“Please,Brooks, may I have a hug?”
“Of course, Riley,” I say, uncrossing my arms and holding them open for him. He steps into me, then sinks into my embrace, melting into my chest as I close my arms around him. I bend down to scent mark the top of his head, though it won’t do much with the dampeners, and he nuzzles into me. I know it’s early to be scent-marking already, but it feels right.
I wish I could mark Sage, too.
Then I look up to see her watching us, a look of wary uncertainty on her face. I wink at her and smile, letting her know all of that was good, and she shyly smiles back. When Riley pulls away, I reach a hand out for Sage.
“I’d scent-mark you too, Petal, but…”
“Yeah, I know,” she says with a frown.
Riley looks between us, but doesn’t comment. He picks up where he left off, offering to take some pictures of us in the lavender field. He uses my phone to take a couple, but Sage is clearly unused to being in front of a camera like this. I sense her scent shifting again, so I wave Riley over.
“How about a selfie of all three of us?” I say, taking the phone from Riley and holding it out. I crouch down, then angle it so I can fit us all in the frame, and snap the picture. Ishow it to both of them, noticing the small smile on Sage’s face as she inspects it.
Then I tuck it in my pocket, and we continue walking.
Riley chatters about the farm, about the bees and butterflies that visit the farm, about running the gift shop and the challenges of training new staff each summer. I’m content to listen, offering responses when it doesn’t seem like Sage will, but mostly I let the two of them bond.
She needs this, and although it was supposed to be our date, I’m more than pleased with this turn of events.
We walk and talk for about an hour before I can see Sage starting to tire. I know for a fact the only exercise she gets is a measly twenty minute walk every day, and she often spends it wandering slowly to enjoy her moments of freedom.
“Do you have any snacks or anything to drink?” I ask Riley during a break in their chatter. Sage’s eyes light up before she tenses, caution entering her stance. I don’t know what that’s about, but I’ll find out at some point.
“Oh, yeah! We have a few things for sale, but we also have an employee break area, and Neveah always brings snacks. Let’s go see what we can find.”
Riley scrounges up a decent pile of options for us, pulling a couple bags of chips from a cupboard, a trio of bananas, and some cans of pop. As soon as he sets his haul down on the outdoor picnic table in front of us, Sage’s stomach rumbles.
She doesn’t reach for any of it, though.
I frown, picking up a banana and a bag of chips to offer to her.
“Are you hungry, Petal?”
She nods, and I let it slide this time. Something’s not right, and my alpha is riding me to feed her, care for her, protect her. I pop open the single serving bag and set it in front of her, then start a rip on top of the banana and lay that down infront of her too. She stares at the food items, then looks between me and Riley.
Maybe she’s self-conscious about eating?
I pick up a banana for myself and peel it, taking a big bite as I turn to face Riley, removing my direct attention from Sage, but still watching her from the corner of my eye. She nervously tucks a lock of hair behind her ear, eyes locked on the food in front of her.
“I hoped there were some donuts left, but those always get taken first thing,” Riley says, snagging the other bag of chips and popping one in their mouth.
As soon as Riley starts eating, Sage picks up the banana and takes a small bite, chewing slowly as though to savor it. She doesn’t look at either of our faces, but her eyes keep darting between us as we all eat.
I don’t like it. Whatever this is, I don’t like it at all.
“How long have you worked here, Riley?”
“Ah, huh, good question. Let’s see, I started as temporary summer staff the year after I graduated high school, and then they kept me on after the busy season ended. Neveah didn’t own the place then, but she bought it… I don’t know, maybe a year later? Something like that. Anyway, I think I was nineteen when I started, so I’ve been here about five years now.”
“I take it you like it, then,” I say with a smile.
“I love it, yeah. What do you do for work?”
We seem to have both realized Sage is out for the count for now, and we let her eat in peace.
“I’m a landscaper, actually. I have my own business, just me though, no employees. I mostly do yard work for people.”
