He checks his watch, fumbles it, nearly drops it. "I should... patrol. Sheriff doesn't like when I..." He edges toward the door. "If you need anything—not that you need anything, you're obviously capable—but if you wanted..."
He pulls out a card, drops it, picks it up, hands it to me with shaking fingers. "My number. For emergencies. Or not. You don't have to?—"
I take the card. "Thanks, Seth. I'll have to thank Ben for the coffee intel."
Seth goes completely still. "I... don't think I was supposed to tell you that." His face turns bright red. "Ben's going to kill me. He just started telling me when I came by! He was being helpful. Supportive." He's spiraling. "Please don't be mad at him. Or me. I should have asked you directly?—"
"Seth. Breathe. The coffee was perfect." I soften my voice. "I'm just going to kill my brother later."
"Right. Okay. Good." He's at the door. Pushes when he should pull. Corrects himself, even redder. "I'm leaving before this gets worse."
Then he practically flees, leaving me with perfect coffee and a brother I'm absolutely going to murder.
Mrs. Henderson returns,eyes gleaming. "Was that the deputy? With coffee?"
"I REALLY NEED TO REORGANIZE THE STOCKROOM," I announce, fleeing to the back.
In the blessed quiet, I lean against the shelves and wonder how my life became a rom-com without permission.
My scent is all over the place—cinnamon-apple sweetness with an undertone I recognize as attraction. Two different alpha scents cling to my clothes. River's pine and sawdust from when he leaned close across the counter. Seth's clean rain and cedar from standing near him at the register.
I should be panicking. Should be running for the hills like I did with Terrance.
Instead, my omega is content. Almost... pleased.
My phone buzzes.
Ben:heard River stopped by AND Seth brought you coffee. which one are you into? taking bets.
I'm going to kill my entire family.
By five,I walk into the kitchen to find my entire family at the table like an intervention.
"Sit," Mom says.
"I'm being ambushed." I drop into the chair anyway because arguing with Mom is futile.
"You're being loved," Papa corrects. "Aggressively."
Ben's grinning. "So. Two alphas in one day."
I groan. "River offered me a job. Marketing and social media for the hardware store. And Seth brought coffee. That's it. That's the whole story."
They all exchange knowing looks.
"Speaking of Seth's coffee," I add, glaring at Ben. "You gave him my exact coffee order?"
Ben's grin widens. "I was being helpful. Supportive."
"You were being nosy and meddling."
"He came by to check on you after the festival," Ben says, all fake innocence. "He was clearly interested. I gave him useful information. That's what good brothers do."
"Good brothers don't ambush their sisters with matchmaking schemes."
"Good brothers help awkward deputies who are clearly into their sisters but too nervous to make a move," Ben counters.
"Seth brought you coffee," Mom interrupts, that knowing omega smile on her face. "How thoughtful."
