“Okay,” she says, then shuts the door in my face.
I blink, amusement and consternation swirling through me. “Okay… You’ll eat?” I call.
“I’ll eat,” she calls back. “But don’t come in yet!”
I hurry back to the kitchen to see Brooks pacing around the counter.
“I thought you left for work?”
“Came home to check on her.” His voice is gruff, and he scrubs a hand down his face. “Heard you up there. Any luck?”
“She said she’ll eat, but not to come in yet.”
He perks up at that, and we both rush around the kitchen to put a plate together for her. A deli sandwich, a banana, astack of apple slices, a pickle, some extra cheese, two cookies from the bakery—Brooks and his mushy heart—and a cold bottle of water.
I take the tray up and knock on the door. “Your food is ready!”
“You can set it out there!” she replies.
I huff a laugh under my breath, then tsk. “Don’t think so, sweet girl. I’ll turn around so I don’t see anything, but you’re going to open the door and take at least one bite of something so I can report back to Brooks.”
“Fine,” she huffs behind the door, and I spin around, putting my back to it. Then it opens, I hear the crunch of an apple slice, and the door closes firmly again.
Then a sweet, muffled “Thank you, alpha” from the other side of the door.
“You’re welcome, Sage.” I smile, my nerves settling in my chest. “I can’t wait to see it when you’re ready to show us.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Sage
It has to be perfect. These alphas are under some delusion that I’m a good omega, and this is my chance to prove it to them. The wallpaper wasn’t too hard to get up once I figured it out. It’s peel and stick, so as soon as Vee brought me a ladder, it went up relatively painlessly with only a few mishaps.
I texted the group chat a request for a drill this morning, and it was delivered to my door with a box of nails, a box of screws, and a set of drill bits. I didn’t actually know how to use any of them, but there were instructions on the curtain rods we got, and I read them carefully before proceeding.
The curtains were hung by the time Vee finally convinced me to take a food break. Turns out, she was right, and I’m re-energized after stuffing my face with the best lunch I’ve ever had. I stick the empty tray back outside my door, wipe up the dust from drilling, then hang the ceiling drapes and twinkle lights. As soon as I’m done with the ladder, I shove it outside the door too, then wipe everything down again.
Next, I tackle the bedding. I huff as I tug it onto the recessed mattress, but once it’s on, I sigh as I take in the prettymidnight blue color. It’s all coming together, my restlessness is starting to settle as the nest takes shape around me. I prop a bunch of pillows around the walls, then wrinkle my nose when I step back to look. They’re not right, so I rearrange them, fluffing and trying out different combinations until my inner omega is happy.
The blankets come next, and I let my instincts guide me as I shuffle around, twisting and pulling, tucking and tugging, rearranging until they all feel right.
I place the croissant from Riley front and center, but I don’t like how out in the open it is there.
Too vulnerable.
I snag it and tuck it into a stack of pillows along the side so it’s peeking out. Sitting back on my heels, I nod. Much better.
Then I do the same with my lamb stuffy on the other side of the bed.
Last, I pull out my bag of trinkets. The gifts from Brooks during all of my walks. I smile as I take each one out, stroking and petting them, letting the early memories of our courting flit through my mind.
There’s a set of small shelves on the wall by the bathroom, and I bite my lip as I place each item. The grass heart, now faded and brittle, I handle with care. The sparkly pink rock, a tiny pressed daisy, and the string of crystal beads he told me were for protection.
They all get a place of honor on the shelf where I can see them from anywhere in the room.
The phone I still use all the time, and the locket from Neveah is normally around my neck now that I can wear it without fear of it being taken from me.
When everything is where it should be, I heave an exhausted sigh, then stand back to take in my new nest.
