Chapter 16
“So Clay’s just leaving school?” Riley asked.
“He’s taking his last exams on Monday, then he’s coming home,” Richie answered.
“He’s only got a year left, though.”
“True, but he’s never really been happy in school. He’s got his eyes on something else as the prize and I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so passionate about anything.”
“What’s he focused on?”
Richie looked at Riley, and Riley suddenly realized that Richie was trying to decide if he was going to tell him about Clay’s new endeavors or not.
“Is it a secret?” Riley asked.
Richie stood beside the table and looked down at Riley almost painfully. “Yeah?” he said, making it sound more like a question than a statement.
Riley sat up in his chair and leaned on the table he was having a late lunch on. “What is going on?”
Richie slid into the chair across from Riley and leaned toward him. “You can’t say anything. And the only reason I’m telling you is because you’re Alpha. I mean it, Riley. Nobody can know.”
“Agreed. I understand. What is he doing?”
Richie took a deep breath and leaned even closer to Riley. “He’s buying the Bigsbys Equine Center and has plans to turn it into a profitable business through riding lessons, equine therapy for special needs children, boarding, training, and anything else that seems it would fit.”
“Since when does he like horses enough to plan his whole future around them?”
“Since he spent some time out there with Harper.”
“That’s right, she volunteers there.”
“She does. The place is at the heart of her. She’s doing everything in her power to keep it afloat, but with the Bigsby’s getting older and being limited on what they can contribute to the upkeep around the place, its days are limited.”
“And he just decided after working out there with Harper for a day or two, this is where I want to be and I’m going take this dying business and turn it around.”
“Sort of.”
Riley lifted his chin ever so slightly and narrowed his eyes. “What am I missing?” he asked.
“He’s buying it for Harper.”
“What?!” Riley asked.
“Shh! Secret, Riley!”
Riley looked around to be sure that no one was listening to them in the crowded dining room of their restaurant. “Why?”
“She’s his mate. He said instead of an over the top engagement ring, he’s buying her the equine center and proposing. The horses and the place make her happy, she makes him happy, so that’s what he’s doing.”
“The hell you say,” Riley said, sitting back with a stunned look on his face. “They’re mates?! Who knew?”
“Apparently he did, for a long time. But he never told anybody. I don’t even think she knows.”
Riley’s surprised expression dropped suddenly as he glared at Richie. “She doesn’t know he’s her mate? Well, tell me this, has he bothered to speak to Travis?”
“No. He said Travis is always on her ass about wasting her time with the horses instead of on their farm. Harper told Clay that she has no interest in taking over the farm. She wants to run her own horse farm, but Travis won’t even hear of it.”
“That’s going to be a point of contention, with Clay in the middle of it if everything he’s hoping for comes to pass,” Riley said.
“Most likely. But they aren’t children anymore. All we can do is support them when they need it and hope that we taught them right from wrong and that they listened. They have every right to choose their own paths in life just like we did.”
“You’re right. But it might eliminate a lot of issues later on if he were to speak to everybody before he makes the final step of purchasing the Bigsby’s place.”
“I know. But he’s insistent that it’s a surprise engagement gift.”
“What if she doesn’t feel the pull.”
“He says he believes she already has. He mentioned that he thinks he might have found his mate and she got a little peeved. He said she hid it well, and tried to be excited for him, but he could scent her irritation, so he thinks she feels it, too.”
“He thinks she feels it. This is a hell of a lot to bank against him thinking she feels something.”
“He’s always been the most level-headed of the bunch.
If Summer or even Bastian did something like this, it wouldn’t be all that surprising, but Clay?
After seeing the sincerity in his eyes, seeing his soul come alive when he talks about her, and talks about his dreams for the future with her, the only thing I can do is to support him.
To be happy for him and trust that he’s making all the right decisions. ”
Riley thought about it for only a second before he smiled and shook his head as he remembered his own grand dreams before he’d claimed Maia.
“I did the same thing more or less. I planned a whole future for myself and Maia, and I was right — I mean, look at us all now. But before she knew what my intentions were, she thought I was leaving her behind and renounced me. It can be tricky, but I well remember planning a surprise for our future. I know what he’s feeling. ”
“And?” Richie asked.
“And I’m hoping it works out for him. They would make a strong, even match.”
“I think so, too. I’m excited to see it all come to fruition.”
