I dropped the car off at the apartment, not wanting to deal with my brothers, and left the keys on the seat. It wasn’t like anybody was going to steal it. If anything, people would feel bad for me and give me keys to a new car. I ran in the back door just as my shift was supposed to begin.
“Sorry, Gary, I overslept.”
“You look like you slept well.”
“Yeah, I did.” I didn’t ask if I normally looked like garbage because Gary was honest and he’d tell me. I really didn’t want the answer. I was pretty much guaranteed to get a bad one.
“Thank you for working all day yesterday,” he said.
“Anytime.”
We started it off like a normal shift with me frying eggs, making hash browns, trying to be creative with the pancakes, and Gary and Layla delivering them with a smile. But today was different. Every once in a while, Gary would come in and pepper me with questions, catching me just off guard enough that I’d answer. That was probably his plan.
So, did you stay at the motel last night?
Gabe, that’s your alpha’s name, right?
He’s not from around here, is he?
He didn’t even play it nonchalant, and, by the time I was getting ready to switch over to the lunch crowd, he knew where I went, who I went with, that my brothers were aware of all of this, that he was in town “for a while,” and that we’d spent the night together but not done anything. That part, I tacked on, not because I thought he’d be judgy if I had gotten wild with him but because I was disappointed and whiny about it. “What do youthink a while means?” I finally asked, having spent far too much time thinking about it.
“You mean, in the context of your alpha?”
“He’s not my alpha,” I said for the third time, and once again, it felt like a lie. “But yes, I mean about that.”
“I think it means he doesn’t want to leave you any more than you want him to leave you.”
Chapter Twelve
Gabe
After Temple went to work, I texted my father and asked him to find out about the Deepwell pack and whatever had fractured this family away from it. Not long after, one of the betas sent me all the information. My heart fell.
I did some more research, only confirming what I’d already learned. As long as he was with me, I’d take care of him, treat him like the prince he was, but he’d already been through so much.
A few hours later, I showed up at the diner.
“Coming home with me, Temple?” I asked when he came out from behind the counter. “Or would you like me to take you somewhere else?”
“Home…funny how the motel feels more like one than the house I share with my brothers.”
Because you’re my mate.
But I didn’t say that, of course. “Why don’t you order us some lunch, and we’ll take it to go? Or we can pick up some fried chicken if you prefer?”
He licked his lips. “I haven’t been to Fred’s except one time. Since I get free food at the diner, I try not to spend the money.”
“Then Fred’s it is. Light meat or dark?”
We got in my car and headed for the stand while Temple went back and forth on what parts of the chicken he wanted. I ordered a bucket with sides. The room had a small refrigerator, and we’d be able to snack on whatever was left later.
As soon as we got into the room, I laid out all the food on the table. He suggested taking a shower, but I suggested eating first, since it was a greasy lunch and he might as well get cleaned up once.
We sat down and ate. Not so much greasy, but it was sure juicy. The mac and cheese was rich, the slaw creamy, and the biscuits light and fluffy.
“Fred deserved all the 5-star reviews,” I groaned, unbuttoning the top button of my jeans.
“No way. That would draw foodies, and he’d raise the prices.” Temple pushed to his feet. “I’d better take that shower and get the work grease and the lunch grease off me before I stink the joint up.”
