“It’s been a lot to wrap my head around.” I close my eyes and tip my face up to the ceiling. “I think I wanted to make sense of it all before I said it out loud. And honestly? I’m not even sure I fully have yet.”
“Okay. Okay.” She pulls in a breath. “So tell me more about them. What are they like?”
I think about it. Ash’s hand at the small of my back. The steady weight of Bram’s gaze. Reed’s grin, slow and crooked—
A fresh heat blooms between my thighs that has nothing to do with the hundred-and-two-degree water. I press my legs together and sink lower.Ma’am. We are on the phone.
“They’re amazing,” I say. “Which is the terrifying part. Because logically? On paper they’re a very peculiar bunch. And yet I just... want to be near them. All the time.”
She makes anawsound. “I mean—yeah. That’s the whole point, isn’t it? That’s exactly what scent matches are supposed to do to your brain.”
“I guess.” I shift in the water, finding a different angle against the slope of the tub. “Oh, and did I tell you one of them is actually the stranger I hooked up with the night before I ran away?”
“What?” Maren shrieks. “Wait—are you just going to keep dropping bombs like that? What are the chances of that even happening?”
“Yeah, I know, right?” I laugh, the steam warm on my face. “I wouldn’t have believed this was possible outside of a romance novel. It’s completely insane. But it’s not all perfect. I mean, there’s the distance. Lakeview is eight hours away. I have no idea how we’re supposed to deal with that.”
“You’ll figure it out,” Maren says, her voice softening. “If they’re feeling the pull as much as you are, you’ll find a way to make it work. Alphas with their heads on straight can be pretty resourceful when they want something.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right. At least I have ten days up here to think about this logically, without their pheromones hijacking my brain.” I chuckle. “Anyway, enough about my drama. What’s going on with you? How’s the bakery?”
“Oh, you know. I work a lot.” A soft, rhythmic sound starts up again on her end, then slows down. “It’s fine, though.I’mfine. Except my distributor called to tell me vanilla’s going up another twelve percent.”
“Twelve percent.” I wince. “That’s brutal, babe.”
“It is, considering I usea lotof vanilla.” She blows out a breath.
“You’ll figure it out, though. I’ve watched you. You’ve never once not figured it out. You don’t just survive the hard stuff, you come out the other sidethriving.”
“Yeah.” A pause. “Yeah. You’re right.” Another breath. “But enough about vanilla. I don’t want to complain because, honestly, I’m super happy for you, Lu. You deserve good things to come your way.”
“Thanks, Mar.”
“And so remind me, when do I get you back in Lakeview?”
“In about fifteen days,” I say. “And it’s my turn to host wine night. I’ll get the expensive stuff.”
“I gracefully accept,” Maren says. Then she gasps. “Oh, shit. Something smells like it’s burning. Lu, I’ve gotta go.”
“Careful! Don’t burn your kitchen down. Talk soon, bye!”
The call drops, leaving me with just the low burble of the jets, the eucalyptus, and the steam.
I look up, smiling at the ceiling. Classic Maren. I really ought to buy her a kitchen timer that works.
“Ow.” Something under my sternum gives a sharp little tug, pulling me out of my thoughts. My fingers find the spot, pressing against the bone.
Huh.I sit with it for a second.It’s the yoga, probably. Or the detox juice. Maybe it’s working.
The ache pulls again, a sudden, deep contraction that makes me catch my breath. My nose twitching uncontrollably before it cuts off just as fast.
Okay, I don’t think it’s the juice...
20
Ash
The next day
