Page 30 of Unbreak Me
By the end of the call, he’d invited himself over to meet Day, though I pushed it off until the weekend, wanting to give Day a few days to feel more at home.
After the conversation, it was already late, and I felt drained. I lay down in bed, but despite being so tired, I just couldn’t fall asleep. I tossed and turned, my thoughts racing.
For the first time, I really let myself think about what would happen if Day decided to change the nature of our relationship—if it wouldn’t be governed by a rigid contract and became something real, something intimate.
Closing my eyes, I thought about him—his presence, the impression of his energy, the way his body had felt close to mine.
Day was a fertile omega, and, as much as I tried to ignore it, there was no way my alpha instincts could completely overlook that. Sure, he was painfully skinny, and his smoker complexion didn’t exactly look healthy. It might not be what most people would call attractive, but for me… there was something enticing about his whole form.
There was also this underlying potential I felt between us, this sense that we could be so much more if we just gave it time.
Already half-asleep, I pictured Day’s thin frame, musing over the idea of spending my time with him. In my mind’s eye, I saw him lying on the bed next to me, his hair down, looking at me. Maybe if he felt safe here, if he had the chance to relax and thrive, he would be happy, he would smile… If he got into outdoor activities with me, perhaps his skin would clear up, and he’d fill out a bit, gain some weight.
Objectively speaking, Day wasn’t unattractive. Sure, his features were sharp, and his cheeks were sunken, but his lips weren’t as thin as I’d first thought. When he didn’t purse them, they were small but had a pleasant, soft shape.
And his eyes… they were incredible. Those steel-gray irises, framed by long lashes, had this intensity to them. The image of him looking up at me with those striking eyes popped into my head, and I couldn’t help but grin to myself.
Tossing and turning, I decided to believe that this thing between us had a real shot, despite how guarded he’d been at the start. I was already beginning to understand what Nolan meant when he said Day kept his walls up. There was definitely truth to that, but beneath all the scratchy edges and defenses, there was something more, something softer—something worth uncovering.
His life hadn’t exactly been a smooth ride. Even what could’ve been considered his successes, like earning a good amount of money, had come with a ton of stress and baggage.His family seemed to lean on him way too much, and then there was his first relationship—the one that fell apart so close to the altar. That had to have been brutal. And the surrogacy situation? There was something off about it. I could feel it in the way he acted when he brought it up, like it stirred something deeply painful.
In a way, I could relate to his emotions. Despite being eight years younger, I could already feel myself starting down that same path of bitterness and disappointment.
But maybe… just maybe, together, we could find a way out of that?
???
The next morning, I dressed up and left early, not wanting to be late. I got there fifteen minutes ahead of time… and a surprise awaited me.
Right there in the driveway, a pile of suitcases and bags towered, with Day sitting on one of them, waiting. The sun was shining, highlighting the deep russet-brown tones in his hair.
I jumped out of the car immediately, and as I approached, he stood up and came toward me, his heart racing. I hesitated for a moment, not sure whether to shake his hand or hug him. Awkwardly, I stayed in place while he stopped just a step away, cleared his throat, and said, "Well, it’s not great. My parents caused a huge scene—they’re not happy about me signing the eternal contract. They think it’s stupid. Honestly, I’d rather skip the whole ‘getting-to-know-you’ family thing today… it’s not gonna end well."
"Of course, Day. No pressure," I said gently. "Let’s give them some time. Maybe they’ll come around. A lot of people use matchmaking agencies and go to fairs like this—it’s pretty normal now, so they might soften up eventually."
Day made a face.
"Hopefully. But my parents are from the older generation, the kind that remembers when auction-and-fair houses were semi-legal, and contracts like these were often just a cover for hidden slavery. They’re still afraid that’s what’s happening here, and it’s impossible to convince them otherwise. They think they’re right—you know how it is…"
I shrugged. "Well, I’ve heard it can be like that. But my parents died when I was a teenager, so I never got to find out how they’d react to my marriage plans. Luckily, my uncle was the one pushing me to go to the fair, and he’s thrilled I met you. He actually wants to visit us on Saturday."
Day looked a little uneasy but managed a nod. "I'm sorry to hear about your parents. And I’d be happy to meet your uncle."
After a short pause, I sighed. "So, what do you say? Shall we start packing?"
"Yeah, of course."
We got to work and managed to load all his things into the van pretty quickly. There was still plenty of room left, so Day went back into the garage and brought out two large yoga mats to add to the pile.
Once everything was in, we hopped in the car and set off. As I backed out of the driveway, I caught sight of a tall man with gray hair standing in the yard. He was watching me with a grim expression. I gave him a slight nod, but he didn’t acknowledge it, so I just drove away.
Day seemed quiet, and I figured the argument with his parents from last night—and probably this morning too—had gotten to him. I asked if he wanted to stop for breakfast, but he said he’d already eaten and suggested we wait until we reached my place for the next meal.
I told him it would take about an hour and a half to get to my fruit tree nursery, but he just nodded and kept staring out the window, lightly rubbing his left temple.
"Do you have a headache?" I asked.
"No, just craving a cig."
