We’re both slightly disheveled as gravel crunches around the corner. We’re both correcting our clothing as my sister of all people finds us.
“Maise, what are you doing here?” she says in a shocked voice.
“Uh, my tour guide brought me here,” I reply, pointing a thumb in Lain’s direction. Not very smoothly he nudges his head toward my sister. “Hey, do you have a minute to chat?”
“I’ll give you two some space,” Lain says, giving my sister a smile.
“Maybe we should go somewhere else?”
“I know just the place,” Birdie says.
23
maisie
“This is Hamish,he’s the sweetest little baby boy on the whole planet,” Birdie says as I pet the soft Highland cow.
I hadn’t given animals much thought until recently. There wasn’t any time to take care of a pet or consider one, but now I can see how soothing they can be for people.
Honestly, I missed Fergus today. He might drool on me and sniff my crotch, but he was honestly a better seat mate than that Alpha today.
“So…this is where you’ve been spending your time?” I ask softly.
“Yeah. It’s pretty amazing isn’t it?”
“Callum’s brother, Arran, and?”
“Jamie,” she says dreamily. “He owns this place. Arran and Graham help him keep it running. I love it here.”
I swallow thickly and nod. “I can see why Mom always wanted us to come here.”
Birdie gives me a sad smile as I bring our mom up. “Me too. What about you? Just out on a workday with our road side, Scottish knight?”
Petting the cow grounds me as I clear my throat and look at Birdie. “Please don’t be mad.”
“Why would I be mad?
There’s a thick patch of grass I stare at while I speak. “They fired me last week. They gave some bullshit excuse of needing someone different on the project, but I know it’s because I’m an Omega. I started taking higher grade suppressants so I could ward off my quarterly heat leave for them. I nearly let this trip that meant so much to Mom, so much to us, pass me by because I was so focused on work. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you when it happened. It’s just…I’ve been on your ass so much about having a steady job. I didn’t want to disappoint you.”
Birdie doesn’t answer. Both of us are nearly leaning against the cow as she wraps me in her arms and squeezes me tight.
“I’m so sorry they did that, Maisie. I know how much you loved your job.”
An embarrassing sniffle escapes me as I hold her even tighter. “I should have told you instead of letting my pride get in the way. We could have been spending more time together.”
Birdie pulls back and gives me a smile. “We still have plenty of time. We have this weekend together, and honestly Maisie, I think we’re both finding peace here in our own way.”
Gingerly, I take my glasses off and thumb away some tears there.
“Speaking of which, um…how do I stop myself from having feelings and just enjoy having sex with someone?”
“Oh, Maisie,” she says, hugging me again. “I don’t have a fucking clue.”
I tell Lain to do the rest of the tour without me, and Birdie gives me a private tour of the farm. I meet all the guys, well, Graham and Arran for the second time. Watching them interact makes my chest ache because I’m not sure I’ve ever seen Birdie this happy.
Each of them seems completely infatuated with her, even the quiet Alpha, Jamie.
When it rolls into dinner time, Greer is set to pick me up. I wait outside with Birdie and Graham, who treats my sister like she’s the sun and he’s just in her orbit. How can two siblings be so different?
