Chapter 7
Mack
Elijah sends a more detailed text when he gets to work, an update about Sofia and the fight that went down between her and her mother.
I read it through and then put my phone back in my pocket and smile at the matriarch of the Sol clan.
She narrows her eyes at me and pokes a gnarled finger into my chest.
“You’re trying to get out of being paid again, aren’t you?”
“I would never,” I say and feign being offended.
“I heard word my granddaughter has come home.”
I shrug. “I can’t tell a lie. She has.”
Her smile widens knowingly, mockingly. “Oh, and I bet you’re just sad about that, aren’t you now?”
I shrug again, but I can’t hide the smile. “Devastated. We are not actively pursuing her at all.”
Her lips twist, but her eyes gleam with mirth.
She’s almost as tall as I am, though frail with age now, but no one could underestimate the power rolling off Grandma Sol.
She is a titan in this community, a pillar of strength and wisdom and one of the most down-to-Earth, good-hearted people I have ever met.
“Has my foolish daughter decided to stop this pack making nonsense?”
I shake my head, glancing at Grandpa Sol, who is sitting on his rocker, arms crossed over his chest as he watches the seagulls. He tries to be hard and tough, but he’s a perfect match for his bonded.
“It just so happened that with some…uh…gull intervention, we’re now matched with Sofia.”
Her almost-gone eyebrows go right up. “Well, isn’t that just the most interesting thing I ever heard? Gull, you say?”
“Sergeant Sully ambushed the event.”
“Sully has been in a mood lately. Best not to antagonise him,” Grandpa advises.
The pair of them have been in Sunshine forever, and everyone calls them Grandma and Grandpa Sol. I don’t actually remember what their names are.
“Trust me, sir, no one wants to get on the wrong side of Sergeant Sullivan.”
The seagulls on their lawn let out croaky shrieks as if they agree with us.
But Sully is missing. He’s a slightly bigger gull with big red and white eyes.
He blends in with the flock until he interacts with anything alive.
The bird is a born tyrant. I once sat watching him chase a rabbit around one day for seemingly no particular reason than he didn’t like it.
The bird is a menace, but he’s become local lore now.
“Humph.”
“When is Sofia going to come visit us?” Grandma Sol asks, glaring at me.
“Now?”
I whip around and see her walking along the sand-covered path. She’s got a basket in her hands, and she’s wearing a yellow sundress that swirls around her calves, and her adorable little bundle of paws is bouncing around at her side.
“Sofia. You’re home!” Grandpa Sol levers himself up and takes a few staggering steps to the porch. “And who is this? Oh, you adorable little bean! Do you have cute little toesies, too? I bet you do. Come to Grandpa and let me get a look at you.”
“Well, I can see where I stand,” Sofia murmurs as she passes me, leaving me in a cloud of coconut, mango, and ginger that has my mouth watering, and goes up the porch to hug her grandparents.
Grandma Sol is a female alpha, the only one in Sunshine Cove, but she has been the backbone of this community for forever, and standing beside Sofia, it shows. The omega burns in a whole different way from the rock hard strength of the older alpha.
“Come on, darling. We’re going to talk inside. We have lots of catching up to do.”
Grandma Sol turns on me. “And you, you devil, send me a bill.”
I shake my head. “No can do, Grandma, it’s already paid for.”
“I’ll hire someone else next time, you ratbag.”
“There’s no one else in Sunshine, and consider it a family .”
“You’re not family yet, Sonny Jim,” Grandpa scowls.
I transfer my smile to Sofia. “Not yet, but one day.”
Her cheeks turn red. “Morning, Mack.”
I step into her space and smile down at her. “Good morning. You look absolutely enchanting today.”
She can’t hold my gaze.
“Oh, you are just oozing charm. You did when you were a kid, too!” Grandma says with a scoff. “Don’t you let those sweet words turn your head. Look at the deeds of an alpha.”
“Deeds?” Sofia asks in confusion.
“What does he do? How does he treat people? Is he kind to those less fortunate than he is? What worth does he bring to your life?”
Sofia looks up at me.
“I have a hammer,” I whisper, leaning in close. I could almost regret it as her scent goes deep into my lungs, reminding me that she’s not mine…yet.
She bursts out laughing, the most charming and delightful sound I ever heard. I want her always smiling and laughing.
“Tch!” Grandma says with a massive grin. “Go and play with your wood.”
My eyebrows go right up. “Grandma!” I say in shock. I fan myself and smirk at the old alpha.
