We came out of our rooms at the same time and I waved my hand, letting him pass in front of me. I had a hidden agenda. It was the gentlemanly thing to do and I was a gentleman. But also, I wanted him to walk in front of me so that my panther could capture his scent with his more powerful senses.
“Thank you,” he muttered and began to descend the stairs in front of me. His jeans fit him very well but as he turned to descend the second flight, I turned to the stained glass window and pretended that it had drawn my attention instead of Bowen’s ass.
His low chuckle told me I hadn’t gotten away with anything of the sort.
“I need a bit of help in the kitchen, would one of you mind?” Franklin asked. He appeared in the doorway just as I was about to strike up a conversation with the omega. My heart skipped a beat realizing that all we had were two full days and tonight toget to know each other and find out if this matchmaking charade was real.
“I’ll help,” Bowen offered and followed Franklin into the kitchen, leaving me to entertain myself. I looked out the back window and saw a fantasy garden on the other side of the glass.
Either the owner of this place had a full-time gardener, or he had a remarkable green thumb. The view of blooming flowers drew me outside where I breathed in the fresh air. There was no way in hell I could ever work in an office. There were some people that could, but I needed the sun on my face and the breeze blowing at my skin. The feel of dirt on my hands and the soreness that came from having a physical job.
I bounced down the back porch steps and kicked off my shoes, wanting to feel the budding grass underneath my feet. There was still a chill in the air but it would be gone soon, lending the year to the spring. My panther chuffed at me, wanting to shift, but this time was for me.
I gave myself a tour of the garden and backyard. He had a hammock and a large swing, along with a cooking station with a grill and a propane pizza oven. To the right, at a distance from the house, there was a firepit surrounded by Adirondack chairs, and I found myself smiling at the marshmallow roasting sticks. How many couples had shared time around that firepit knowing or not knowing that the person next to them was their mate?
My thoughts drifted back to Bowen as I took the entrance to a path marked with a sign painted by hand on a piece of random wood. Everything here was quaint and had its own character.
How strange to know that Franklin or Franklin’s gift gathered us together here, sure we’d been fated to be mates.
Other than his good looks, I didn’t even know the basics. How old was he? Where did he work? Did he want a family?
Did he care that I had a small, slow life? Would he want to live that life with me?
I stopped next to a patch of lingering crocuses. Pretty little flowers that flourished in winter but often lasted well into spring. I bent to touch the purple petals and yellow center. They were beautiful, but I thought that far away from the house, they must be volunteer flowers.
Was I being too selfish, asking an omega to join me in my life instead of bending to the will of my omega? Was my lifestyle so important that I was unwilling to mesh with theirs?
Yes and no. Yes, because I loved my life and there wasn’t much about it that I would ever change. Also no. If I moved to a city or a suburb, it wouldn’t be long before resentment grew. I would stay because my fated mate was there but dislike my life.
I let my shoulders drop. Maybe I would get to know Bowen and want to uproot everything to be with him.
My thoughts were getting ahead of reality. I laughed. This was the most stressed I’d been in a while, and this should be the happiest time of my life.
Whirling around, I decided to face my future head-on. Meandering through a garden wasn’t going to accomplish anything.
I emerged from the line of trees to find Bowen on the porch, laughing at something Franklin said. The sound rang in my ears and connected with my animal. We wanted to make our mate laugh like that.
This all seemed so quick and at the same time, not fast enough.
That was when I decided. I would enjoy this weekend and be the decent alpha I always had been. I had no frills or exciting things to share about my life but, if given the chance with my fated mate, I would love him with my whole heart.
That had to count for something, right?
Chapter Eight
Bowen
I arrived downstairs a little early, with the intent to see if I could be of any help with dinner preparations. Franklin’s policy of not charging for these weekends was so kind that I wanted to show my gratitude. Plus…the alpha made me nervous. Not because he’d done or said anything wrong, just that it felt like so much was at stake. Was he my mate? I sure hoped so, and my wolf was sure of it. The alpha happened to come out at the same time, but I followed Frankline in to help in the kitchen at his request.
When I entered the kitchen, Franklin was putting a covered pan back into the oven, the scent of roasting beef and spices making my stomach grumble. “Oh my goodness, is that for us?”Duh.
“I enjoy cooking for my guests on the weekends. Did you have a nice rest?” He closed the oven and hung the hot pads on hooks next to it.
“A short one. I hoped I might be able to help you with the dinner?”
“How sweet of you, but it’s basically doing its own thing for now. Why don’t we go out on the porch and have a cold drink until it’s time to mash the potatoes?”
“If you’re sure there’s nothing I can do,” And since he had asked for help I was a bit confused. But…maybe the older man forgot. “I would love some of that iced tea you mentioned before.”
