38. Nelly
Nelly
One Week Later
The town smells like sunscreen, funnel cakes, and lake water.
I stand beneath the canvas shade of the tent while Eli, one of Lia's Alphas, drives another stake into the ground with the heel of his boot.
"There," he says, giving it one last stomp. "That should survive even Tansy."
"I break one thing," Tansy mutters behind him.
"You broke three folding chairs last Summer Solstice."
"They were poorly engineered."
"They were brand new."
She sighs. "They lacked vision."
Lia giggles as she spreads one of the oversized picnic blankets across the grass. "You're impossible."
Tansy plops down the pillow she brought. "I prefer memorable."
Hayes, Lo's Beta, shakes his head while unfolding another camping chair. "More like melodramatic."
Lo snorts as she wrangles their cute little two-year-old, Taran.
"I'm still standing right here," Tansy says.
"We know," Hayes and Eli reply together.
I laugh as I help Lia smooth the wrinkles from the blanket. Around us, the lake has transformed into one giant celebration: the Water's Edge Games and the Summer Solstice event, combined.
I remember going to them when I was young with my family, but I haven't been to one since establishing my career.
I settle inside the "girls' day tent" with Lia, Lo, and Tansy while the kiddos of the town splash in the shallow edge of the lake.
Music drifts from the stage near the pavilion where Summer Solstice decorations flutter in the warm breeze.
Food trucks line the gravel road with colorful banners waving overhead, and somewhere nearby someone drops a pan, immediately followed by laughter.
This place feels… alive.
Like the whole town decided it deserved a good day after the storms.
"I think that's everything," Eli says as he steps back to admire the tent.
"It better be," Tansy says as she flops onto her back in the shade. "I carried approximately eight hundred pounds of snacks."
Hayes chuckles as he takes the little one from Lo's arms. "It was one cooler."
Tansy picks her head up. "It was emotionally eight hundred pounds."
Hayes laughs, and his kiddo giggles along with him before those little legs start wiggling about.
"Okay, okay, Tee, I get it," Hayes says as he puts Taran down.
"I wouldn't do that," Lo murmurs.
The little one takes off in a blur within moments.
"Dada!" little Taran squeals as he takes off toward the glittering water.
Hayes scoops him up around the middle. "Oh no, you don't."
"But waaaater," Taran whines as he points.
Hayes nods. "I know."
Taran wiggles his hand toward the lake. "Waaaaater."
"You wanna swim, big guy?"
Taran leans his body back. "WAAAAATER."
I have to admit, it's a pretty cute scene. Lo gets up and peppers her son's face with kisses before murmuring with Hayes for a moment. Taran, on the other hand, isn't having any of it. He's throwing himself around and tilting his head back and shoving at Hayes' arm.
It just makes Hayes chuckle. "We'll go in a minute, here, big guy. Lemme talk to mama."
Taran sighs with all the tragedy only a two-year-old could conjure before collapsing against Hayes' shoulder.
"I suffer," Taran announces.
I burst into laughter at that.
Lo just rolls her eyes. "He gets that from Beck."
"He absolutely gets that from Beck," Hayes agrees.
Ruby, the owner of the bar in town, calls out. "I hear a little boy wants lemonaaaaade!"
"Boobie?" Taran asks.
My eyebrows raise. "What did he just say?"
"Boobie!" Taran exclaims when Ruby comes into view.
"There's my favorite big guy!" she says as she comes over with drink carriers filled with fresh lemonade. "Anyone thirsty? I come bearing refreshments."
Tansy gasps. "Our queen. Oh, you're amazing. I was just about to come over and get me one."
"You mean, send one of our guys over to get you one," Lia says with a smile.
Tansy shrugs. "Hey, same thing."
Ruby laughs. "Thanks for the girls' day invite, but I wouldn't miss this business for the world. Figured I'd bring y'all a treat, though."
"Thanks for this," I say as I grab one and pass it to Lia before taking one for myself.
Ruby points at me with a free finger. "You need to come into town more often. Stop by the bar. Have a bit of a gab with people."
"Which day's your slowest?" I ask as I take a sip of the lemonade.
My eyes flutter closed at how good it tastes.
"Tuesday nights," Ruby says.
I smile. "Guess I'm seeing you Tuesday nights, then. You keep this lemonade stocked year-round?"
"You think it's good enough to be?" Ruby asks.
"Oh, absolutely," I say as I take another gulp.
"Boobie," Taran says as he reaches his little hands out to her.
I can't help but giggle. "Not too good with the R's yet?"
Lo smiles. "It's my favorite thing he tries to say. Makes me laugh every time."
"Figured he would've learned that from Ford," Eli says with a grin.
