I didn’t cry.
I was close.
In the end, I shook that fine man’s hand and thanked him. He promised to visit the shop when it was open. I promised to let him know.
Then we all three went to lunch, and I was so glad not just for the fact that I had my parts but that the world sometimes could be a good place.Just look at Oakley.
Chapter Twelve
Oakley
“What’s that?” I asked, pointing to the cargo truck parallel parking outside the shop. The walls were painted. The black-and-white checkered flooring was in and looked amazing. The freezers were ready.
Auburn was in the back cooking up a crazy new top-secret flavor.
But I smelled chocolate. The man knew the way to my heart.
“What’s what?” he asked, popping his head out of the back.
“That big truck? Is that for us, I mean, you?”
“We don’t have any deliveries scheduled today, but maybe. Let’s go find out.”
Let’s. We. Us. Ours.Those were common words between us lately. We walked outside as the driver got out with a clipboard in hand. “Auburn James?”
“That’s me. What is this?”
A white box truck with no signage, there was no indication of who they represented. “I’m here to deliver four signs and two neons. That’s what the order says. I’m not with the company, just the delivery driver.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
Auburn helped the man unload everything and signed for the delivery. We stood in the shop, which smelled like chocolate and something else I couldn’t put my finger on. Auburn had his hands on his hips, and I really wanted them to be my hands instead. The more time I spent with Auburn, the more I wanted him. Part of that was pure biology. My bear.
But most of it was just him. He was so damned easy to love. And there was something about his hard work, his discipline, and control in all things that was sexy as hell.
“Aren’t you going to open them?” I asked, standing next to him.
“You know what’s weird? I’m scared.”
That shook me. This big, gorgeous, solid alpha was scared? “Why?”
“Because this makes it real.”
I realized then that the alpha was shaking. I reached out and wrapped my arms around his middle. “Doesn’t scared mean you’re stepping into something real? You’ve got skin in the game. This means something. Something big. Scared means you’re headed in the right direction.”
“Do you think so?”
I nodded as he pulled me in tighter against his side. “I do.”
“You know, I think I could do anything with you by my side. You make me feel ten feet tall.”
Snorting, I snuggled in even closer. “That would make this hug really awkward. You’ve worked so hard, alpha. Come on. Let’s see it.”
He opened the boxes. The first two were the menu. I honestly expected spelling errors. No one was perfect, but there were none. Ten flavors would always be available. The rest were up to the chef, Auburn. He would create recurring flavors and seasonal favorites but for the most part, whatever he wanted.
He called it the fun part.
The neon signs would hang in the front window. One stated the hours the shop was open, and the other was the cutest ice cream cone that flashed in all the colors of the rainbow.
