Page 7 of Jacked-up Mate (Alphas of Whisper Grove #1)

Jack

The first thing on my mind as my human eyes opened was the man I’d seen the night before. Every detail I could recall about him fueled my thoughts.

I got out of bed and decided to do something about it. Overthinking never did any good.

While I watched the fresh coffee bubble in the top of the percolator, I called Leon. Asked about the man.

He had an answer. Even if he hadn’t, someone would.

Whisper Grove was a small town, and the gossip whipped between people like the wind.

If I choked on a cookie while walking down Crow’s Nest Lane in the morning, I would get a call an hour later from the town healer asking if he needed to carve out an appointment for me.

If you wanted to keep a secret in this town, you had to work at it.

The man’s name was Foster, and he’d taken a job at the Bubbling Cauldron diner.

My chores were done in a rush that morning. I sprinted from one task to another. Why I was so damned eager to meet this man was beyond me. He was gorgeous and his smile made me melt, but I had to find out why he ruled my thoughts after a brief encounter.

I arrived at the diner and while I intended to sneak in and observe from a booth in the corner, the witch’s bells around the doorknob gave me away. Several patrons turned their heads and some townspeople waved. I took a seat and picked up the menu even though I knew the offerings by heart.

“Welcome to the Bubbling Cauldron. Can I start you off with a drink?”

The voice made my heart beat so powerfully in my chest that I looked down to make sure it was still contained under my ribs. My body hummed as he spoke again but this time, I had no clue what he was saying.

“I’m sorry, what?” I asked, feeling foolish.

The man’s cheeks lit up with a rosy blush. “Coffee? Water?”

“Oh. Water, please. I’m ready to order if you’re willing to take the order.” Goddess, what a stupid thing to say.

It isn’t my usual job,” the man said, chuckling. The sound weaved its way inside me. I’d really love to hear more of that sound. “I’m normally a cook on the night shift, but I’m helping out in the front of the house today.”

And wasn’t that lucky. Not that I wouldn’t have peeked into the kitchen to find him. “Right. Double bacon burger with green-bean fries.”

Foster nodded. “Hey, that’s a rare one. I’ve only had to make the green-bean fries a few times. You got it. Anything else?”

“No. Thank you.” Damn it. That was my opportunity to say, yes, I want your number. But I knew better. It wasn’t like I could date the man at night. This was impossible. If it wasn’t for him coming back over to deliver my water, I might’ve gotten up and left the diner without my meal.

Being me was frustrating at best.

I once was an alpha who got around a lot. I dated and found joy in getting to know new people. Maybe that was why I was cursed.

“Here’s your water. I have a few minutes before my other orders are up. Do you mind if I sit with you?’

“Not at all.” The words poured from my mouth without permission. He sat down and I scented him as he did. Sweet and spicy, like one of those hot chocolates sold down at the coffee shop, the ones with a sprinkling of dried chilis in it. Dark chocolate and spice, that’s what he was.

And an omega to boot.

Other alphas didn’t smell that sweet.

“How are you liking Whisper Grove?”

Foster smiled at me. “It’s great. I love the atmosphere. Everyone seems nice.”

“I wouldn’t dream of living anywhere else.”

“I’m feeling the same way.” A bell rang from the kitchen window. “Hold on.”

Foster came back only a few seconds later with my burger and veggies. “Here you go. Enjoy.”

He sat down again. It must’ve been tough to work on his feet all day. Maybe he was used to it. I had no idea what he’d done before this, but his smile told me it wasn’t a nightmare.

“Thank you.”

I dug into my food while I mulled over ways to ask this omega out and the more important thing, if I should.

“Can I interest you in dessert?” he asked, coming over to take my empty plate.

Maybe it had been that long since I’d had sex, but the way the omega asked the question, I thought he was talking about more than the cherry pie. “No. Thank you. I’m full.”

He paused for a second, working his bottom lip between his teeth. “Then, can I ask you out on a date?”

Oh, man. He read my mind. “Yes. I would really like that. But…during the day if that’s possible?”

Foster didn’t miss a beat. “I get off in a few hours and don’t have a shift in the kitchen tonight. Can you meet me here? We can grab a treat, and you can give me a tour of the town. I bet there are secrets around every corner.”

He had no idea. “I would like that. I’ll see you then.”

Before I left, he gave me his number and for the next few hours, I walked myself into a frenzy, waiting on the time to get to him.

It was like, I was already addicted. We hadn’t even had a date yet.

“Hi,” I said as he came out of the Bubbling Cauldron. He had changed clothes and had a small backpack hoisted over his shoulder.

“Hey. I was hoping you would come.”

“Should we go over to the Voo-Brew and get a coffee?”

When we came out of Whisper Grove’s coffee shop, Foster had a smile on his face. I’d heard their pumpkin spice latte was to die for but couldn’t bring myself to have one for obvious reasons.

I sipped on my hot chocolate while we walked. Foster was wide-eyed and gasped at places and things that I had grown accustomed to. It was a breath of fresh air to see our little town from his perspective. Plus, the omega was fucking gorgeous. His smile. The way he spoke.

The way he looked at me.

We walked and visited places all afternoon, exchanging phone numbers about an hour in. I’d never felt this way with an omega before.

I watched the time like a hawk. I would rather die than to have this perfect omega see the part of me I hated most.

The cursed part.

“How about dinner?” he asked as we stood in the middle of Autumn Square.

“Oh. I…” The clock tower let out five bongs. Shoot. I hadn’t checked the time. If I wasn’t careful I… “Thank you. Let’s do this again. I have to go. I’m sorry. At night…I can’t.”

Foster opened his mouth, but I was already walking away. I hated it. Leaving him when we were having such a wonderful time was one of the hardest things I’d done, but staying and risking him seeing my damned head shaped like an orange fruit was even worse.

I couldn’t let it happen.

The omega would run through the town screaming. He might even move away.

Nope. Not happening.