“Ezra?” Hale looks at him for clarification, raking his hand over the top of his grey knitted beanie that brings out the emerald tone of his eyes. “What happened?”
“Nothing,” I cut in, refusing to give Ezra the satisfaction of relaying his theory that I fled in a jealous outburst. “Ezra just reminded me how he likes to keep things casual.” I clear my throat before continuing. “But since you’re all here, I did want to apologize for… what happened.”
“It wasn’t the first time I was treated like a criminal for helping you,” Calder grumbles.
“I returned your car, didn’t I?” I retort.
I got Sabs to drop it back atTheValley Voiceoffice so I didn’t have to face Calder again.
“Can we go inside to talk?” Hale gestures at the sky as the rain picks up. “Somewhere we’re not going to get soaked.”
I chew on my lip, not wanting to go back inside the restaurant after breaking up Ezra’s flirtation.
“Or we can get takeout and eat in the apartment?” Hale steps in, seemingly sensing my unease. He smiles at me, a smile that instantaneously diminishes some of my anger. “It beats waiting for a bus in the cold, right?”
“Fine,” I relent. He does have a good point. “But only until the next bus.”
Hale’s grin brightens as he instructs Ezra to return to Marco’s to pick up the food. I have to force myself to refrain from sarcastically telling him to apologize to his date for me.
Riven and Calder talk amongst themselves about some TV show they’re watching, but I stay quiet as I follow them home. I never expected to be back at their apartment so soon after what happened last time.
Once inside, Calder pulls off his tailored trench coat to reveal a fitted shirt that stretches over his muscles. His TVV editor lanyard falls from his pocket, taunting me over what I could have had.
I scoop it up then thrust it back at him. “How is the paper, Mr. Hotshot Editor?”
His tan skin looks like it’s glowing under their orange lamp that casts half his face in shadow, highlighting his angular features. “We’re still going through a…” His chiseled jaw clenches. “Transition period.”
A satisfied smirk plays on my lips. “Jell-O in your office drawer this morning?”
He chuckles. “You heard about that, huh?”
I tap my nose. “I have my sources.”
Devon gave me a few more updates. Despite his impressive way of handling a difficult situation, it turns out that I wasn’tthe only one unhappy with Leah’s abrupt departure and Calder’s appointment as her replacement. I would maybe feel guilty about his baptism of fire if he hadn’t taken the job from me.
“When do you plan on returning?” he asks, tension crackling in the air between us. “Now that things have calmed down?”
“I promised Devon I’d come in tomorrow morning to look something over, but I’m still considering my options.”
“What? You’re considering not coming back?” His eyes widen. “I thought you enjoyed working at the paper.”
“I did.” I raise my chin. “But I heard my new boss can be an asshole.”
Hale snorts while Calder gapes at me, choking down disbelief.
“I think your new editor is very reasonable, if you must know,” Calder recovers quickly, his lips quirking up at the corners. “When omegas don’t steal his car.”
“Well, off the record,” I pull off my scarf, “I think you’ll find alphas who steal jobs deserve to have their cars stolen.”
“Let me take your coat.” Hale offers before Calder argues. After I unpeel the wet fabric from my shoulders, Hale takes it from me to hang up. He smiles down at my scarf. “I like your…” He holds it out to inspect the lumpy fabric that has a few holes in it. “Scarf?”
“My friend made it for me. It’s got holes in it because Larry attacked it.”
“Who’s Larry?” A vein in Calder’s neck pulses. “What did he do?”
I whip out my phone, turning the screen around to proudly show him off. “Here he is.”
Calder’s nose crinkles. “Why does his face look like that?”