She stands up as regally as her body can get and glares at me. “You are a very, very, naughty alpha.”
I double over laughing, and by the time I stop, Grandma has spirited Sofia away, and I’m standing with Grandpa Sol, who is studying me with fondness and amusement.
“We are really glad you came back to Sunshine, Mack.”
“Me, too.”
“When your uncle took you, we tried to convince him to let someone here keep you; we even volunteered.”
“Did you?” I say, surprised.
“Of course. Sunshine is your home. It was devastating after losing your parents to lose you, too.”
He puts a hand on my shoulder and squeezes. I can feel the strength he still has, even if he shakes.
“Thank you,” I whisper hoarsely. “That means a lot. Uncle wasn’t a warm person, and he certainly never mentioned that anyone from here cared.”
“We do; we care a lot.”
I clear my throat a couple of times and look past him at the house.
“Sofia is different from the rest of them. She’s like her grandmother. Her confidence is shook right now, but she’ll come good, you see, and when she does, she will bloom into who she’s supposed to be.”
“She’s special,” I say reverently.
“Yes, she is. Now, come and have a look at the shed. There’s something wrong with the smoker.”
“Smoker?” I ask, bemused despite myself.
He glances over his shoulder and looks up at the house, pressing his finger to his lips. “Come on!” he whispers. Then looking up, he says loudly. “Yeah, my fish smoker. It’s been not right.”
He leads me around the back to the shed and opens it. I stare in amazement.
“Grandpa, this is incredible.”
“Yeah, well, I know you boys are going to have your house up there, but I wanted you to know if you ever needed a place to hang out, come here.”
I glance at him sideways.
“There are very few places in Sunshine to run once you bond into the Sol family. Find your tiny bit of heaven and cleave to it; you’ll need it.”
I look at the ancient pinball machines and bar with its old memorabilia and smile. “Noted. We will get on that ASAP. That and an omega time out.”
“Ah, the nest. Yes, you have to have a nest. Make sure you build her a good one; the omegas, betas, and alphas talk, and they will judge you for how perfect it is.”
My stomach jolts. “They will?”
“Quietly. Just build it in a way that makes Sofia smile like she’s seen something amazing.”
“She hasn’t agreed to date us yet, not officially.”
“She will.”
I glance at him again. His eyes are the same green-flecked brown as hers.
He shuffles inside and grins at me. “So, you want to see the smoker?”
I grin. “Yeah, I really do.”
He pulls the door closed behind me.
The shed door slams open, and in the sun is the silhouette of this bombshell omega who has been haunting my wildest fantasies for most of my life.
“Grandma says it's lunchtime. She told me to tell you Mack has work today.”
I glance at Grandpa helplessly. “She’s right. I should be working.”
Danger barks and runs in before running out and chasing the small seagull flock.
“I will come see you in a few days, Grandpa.”
He claps me on the back. “Good.” He points a weathered finger at Sofia. “Come and give me a kiss and then get back out there. I want to hear some rumours of your naughty deeds. Something mischievous.”
“Grandpa, I am a good girl.”
He doubles over laughing and slaps his knee. “You are the wild child. I have missed the excitement you brought, sunshine. It hasn’t been the same without you.”
She steps into his arms without saying a word, but I think she needs to hear it. I don’t think Sofia realises how much her absence affected the town.
“I love you, Grandpa.”
“I love you, too. Now, go take this young alpha for food before his growling summons Sully.”
She turns to me, and I give her my saddest smile. “I am starving.” My stomach lets out a perfectly timed growl.
Grandpa shuffles off and turns back. “I want you four to come to dinner soon.”
“We’ll be here with bells and whistles,” I say cheerfully.
He winks at me.
“Bye, love.” He calls over his shoulder as he reaches the porch and Grandma. He takes her hand and lifts it to his mouth. Every line of them, still in love after all these years.
“Bye,” Sofia says. She stands there watching them walk up to the porch, and she looks so lost that I don’t hesitate. I grab her hand, wrapping it around my elbow.
“Come on, tiny danger noodle. We need to go and get ourselves all fed.”
Danger barks at me.
“How did you come by him anyway?”
Sofia trips. “Uh, I..um, he was a gift.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. A gift.”
From whom? I want to ask, but I think if I do, she’s actually going to hike up her dress and run.
“So, food, what are you feeding me?”
She looks at me helplessly. Her scent turns bitter with distress. “I…”
“Sofia, it’s okay. Breathe. What’s wrong?”
