“So talk.”
I drew in a breath, preparing myself, and scratched at the back of my neck. “You said you wanted me to let you know when I started seeing someone, so. This is me letting you know—I’ve started seeing someone.”
Cheryl’s jaw ticked, and she nodded, her arms folding slowly across her chest. “And has thispersonbeen around Sawyer?” I hesitated, and Cheryl’s shrewd eyes picked up on it. “Seriously Alaric, theone thingI asked you to do was tell me before making introductions!”
“It’s not like that,” I responded, my brow furrowing. “She hasn’t met Sawyer as my girlfriend. We work together, so—“
“She was at the work thing you took Sawyer to this weekend,” Cheryl interrupted, finishing my sentence with a cruel edge to her words. She shook her head with disdain. “Convenient of you to wait untilafterto tell me.”
I clamped my mouth shut, opting for silence instead of the retort that sat on the tip of my tongue. “I don’t know why you’re so angry about this. You had to know that, one day, I’d meet someone else.”
Cheryl gaped at me, floundering for something to say. “That’s not the point; I wanted to be informed before you made any introductions.”
“I haven’t made introductions—at least not that one,” I replied stonily, crossing my own arms. “I planned on telling Sawyer during our next weekend.”
“You can’t!”
I arched a brow, challenging her. “And why not?”
“It’s a bad time,” Cheryl said, scowling at me. “Sawyer already has enough changes happening. She doesn’t need this one. Besides, who knows how longthis onewill keep your interest?” she added spitefully.
I clenched my jaw with aggravation. “You might be right about the changes, Cheryl, which is why I wanted to talk to you about this…but you’re wrong about my interest in her.”
Cheryl gaped at me, her eyes widening and permeating with hurt like it pained her to hear me say that. She schooled her features quickly, masking the blow with a bitter smile. “We’ll see.”
Turning on my heel, I spoke without looking back. “See you in eleven days.”
Cheryl’s door slammed shut before I made it off the porch. I pushed air through my nostrils in aggravation, rolling my neck.
Sliding into the cab of my truck, I closed the door and glanced at the cup holder, picking up the cat I’d sculpted last night.
After carrying Sawyer up to bed, I’d been too restless to sleep. I kept thinking about how natural it had been to see Gwen and my daughter together, about how I’d wanted the whole thing. Her, Sawyer, Tig—even her demonic cat.
So I plugged the old baby monitor in, taking the receiver out with me to my shop. I needed to tinker on something, to keep my hands busy.
The result was pretty cool—a nuts and bolt cat that I hoped she would like. Setting it back down in the cup holder, I headed back to town. Parking against the curb, I jumped out and strolled into the pizza shop.
The cashier was the same woman who’d served me last time. I approached the counter and smiled. “Can you look up past customer orders on the computer?”
She peered at me with confusion. “Yes…”
“I wanted to surprise a friend with pizza, could you pull up her last order?”
“I suppose I could…I’d need the phone number.” I gave it, and the cashier typed it into the computer. “A large Tempest pizza and garlic bread.”
“I’ll have that,” I smiled, reaching for my wallet. “To go, please.”
Gwen
Sitting cross-legged on my couch, I shifted my shoulders, working out the kinks. My fingers returned to and hovered over my laptop keys, and I let out an aggravated huff. The words were just…stuck.
My stomach rumbled, alerting me to the fact that it had been seven hours since I last ate something.
Setting my laptop on the coffee table, I stood up and stretched. Dahmer let out a noise halfway between a purr and a meow, his head flying up at the disturbance, his claws digging into the material. He’d been asleep on the cushion beside me for the last forty-five minutes, and his pissy eyes followed me when I started walking to the kitchen.
I paused, hearing heavy footfall on the stairs. A few moments later, knuckles rapped against the door.
Heart pattering in my chest, I forced myself to saunter to the door. Opening it, I was greeted to the delicious sight of Alaric, holding two boxes from my favourite pizzeria balanced in one hand, while his other rested against the doorway, flashing a smile that melted my racing heart.
