My brain stuttered. “What?”
“Are you hungry? I was going to try out one of the new recipes.”
Lucy wanted to make me pancakes. Lucy just invitedmeto herhomeand wanted to make mepancakes?
“I already ate,” I blurted out.
Her smile faltered, but I was already unlocking my shop door.“Gotta go do the flower arranging.” I gave her an awkward wave over my shoulder as I slipped inside.
I sank to the floor, my heart pounding like I’d run a race. My leg shook from exertion, but my mind was too consumed by the omega next door to care.
I kept repeating the facts in my head like I was trying to solve a complicated word problem: Lucy + cane = pancake invitation?
Was it because she felt sorry for me, or did she actually want to spend time with me? My head fell back against my door with athump, and I rubbed my hand across my face. I’d kept the gorgeous omega at arm’s length since moving in, convinced I needed to wait until I permanently ditched my cane to ask her out. But now that future wasn’t coming, and I didn’t know what to do.
I opened my eyes and shouted when I found Felix sitting right in front of me.
“What the fuck!” I grabbed my chest, my heart racing. “How do you do this?” I looked around as if I would finally find the magical portal he was using to get into my store. “Also, what are you wearing?” My brow furrowed as I took in his rainbow-striped knit sweater and matching bow tie. He raised a menacing paw and bopped me on the nose. I guessed I deserved that. “I’m sorry, you just startled me. And your outfit looks great,” I quickly added to appease him. Felix’s expression stayed disapproving.
A miserable stone of regret weighed heavy in my stomach. “I’ve fucked up, haven’t I?”
Parisa kept pressing me to ask Lucy out, but she didn’t understand. Lucy was so far out of my league, it wasn’t funny. She was beautiful, sweet, and talented. But more than that, she was an omega, which meant she needed alphas. Why would she waste time with a beta, especially a weak one like me, when she could get any guy she wanted?
But then…in my desperation to avoid disappointment, I had been the one rejectingher. Lucy had invited me to hang out so many times these past couple of months, and I had refused every invitation because I didn’t want her to find out I used a cane.
In my quest to make myself worthy of her, I’d pushed her away.
I was at a crossroads. I needed to either stop pining after her and move on, or I could get over myself and try to court her, cane and all. And since the only way I’d be able to move on from her would be to literally slice out my heart, I was left with one option.
“Can you help me, Felix? You and Lucy spend a lot of time together. You know what she likes.”
The cat puffed up, looking distinguished and even proud in his rainbow sweater.
I took a shuddering breath, desperately hoping it wasn’t too late. There was no reason for her to give me another chance after I’d pushed her away so many times, but I would never forgive myself if I didn’t try. For Lucy, I would risk it all.
3
Lucy
HoroscopePisces
Pisces, this is your year for all kinds of love! Embrace your sexy side, follow your intuition, and take the big leaps you’ve held yourself back from. If not now, when?
Olive rolled up in frontof my store—Summer, Ivy, and Felix in tow—in a golf cart exploding with flower garlands.
“Hop on in, birthday girl!” she shouted. Summer and Ivy cheered and blew noisemakers—the ones with the ribbons that unfurled when you blew into them. They were all wearing party hats, Felix included. I laughed at his grumpy expression.
Summer hopped out and placed a sash that saidBirthday Girlacross my body with a flourish before pulling me in a tight hug. “Come on! We have birthday shenanigans planned.”
“I feel like the shenanigans have already started.” I climbed into the passenger seat and Felix hopped onto my lap. “Isn’t this Stanley’s golf cart?”
“What the mayor doesn’t know won’t hurt him,” Olive said.
Felix let out a loudmeowand Olive’s lips parted. “I mean the imposter mayor! The fake one! Thetruemayor is here with us and he told me it was okay to borrow it!”
“You might want to sleep with one eye open,” Summer said in a stage whisper.
“Felix knows we all follow his rule of law.” I gave him a forehead kiss.
