He was back today—wearing a black long-sleeved shirt and low-slung work pants that made me feel the same squirmy, needy feeling I’d had in the movie theater. I wished I could forget the way his thick fingers felt inside me, the sound he’d made when he came. I cupped my burning cheeks with my hands. The two of us needed to talk. Lars and Easton were convinced Finn wanted to court me, but I had my doubts and refused to come between them.
Neither Easton nor Lars had knocked on my door this morning. I tried and failed not to overanalyze it. Was it because Finn was with them? Or had they changed their minds about me?
I took a fortifying breath and did one last check in the mirror. Today was my lunch with Lucy, Summer, and Ivy. It was a brisk day, the cold seeping into my old house, but my anxiety meant I was already sweating. My omega wanted—Iwanted—to run to the lighthouse and get reassurance from my alphas. I wanted them to wrap me in their arms and tell me I could totally do this—benormaland make friends—but I didn’t want to come off as too needy. So I quietly slipped out my front door and headed around the side of the house to get my bike.
And came to a sudden stop.
Where the old, rusted bike usually sat, there was a gorgeous, brand new dark red bicycle. It was beautiful and shiny and had the cutest basket attached to the front. A basket Felix was currently sitting in.
My heart pounded, and I looked over my shoulder to see if the gift-giver was there, but there was no one.
Meow.
Well, no one besides Felix.
I reached out to scratch him on the chin. “Did you get this for me?”
Felix cocked his head as if sayingI am, in fact, a cat.
I grinned. Easton or Lars must have gotten it for me, and that made me want to break out in a dance because this had to be a courting gift. Right? Ithadto be.
I ran my fingers down the beautiful, glossy paint and then got on, wiggling my butt when I realized the seat was the perfect height for me. Felix meowed sternly, batting his paw at the brand-new helmet hanging from one of the handles.
I frowned. “Felix, that will absolutelyruinmy hair.” But he wouldn’t budge. I put the helmet on with a huff, buckling the strap under my chin. “Happy now?”
He curled up in the basket, the satisfied look on his face remaining our entire trip into town.
I parked outside Rosie’s Cafe, and Felix stretched before jumping out of the basket. “You’re welcome for the ride,” I called out after him as he strutted away.
I turned to face the restaurant and then screamed when Stanley appeared in front of me.
“Good afternoon, Ms. Harvest,” he exclaimed. He was wearing a knitted gray vest, and his white hair was combed back and gelled.
I clutched at my chest, heart pounding. “Umm, hi.”
“I’m so glad I ran into you. I’ve been meaning to talk to you about your role in the upcoming Harvest Festival.”
My anxiety was making it hard to track what he was saying. “My… role?”
“Yes, indeed. We pride ourselves on our festivals here in Starlight Grove, and our Harvest Festival is one of our top ten most important festivals of the year! Town member participation is essential.”
“Oh, I don’t think?—”
“And I think with a name like yours, this is destiny. Can I put you down to run a craft booth? You do know a craft, right? And, of course, there’s the crowning of the Harvest Queen. It’s the most important part of the festival, and again, with a name like yours?—”
“Ahh, Stanley! You’re not cornering our sweet Olive, are you?” I jolted as Summer appeared at my side. Our only in-person interaction had been when I rudely shut my door on her, but it didn’t seem like she held it against me when she looped her arm with mine.
Stanley looked perturbed at the interruption to his monologue. “We were just talking about the Harvest?—”
“Harvest Festival,” Summer said, cutting him off. “Yes, yes, very important.” She cleared her throat. “Must get all omegas to make feminine crafts.” Summer spoke the words in a robotic tone that made me laugh. “But we really must be going.” She pulled me away from a protesting Stanley and didn’t release me until we were safely inside the diner.
“Stanley and his festivals,” Summer said, rolling her eyes and guiding me to a large table. “Char! We’re grabbing the window table.”
“Like I care!” a woman shouted back.
I raised my eyebrows, but Summer looked completely unbothered as she sat down.
“Now, the trick is to always check your surroundings before youcome to a stop anywhere in town because Stanley is always waiting to pounce. And then, if he does track you down, you just need to run away as fast as you can.”
