3 #2
“You would be lucky to have a woman like Tracey in your family,” she said coldly.
“Taylor is awesome. No one could debate that, but he had every advantage to get there. He’s not spoiled and deserves the credit he gets—his reputation flawless.
Tracey? She had nothing and every disadvantage thrown at her constantly.
“And yet, here she is. The president of one of the biggest companies in our world shining too brightly as you just said. There are heads of top-tier families that would make an exception for her and their bullshit of bloodlines or that she’s Black.
So Taylor better make sure he stays worthy of my sister, not that one council family will check she’s worthy of him. ”
I was so turned on as she walked off with her head held high towards the house. “Damn, Bev.”
Mrs. Reid couldn’t hide her amusement. “Indeed.”
I studied her a moment and snickered. “You weren’t going to object, were you?”
“Not in the slightest,” she chuckled as she glanced after Bevin.
“I didn’t want to ruin her moment. Let her find her fire.
She needed it after today.” She instantly turned somber.
“We changed memories of the workers there. She was more upset about that and being unfair to people and her employees than—her heart is truly pure.”
“Yeah, it is.” I decided to give her an inch. “I suppose you know a lot about that being mated to an idealistic man who wants to do things the right way always.”
She shot me a quick look. “And clearly you’re a man who understands having to get his hands dirty to protect them. I know Jasmine sees that as a strike against you, but I appreciate it. I know Bevin thinks she’s not like Owen because she’d kill her father or set him up to fall, but she is.”
“She is.” I let out a slow breath. “I’d like to see the books Henry Millen had about the seed of magical life Bevin can plant. If her magic is going nuclear to rot batches of treats, I think that’s where her magic should focus to change her power input and output to solar like I was saying.”
She was quiet which surprised me. “I see your logic, but I thought the blankets. She is a woman who needs comfort in her chaotic life more than anything. I can see so much when she works on those blankets—even physically she’s better. The tension seeps away.”
“Both are possible,” I accepted. “Yours for short-term and long-term, but she’s going to get stronger with more and more treats being sold.
And she’s very focused on the new land and wanting to make progress.
The seed of magic life will help not just her magic, but mentally then since it will be concentrated there. ”
“And when you lock her in as accepting you as a point to her star.” She smirked at me. “Love pours off of you as her energy does her, Mr. Green.”
“I wouldn’t even deny it.”
“A smart man never does.”
I wished that I could stay with Bevin longer when she was going through something, but she wasn’t wrong that she was always going through something. It wasn’t dismissive either. It just went against my nature.
Having a magical meltdown was huge.
Seriously huge, and I’d lost my shit when it had happened to me. Teddy reminded me that Bevin was better supported than we’d been though. Not that my friends hadn’t tried, but we were clueless at the time. And the faculty was pissed most days that we excelled as lowly orphans.
Yeah, they liked access to us and using us as examples of how people could become better even with their bullshit hurdles. But really, they hated we’d gotten around their hoops and didn’t trip more.
I needed my job though and I’d put in a lot to get it. Bevin had others to help her and I had schoolwork on my plate as well.
Everything was running smoothly until we were busiest at dinner.
I got a message from one of our best people saying the recipient was demanding to talk to the shift manager and wouldn’t even tell him the damn problem.
I rolled my eyes and told him I had it, asking he handle a few of the backed-up smaller orders for me and I’d hook him up later.
I had planned to go get them myself, but now I couldn’t. Saturday when break started shouldn’t have been busy, but some event got canceled and now it was Sunday morning. Except I hadn’t been aware of that and only had the skeleton crew we needed until we shut down for the week of break.
Which, fine, shit happened, but then people had to be understanding that they weren’t following the norm and there was no reason for us to have staff.
He sent a message it was fine but to hurry. I sighed and circled over since it was easier just to move my ass and de-escalate whatever the predicament was instead of adding that I took too long to address the problem.
The moment I arrived and a group was waiting for me looking too pleased with themselves, the hair on the back of my neck stood up. I tapped my watch and pretended to send a voice message to my guy saying I was here and to take the next order.
But really, I was pulling the same move Bevin had.
She’d insisted we all get the same app on our phones and watches that she had where it recorded at a quick touch.
It had come in clutch when that councilman’s son, Conrad Hanson, had tried to force himself on her.
She was right that there was too much crazy for us not to be prepared.
I honestly had done it just to ease her mind, but now… She really was smarter than people gave her credit for.
“I heard there’s a problem with your order?” I asked, playing stupid.
One guy who was in front snorted. “Really? You think this is about food?”
I slowly raised my eyebrow. “When you demand to speak to the campus manager of Student Union Delivery and just received food… Yeah, man. So what’s the deal?”
Anger filled his eyes and his cheeks reddened when a few of his friends snickered. “Do you know who I am?”
I nodded, swallowing a snort when that appeased him. Boy, it was fun to burst people’s bubbles. “I’m the manager. I checked the order. Chad Scalf. Pizzas and wings. They cold? Not the right—”
“It’s not about the food, fuckhead,” he snapped.
Clearly.
I stared him down and crossed my arms over my built chest, making it clear to get to the point. Also, maybe not to be stupid and piss me off.
He probably still would, but at least he had enough self-preservation to look nervous.
“Dump Millen,” he demanded.
“No.” I glanced between them. “That’s it? You want me to dump my girl? Like—no. Hell no.”
“You’re not worthy of her or—”
“Yeah, I know that,” I said easily, snorting when that stopped him in his tracks and he looked between his friends. “No shit, man. She’s like a fifteen out of ten. Smart, beyond sweet and caring, the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen and—”
“You’re an orphan who isn’t—”