Page 5 of Rugged Hearts: Part One
“What do you think?”
“It’s perfect,” I say with a genuine smile. He returns my smile andGodshis smile is beautiful. I don’t care that he’s an alpha, he’s beautiful. His whole body seems to glow as he smiles, from his light brown skin to his eyes. I didn’t catch his scent, I suspect he’s wearing descenter like I am. Though not for the same reasons. I’m trying to be as invisible as possible and right or wrong people remember omegas. I’m thankful he’s wearing it anyways, after my reaction to Parker yesterday I don’t want a repeat.
“Great, I can have the lease prepared for you to sign today if that works for you?”
Gods yes, the sooner the better. The pack running the bed and breakfast are nice but I need to get out of there. They constantly ask questions trying to get to know me and I can’t handle the memories it brings up. “Can we meet back here later this afternoon, maybe four o’clock?” I ask, hoping that works so I can have time to go to the store and get some supplies and furnishings.
“That works for me. Though when you applied, the employment section was left blank, can you fill it out quick before we leave?”
“Oh I’m sorry, I must have filled it out before I got confirmation on my job. I’m working at The Snowcrest Lodge,” I say, assuming he knows it given it’s a small town.
His eyes light up. “Really?”That was a weird reaction.
“Yes,” I say hesitantly.
He must pick up on the shift in mood. “I didn’t mean that in a weird way. It’s ironic is all because my pack owns the lodge.”
I try to mask my reaction, but I fail. I didn’t expect that. Justhow many people are in this pack? Ben, Micah, Parker, and now Elijah. He chuckles a little at my reaction. “That’s small towns for you. The Farnbys run the bed and breakfast but also own the local diner. There are a few packs in town that own or are a part of different businesses.”
“I guess I’m not used to small town life,” I laugh awkwardly, knowing that is a major understatement. Growing up in a major city in Florida, even the town in North Carolina, it was a college town, nothing like this one.Not so remote either. I wanted this and we always talked about moving to a small town and—I cut off that train of thought. I quickly fill out the information and hand over the tablet to Elijah. We say our goodbyes with the plan in place to meet this afternoon.
Grabbing my phone, I look up the closest home goods store, which unsurprisingly is just over an hour away. There’s plenty of time to go there and get most of what I need for the house and back. I don’t relish the thought of doing this shopping again. At least when I moved from North Carolina to Chicago I took most of the stuff I bought for that apartment with me. Since I planned to sell my car on the way here and buy a new one in a different state, I could only bring my essentials which mostly were my clothes.
I wander the aisles looking for anything I may be missing for the house. I definitely forgot all the little things you need to furnish a house. I have two carts full at the moment, filled with everything for the bathroom, kitchen, and bedding—for a bed I don’t have yet but will order as soon as I get back to the car. I was cheap in Chicago and bought what I could get quick. I don’t care if I have to sleep on an air mattress for a month. I want—no,need—a comfy bed.
This store has a nest section that I’ve been avoiding but somehow keep circling back to. A quick look won’t hurt, but I willonly get two blankets and that’s it. There’s a forest green blanket that reminds me of my nest back home?—
Stop, Thea, that isn’t home anymore.
I wonder if Sophie cleared out the apartment or if it’s all still there as if me and Connor went on an extended trip and haven’t returned yet. The last time I was in my nest was after I found out he died. I was alone and cried until I passed out; it didn’t help that it smelled like the two of us and knowing that would fade and never return made it even worse. Thankfully, Max, one of Connor’s dads, came to the apartment and told me to pack a bag and stay with them for a while. He was right, being alone in that apartment was just constantly reinforcing the fact that he wasn’t there. I stayed with them those first couple weeks, before I was brave enough to go back there. Thinking back now, I wonder if I hadn’t gone back and seen the letter fromhim, would I still be there or would he have gotten me like he wanted?
Ugh you need to stop it, brain.Connor and everything before needs to stay in their box.
I put the blanket that seemed to trigger my trip down memory lane back on the shelf; instead grabbing a soft pink almost blush colored blanket. I won’t make a nest, but I’ll let myself have this at least.
After playing Tetris with all the things I bought and the storage totes with everything I own in my car trying to get it all to fit, I almost regretted buying a TV. Almost, but in the end I made it work. I’m finally back at the house with time to spare.
As I pull up, I notice that Elijah’s car is here already. Well, so much for being early. At least we can get this over with and I can start moving everything inside. The front door is open as I walk in, finding him sitting on a bar stool at the kitchen island. It’s suddenly hitting me that after all that shopping I didn’t even think about getting food to stock the kitchen. I have no idea what time the local market closes probably early given my luck. Takeout for tonight isn’t the end of the world.What kind of takeout does this town even have?
He must hear me come in because he turns his head in my direction. He’s wearing a pair of glasses he didn’t have before. A small smile stretches across his face as he sees me and I can’t help but return it with one of my own. I swear other than my customer service smiles which absolutely do not count, the amount of smiling I’ve done since yesterday is more than this whole year.
“I have everything all set on the tablet if you want to read over it before signing. Once signed you’ll be emailed a copy for your records,” he says matter of factly.
Walking over, I stand opposite him on the island and begin to read it over. Everything looks fine and normal. It’s a one-year lease, and I’m hoping I’ll be here in a year once the lease is up. Then I get to the price. It’s five hundred dollars less than advertised. I’m not going to complain about it being cheaper to rent but why the change? I shouldn’t ask. I know I shouldn’t, but it’ll bother me until I know the reason.
“Um, Elijah, why is the rent five hundred less?”
He nervously fiddles with the buttons on his shirt. “Oh that, we decided since you’re working at the lodge we’d lower the rent as a courtesy.” I’m looking at him skeptically, because people don’t just do something like that. There has to be a catch. He also said “we.” Did he discuss it with his whole pack?
“Why?” I say without thinking.
A confused look crosses his face. “I just said why. There’s no other reason than that.”
“What if in six months I work somewhere else, will the rate increase to the original amount?”
He clearly didn’t expect me to push back on this. I don’t even know why I am other than knowing therehasto be another reason they’re doing this. “The amount is stated in the lease, once signed it can’t be changed until renewed in a year. I just thought it’d be a nice gesture.” He rubs at the back of his head nervously, and now I feel like a jerk.
“Okay, sorry, just wasn’t expecting it. Thank you, I appreciateit,” I say softly. “I don’t plan to leave the lodge anytime soon I was just wondering if this was a conditional thing.”