Page 44 of A Nest of Maple & Mist

Inside the bookstore, she appeared so tiny and fragile, swallowed by a sweater two sizes too big for her. But I knew Mia Birch was anything but breakable. She carried a quiet strength.

That woman had survived her world catching fire and rose from the ashes like a phoenix.

“Are you going to go in and talk to her or continue skulking in the shadows like a brooding banshee?”

My body tensed. I recognized the voice instantly. A huffed growl grew in my chest, and I closed my eyes. My fingers rubbed at the wrinkles forming between my brows.

For an omega, she was the pushiest, scariest person I knew.

“Fucking hell, Fern. You really should wear a bell. Folks need a warning for your presence.”

“And you should stop creeping like a gargoyle at your omega.”

“She’s not my omega. And I’m not a gargoyle.”

“Okay, buddy. Keep telling yourself that. But this dance between you and Mia needs to stop. It’s only hurting her.”

“What?”

Suddenly, my shirt was too tight, and I was about to tear it from my body. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt Mia, not again. I’d never break our girl like I had before.

“Don’t be thick, Shane. It doesn’t suit you. Both you and Mia think you can avoid each other. You’re scent matches. Grow a pair of balls and act like you have a fucking knot and talk to her. You’re the only one that can fix what you broke. Her omega thinks you’re rejecting her.”

I snarled, my teeth grinding as I rolled my shoulders.

The little color remaining in my face drained away, leaving my skin cold. My mouth fell open. I’d kept my distance because I assumed it was what Mia wanted. Jason had tried to tell me it wouldn’t work, and I hadn’t listened.

“She doesn’t want me,” I mumbled, slouching like a kicked puppy.

“She’s scared. And you’re making it worse. Fix it.” Fern poked me in the ribs, glaring at me. “Or I’ll toss a plate at your head. And I promise you, I won’t miss.”

“We really should fire you.”

“But you won’t,” she sing-songed over her shoulder, skipping away, entirely too pleased with herself. “She has lunch in ten minutes. Try not to fuck it up.”

A string of curses died on my lips. Of course, she was too good at her job to be fired. Even if she spent half of her day meddling in other people’s business.

I shifted, the sawdust on my jeans puffing out in a thin cloud. Standing there alone, I palmed my nape.

Ten minutes.

My throat constricted as I stood rooted to the spot like some gnarled, dead tree that refused to tumble over. If I were going to do this—ask my scent-matched omega and ex-girlfriend to have lunch with me—I needed to do this right.

Fuck. I needed a courting gift.

SIXTEEN

MIA

The bell above the door jingled as Mrs. Jameson waved me off for my break.

“Go on, Mia. I can handle the shop for an hour. Besides, you’ve been staring into that coffee for the last twenty minutes like it holds the secret of life.”

I snorted, taking a large sip of my now lukewarm maple latte. She wasn’t wrong. I’d been distracted all day. I’d heard nothing from Northeast Property Management despite my daily calls and emails. Not that I expected to, but I wanted to feel like I was doing something.

The alternative had been to give up entirely. Which I wasn’t ready to do.

That, and my blank Word document glaring at me from my laptop.