Lo swats at him playfully.
"You should join us if you do get a bit of downtime, though," Lia says as she settles into her lawn chair beneath the tent. "We'll save you a spot in case there's a lull in things."
"Appreciate it!" Ruby says as she wanders off toward her next customers.
"Boobie," Taran says with a pout.
Hayes looks at his kiddo. "Ready to go in the water?"
Taran gasps. "Wateeeeer!"
"Water, it is," Hayes says as the two of them venture toward the lakeside.
"Stay where I can see you guys!" Lo calls out.
"We will!" Hayes calls back.
I draw in a deep breath and take it all in. The Alphas warming up and doing their exercises near the lake's edge. The food trucks and the wonderful smells coming from them. The sun, bearing down on us like it didn't just abandon us for the last week.
A girl could get used to this.
For once, my mind's blank. As I sip on the lemonade and survey the crowd gathering for the fun day, my gaze lands on Nash. His head turns quickly as he stretches in the water, cupping some into his hands and tossing it over his shoulders.
Was he looking over here at me?
My cheeks heat at the thought.
For once, I'm not thinking about work, or the nights I've been staying at the vineyard and hanging out with Lia after hours.
No clue how big that bill's gonna be, and I refuse to worry about it now.
No thoughts of my family have popped up.
I haven't even fretted over the mate bonds that tug beneath my ribs.
It just feels good to be here.
Present.
Alive.
But when the wind shifts, it kicks up a scent that pulls my attention back toward where the police precinct is warming up.
Back to Nash.
He's jogging backward across the lake's edge, his gray athletic shirt clinging to him with sweat already. He tags in another guy who starts running backward in the direction Nash came from, and my Alpha laughs at something one of his deputies whispers into his ear.
My God, that man is—
Someone nudges me. "You're staring."
I look over at Lo before I stare down into my lemonade. "I am not."
Lia giggles. "Oh, you so are."
I take a sip of my drink. "I was… observing."
"Observing that ass," Tansy murmurs.
I whip my head toward her. "Are you looking at his ass?"
Tansy's head falls back with laughter. "I swear, mated Omegas get so jealous so quickly. It's hysterical."
"You'll understand one of these days," Lo says, her gaze still fixed on the lake.
Tansy shifts on her blanket. "Well, all I'm saying is, we aren't blaming you for staring. I'd stare if any of these Alphas were mine."
Heat floods my cheeks. "They're not—"
"Oh, don't even go there," Lo says with a shake of her head as she looks at me. "They scented a damn hoodie for you, girl. They're yours."
Lia points at me. "They've been bringing you meals as well."
"They text you. A lot," Tansy says.
"And the sheriff over there?" Lo asks with a nod of her head. "He keeps peeking over here, looking at you like you've created the world just for him."
Lia smiles brightly. "The ownership papers have already been filed, as Knox would say."
"You guys are ridiculous," I murmur.
While my gaze gravitates back to Nash, who's slipping his shirt off and wiping his face with it.
Lia hums thoughtfully. "Knox looks juicy today."
We can't help but shift our attention at her statement, and I find the handyman with Ford and a few guys who look like they're wearing paramedic patches. Knox has apparently abandoned warming up long enough to wade knee-deep into the lake, and he splashes some of the water against his chest.
"I don't think I'm allowed to watch this," Tansy says.
"We can watch," Lia says proudly. "But if you touch…"
I just shake my head and sip on my drink.
"You guys are insane," I murmur.
Tansy smiles. "It's why you fit in so well with us."
"All I'm saying is, these Alphas better be careful," Lo says as she finally pulls her attention away from the lake. "They're going to swing all their Omegas into an early heat looking like this."
Despite myself, I burst into laughter again.
I can't help it. These girls are quickly becoming a highlight in my life.
Our group chat pops off every night, including Ruby filling us in on wild drunken stories from the bar.
We send pictures and bitch to one another about the annoying things that happen during our days.
It's nice to have friends.
It reminds me that I haven't forgotten how to be happy.
"Well," a familiar voice says behind us, "if you girls are already drooling over the view, maybe these will help sate that appetite."
We all turn to find Levi standing there holding two trays absolutely overloaded with funnel cakes and deep-fried Oreos. His eyes find mine immediately, almost as if he's asking for permission, and I have to admit, seeing him drenched in the summer sun makes him look delicious.
"Hey," I say softly.
He tosses me a wink. "Hey there, pretty girl."
My cheeks flush with heat.
"You can set those right down here," Tansy says as she makes room for the two trays on our blankets.
"Wanna join us?" Lo asks.
"God, I love me a good fried snack," Lia says as she reaches for an Oreo.
"Are you okay if I do?" Levi asks me.