Nash
She's already working.
Of course she is.
I pull my cruiser up to the curb just after seven in the morning, and she's halfway up a ladder with a crowbar in one hand and a nail pouch hanging from her hip. The porch Levi said she'd been rebuilding yesterday is finished. Today, it seems she's moved on to the trim around the upstairs windows.
Beau sits next to me in the passenger seat as we watch her.
The morning sun catches in the curls escaping the messy bun piled on top of her head. Sweat darkens the back of the hoodie she's wearing, and despite the warmth already settling over Honeysuckle Grove, she hasn't taken it off.
My hoodie.
The one we all scented.
That's a good sign, right?
She braces one boot against the ladder and leans into the crowbar. The old trim finally gives with a sharp crack, and she catches the falling board before it can hit the flowerbed below.
"Damn," I murmur.
"What?" Beau asks.
I just shake my head. "She's… never looked more beautiful."
There's dirt streaked across one of her cheeks. Sawdust clings to her knees. Her sunglasses have slipped halfway down her nose. She's sweaty, and exhausted.
She also looks happy.
Beau clears his throat beside me. "Nash."
"Mhm."
"You've been staring for like... two full minutes."
I flick my attention to him. "Have not."
He grins. "You absolutely have."
I go back to watching her with that crowbar. "I was observing."
"You were mooning."
"I was appreciating."
He chuckles. "You look like you're one step away from writing poetry."
I look at him. "I hate you."
His smile is kind. "No, you don't."
When I look back at Nelly, she's looking at us. Well, not at us, but at my cruiser. When she begins climbing down from the ladder, I thwap my hand against Beau's chest.
"Grab the drinks, I'll get the food."
"On it," he says as he unbuckles himself.
Just as we grab everything we picked up from the diner, Nelly's voice sounds.
"Morning, you two."
I close the trunk with the bag of food in my grasp. "Hey there, little one."
"Morning, sweetheart," Beau says as he hands her the drink carrier. "These are for you."
Her smile is cautious, but present. "Thanks."
I walk up to them with the massive bag. "Breakfast and lunch, plus a little sweet treat or two."
She reaches for it and I hand it over. "I appreciate this, thank you. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in work that I lose track of time."
I nod. "I know. The least we can do is take a worry or two off your shoulders."
Beau shrugs. "Now you don't have to leave until dinner, if you don't want."
Nelly blinks up at us. "You guys really didn't have to do this."
"We know," Beau says.
"But we want to," I add.
Her smile drops its caution and brightens a little. "Levi dropped off lunch yesterday."
Beau nods. "He told us."
Silence falls between us before I take a chance. We promised Levi we wouldn't bother her, but what about just a casual conversation?
"So," I say as I slide my hands into the pockets of my sheriff's uniform, "how're you doing?"
She considers the question. "I'm… better."
My shoulders loosen at her words.
"Still confused, mind you," she says as she turns and heads for the house, "still a bit embarrassed. But better."
"I'm glad," Beau says.
"Me too," I add.
She makes her way up the porch before peering over her shoulder at us. "I'm sorry for the lack of contact. I've just… been busy."
I nod as I survey the house. "I'd say. The porch looks amazing."
She smiles. "You think so?"
"Oh, yeah," Beau says. "And those windows will look great with updated trim."
"Gonna do the shutters, too. Repaint them and all," Nelly says.
The three of us stand there with an entire front yard between us, and I have to resist the urge to close the distance. My Omega stands there, drinks in one hand and food in the other, wearing my hoodie.
It's a wonder I can keep my control with how breathtaking she looks.
"You guys want a tour of the place?" Nelly asks. "Ford and Knox have been doing some work inside to help me out."
Beau and I answer quickly. "Yes."
Her laugh echoes across the front yard and the sound catches me off guard. My God, I've missed hearing her laugh.
"Come on, I'll give you the grand tour," she says as she steps inside the front door.
Beau and I sure as hell don't have to be told twice.
My eyes are searching for something in particular once we get inside. While Beau rubbernecks around, my gaze goes straight to the back of the house where the kitchen is.
Just like Ford and Knox promised, the massive hole in the kitchen wall is gone.
Fresh plywood and weatherproofing seal everything back up, protecting the interior from the outside world. It's still obviously under construction, but at least it no longer looks like a disaster zone.
"You got the exterior closed," I say as I motion to the kitchen.
"Yep!" Nelly chirps. "Knox and Ford handled most of that yesterday."
I nod as I move to stand beside her. "They did good work."
"They always do."
"Is someone working upstairs?" Beau asks as he points to the stairs.
Nelly beams as hammers tap rhythmically above us. "Knox and Ford are up there."
"Oh?" Beau asks. "They stuck around to help?"
She nods as she heads to the stairs. "Come on, I'll show you."
When she leads us up to the second floor, I expect it to be a disaster zone from the storm. But it looks oddly put together. Ford is balanced on a ladder near one end of the ceiling while Knox measures drywall beneath him.
Ford is the first to see us. "Morning, Sheriff. Beau."
Knox just gives us a nod.
"They're getting the ceilings patched where the storm did the most damage," Nelly says as she comes to stand between me and Beau, the pride in our bond flaring in my chest.
It's the closest I've been to her in days.
I resist the urge to twitch my fingers toward hers.
