“Nope.” I overpronounced the P. “It’s our house now. Come on. Let’s go in.”
We left his bags in the car and walked inside. I had plants everywhere but opted to let them run wild instead of makingbeds and keeping them in pots. Seeing them grow unbridled made it feel more natural. I could have a completely landscaped lawn, but for my personal home, I preferred it more…feral.
We walked into the house and he looked around. My panther stirred, wondering what he thought of our home. If our mate didn’t like it, I would build something else. I wasn’t married to this place, especially if our mate didn’t want to live here.
“It’s beautiful, alpha,” he turned to face me.
“Are you sure? You can change whatever you like. I don’t…” I scratched the back of my head, more vulnerable than I remembered being in a long time.
“I might change a few things over time, but it’s really lovely.”
I let out a long sigh of relief. “I was afraid you wouldn’t like it.”
“And then what would happen?”
“We would build something else. Something you liked. I don’t care where we live as long as you are there with me.”
He came over and melted into my arms. “I feel the same way, Remi. Wherever you are is home. When I went back to my place after the inn, well, none of it felt like home anymore.”
His stomach growled, making us both laugh. “Time to feed my mate,” I said.
In anticipation of having him here, I’d put a beef roast in the Crock-Pot, along with vegetables. While I cooked, Bowen took his shoes off and relaxed on the couch, but I felt his eyes on me.
“See something you like?” I asked, putting the biscuits in the oven.
“Very much. After we eat, I’d love the full tour. Bedroom included. Oh, that reminds me. I should go get my bags.”
I turned around and leaned on the counter. “Won’t be much need for clothes tonight, omega.”
While we ate, he expressed concern over living here with me and not having an income. It didn’t bother me in the least, but I knew my omega was independent and wanted to contribute financially to the household. I respected him for that.
“You’ll find something. You’re smart and responsible. You have experience. Like I said, there are tons of parks around here.”
“You’re more confident than me.” He leaned back, patting his tummy. Good. My mate was full.
Chapter Eighteen
Bowen
Once I’d gotten settled in Remi’s or should I remember to say even in my thoughts,ourcabin, it was time to look around for a job. My alpha had reminded me that I was welcome to work with him, and I actually did go in sometimes, especially when he had a big sale or things were particularly busy, but my pride demanded that I still find my own work.
Applications for anything that would be covered by my degree, experience, and qualifications were long and detailed. And few positions of the kind were currently available—as I’d feared. But I didn’t have much else to do but fill them out, so I decided that was my job. And I did it a minimum of eight hours per day with coffee breaks and lunch. It made me feel better about not pulling my weight.
I cleaned and cooked and did anything I could think of to make my alpha’s life run smoothly, but still… Nobody was paying me for that, and as a small business man, albeit successful, my mate didn’t have money to throw around.
Three months in, the stress was getting to me. The days were getting warmer, and the cabin never seemed to cool off all the way at night. We had AC, but Remi didn’t seem bothered by the temperature, and I didn’t want to be the whiner.
Of all the applications, the one for the state parks held the most interest for me. They were establishing a native plant program, and while I had never run one myself, my botany minor didn’t hurt. I’d never used it before to try to get a job, so it was kind of fun to list it. But that had been the first application and after hearing nothing for so long, I had decided it just wasn’t going to happen.
Lying in bed one morning, after my alpha headed off to the nursery, I was about ready to broaden my search. Maybe it wouldn’t be something perfect for me, but I could do just about anything for a while. Most people had imperfect positions, and attitude was the most important thing, right? My ranger job had been incredible, but my unemployment was running out and I had to do something. Sitting up, I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood up. Fast. Too fast. Head spinning, I plopped back to sit down. Waiting until the dizziness passed, I tried again, more slowly. “I’ve got to stop doing that.” But even that careful rise had me nauseous. Stress really was eating me alive.
That settled it. I would absolutely get a job today, whatever it took. But I only made it as far as the bathroom before I ended up hunched over the porcelain basin, emptying what little remained in my stomach from my late-night snack.
“Bowen?” My alpha’s voice cut through the misery that returned every time I tried to lift my head. “Omega, what’s wrong?”
“I think it’s stress. My stomach is just so bad.” I tried to stand again, making it halfway up before my alpha’s supportive arms closed around me.
“If I help, can you make it to the bedroom?”
