Page 22 of A Farmer’s Guide To Gamers

Jonathan.

My smile dimmed a bit at his name on my screen but opened it up to see that he was just saying hello and checking in.

Jonathan was a nice enough guy. We’d met a year or so ago and would occasionally meet up to keep each other company. A few nights together here and there, all casual with no strings attached. But the last time we’d hung out I’d gotten the vibes he was wanting more.

I broke things off, wanting to keep things honest between the two of us and not lead him on. He’d taken it well, admitting it was probably for the best, but every once in a while he’d reach out in the name of remaining friends.

After meeting Jack and the others, though, it felt odd to respond to the alpha now. We weren’t exactly a pack at this stage but it felt wrong, so I simply closed out of his text. They were few and far enough in between that I hoped he’d chalk it up to busy life getting in the way.

A knock on my door had my body tensing for a moment. I moved slowly toward it, wondering who would stop by at nine at night, before Sabrina’s voice echoed through the house.

“Bitch, open up! I need details and I brought wine!”

Sometimes living on your own could be intimidating and I laughed off my nerves as I rushed forward and unlocked the door.

“Girl, you can’t show up unannounced this late at night,” I groaned as I pulled it open.

“Sorry, I couldn't wait and this was not a text conversation,” she said as she shrugged and moved past me, two bottles of wine at the ready.

I didn’t bother to argue as I searched out the two wine glasses I owned, both mismatched, and sat them on the counter.

“My brother and his pack practically floated out of that house. And don’t think I didn’t notice you sneaking out before I could ask for details,” she gave me a side eye. “Jack wasn’t exactly forthcoming.”

“Maybe because it was private.”

“There’s no privacy with besties,” she said, then let out a sigh. “Can’t you just let me live vicariously through you?”

Her pout would have worked on any alpha in a fifty mile radius. I just rolled my eyes and uncorked the wine before pouring us glasses.

“So, we’re scent compatible,” I admitted. For once I wanted to talk this out. Maybe not the sex details, but the rest.

Maybe the sex details later… depending on how much wine I’d be drinking.

“Wait, what?” she gasped. “But you knew Dean.”

“It wasn’t there then,” I shrugged. “He left before I fully designated.”

“Wow,” she breathed out before taking a hearty gulp of her wine. Then her dark eyes flicked back to me. “And the others, too?”

I nodded. “All of them. I could detect every single layer of their scents. And the way Jack and I connected was so strange. You know I don’t do strings, yet my omega was demanding I track him back down.”

“Well, apparently, his alpha thought the same,” Sabrina teased before leaning forward. “What are you going to do? Cause like, I’m all about my bestie getting hers but at the same time I want to protect my brother. I don’t want to see either of you get hurt.”

“I don’t, either,” I replied gently. “Sometimes we don’t know how things will work out but I won’t be leading them on at all. That I can promise you.”

“Well, I believe you… though I am a little unsure after hearing how much you liked those cheesy pick up lines.”

“Excuse you!” I gasped in mock-indignation, seeing from the gleam in her eyes that she was poking fun at me. “Those pickup lines were elite nerd moves. He nailed it.”

“You mean he nailed you,” she joked.

“Well, obviously,” I responded seriously before we both burst out into laughter. “But really, he was so sweet! Don’t you think so after talking to him all during dinner?”

“Hon, he was so caught up with you that he barely registered half my questions. But what I did hear from him I liked.”

Sabrina snagged the wine bottle and poured herself some more. I eyed her cup and then the bottle before she fished her keys out of her bag and put it in the fruit dish I had in the middle of my table.

“I’ll crash here, bestie. You know I don’t do any drinking and driving. That was the plan anyway. I have clothes in the back of the car.”