“We’ve been keeping odd hours the last few days,” I admit, the closest I’ll get to discussing Caelia’s heat with her father. “We’ll feed her whenever she wakes up again, though we need to go by your house to pack her things. Ah, are you sure you’re going to be okay without her?”
“Honestly? I’m going to miss her,” he says. “It’s been really nice to spend time with her, but I know she’s going to be fine with you all.”
“That’s about as glowing a reply as I expect to get,” Miles says. “I’ll make sure she or one of us lets you know when we get back to Nashville.”
“They took my phone,” Mr. Freedman complains. “Something about stress. It’s very obnoxious. If I don’t reply, that’s why.”
“Stress is bad,” Miles teases him.
“Pot,” Mr. Freedman grumbles.
“What’s that, kettle?” Miles laughs, walking out with us.
“Ugh, does anyone else think that could have gone so much worse?” Levon asks quietly. He hasn’t said much this entire time, but I realize he’s been nervous.
“Maybe,” Miles says. “I think we’re good with her dad now. All he cares about is Caelia being happy.”
Amen to that.
CAELIA
Two days later
It’s unseasonably gorgeous out today. Eighty-five degrees and shorts weather? Get outta town.
Grinning, I sit back in a lounge chair in Miles’ backyard to bask in the sun. Things may be in a transition phase, but none of it sucks. Levon submitted paperwork to add Miles to Pack Diaz, and then as soon as that goes through, he’ll be able to announce me as his omega to the Scented Scorpions’ Human Resources department.
I told him that I don’t want anyone surprised about who my father is or who he works for. There’s too much room for misunderstandings, and Levon, Santo, and Miles have worked hard for their careers. Friedrick is dragging his feet on my severance package, which means I submitted my videos to Santo’s father to hold hostage on my behalf.
Just because I dislike confrontation, doesn’t mean I’m a push over by any means. Santo says that he lives for this shit, so his father is happily ripping Friedrick and his lawyers a new asshole since nothing in my contract states that I can’t date my alphas.
Unfortunately, there is a noncompete clause in my contract, which means I can’t work in any hockey staff position that’s content related. Fucker.
Miles opens the French doors onto the patio, and I turn my head to see him.
“Baby, you’re going to burn,” he admonishes. “The team will be here in a half hour.”
“It’s so nice out,” I pout, knowing that he’s right as I stand.
“Wear a hat and sunscreen then,” Miles chuckles. “Take a break with me and hydrate.”
Knowing he’s right, I stand up and walk back inside. Pushing my sunglasses up to sit on my head, I follow Miles into the kitchen where he’s prepping food for the grill. He decided that I should meet the team off the ice first to help my anxiety, and said he’s been meaning to host the team at his home.
This almost certainly sounds like advice my dad would give him, but I won’t look too closely at that. It’s a good idea either way, and if I get too overwhelmed, I can slip upstairs to take a break.
Piece of cake, right? I don’t know about all that, but I know that Levon and Santo are on their way over.
“Levon met with a property manager today,” Miles tells me as he walks around the kitchen working.
“Yeah?” I ask, smirking as he puts vegetables on the counter with a knife for me to begin to chop. He told me that he wanted to roast them for a large salad.
The counter is a butcher block at the island, and so clean, someone could eat off it. Hoisting myself onto a stool, I begin working. Not all the vegetables will be cut up, only the larger ones that can take a while to roast otherwise.
The oven is already warmed and set at four hundred degrees, it’s just waiting for me. I don’t mind being put to work.
“Mmhm. He’s going to lease out his condo, fully furnished,” Miles explains. “The place is in such a great area, it seems a shame to let the investment property go. Levon thinks he may want to buy another condo in the building to lease it out as well.”
“That’s smart,” I admit. Levon has a good head on his shoulders when it comes to money. He’s not really showy about what he spends, but he does like nice things, and continually reminds me that they can take care of me.
