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What the hell?
Jake must have felt it, too, because he cocked his head and gazed at Sanjay with a weird look in his pretty eyes. He stood, and Sanjay backed away, dodging Jake’s grabby hand.
“What’re you doing?” Sanjay squeaked as he batted at Jake’s hand.
Jake stopped. “You don’t feel that?”
Sanjay nearly tripped when his foot connected with the chair behind him.
“Mates,” Jake said.
The cup of coffee slipped from Sanjay’s hand as he stared wide-eyed at Jake. “Nooooo.”
Before Jake could utter another word, Sanjay spun around and raced for the door. He jumped into his car so fast that the door whacked his ankle.
Ignoring the shot of pain, Sanjay drove to Sweet Spot, let himself in, and locked the door behind him, desperately trying to calm his racing heart.
* * * *
That hadn’t gone exactly how Jake wanted. He’d pictured a different reaction in his head, and it didn’t include Sanjay running away from him. He stood there completely stunned, still shocked that he’d felt the pull.
The instant attraction and connection he’d felt when he’d met Sanjay last night now made sense. Clearly Sanjay wasn’t too happy with the revelation, but he’d obviously felt it too, though his reaction was one of fear, not joy. Jake frowned, his wolf rumbling unhappily at the distress of his newly found mate. He would have to tread carefully. Sanjay was skittish, and Jake didn’t want to scare him further.
Fuck, Jake needed time to wrap his mind around this, too. He had never expected to find his mate, content with his solo life. But now that he had, something clicked into place, like a missing piece of himself had been found.
As a wolf shifter, Jake knew mates were rare and precious. But clearly Sanjay didn’t feel the same way. The look of fear and panic on his face broke Jake’s heart.
Jake sank back down into his chair, ignoring the curious glances from the other customers. How could he get Sanjay to understand they were meant for each other? That he’d never hurt him or allow any harm to come to his mate?
If that was the reason Sanjay was afraid. Jake knew nothing about the gazelle shifter. There could have been another reason he’d run.
He had to try again, to properly introduce himself and explain. But first he needed to give Sanjay some space. The man had looked terrified, like a rabbit caught in a snare. Pushing too hard would only scare him further away.
The next morning Jake arrived early, ordered an Americano, and secured a table by the window. He alternated between watching the door and scrolling aimlessly on his phone. After two hours, his coffee had gone cold and Sanjay still hadn’t appeared.
Clearly he would have to seek Sanjay out directly. Jake left the coffee shop and headed toward Sweet Spot bakery. The smell of sugar and cinnamon greeted him as he stepped inside. Sanjay stood behind the counter, wisps of flour on his apron. He looked up, eyes widening at the sight of Jake.
“I know you said you had a big order to finish yesterday. I hoped I might run into you for coffee again this morning, but...” Jake handed Sanjay the coffee he’d ordered, thankful that Ajax had known what Sanjay liked. “A peace offering.”
His mate looked at the cup as if he’d never heard of coffee before. “A peace offering for what?”
“For whatever I did to make you run.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Sanjay finally said, taking the coffee. “I just...wasn’t expecting that.”
Jake hadn’t either, but he hadn’t run. There was more to it, but for now, Jake would let it go. “How’d your order from yesterday go?”
Sanjay crooked a finger, and Jake followed his mate to the fridge at the back of the shop. He opened the door like he was showing a contestant what his prize would be. Inside were four sheet cakes. Jake smiled when he saw Paw Patrol on the top of each of them, though each cake was decorated in a different design.
His mate was talented as hell. “You did all this by hand?”
Sanjay nodded, a smile spreading across his face. “Be honest. Are they really that good, or am I full of myself?”
“They’re damn good, Sanjay,” Jake said. “Whoever this is for, they’re gonna love them.”
“Mrs. Fron.” Sanjay closed the fridge doors. “I have no idea why she wanted four of them, though.”
“Probably for the same reason she has Roman catering the party.”
