“I’ll add three of these to the order, please.”
“You got it.” I plucked two more out of the box and we went out onto the floor to put all the pillows in her cart.
Now that her work was complete, she got chatty about herself while we took everything up to the front to ring it up. She told me about her new horseback riding lessons and how she’d had to lie to Tyler so he wouldn’t be a jackass about it.
“He hates you doing such simple things. I don’t get it. I’d say yes to everything ever if it meant getting to see your smile all the time.”
That last part was supposed to be in my head.
Madison squeaked, staring at me for a long moment, and I prayed that some god would open up the floor and let it swallow me.
Eventually, she replied, “I don’t get it either. I’ve been so fucking accommodating and he always finds something new to be upset about.” She sighed, fidgeting with one of the blankets she laid on the counter. “I’m getting tired of it.”
Oh. My. God. Fuckingred alert! She’d been complaining about Tyler and his ridiculousness for years, but this was the first time she’d ever gotten close to indicating she was done with his shit.
“I’m going to ask him to marry me.”
My face fell. What the actual fuck? “Um, why?”
“It’s embarrassing being a girlfriend for this long. If I’m going to put up with his silly rules, I should at least get the title of wife out of it.”
Goddamn. So close.
“Why hasn’t he asked you already?”
“I don’t know. Am I not wifey material?”
That was the cruelest question she could’ve asked, because I would wife her up in a hot second. “You would be to the right people.”
She sighed again and stared down at her purchases, nudging one closer for me to ring up. “I don’t understand. You would think after a decade he’d know if he wants to bond me or not.”
I bit my tongue, not saying that hedidknow and that was why he hadn’t already. Fury swelled in my gut. That asshole had this fucking goddess hooked on him and he didn’t even want her.
I rang up a few more items, lost in my own head. I didn’t want to be one of those guys trying to convince someone they would treat them better. She had to know. At the very least she enjoyed my company, otherwise she wouldn’t seek me out, but it wasn’t enough for her to break free.
Maybe Nathan would have better luck. I didn’t know him that well yet, but honestly, anyone was better than Tyler. If she was actually happy with someone, I wouldn’t have to twist myself up in damn knots every time I saw her. I hated knowing she wasn’t getting what she deserved in life, and the only thing I could do about it was try to make her smile on the days that I saw her.
“Do you think I’m dumb?” she asked quietly.
“What? No! Why would you ask?”
“I know that no one likes him. I mean, some people do, but no one who’s friends with me. He saved me from worse and I… I need to make it work and I don’t know how.” Her eyes shone with tears and I slipped around the counter to pull her into my arms.
“Hey, it’s okay.”
It wasn’t, but saying so wouldn’t help. Her fingers curled into my shirt and she pressed her forehead to my chest. Her shoulders shook as she sniffled away. “I shouldn’t have gone to my lesson. It’s making me think stupid things.”
“What do you mean?” I took advantage of this rare opportunity and let my cheek rest on the top of her head.
“So, you know how Tyler didn’t want me to have any men or alphas teaching me?”
“A ridiculous rule, but yes.”
“I think my instructor might be a scent match and it’s fucking with my head. He’s so sweet and patient with me, and he listens to everything I say without rolling his eyes. And then I go home and Tyler doesn’t doanyof that. I don’t know what to do.”
I soaked up her words, this information rocking me down to my toes. A scent match. I wouldn’t be able to compete with that even if she did leave Tyler. “Has your scent match said what he wants to do?”
She shook her head, tucking tighter against me. “He doesn’t know. I switched from blockers to a neutralizing wash but I’ve been too chicken to see him again since doing that.”
