I see the grimace before he wipes it away. “Yeah. But—,”
“I’ll be fine,” I say softly. “I’ll see you at dinner.”
He hesitates. But then he’s shifting, letting me slip past him.
Brett is already in the car. He doesn’t look at me when I slide in, his lips pressed together in a thin line that signals his irritation. “What took you so damn long?”
“Sorry.” My voice quietens as he pulls away. He prefers it softer. “We were just sorting out dinner arrangements.”
The switch is almost instant. The shadows pass out of his face, replaced by a grin as he rakes his hand through his hair. “At least I get you to myself for a while. I wanted to talk to you, anyway.”
I glance at the wing mirror. Oscar is standing in the doorway, watching us leave. “What about?”
“You’ll see.” Whistling, Brett turns up the radio.
I can’t help staring at him. “I don’t like surprises. You know that.”
I’ve been surprised too many times in my life to enjoy them. Came home more than once to find our bags packed, Rick already in the truck and hollering for me to get a move on before he upended my life again.
This is the longest we’ve stayed in one place since I was a kid. But I’m not a kid anymore. I turned eighteen last week.
And I get tostay, this time. I get to stay with Jake and Max, with Theo and Oscar.
And with Brett.
My teeth sink into my lower lip. Even with Brett. I get to build a life and go to college.
I get a family, and maybe… maybe a pack. My stomach does a little flip at the thought of it. At being theirs. They haven’t officially asked me, but they will. I trust them.
I won’t be alone anymore.
“You’ll like this surprise.” Brett’s teeth flash. “Trust me.”
It doesn’t sound reassuring.
Then – Kennedy
“Wow.” Stepping forward, my eyes widen as I look around the field. “This is incredible.”
It’s like a meadow, on top of a cliff. There aren’t that many flowers here, but I bet it’s amazing in summer. Brett looks smug as he tugs me over, toward the cliff edge. “Come and see this view.”
My heels instinctively dig in as I protest. “You have no sense of self-preservation.”
“I’ll keep you safe.” He smiles at me over his shoulder. “Or don’t you trust me?”
His hand tightens around mine, but he relents. Dropping the basket he brought to the ground, he starts laying out blankets.
Not just blankets. There are cushions, candles, even lights.
I blink at the array. “You really prepared for this. Will we still be here when it gets dark?”
He holds out his hand. “I wanted to spoil my omega. Is that wrong?”
I can feel my brows furrowing at his words. “Youromega?”
He doesn’t say anything. But his fingers curl in a clear beckoning motion. Silently, I take his hand and kneel down. “Brett…,”
“I’ve been thinking.” Brett kneels beside me. His fingers tug into my hair, unravelling my braid as he pulls the elastic free. “God, you’re pretty with your hair down, Kennedy.”
