Chapter Twenty
Tawny
Rork came in from the garden with a basket of giant ripe tomatoes. He set them on the counter in a row and stepped back to admire their crimson beauty. “I never get tired of looking at them.”
“I never get tired of eating them.” I licked my lips, thinking of the sandwiches they would make. “I know the other guys like them in salads and stuff, and that’s okay, but they’re missing out.”
“Their loss.” He lifted the basket again. “I need to make one more trip to the garden while it’s still cool. You be okay here?”
“Craven will be home soon, didn’t you say? I want to say hello. And when Flint wakes up. If he’s still asleep?”
“He is, unless he’s working in his room on some weird international market.”
“Did you want me to come out with you?” I felt so torn.
Growing up, I’d always seen a lot of jealousy and negative interactions in the packs.
Omegas who preferred one of their pack over another and made no secret of it.
Of course, they were not fated or scent-matched, from what I understood.
Just assigned, as I had been. I liked the three of them the same. But different.
“Better yet, let’s make them breakfast.” Rork dropped the basket in the corner and went to the refrigerator.
I could cook, but not anything near as well as this alpha.
Watching him prepare meals using things he grew right outside was inspirational.
Sure, I’d grown up where food was farmed, but I’d swear to anyone that what this alpha grew had a whole other type of flavor and nutrients.
I was so glad I’d come over to spend the morning.
Not that I’d planned it. In fact, after all the help I’d gotten a few days before, I was zooming along getting things ready.
I’d spoken with suppliers and ordered some new titles, hired a service to set up a website for me so I could sell online, and today had another long list of tasks laid out for it.
Tasks which would have to wait until this afternoon.
The minute I opened my eyes this morning, I had to be with them. I’d found a used electric bike, and it was perfect for getting around town and even a couple of miles outside of town where a certain pack had mentioned they lived.
The sun hadn’t risen when I set out, and barely had when I arrived, and I almost turned around and went back.
It was ridiculous to show up at someone’s home at this hour, even if we’d known one another a whole lot longer, but I couldn’t stop myself.
The cool morning air felt good on my hot cheeks, and a deep ache in my muscles must have been from all the cleaning and working on the store.
I deserved a day off, but did the guys deserve a crazy female showing up before breakfast time?
But, before I could make any move, Rork came down the steps and took my hand. He acted like it was the most normal thing in the world for guests to come at this hour, took me inside, poured me coffee, and told me to relax while he did a few chores.
Honestly, I wanted to follow him, but I was already intruding, so I sat and sipped my coffee and waited for him to come back in.
And now we were going to cook for the others.
“Your house smells so good,” I told him, while beating eggs. “Are you burning incense?”
“No.” He shrugged. “If anything, it tends to smell a little like socks in here sometimes.”
“No, it’s definitely not socks. More like exotic woods or spices. A little sweet like maple sugar, too?” And warm. I didn’t want to say anything, but it was very hot in the kitchen.
“No idea, but maybe it means we should have pancakes.” He pulled a bowl from a cupboard and started gathering ingredients. “I’m sure we have syrup.”
“That sounds so good.” I pulled a pan from the overhead rack and set it on the stove. “I’ll cook the eggs, all right?” I wanted to keep moving because I felt so peculiar. Skin hot and tight. A faint headache behind my eyes. The kitchen light was so bright.
“Go ahead.” He poured perfect circles of batter on the griddle and stood over them with a spatula in his hand.
“Hey, what smells so good? I turned from the stove to see Flint standing in the kitchen doorway wearing shorts and a white T-shirt. Hair standing on end. “I was sound asleep when I— Oh. Hi, Tawny. Did we know you were coming over?”
I shrank back. There it was. “I should go.”
Rork’s hand shot out and landed on my forearm. “No, we didn’t. Tawny surprised us.”
Flint yawned, eyes still heavy with sleep, but he came over and brushed a kiss on my cheek. “Welcome. Are those eggs burning?”
“Shoot!” I lifted the pan off the burner and set it on one that was not turned on. “No, they’re okay, but they wouldn’t have been much longer.”
“Saved just in time,” Flint said. “Well surprise or not, you are always welcome here. How long can you stay?”
Craven arrived as well, and we all sat down to a hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs and pancakes, along with fresh fruit.
It was the most at home I’d ever felt in life, and I wanted to stay all day, but the alphas all had things to do, and I didn’t want them to change their plans to accommodate an unexpected visitor.
I did tell them more about my past, although I didn’t give them some of the details I didn’t like remembering, but from their expressions of pity, I knew they knew.
Maybe it wasn’t as unusual as I thought.
When I mounted my bike to return to the shop and my endless list of tasks, Craven invited me to come back for dinner, but I said no. I wanted to say yes, but I was still riding the fence on wariness. Maybe another day.
I wanted to be with them every minute, but I was afraid.