“We should probably try to get some sleep, then,” I suggest and I watch her bite her lip, hating myself for planting doubt in her head. I just keep mucking this up by trying to do everything right.
“Yeah, it’s been a long day,” she agrees, slipping past my arm. “See you in the morning.”
The door closes softly behind her as I thump my head against the counter, chastising myself for being such a complete idiot and screwing things up. I was so worried that she’d reject me, I pushed her away to brace for the blow, fucking things up from the get-go.
I have my fated mate riding my face, and I still manage to make her think that I don’t want to be with her. They probably make awards for people that fuck up this epically.
Eleven
Esmerelda
“Have a great day.” I grab a fresh glove as the customer leaves and the next in line approaches the counter. “What can I get for you today?”
As I bend down to start filling his box, I get another head rush. It’s been getting increasingly difficult to concentrate as the morning’s dragged on, and I’m just so damn exhausted. Fumbling my hold, I manage to catch both the box and pie square by sheer dumb luck, relieved. The other store clerk called off today, so at least there’s no one out here to see me fucking up except the customers.
“Sorry about that.” I throw in an extra donut as an apology and thank him for his patience, quickly ringing him up and sending him on his way.
One down, a million to go. I swear, you’d think there’s nowhere else to grab something to eat in this town and I’ve seen likely the entire population of this town at least twice since starting.
“Hey, you alright?” the man across the counter from me asks.
Nodding, I plaster a fake smile on my face. “Yeah, sorry. Just haven’t been sleeping great. What can I get you?”
My next step has me wavering as I get another head rush, incredibly dizzy and I honestly feel like I could fall asleep standing up. Each time I blink it seems to last a bit longer and my vision wavers on the edges, blurring.
“Shit!” he curses before putting a hand on the counter and vaulting over, catching me before I bash my head on the floor. He adjusts his grip; one arm behind my back and the other he presses to my head. “She’s burning up. Why the hell would they make her work like this?” he snarls.
There are a couple of shouts, another customer storming into the back to get somebody and I just mentally groan, knowing I’m going to get fired for this. No matter how sweet someone is, as soon as you tarnish their reputation, you’re toast, whether or not it’s your fault.
“I’m fine, shouldn’t have stayed up so late, is all.” I push myself upright, but honestly, if he hadn’t helped me, I’m not sure I would’ve stayed that way. “My fault, not theirs; they didn’t know they were hiring such a party animal.” My eyes remain shut as I try to salvage the situation, waiting for the room to stop spinning so that I can risk opening them without throwing up.
“Party animal, my ass,” a familiar voice states, and something inside of me seems to sigh in relief at his proximity. The back of Ian’s hand lands on my forehead and I lean into the cool touch. “Fuck, Rel,” he growls and I finally open my eyes, everything staying where it’s supposed to be this time. “Why didn’t you tell me you were sick?”
The arm at my back tightens at Ian’s aggressive tone. “Thought Rin was the manager here, not you. Mind your tone when you’re speaking to a lady.”
My lip twitches. “You heard the man, boss. You have to be nice to me; I’m a lady.”
Ian’s responding sound rivals that of a shifter. “Lady, my ass. You’d sacrifice a puppy just for some French fries, and not lose any sleep over it.”
“He didn’t say good person, he said lady,” I counter, not denying his claim as the shifter at my back helps me to my feet. “I can wear a pretty dress while stabbing someone.”
Ian offers a hand that I take, but the shifter doesn’t let go just yet. “You going to be okay?”
It’s the things that he doesn’t say that get me, making my throat feel suddenly dry. I don’t even know this man and yet he’d be perfectly fine helping me out of here if I wasn’t comfortable going with Ian. He didn’t hesitate to catch me even knowing what I am, is holding onto me like Imatter.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine, thanks. He’s my roommate.”
A flash of pain crosses Ian’s face that I feel instantly guilty for, but I think he’d have been more upset if I announced we were mates to a store full of people that would no doubt spread the gossip to the entire town before dinner. And though I’ve said the ‘m’ word, he hasn’t, like he’s afraid speaking it aloud will make it more real. I’ve got a bit of whiplash going on trying to read him, because he seemed relieved by the prospect that first day. But maybe it wasn’t the fact that I wasn’t opposed to the idea that had him relieved, but simply that I’d figured it out on my own so he wasn’t stuck with the awkward burden of telling me.
He was perfectly fine giving me an oral exam, yet has made it clear he doesn’t want to sleep with me. Hasn’t wanted to talk or discuss what we’re going to do about it, even though it’s been a few days now. There’s just an awkward distance like he’s walled himself off, so I haven’t brought it up.
He doesn’t get to be hurt that I’m not screaming that he’s my mate from the rooftops if he’s not even willing to whisper the truth in the privacy of the house.
Releasing me, he growls at Ian. “Take better care of her.” Turning, he hops over the counter before storming out of the building.
Slipping his arm around my waist, Ian makes sure that I don’t collapse again, grabbing our coats on the way out of the back door. As I slip mine on, he tells a couple people he has to take me home, so Caleb needs to get his ass out in the store for now. When we’re finally in the car, I rest my head against the glass, sighing at the cold.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were sick?” Ian asks quietly.
