"Just all-purpose. Should I be using something else?" He asked, genuinely wanting to know as he asked me questions.
"Bread flour is better for structure. Or a mix of bread flour and whole wheat. The whole wheat adds complexity to the flavor." I said hesitantly, very unused to having conversations like this. It was very odd.
"Complexity." His grin turned self-deprecating. "Right now I'd settle for 'edible' and work my way up to 'complex.'"
I felt another unwilling smile tug at my lips. "Start with getting the starter healthy. Everything else follows from that."
"And you learned all this from...?" Levi asked, his blue eyes intense as they were looking at me.
"My adoptive parents. They had a farm, and taught me to bake everything from scratch." The words came out before I'd thought them through, and I tensed, waiting for the follow-up questions, the prying.
But Levi just nodded, typing a final note before tucking his phone away. "They taught you well. Garrett said your jam was the best he'd ever had. Now I'm wondering what else you're hiding at that market stall."
"I'm not hiding anything. I'm selling it." I shifted my basket again, using it as a subtle barrier. "And I need to finish shopping before the rain starts."
He glanced toward the front windows, where the sky had darkened considerably. "Good point. That's coming in fast." He paused, then added, "Should be interesting dealing with it. The whole pack's finally in town now—we finished moving everything yesterday. Been going back and forth for weeks getting things sorted, but now we're all here permanently."
"All of you?" I asked before I could stop myself.
"Yep. Me, Garrett, Oliver, and Micah. Four Alphas trying to renovate a property that's been abandoned for years." He shook his head with a rueful smile. "It's been chaos, but good chaos. Nice to finally be settled instead of living out of trucks and hotel rooms."
The information settled over me with unexpected weight. They weren't just visiting, weren't just testing the waters. They were here. Permanently. All of them.
"That's... good," I managed to get out slowly. "For the property. It needed attention."
"It definitely did. We're doing a lot ourselves. Keeps us busy but it also takes time from the actual business too." He tilted his head, studying me with that same open curiosity. "You've been out here five years, right? Garrett mentioned that."
"He mentions a lot, apparently." I mutter, not knowing if I like that Garrett is talking about me that much with his pack mates. It made me a bit unsettled.
Levi's grin widened. "Only about things that interest him. And you, Daphne, seem to interest him quite a bit and I can say I get the interest. "
My face heated. "I really need to finish shopping."
"Right, sorry." But he didn't sound sorry. He sounded amused. "I'll let you get to it."
I moved past him, heading for the baking powder, and this time he let me go. But as I reached for the container on the shelf, I felt his presence behind me—not crowding, just... there.
"Hey, Daphne?" I turned, eyebrow raised.
"Thanks. For the sourdough advice. And for not completely shutting down when I ambushed you in the aisle." He smiled softly, his teasing grin gone as he looked at me full of warmth.
"I didn't think I had much choice." I said after a quiet moment not expecting him to be so grateful over such a small conversation about baking of all things.
"You always have a choice." His expression turned more serious, the playfulness dimming slightly. "We all do. And I know we're probably coming on strong—new pack, Garrett's interest, Oliver making declarations at the market, the whole scene with Trinity. But for what it's worth, none of us want to make you uncomfortable. If we are, just say so."
The sincerity in his voice caught me off guard. This wasn't charm or strategy, it was genuine consideration, offered without expectation of anything in return.
"I'll keep that in mind," I said quietly.
He nodded, that easy grin returning. "Good. And if you're ever willing to give me more baking tips, I make a mean cup of coffee as payment. Not as good as Garrett's apparently, but I'm working on it."
"Everyone seems very confident in their coffee," I observed dryly, my lips twitching up slightly.
"It's a competitive pack." He winked, then finally stepped back. "I should let you finish shopping. But hey—thanks for running into me. Or letting me run into you. Whichever."
"Both," I said, surprising myself. "It was both."
His laugh followed me as I moved down the aisle, warm and uncomplicated. I finished gathering my items—baking powder, vanilla extract, yeast, and a small bag of brown sugar. My basket was respectably full now, heavy enough that I had to switch arms as I made my way toward the front.