"They're moving quick," Beau says as he dips his head into one of the bedrooms.
"They're amazing," Nelly says.
I catch Ford's eye and give him a thankful nod. "They are, yes."
"Once they're done," Nelly says as she steps around stacks of drywall, "I'm calling Chief Harlan back. I should be able to get this house out of its condemned status with the home being sealed up now."
A grin spreads across my face. "If he gives you any guff, let me know."
She spins around to face me. "Yeah?"
I nod. "Yeah. If the house is weather-tight and the electrical provides no inherent risk, then I'm with you."
Her smile lights up my world. "Thanks, Nash."
Nelly motions for us to follow her into one of the upstairs rooms. She talks with her hands in that animated way she does whenever she's excited about something. She points out things Ford and Knox have repaired already. She points out things she's going to do once they're done with the ceilings.
I don't know how her family didn't see her passion for all of this. Or maybe they did, and they just didn't care.
Either way, their loss is our gain.
If we can play our cards right.
Beau catches my eye as Nelly leads us back downstairs, and I can see it in the way he smiles.
This is who our Omega is. Not the frightened little thing who ran.
Not the overwhelmed woman coming out of heat.
But this woman? Covered in sawdust and talking about floor joists like they're the greatest thing she's ever seen?
That's our Omega.
Nelly leads us back to the front door. "I really appreciate you guys bringing the food and drinks. It'll help a lot."
"And we'd appreciate it if you ate it," Beau says.
Nelly giggles. "I will, I promise."
"Good girl," I say as I take a chance.
I reach out and tuck a rogue strand of sweaty hair behind her ear and warmth blooms in my chest. I drop my hand just as Beau speaks.
"I'll have refreshed numbers for you once Ford and Knox finish everything on their end. I'll talk with them, get the updated figures, and get a new spreadsheet to you."
Nelly's smile grows. "I figured. Thanks, Beau. Maybe we could grab breakfast sometime and go over everything."
Beau's whole face lights up. "I'd like that."
"So would I," Nelly says.
"I'll call you tonight after my work's done," I say as I step out the front door. "Just to make sure you don't need anything."
Nelly leans her head against the doorframe. "I'll make sure to answer."
I want to kiss her. I want to wrap her in my arms and never let go. She looks so amazing, standing there in my hoodie that smells like all of us.
Like pack.
But then, Beau takes a chance.
He opens his arms for her.
I freeze as I watch Nelly walk into them without hesitation. Beau wraps her up as I stand to the side, trying not to be jealous. They stand there beneath the shade of the porch, hanging onto one another for several seconds before Nelly finally breaks the hug.
Then, to my surprise, she turns to me.
"Want one?" she asks.
I waste no time scooping her against me.
Feeling her nuzzle my chest makes my heart pound. I settle my chin on top of her sweaty head, and I don't care that she'll leave wet marks on my uniform. She's in my arms again, nestling her cheek into my chest.
I close my eyes and drink her in before she relinquishes me.
"Take care of yourself, okay?" I ask.
"I'll try," she says as she heads back inside.
"No," I say.
"Nash," Beau warns.
"No?" Nelly asks.
I tilt my head. "You will take care of yourself. Promise me."
Her smile is soft, knowing. "I'll take care of myself."
"We've got one more thing for you, if you're up for another surprise," Beau says.
Oh, right. That.
"Hold on, I'll be right back," I say as I leap off the porch.
I jog over to my cruiser and open the backseat door. Yesterday, after Levi mentioned she was still wearing my hoodie, I went on a mission. I pull out the hoodie I made us all wear before I walk it back over to where Nelly stands just inside the house.
Her eyes widen. "Nash, what in the world?"
"This is for you," I say as I hand it over. "Keep it as long as you'd like."
She takes it carefully. "Are you sure?"
"I've never been more sure of anything in my life, Nelly."
She lifts it to her face almost immediately and breathes it in deeply. Her eyes flutter closed, and the way her throat works tells me what's coming before it slams into my chest. Our bond shifts from comfortable to something that's almost choked with thankfulness.
"Thank you," Nelly whispers into the fabric.
I have to bite my tongue. Every instinct I have wars within me. I want to tell her to come home. To stop staying at the vineyard. I want to tell her she belongs with us, and that she's done running. But Levi—who is quickly emerging as our pack Alpha—is right.
She has to get there herself.
So instead, I do my best to smile. "Nelly, if you ever need anything, you know where all of us live."
"My place is your place," Beau says.
"Don't feel too shy to come invade," I add.
Her throat bobs as she picks up her head. "I won't. Thank you, guys. Really."
Beau reaches out and squeezes her shoulder. "We'll get breakfast soon."
Nelly nods. "We will."
It's hard to walk away from her, but somehow, I manage. Beau and I slip back into my cruiser and I crank up the engine, easing away from the curb. It's silent as I drive him to his office, but once I park outside it, Beau's words strike hard.
"It's all going to be okay. You know that, right?"
I look over at him. "You think so?"
He nods with a confidence I wish I had. "I know so."
I watch him get out of my cruiser. "Hey, Beau?"
He dips his head down. "Yeah?"
"I think you might be right."
He smirks. "I know I am."
And as he closes my cruiser door, something bursts through my chest with our bond.
Contentment.
We've made Nelly content.
It makes me sigh with relief as I back out of the parking spot and head for the precinct.