“Here’s what’s going to happen,” Hazel says, setting her mug down and resting her hands on her hips. “Clara, you and Gabriel are going to get to know one another. Consider this a date.”
“But-” Clara starts, except Hazel swiftly cuts her off.
“But what about Felix, you want to say? Well, Gabriel is also going to ask Felix out on a date tomorrow. It’s your decision on whether you want to pursue something with Felix, which you’re stupid for not doing, but that’s neither here nor there. What you will not do is push away your goddamn scent match on a what if.”
Hazel turns to look at me, her red painted lips pursed. “Do you agree to these terms?”
“Of course, but I don’t want Clara to be uncomfortable.”
“She won’t be,” Hazel says firmly. “We’ve discussed this. Clara is going to try, aren’t you, Clara?”
I don’t love the idea that Clara is being forced into going on a date with me, but what else am I to do? A scent match isn’t something I’m just going to walk away from.
“Yes,” Clara says between gritted teeth. “We can try.”
“Good!” Hazel claps her hands, startling Rooster into a small bark. “Because I have your first date ready. Mitch and I are going to take Rooster for a walk around the market.” Shegrabs an oven mitt and pulls a tray of sugar cookies out of the oven before setting it on the stovetop.
“You’re going to decorate cookies!” she says enthusiastically. “But they need to cool before you can frost them. So you have plenty of time to get to know one another.” She struts out of the kitchen, and Mitchell snags Rooster’s leash and clips him in.
He claps me on the back. “Good luck.”
“Recipe for the icing is on the fridge!” Hazel calls before the door slams behind her.
I turn to face Clara, the silence between us punctuated by the rich crooning of Bing Crosby. Eventually, I can’t sit in the silence any longer.
“We don’t have to do this,” I whisper. “If you’d rather I go, I can.”
She exhales, her shoulders drooping as she does. It’s not an encouraging stance. “No, no. Hazel is right. We both deserve the opportunity to get to know one another. This could be the only time either of us meets a scent match.”
“Right. Then what do you say we learn to make some icing?”
NINETEEN
THREE DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS
Gabriel rolls his sleeves up,flaunting his deep, russet-brown skin and prominent veins. I bite back a groan.
I don’t know if Gabriel has ever missed a day in the gym, or if this is a side effect of his Alpha designation, but either way, I am reaping the benefits. I’d heard people talk about forearm porn before, but I’d never seen it for myself until now.
I’m feeling a little self-conscious about my Fair Isle printed leggings and oversized sweatshirt. My hair is two days unwashed and thrown up in a bun, and I’m not wearing any makeup.
I hadn’t intended to see my scent match when I left the apartment this morning.
I think Felix is getting sick. He didn’t come out of his nest to tell me goodbye, and I caught only a fleeting glimpse of him last night.
Or maybe he’s realized that he made a mistake having sex with me, so now he’s avoiding me until after the holidays, when he can tell me to find another place to live.
I try to tell myself that it’s just my anxiety making methink those things, but my anxiety owes me rent with how often it’s taken up residence within me.
“Yeah, sure,” I say, my mouth a little dry when I finally look away from Gabriel’s arms. “What’s the recipe say?”
He moves to the fridge and pulls the recipe off the door. “Well, it doesn’t look very complicated — meringue powder, powdered sugar, vanilla, and food coloring.”
“What’s meringue powder?” I move closer to him and read the recipe over his shoulder.
He searches the counter and holds up a small white container, turning it over and reading the label. “Mostly egg whites and some stabilizers.”
When Gabriel turns around, he startles a little at how close I’m standing. An invisible force pulled me toward him, and I am unable to stop myself from moving closer. His Adam’s apple bobs as he looks me up and down.
