"It's been... eventful." I take a sip of my latte, letting the familiar flavors ground me. The coffee is rich and smooth, the condensed milk adding a sweetness that balances the hint of coconut perfectly. "A lot has happened since we last talked."
"Mmhmm." Ruby's gaze sharpens. "I heard some rumors. Small town, you know—gossip travels faster than the speed of light." She leans forward, her expression shifting from casual to concerned. "I wanted to check in because of the chatter about your family's... dramatics. Are you okay?"
Of course the rumors have spread. Of course everyone in Oakridge Hollow knows something is going on with the Carlisle family's runaway Omega. I shouldn't be surprised, but it still makes my stomach clench.
I set down my cup, tracing the rim with my finger as I consider how much to tell her. Ruby has always been trustworthy—she's kept secrets for me before, and she's never judged me for the mess that is my family situation.
"Okay, so..." I take a deep breath. "You know how my family has been trying to force me into an arranged marriage? With whoever offers the best business deal?"
Ruby nods, her expression darkening. "The whole 'sell our Omega daughter to the highest bidder' thing. Yeah. I'm aware. It's disgusting."
"Well, they sent bounty hunters after me. At the government mixer last week."
Ruby's eyes go wide. "Theywhat?"
"Bounty hunters. Two of them. Tried to corner me in the bathroom." I can't help but smirk at the memory—at the way Tank appeared out of nowhere like some kind of guardian angel with tattoos and an attitude. "But I had... help."
"Help?" Ruby's eyebrow arches. "What kind of help?"
And so I tell her. Everything.
I tell her about Tank—how he stepped in at the mixer, played bodyguard, and somehow ended up being the best one-night stand of my life that turned into something more complicated. How he's this massive, intimidating military man with sacred tattoos and dark eyes that see everything. How he calls me 'Sweetness' and watches me like I'm something precious he's afraid might disappear.
I tell her about Elias—the sunny firefighter who became Fire Chief at twenty-nine, who laughs easily and teases relentlessly and makes me feel like I can breathe for the first time in years. How he watched Bridgerton with me without spoiling anything and gave me a nickname of my own: Sweet Rebel. How he left a mark on my neck right next to Tank's like some kind of Alpha territory claim that should have annoyed me but instead made me feel... wanted.
And I tell her about Julian—the grumpy investor with the modeling side gig who looks like he stepped out of a fashion magazine and has the personality of a porcupine having a bad day. How he's facing an ultimatum from his business contacts: produce an Omega or lose everything he's worked for. How the whole arrangement started because he needs a fake Omega to satisfy his contracts, and I need protection from my family until Valentine's Day.
"So it's a mutual deal," I finish, wrapping my hands around my latte to absorb the warmth. "They protect me from my family's forced marriage attempts. I help Julian keep his business deals. Everyone wins."
Ruby is staring at me like I've grown a second head. "Let me get this straight," she says slowly. "You met a hot military bodyguard at a government mixer. Had a one-night stand with him. Woke up in his house. Made coffee for his packmates. And now you're their fake Omega in a mutually beneficial arrangement that involves protection from bounty hunters and saving a grumpy model's career?"
When she puts it like that, it does sound slightly insane.
"That's... one way to summarize it."
Ruby bursts out laughing—that full, genuine laugh that draws looks from nearby tables. "Rosemarie Carlisle, you absolute icon. This is the most romantic thing I've ever heard. It's like a Hallmark movie but with actual stakes and better coffee."
Romantic. She thinks it's romantic. Is it romantic? Or is it just convenient? A business arrangement dressed up in pretty packaging?
"It's not—" I start, but Ruby cuts me off.
"Don't even try to tell me there's no chemistry." She points at me with a perfectly manicured finger. "I can see it on your face. The way you talk about Tank—'he watches me like I'm something precious'? Girl. That's not fake. And Elias leaving a mark on your neck? That's territorial Alpha behavior, which means he's already claiming you whether you want to admit it or not."
I feel heat creep up my cheeks. "I mean... okay, there might be some chemistry. But Julian?—"
"Julian is the closed-off one," Ruby finishes, nodding. "Let me guess—he's got walls up higher than the Great Wall of China,barely speaks unless necessary, and when he does it's usually something blunt or sarcastic?"
"...Yes. Exactly that."
"Classic wounded Alpha behavior." Ruby waves her hand dismissively. "He's been hurt before. Or he's protecting himself from something. Either way, those are the ones who fall the hardest once they finally let their guard down." She grins wickedly. "Trust me. I've seen it happen."
She's not wrong about Julian. He is closed off. He keeps his emotions locked behind that cold green gaze, only showing flashes of something softer when he thinks no one is looking. Like when he tasted my lavender honey latte and tears appeared in his eyes because it reminded him of his grandmother. Like when he looked at me in the kitchen and I could have sworn I saw curiosity beneath the irritation.
"Out of the three of them," I admit, "Julian is definitely the hardest to read. Elias is easy to talk to—he's like sunshine in human form. And Tank is observant in a way that should probably be intimidating but instead makes me feel... seen. But Julian?" I shake my head. "He's a mystery wrapped in designer clothes and a permanent scowl."
"So you're already smitten with Tank, comfortable with Elias, and intrigued by Julian." Ruby counts on her fingers. "That's a full pack's worth of feelings, babe. In less than a week."
Smitten. Is that what this is? This warm, fluttery feeling I get when Tank looks at me? This easy comfort I feel when Elias makes me laugh? This frustrating curiosity about what's going on behind Julian's carefully constructed walls?
