She reached into her bag, pulling out an envelope. The entire table seemed to freeze, waiting for whatever was about to come.
“I hope it’s not overstepping,” she said as she held it out to her son. North’s fingers shook as he took it and I leaned closer, pressing my arm against his in solidarity.
After a few beats of tense silence, he finally tore open the envelope with trembling hands. I could feel his anxiety even without a bond, or maybe it was the way his body was practically shaking with it.
He pulled out a piece of paper, his eyes scanning it as his jaw dropped.
“No, Mom?—”
“I said no arguing,” she cut in, her voice sharp and firm while somehow holding a sweet edge. “The entire point of havingmoney is to be able to take care of your family. Just because youcoulddoesn’t mean youshouldhave to. So, we’ve taken the liberty of putting the amount of your mortgage for that shop in there, along with bills for up to five years. Hire some help. Don’t work yourself to the bone and miss out on time with them. This time is too precious to miss. You opened the shop because you loved baking, make sure you keep that passion.”
Tears were running down his cheeks. She got up, placing a kiss on his forehead and cupping my cheek in an approving smile.
“I think that’s our time to slip away. We love you all, and we had an amazing evening. I truly hope you stay in town. I can’t wait to get to know you better, Aspen.”
“Thank you,” I said. “I can’t wait to get to know you better as well.”
With that, they filed out, giving quick hugs and goodbyes before leaving me and my pack in silence. Karina walked them out, giving us space for North to process their gift.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“I…” he started, but he seemed unable to form the words he wanted.
Jack dropped to his knees in front of his omega, hands wrapping around North’s and holding them steady. The paper fluttered to the ground. Cole picked it up, placing it on the table in front of them while Jack stared into North’s eyes, imploring him to listen.
“Baby, she’s right. This gives you a chance to step back. You can go in and make things when you want, to teach your team to do the same. You have Judy. You could even have seasonal help. The works. You’ve been running yourself ragged. I’ve been worried.”
“Time with you guys does sound really nice,” North managed to choke out. “I can’t believe they did this.”
“I can,” Jack snorted. “Your family is about as subtle as my mom.”
“Maybe tonight would be a good night to go look at Christmas lights,” Cole suggested. “Drive around, listen to music, and just enjoy the night.”
“That sounds great,” North said, standing up and wiping his sweaty palms on his pants and shaking his head. “I know this is a good thing. I just can’t believe they’d do this. I said I wanted to do it on my own, but… I’m also oddly relieved. I can’t fail now, and I think that fear has been in the back of my mind for a long time.”
“Even though I just met your parents, I have a feeling they knew that,” I said.
He let out a soft laugh but didn’t disagree.
Cole stepped into the kitchen for a few bottles of water and likely to inform his mom where we were going, while Jack warmed up the truck. I let North sit in the front while I took the back with Cole. It was one of the few times North didn’t try to protest and force me to take shotgun.
Jack turned the radio to a Christmas station, keeping it low enough to fill the background. Cole relaxed, checking his phone and then wrapping his hand around mine as Jack drove through Pine Ridge. The only sound was someone pointing out Christmas lights here and there.
The silence went from strained to comfortable quickly.
Finally, an hour in, North shifted in his seat, facing sideways so he could see all of us.
“This is a good thing,” he said, more confident this time. “I should’ve known she’d do something like this. My mom’s not subtle. Now we can spend time together and I won’t have to get up early and go to bed early. I can wake up in your arms more than every once in a while. Actually sleep like a normal person.”
“When you both go into heat, it won’t be a big deal for you to take time away,” Cole pointed out. He was always the reasonable one, thinking about the important things.
“And what about you?” I said to Cole. “How will that work with your job? You won’t be missing my heat?—”
“Not for anything in the world,” he promised, cutting in before I could let doubt hit me.
That warmth settled into me as I watched the scenery shift to the open fields that led to the outskirts of Pine Ridge.
“Oh my gosh, look at the estate from here,” I said as we finally reached the bottom of the hill.
