He smiles from ear to ear. “Eres digna de ser valorada y atesorada,” he says in Spanish.
“What did you say?” I ask.
“I said you are worthy of being valued and treasured.”
My shoulders relax. “Thank you.”
Maybe he’s the mate for me. He can’t knot me but that’s okay. I don’t have to have a knot.
In my gut I know that’s a lie. I need an alpha. Hmm, maybe I’ll look further. My alpha mate could be in the next city over. He’d have to be an alpha the Barclay pack can’t control.
After leaving the English building, I hopped into my BMW SUV and drove home to spend time with my grandmother, having taken three scent suppressants and showered beforehand. I’m embarrassed that they’re losing effectiveness quicker than I anticipated. I don’t want to overuse the scent suppressants and disrupt my chemical balance.
“What do you like to do for fun?” I ask.
“I coach middle school basketball at the rec center up the street. You should come see the kids play. They’re good.”
The server returns and places our meals in front of us. We thank him respectfully.
Before popping a fry in my mouth, I glance at Rick. “I’ll have to come to the next game.”
The server approaches, setting a strawberry cheesecake shake before me.
I lick my lips. “I didn’t order this,” I say.
“It’s from the gentleman in the booth by the window.”
I turn my head to the right. Sawyer lounges in the green booth, his back against the window, one long leg stretched across the seat. He raises two fingers to his temple in a casual salute.
His brown hair is perfectly styled, those pink lips unbearably kissable, and his stormy gray eyes silently telling me he wants to knot me tonight.
“Shit,” I whisper under my breath.
I pick up the drink and glance at Sawyer. “Thank you.”
Instead of engaging more with Sawyer, I turn my attention back to Rick.
The nerve of him to show up here and send over my favorite milk shake. I chose a chocolate milk shake tonight precisely to avoid dwelling on all those good times the guys and I shared at the diner by our high school.
“Is he your friend?” Rick asks.
I shrug nonchalantly. “Yeah, we went to high school together.”
“You say that like it’s nothing. He’s a part of the Barclay pack and a wide receiver for Greywood Panthers. Which makes him one of the most popular guys in school.”
I rub my brow. “Are you a fan?”
“Yes, he and his pack helped our football team win the championship last year.”
At this point I’d lost my appetite, but I tore into my burger anyway. I wasn’t going to give Sawyer the satisfaction of ruining my date. Even though that’s what he was here to do.
I continue to talk to Rick like I can’t feel Sawyers eyes burning a hole in the side of my face.
Rick looks past me at Sawyer for the hundredth time.
“Would you like to meet my friend?”
His gray eyes light up. “That would be great.”
