“I’ll think about it,” I said, because I was sure I would be thinking about it. No promises about what I’d decide, though. “How are you holding up?” An attempt at deflection.
“I’m fine.” Isolde made a face. “None of us like him traveling so much. But he’ll be home in a few days.”
Her Alpha, Hawk, was a viral musician who’d been anonymous for years until recently. People everywhere clamored for his music, but that meant he had to be away from Isolde more than either of them liked.
Still, at least she had someone to miss.
Ocean made a little sound of surprise as one of her husbands appeared next to the table. “What are you doing here?”
Everett leaned down and kissed her. Deeply. “I missed you,” he said. “That’s all.”
She laughed. “So you came all the way here just to say hello?”
The way the Alpha looked at her made my chest ache. The love was so clear there was no mistaking that, and it was what I wanted. He laughed softly. “No. I came here to kiss you, and then I’ll wait until you’re finished before we drive up to Sunset City.”
My friend glanced at us and frowned. “Where are we going?”
Everett smirked. “Did you forget what day it is, little nymph?”
“What?” Ocean grabbed her phone and clicked through things and gasped. “That’stoday?”
He chuckled. “That’s today.”
“What’s today?” Isolde asked.
“The rare flower market,” Ocean said. Her eyes lighting up with delight. “It’s gonna be nerdy as hell, and I’m going to buy way too many flowers.”
Everett slipped a hand behind her neck, and my friend leaned into his touch. “I offered to just buy out the market and have it brought down, but she said no.”
“Because even I don’t needthatmany flowers.”
“We can make the greenhouse bigger,” he said.
Ocean rolled her eyes. “It’s already three times the size it started.”
“And it can get bigger still.” Everett leaned down. “As you well know,wife.”
Isolde and I shared a knowing look as Everett whispered something else in Ocean’s ear. I finished the last of the mimosa in the glass, hoping I started to feel it soon.
A hollowness I didn’t like entered my chest. I hated the feelings of jealousy that rose when I saw my friends with their packs. Because I loved that they had their happy endings, but hated that I didn’t. And now, the shred of happiness I thought I had was so complicated I didn’t even know if I could acknowledge it.
Facing the fact that I was going home to an empty apartment and nothing but admin work I was behind on made my chest ache. And sitting here wasn’t going to make that better. “You should go, O.”
“I didn’t think we were done?” She frowned.
“You see us every week. I don’t think the rare flower show comes that often. And it’s still an hour drive.”
“Are you sure?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
Isolde smiled. “Go get some flowers, O. And if you find any with good meanings, make sure to text the group chat.”
She laughed at that. “I’ll just catch the waitress quickly.”
Pulling her up out of her chair, Everett wrapped her in his arms. If he and Ocean were near each other at all, he liked touching her. Lucky bitch.
“I already paid for the table,” he said.
