Page 138 of All Packed Up

Waking up with that ick feeling of the awkwardly damp sheets, paired with her crusty eyes from crying wasn’t the best way to greet the morning.

Wendy felt… heavy. And foggy.

Her sinuses had to be fucked up from all that crying last night.

“Hey, sleepy head,” someone greeted softly from her right, and she turned her head to find Nic.

Wendy moved toward him unconsciously, wading through the sheets until she could curl up with her head on his chest. “Hi,” she said, tiredness making her sluggish.

“How do you feel today?”

Wendy groaned. “Like I want an aspirin and a big cup of coffee. And a hot shower.”

Her head hurt from crying, and she was so tired, and the back of her shirt was cooling from where she’d woken up in a bowl of her own sweat, and her skin felt gross.

“You’re in luck, because we can provide all of those.”

Wendy rolled her head up at him. They were providing so much for her, and why?

“We want you to feel better, to be happy. We wanna make you comfortable. We—”

Wendy slid her hand over Nic’s lips, her own smile twitching. “I didn’t realize I said that out loud. Sorry.”

“It’s a valid question,” another voice said, and she sat up to find Griffith in the doorway to the kitchen. “And Nic’s answer wasn’t wrong. Be ready in thirty.”

With that announcement, he sauntered around and took his mug back into the kitchen.

Wendy’s brow furrowed. “Be ready for what?”

Nic winced. “I wanted to let you sleep as late as possible, but he’s almost ready to go. You wanna go with him? Into town, I mean, with Grif? Get some clothes at the boutique?”

Wendy paused, found his flustered half sentences absolutely endearing. “Is that safe?”

“You tell us. Are they close?”

Wendy was hesitant to even make herself aware of the bond, of the thrumming in the background that reminded her constantly that Derek was with her. But it only took the barest second before she realized he was too far away to truly sense.

“No, they’re too far away.”

“There you go.”

Wendy nibbled her lip. “Do I get to pick the clothes out?”

Nic nodded. “You can even try them on before you bring them home,” he said.

Wendy suddenly frowned, imagining her very empty backpack. “I can’t afford clothes,” she whispered. “That’s awkward.” She tried to laugh it off.

Nic yawned, stretched, and sighed very obviously. “Oh, man, that’s rough. If only you knew a handsome beta that planned to pay for it anyway…”

Wendy gasped and leaned up on one arm. “Nic, no. You can’t.”

“It was my idea. And you can’t wear our shirts forever, we’ll eventually run out.”

Wendy bundled the excess fabric and pulled it up around her nose. Arlo’s warm scent surrounded her, and she breathed calmly before rolling her eyes at Nic. “Yours all smell nicer.”

Nic sighed dramatically, and she hid her laugh behind her shirt as he squeezed his arms around her. “That’s so fuckin’ cute.” Then he hummed, placed his chin on the top of her head. Beneath her, his heart pounded against his chest. “If it helps, you can think of it as a… gift.”

Wendy paused, took a breath, and found herself surrounded by soft blossoms. It helped clear the fog from her head, and she nuzzled into Nic’s chest. “Like a courting gift?”