An awkward silence falls between us. There's more I want to ask, about this woman, about how Darren feels, about how he's really handling the omega thing, but I'm not sure he wants to tell me. Not sure I have the right to ask anymore, after letting him down tonight.
Now, it's time to prove myself.
Chapter
Fifteen
LEXIE
Ihold up two different earrings to my ears, squinting at my reflection in the bedroom mirror. "Gold hoops or these dangly silver ones?"
Jessica glances up from the sweater she's carefully folding into tissue paper. "Gold. Matches your bracelet better." She seals the package with efficiency despite not working for my business in an official capacity, just a sisterly one. "Though honestly, I doubt professional hockey players are going to notice your earrings."
"It's not about them noticing. It's about me feeling put together." I slip the hoops through my earlobes, trying to ignore the flutter of nerves in my stomach. Three days since my dinner with Darren, and I still can't quite believe I agreed to a second date.
With his entire pack, no less.
Jessica secures another package with packing tape, adding it to the growing stack by my door. "Soooo… this is quite a step up from the insurance salesman."
"Please don't remind me about Brandon." I smooth down the front of my burgundy wrap dress. It hugs my curves without being obvious about it, the hem hitting just above my knees.
"Five extremely fit, extremely wealthy professional athletes," Jessica continues, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Luke nearly collapsed when I told him. The Grizzlies are his favorite team."
I apply a final coat of mascara, careful not to smudge. "You know, in high school, I wouldn't have pegged you for the type to marry a hockey fan."
"In my defense, I didn'tknowI was marrying a hockey fan. It was dormant until we moved here. Like a werewolf bite." She checks the shipping label on the next package. "Now he watches every game and explains things I don't ask about. Did you know there's a difference between a slashing penalty and a high-sticking penalty?"
"I did not." I step back from the mirror, assessing my reflection. The dress works. My hair falls in loose waves past my shoulders, and the gold hoops do complement the thin bracelet at my wrist. I look good. Not trying-too-hard good, but definitely put-some-effort-in good. "But if this date goes well, I guess I'd better learn."
"Thank you for helping with these orders," I say, gesturing to the packages. "I wouldn't have gotten them done in time otherwise."
Jessica waves dismissively. "Are you kidding? The promise of Grizzlies tickets, let alone having an entire hockey team of brothers-in-law, is worth a little manual labor." She seals another box with a flourish. "Luke's going to owe me for life."
I roll my eyes, reaching for my clutch. "You're getting way ahead of yourself. It's just a date."
"A date with five pro athletes, one of whom happens to be a recently-presented omega, which goes against every dating rule you've established since Mark. So no, I don't think I'm gettingahead of myself." She sets down the tape dispenser, fixing me with her sisterly I-can-see-right-through-you stare. "This is a big deal for you."
She's right, of course. It is a big deal.Darrenis a big deal, in ways I wasn't prepared for. I can't stop thinking about him. His smile, his laugh, the vulnerability beneath his tough exterior. The way he talked about his struggle with his new identity resonated with me more than I care to admit.
Darren and I have been talking through text a little, and when he told me I could mention it to Jess if I needed a sounding board while I’m figuring things out, I was more relieved than I want to admit. Especially since I know he’s keeping it a secret from the world. But he’s not just asking me to break my rules without expecting anything in return. That’s a show of trust and a leap of faith in one. Abigone. And it shows he’s serious about making this work.
I never thought I'd have anything in common with an omega in that way, but he's full of surprises.
“I can't deny I've been thinking about Darren,” I confess, applying a nude lipstick that won't leave obvious marks on wine glasses. “There's something about him that just...clicks. Even if the whole omega thing is complicated. Remember, you can’t tell Luke about that yet. Maybe never.”
“Scout’s honor. Speaking of that…” Jessica leans against my dresser, crossing her arms. “I’m surprised you're giving this pack a chance, considering how adamant you've been about avoiding omegas.”
"Trust me, you're preaching to the choir." I cap the lipstick, tucking it into my clutch for touch-ups later. "But if I'm being honest with myself, my hesitation isn't so much about omegas as always being second to one. Always being left for one."
I take a deep breath, finding the words for something I've only recently started to understand myself. "If this pack alreadyhas an omega, andhe'sthe one who actually wants someone else… I'm willing to give it a try." I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. "It's different, you know? I'm not competing with some hypothetical perfect omega they might meet someday. Or worrying they're going to walk around the corner and magically meet their scent match. The omega is right there, saying 'hey, let's add someone else to our dynamic.'"
"So he is their scent match?" she asks.
I freeze, realizing I didn't actually ask. "Uhm. I'm assuming? I didn't really get too much into the pack dynamics. First date and all that."
Jessica nods slowly. "That... actually sounds reasonable."
"Don't act so surprised," I say dryly. "Besides, it's just dinner. I'm not moving in with them tomorrow."