She exhales in a hiss. “I don’t have any money.” The low admission costs her.
Her cheeks turn bright red, and I consider her for a long moment, trying to work out how to play this.
“Do you take bribes?” I murmur, trying my best to look playful.
She peeks at me but then keeps her gaze firmly fixed on Danger.
“Maybe. What kind of bribes?”
“I would saw off one of my arms just to have your company for an hour, but how about I buy us lunch, and you spend a couple of hours with me? No strings. Just two now-dating exes catching up.”
“We dated for two days. Three if you include the last twenty-four hours.”
“They were the most memorable days of my life,” I say to her with a wink.
She scoffs, but her smile has come back. “You shouldn’t be paying-”
“Please, Sofia?” I ask softly. “I’ve really missed you, and I spent years wondering where you were and how you were doing. Just a few hours?”
She reluctantly nods.
I change my plans, tossing out the idea to go to the café and ordering something expensive. I don’t think she will cope with that. The Sol’s have far too much pride.
I walk her down through Main Street, waving at people and trying to ignore all the people watching us. Word is going to get around town really quickly that we’re taking this dating seriously. Good.
The chip shop has had a coat of paint in the last four years, but everything is the same, even down to the same old bubblegum machine in the corner. I open the door and hold it for her.
The miserable expression on her face falls away, and her eyes sparkle. “Really?”
“For old times’ sake. Will you share a couple of dollars of hot chips with me on the beach? I promise it will not break the bank.”
She snorts a giggle and shakes her head. “Okay. Yes. This is brilliant.”
I lean over and kiss her cheek before she can say anything else, and then I turn away and pretend I can’t see her lift her hand and touch the spot where I kissed her.
“Hey, Harry,” I say with a wave.
Harry turns, spots me, smiles, spots Sofia, and beams.
“Sofia! Get your ass here and give me a hug!”
She laughs and walks in with Danger, who sniffs the floor with great interest.
The chip shop owner, a massive alpha named Harry Turner, is one of Franco’s best friends, so I don’t get my back up over his overly friendly greeting. Everyone in town is one degree of separation in Sunshine Cove. He was probably there helping to celebrate her arrival into the world.
“How have you been? When I heard you were back, I couldn’t believe it. What was the city like?”
She wrinkles her nose. “Busy. Dirty. Loud.”
“Sounds like a hell I don’t want.” He laughs and goes back behind the counter. “All right, you two wait there. I’ll get it for you.”
“I’ll-” I step forward but stop abruptly.
I’m cut off by the fierce glare Harry sends me.
“You let me get your food ready. Go sit down, and don’t you dare pull out that wallet or I will ban you for the rest of your life.”
“Does anyone get paid in this town?” Sofia murmurs.
“Watch out for Sully; he’s been sighted around,” Harry says.
“Damn it!” I mutter. “That accursed bird.”
Sofia stares up at me.
“What?”
“You’re really part of Sunshine now. You drank the water and turned into one of them, like, properly. This is your home.”
I give her a lopsided grin. “Wasn’t I always?”
“I don’t know; I always thought you were more like me, ready to get out, spread your wings, fly.”
“Sofia, the only place I ever wanted to fly, pointed straight at you.”
Her gasp is soft, but I look away, giving her a moment to get used to that idea.
“Lunch is up. Now scram, I want to get home and see Peta for an hour before my shift tonight.”
“Thanks, Harry.”
Sofia blows him a kiss as I lead her and Danger out. We head down to the beach, sit down in the sand, and I rip open the top of the paper-wrapped chips and turn to her. Danger curls up on the sand and closes his eyes, exhausted.
“Do you remember the last time we sat like this?”
She sighs heavily but smiles. “Yeah.”
“You buried your toes in the sand, wrapped your arms around your knees, and then asked me to go out with you.”
“I remember.”
“I was so happy, I thought I was going to die,” I say, leaning back and casually eating a chip.
She shakes her head, tossing that auburn hair. Her lips are pink. She’s got the faintest spray of freckles that you can only see if you look closely. The green flecks in her brown eyes are brighter today.
Instead of saying anything else, I hold the steaming parcel out to her and watch as she takes a chip.
“You said yes,” she murmurs.
“As if I would ever in a million lifetimes say no to you, Secret.”
She smiles at the ocean and takes another chip, and I feel something settle inside me, a nervousness I wasn’t aware I was feeling.
She’s just Sofia, and that has always been enough for me. It’s more than enough now. She hasn’t changed, and that is a relief.