“You don’t know my brother. He doesn’t really talk or open up. I used to think it was an über thing.” He tosses a glance over his shoulder at Rourke. “But that one’s not like Mason, so I don’t know.”
That means Mason opening up to me last night was a strange encounter indeed. If the alpha doesn’t normally open up toanyone, including family, why would he say all that to me? I know I kind of spilled my guts to him before, but… well, all that has been weighing on me since forever. I didn’t tell him that just to get him to open up to me.
“Give him some time,” I say. “Let him know you’re there, ready to listen, whenever he’s ready. That’s about all you can do.”
He sighs. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
“So tell me about this lake we’re going to.”
Asher launches into a full-blown speech about this lake, how he and his family always visited it multiple times when they came up here, regardless of the season. In winter, it froze over and made the perfect ice skating rink. In the summer, AKA right now, it was the perfect fishing spot—also the only fishing spot on their vast property. It sounds as if he has countless happy memories here, and it makes me wistful.
If only I had special memories like that, traditions that happened year after year, holiday after holiday. Honestly, I barely remember the time before the accident. It’s like my brain purposefully blocked all of those happy memories out, knowing I’d never be that happy ever again. Having them within mental reach would only hurt me in the end.
The lake is a mile or so hike from the house. It takes us about fifteen or twenty minutes to reach it with a walking pace. I’m sure if I wasn’t slowing down the two alphas with my short stature, they could’ve made it much faster.
When we emerge from the forest and I see the lake for the first time, my breath catches as my gaze surveys the area.
The sun sparkles, reflecting on the smooth, calm surface of the water, not a ripple in sight. It’s no pond. It’s a huge lake full of pebbles of all sizes—and the water? The water is the clearest water I’ve ever seen in my life. A small dock is built on the side ofthe lake closest to where we emerge, and it stretches out over the water a good twenty or thirty feet.
Rourke sets the picnic basket down, along with the blanket, while Asher and I venture toward the dock.
Once we reach the edge of the dock, I peer over at the water. Since it’s so clear, it looks like the bottom is right there, a foot or so beneath the surface of the water. An optical illusion if I have to guess, as there’s no way it’s that shallow this far out.
Fish hover near the dock, ignoring our presence entirely. With the water as crystal clear as it is, I can see each fin, their eyes, even the scales on their bodies. It’s absolutely insane.
“Wow,” I say once I straighten out. “It’s beautiful.”
“Yeah, it is.”
I glance at him when he says that and find Asher staring directly at me. Heat creeps up my cheeks, and I quickly look away and bite my bottom lip, wondering if I’m reading too much into it. After that dream, after last night… I don’t know that I can trust myself with any of them, honestly. It’s not a good thing to admit.
Rourke joins us on the dock. “Bet this place has wicked fishing potential.”
Asher turns to him. “You fish?”
“Years ago, when I was a kid. Haven’t picked up a rod in I can’t remember how long.” The über chuckles. “It’s been my mom and me for a while, and after she got sick a few years back… well, even before that, fishing wasn’t exactly her forte.”
“I didn’t know your mom is sick,” I say.
“She’s better now, but… I don’t think she trusts she’s in remission.” His blue eyes are on me when he says, “It’s why I went to the Omega Garden that night, to make her happy. She’s dying for a grandkid or two. I’ve never really cared either way, but… she sacrificed a lot for me throughout the years. I’d like to make sure she’s happy before she—if it comes back.”
Out of everything he could’ve said, I wasn’t expecting any of that. It’s why it takes me so long to say, “That’s actually really sweet.” He’s a momma’s boy, one of the good ones, not one of the ones who only want a mate to replace their omega mother. There are horror stories about those types of alphas.
“You know,” Asher says, “there are some fishing rods at the cabin. I could run back and grab some. We could do some fishing.”
“Might be fun,” Rourke says.
“You two go,” I say, sinking down to sit on the edge of the dock. I take my shoes off, then my socks, and I roll up my pant legs as far up as I can get them. “I’ll stay right here. I promise I won’t move a muscle.”
“I don’t think so,” Rourke says. “You won’t be staying here alone.”
Asher says, “It’s fine. I know where they are. I’ll grab ‘em and come back. It won’t take too long.” He looks at me. “Want me to grab anything else while I’m there?” Once I give him a shake of my head, he heads off, leaving Rourke and I on the dock.
Rourke sits beside me, although he does not take off his shoes. He simply watches as I bring my bare feet to the water—and laughs when I suck in a hard breath once they’re submerged. The air is perfect, but the temperature of the water is a bit chilly.
Eh, I’ll get used to it.
“Asher seems like a decent kid,” he remarks.
