I was thinking after that, we should head to the supermarket. We can park near the bakery and walk down Main Street. It’s Saturday, so it should be more crowded than on a weekday.”
“You really think we’re just going to bump into people working with my Dad? Seems like a long shot.”
“It can’t hurt, right?” Jamie mused. “Besides, I want to show us off.” He nodded to their joined hands. “Maybe one of your father’s goons will see us together like this. They may run off and tell him. I bet it would piss him off. Maybe enough to make him do something stupid,” Jamie said.
“Fuck,” Aiden murmured. “I don’t want him to take you again.”
“You’ll be right there,” Jamie said soothingly.
Aiden grunted. “Where else?”
“Heath’s going to call a pack meeting. He’s going to welcome you to the pack as my mate. People’ll be coming up to offer congratulations all night. Heath and Deacon think it’ll be the perfect opportunity to snoop.”
Aiden’s brows shot for his hairline. “They’re OK with you mind-snooping on his pack? I wouldn’t think they’d invite that, especially with them being cops.”
“I know, but the stakes are high enough they feel they have no choice,” Jamie said.
“That it?” Aiden asked.
“Well, I think that’s enough for today. If all goes well, maybe tomorrow we can see if Beau or Piper can get us closer to the bear shifters in town.”
“Great,” Aiden mumbled. “First wolves, then bears.”
Jamie planted a kiss on his lips and wriggled away to stand by the bed. “C’mon, let’s take a shower. I’ll even let you wash me.” He spun around and headed toward the bathroom.
“Hah! Let me?” Aiden scoffed.
Jamie turned back to return his snarky response but was stunned silent at seeing his mate smile. Sitting on the edge of the bed facing the bathroom door, Aiden seemed so happy, Jamie wanted to cry. “How about I wash you?” Jamie teased back.
Aiden stood and stalked over to him. “Sounds like a mutually beneficial shower is on the docket.”
About an hour later, Aiden parked the truck in the parking lot of Tessa’s Treats. Jamie opened his door and exited the vehicle just as Aiden rounded the hood to stand before him. He grinned at Aiden’s mutinous expression.
“You can’t always get the door for me. That’s not practical,” Jamie said. He held his hand out for Aiden.
Aiden took his hand, and they strode through the parking lot to the sidewalk heading for the center of town. “Screw practical. It’s just manners. I like doing it.”
“OK, OK,” Jamie said. “As soon as we stop your father, you can do it all the time.” They turned a corner onto Main Street. “So, breakfast?”
Aiden’s gaze zeroed in on the Grey Lake Diner. “A nice leisurely breakfast sounds perfect.”
Jamie sighed. “We haven’t been there in ages.” While the retro-style diner served breakfast like Tessa’s Treats, they also served lunch and dinner. In fact, Tessa’s Treats supplied pies for the diner on weekends.
When they reached the diner, Aiden opened the door, but entered first, holding Jamie behind him. Jamie grinned despite himself. It was such as alpha thing to do. He didn’t even think Aiden was aware of how much his shifter-side was affecting him.
“Hey there, haven’t seen you in a while,” a familiar voice said.
Jamie stared at the tall woman. He recognized Beau’s younger sister, Bree. “Hi! I didn’t realize you worked here. I thought you were in school up in Maine.”
Bree leaned in closer, her long brunette ponytail swishing behind her. “Bailey and I got permission to take our classes online this semester. We told them it was for a family illness.” Jamie remembered that Bailey was their other sister. Beau was the oldest and was very protective of his much younger siblings.
“Is someone sick?” Aiden asked.
She shook her head and gave them a lopsided smile. “No, but it sounds more believable than saying your town is in danger from a mythical creature, doesn’t it?”
Jamie chuckled. “True enough.”
Bree’s gaze lowered to where Aiden held his hand. “Hey, congratulations.” She glanced from Aiden to Jamie. “I mean, you guys are mates, right?”
“Yes,” they both said. “Thank you,” Jamie added.
She stood grinning at them both for a few seconds before she shook her head as if to clear it. “Oops, you guys want to be seated, right?”
Jamie laughed. “Yes, please.”
“Of course,” Bree said. She led them toward a corner booth, but Jamie placed a hand on her shoulder. “Bree, can we sit over there.” He pointed to a booth in the middle of the dining room.
She blinked a couple of times. “Oh, ah, sure thing.” She stopped by an empty booth and stepped back, waiting for them to take a seat.
Aiden released Jamie’s hand and gestured for him to take a seat first. He slid into the booth, and then Aiden followed, sitting across from him.
Bree handed each of them a menu. “I’ll give you two a few minutes. Can I get you some coffee?”
“Sure,” Jamie said.
Aiden nodded. “Thanks.” He reached across the table and opened his hand.
Jamie grinned and gave him his hand. “You know, if your father does have spies here and they tell him about this”—he nodded at their joined hands—“he’s going to be furious.”
Aiden looked mutinous. “I thought we wanted him to be mad enough to make mistakes.”
Jamie nodded.
“Besides, I want people to know you’re mine.”
“And you’re mine, too.”
Aiden nodded. “Yes, I am.”
Jamie shivered at the look he saw in Aiden’s eyes. This man would burn the village to ash if anything happened to him.
“Calm mate down. I think he’s scaring the people,” his wolf quipped within his mind.
Jamie surveyed their surroundings. His wolf was right. He covered their joined hands with his free one. He forced what he hoped was a bright smile to his face. He leaned closer to Aiden. “Hey,” he whispered. “I need you to take it down a notch.”
Aiden blinked twice. “What?”
“You look a little intense.” Jamie’s eyes darted around the table. “We’re supposed to be a newly mated couple enjoying a romantic breakfast.”
“We are, aren’t we?”
‘Well, we are, but we aren’t a normal newly mated couple eating breakfast. We’re”—he winced, then smiled once more—“special. We have another job to do, but you’re making it harder than it has to be.”
Aiden sighed. “Sorry. I don’t want to make it harder for you.” He inhaled a deep breath, then blew it out. “What should I do?”
“He’s trying so hard,” Jamie’s wolf chuckled silently.
Jamie ignored his beast. “Let’s just enjoy the food and the atmosphere. I’m going to just let my mind wander a bit, so you’ll have to keep the conversation going.”
Aiden huffed a laugh. “What do you want me to talk about?” he whispered.
“Anything. Tell me why you decided to throw a life in business to the wind to work with your sister at a bakery.”
“You know why,” Aiden said.
“I know some of it. Tell me all of it. Who taught you to cook, what you like about it, everything. Just keep talking. I’m going to listen and, you know…” He tapped the side of his head with the hand not in Aiden’s grip.
Aiden nodded just as Bree appeared to take their orders.
As soon as she left the table, Aiden took a deep breath and began.