~~~
At 6:30 the next morning, Harper opened the passenger door of Summer’s car and put one foot on the ground in front of her home. “Thank you for driving me so early.”
“Mmhmm,” Summer responded.
“Don’t worry about coming back to get me, I’ll drive my own car over so you don’t have be my driver anymore.”
“Good,” Summer half-growled.
“See you later!”
“I’ll be sleeping,” Summer grouched.
Harper laughed. “Don’t go to sleep until you get back home.”
“Fine.”
Harper got out of the car and grinned as she watched Summer back out of her driveway, flip her off right before she pressed the accelerator, and head for home. Harper was laughing when the front door opened behind her. She turned to see who was at the door and her smile widened. “Mom!”
“Good morning. I made your favorite.”
“Gingerbread,” Harper said.
“And it’s right out of the oven.”
“Where’s everybody else?”
“They are already out taking stock of the farm.”
“Good. Then we have time to visit,” Harper said. She hurried to the door where her mother stood waiting and hugged her tightly, then together they went into the house.
Libby served her a huge piece of gingerbread topped with homemade sweetened whipped cream and sat down across from her with a cup of coffee.
Harper took a bite of her gingerbread and moaned. “If I ever move away, you have to come so you can make this for me every week.”
“Consider it done,” Libby said.
Harper took another bite, licked the whipped cream off her fork, then looked at her mother. “Did you start an argument with Dad?”
“Not yet. I told him I was unhappy with him, and it was increasing by the moment. I’ve been distant to both him and his business associate, crapwad…”
“Joel.”
“I refuse to acknowledge he has a real name. I don’t care what he can and can’t do for the farm. I don’t like the way he treated you, and I plan to make sure they both know it.”
“I wasn’t assaulted, though, Mom. Sexually harassed, yes. Assaulted, no. And some women have so very much worse. I’m just highly offended and tired of his constant comments and entitled behavior and the blatant denial he’s feeding Dad, and that Dad is believing him.”
“Sexual harassment is nothing to be scoffed at, Harper. Plain and simple. It doesn’t have to break down into a full on assault to be unacceptable.”
“True,” Harper said. “But there is something else you should know that is partly responsible for my aversion to him.”
“Okay,” Libby said.
“I’ve found my mate.”
“Who? Oh, wait. Clay, right?” Libby said, smiling smugly as she raised her eyebrows and smiled at her daughter.
“How did you know?” Harper asked.
“You were so happy when he came to help you out at the Bigsby’s.
And then when he surprised you by coming back to help the next day.
And the way he just jumped up and got in your car to go with you when you left the party.
Not to mention I’ve always loved Clay. He’s quiet, and strong.
He’s never overly emotional and is always respectful.
Not a lazy bone in that boy’s body. He can do anything you ask him, and never hesitates, no matter the task — cooking, building, whatever it is that needs to be done. ”
Harper smiled as she listened to her mother give a glowing opinion of Clay.
“So, is it official? Will there be an announcement?”
Harper’s smile fell. “Well, I’m not sure.”
“Excuse me?”
“I don’t know if we are actually mated.”
“Well, did you…”
“Yes! Yes, but I very emphatically told him not to bite me. I wasn’t sure that he didn’t have someone else and I didn’t want to get trapped in a messy situation.
But in my heart, he’s my one. And I really think that I’m his one, too.
But, because there’s no actual marking, I don’t know if it’s official or not, but I certainly feel like it is. ”
“Well, then you need to talk to him.”
“I will. As soon as he gets home from school. He’s taking finals this week, then he’ll be coming home.”
“You’re worried,” Libby said.
“I am. He said so many times how much he cares and always had, but he was also rushing to get me, us, clothed and away from where we were and talked about wanting to scream it to the world, but quietly so nobody knew yet.”
“Baby, the clothed thing could be because he didn’t want anyone to see you that way but him, and also because he didn’t want to damage your reputation.”
“That’s kind of what he said.”
“Harper, he’s Clay. There’s not a mean bone in his body. Give him the benefit of the doubt and talk to him when he gets home.”
“What if he thinks the other girl he mentioned the day before is his real one?”
“Then he’s wrong, and he doesn’t deserve you if he can’t tell the difference. But I’m telling you, that’s not the case. He cares, baby.”
Harper nodded.
“Have you heard from him since he went back to school?”