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"Mark, from class. But Mr. Bouchard made him move seats to the front and sent a note home to his parents and he didn't get to pick a prize for reading time."
I already know the story. Bouchard sent a note home to me too, letting me know what happened and how he handled it.
Hendrix subsides after hearing Bouchard handled it, his scent muting. "So, where is Ryder?"
"He's buying us breakfast! And drinks." Lexie points towards the crowded counter.
"Is he? Good. It'll have to be my treat next time."
I shake my head with a frown, not wanting them to view us as charity. "That's not necessary."
Hendrix waves off my concern. "You can have a turn the following time."
I eye him with suspicion and not a little bit of surprise. "Are you trying to make sure I keep coming?"
He grins, unrepentant. "Something like that."
Tricksy alpha.
We're interrupted by Bouchard returning with our orders.
I blink in confusion when a plate lands in front of me with a delicious buttery sandwich next to a cup of fresh fruit. "What's this?"
"Breakfast." Bouchard all but barks the word.
My brow furrows. "I just asked for a latte."
He sinks gracefully into his seat, his voice almost stern. "You need to eat something."
I blink again, my stomach rumbling as the scent teases my nose. "Oh. Thank you."
He really is the strangest beta, acting much more like an alpha with his stern manner and need to care for others. I can't get over how unusual these two men are, completely at odds with their designation.
His gruffness disappears and uncertainty replaces it. "Did I overstep?"
I shake my head, genuinely touched at being cared for. "No. It's very sweet of you. Sorry. I was just thinking."
"About what? How dashing we are?" Hendrix winks, excellent at dispelling tension and awkwardness.
"How strange you two are." I say the words without thinking.
Hendrix clutches his chest dramatically. "Ouch."
I wince. "I don't mean it in a bad way. I just mean..." I trail off, unsure how to explain myself.
Hendrix reaches across the table and pats my hand. "We're more than our designations, love. So are you."
"Of course. I just haven't seen quite that much evidence of that. This whole town is like no other." I can't believe how lucky we are that we found it.
"It’s a little oasis we try our best to keep untouched by the bullshit and arcane laws in this country as much as we can." Hendrix sits back in his chair with a sigh. "Unfortunately, there's only so much we can do to remain isolated."
"How have you managed it?" I ask.
Hendrix draws shapes in the condensation on his cup from his iced coffee. "Most of the people here have been for generations, so that helps. Even those who leave, wanting to see the world, come back. The same family has also been in charge for over a hundred years, passing down the same values. We have our bad apples, of course, but we usually try to handle them before they turn the whole barrel rotten."
Choosing this town to start over in might be the best decision I've ever made.
"That's amazing. You guys are really lucky to grow up in a town like this." I'm glad Lexie will too.
