Chapter 14
Evan
It’s hard to quantify just how much you can hold onto something before it slips through your fingers. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is let it go.
Unfortunately for Jace, Nico and I are stubborn as hell. We’re not planning on taking our hands off his shoulders anytime soon.
The problem is Jace is as committed to keeping his nose in his laptop as we are to tearing him away from it. He’s the skinniest and shortest of us too, only an inch over six feet. How the hell is he still planted in this damn chair?
“What are you guys doing?” I’m the only one of our trio that looks up at Seb’s voice. His own laptop is folded under his arm, his top half wearing a button up and the bottom dressed in pajama pants. That’s someone who knows how to work from home, unlike a certain suited up workaholic.
“Kidnapping Jace.” I answer, resuming my attempt.
Sebastian nods, continuing to walk away. A moment later, he emerges in the doorway of Jace’s office again, retracing his steps backwards. “I’m sorry, what?”
It’s Nico’s turn to look up. “We were thinking about going for a walk. And if there’s one of us who needs the exercise…” he tilts his head at Jace pointedly.
Walking is Nico’s new health thing. There’s always one thing or another, whether it’s going keto or chugging bone broth or eating a spoonful of sea moss in the morning. It’s dangerous to let the old man on social media unsupervised. He falls for every health fad under the sun.
Ever since dog sitting Clementine, the thing has been getting ten thousand steps a day. Unfortunately for Jace, Nico’s latest lifestyle hacks usually apply to the entire pack. Because he cares for our health, he says. In my opinion, it’s because misery loves company.
“I have work to do,” Jace drones into his laptop. We haven’t even persuaded him to join yet and he’s already miserable.
Nico quits tugging his shoulders to stand over him with his hands on his hips like a not angry, just disappointed father instead. “This is overworking.”
“You’re going to get a flat ass if you don’t get out of your chair sometimes,” my comment makes Jace shoot me a dirty look before his face smooths over again. You unlock his expressions after being in a pack together long enough. “All work and no play makes Jace a dull boy.”
“I can get out of my chair if I so please. The desk rises. Stop pestering me, I’ll just stand.” Damn, I shouldn’t have given him that standing desk last Christmas.
“This may come as a shock to you, Jason Coates, but fresh air and movement are healthy for you. This is why you’re paler than Casper the ghost.” By the sound of it, Nico isn’t going to give up anytime soon. The unstoppable force and immovable object may be negotiating for a while still.
As far as Nico’s health kicks go, this isn’t even close to the worst. I’m used to exercising a ton though, unlike certain members of the pack. I would have gotten my cardio in either way, but it’s better with the guys.
Seb stretches his arms up with a groan, making his half buttoned shirt rise. “Some fresh air sounds like a good idea. And it’s not raining for once.”
Jace settles back into his chair, staring at the three of us.
We glance at him, then at each other in silent agreement.
Seb comes over, placing his own laptop on the desk and joining in on tugging him up.
Jace might be either supernaturally strong or stubborn enough to take a two versus one, somehow, but three on one is pushing it.
“Fine, fine.” Jace admits defeat, taking his glasses off.
“Aw, don’t cry man. We might be lucky enough to find someone selling shaved ice or something on our way,” he dodges away from the hand I lift to mockingly pat his brown hair alongside my cooing.
He scoffs. “I’m a grown alpha male. I don’t want some damn shaved ice.”
Seb’s eyes meet mine, and I can just tell he’s biting the inside of his cheek to not laugh.
“Sure, dude.” I’m not going to say names aloud, but only one of us has a scent like wine, and it’s the only one that perked up at the idea of something sweet. He isn’t fooling anyone. Or maybe we know him well enough not to fall for it.
“How about you stop cackling and put on some damn pants?” Jace pushes his chair back, grabbing his candle snuffer.
Jace carefully smothers the flame of the chamomile candle, then gently places the lid over it. We’ve learned not to blow them out now, as advised by the nice middle aged beta lady at the store after our umpteenth time returning to restock. We’re invested in proper candle care.
“I wasn’t cackling. And I am wearing pants. You don’t like my outfit?” Seb feigns offense, putting his hands into the pockets of his checkered red and black pajama bottoms and flaring them out, grinning cheekily. He listens to Jace’s suggestion and wanders off to change though.
I exit behind him, breaking off the opposite way to grab an appropriately sized umbrella this time.
It’s sunny outside, but this city only really has two seasons.
Rainy season and construction season. Better to be prepared.
I hold out one not so conspicuous to Nico when he comes to pull on his jacket, only for him to swat it away and grab another.
“Nice try, buddy.” It was worth a shot. Jace and Seb appear shortly after and we set off in comfortable silence.
Seven years of living here and I still don’t take living within walking distance of Scentral Park for granted. Especially not the circle of food trucks that congregate by it. My mouth’s salivating, more than ready to tear into some shawarma.
In the rainy season, they don’t even have their normal lines. In fact, there’s only one person at the moment, chatting with the man staffing the first one we spot.
“Chamomile.” Seb breaks our quiet.
“You should have mentioned it earlier if you wanted tea or coffee, Sebastian.” Nico’s thumbs tap against his phone as he speaks. “And who knows when our next sunny day is? You want to go to a coffee shop now? It’d be nice to eat outside.”
“No, dumbass,” I interrupt his speech. “Look.” There’s no mistaking the head of blonde hair we’ve run into in this park before.