by Ava Beringer
“I better get going.” I ducked backed into the staff lounge, changed into my damp clothes, and called an Uber. Back outside, everyone was murmuring, and there were a couple knowing smiles, but mostly it was still weird. I cleared my throat. “Thanks for a wonderful evening everybody. Take care.” My Uber was already outside, so I took my leave. I glanced at Colby, who still looked shocked. His lips were slightly parted like he had something to say, but no sound came out. He held up a hand to me, a sort of dazed wave, as I walked out.
The rain had dissipated into a fine drizzle as the black Lincoln Towncar pulled up to take me home. Things were weird when I walked out of the flower shop, full of fun-loving party animals. Colby hadn’t uttered a word and the others looked at me like I’d grown two heads because of my gesture. Maybe it was too much, but I didn’t regret it. The feelings Colby pulled out of some deep, hidden away part of my heart couldn’t be denied. My soul cried out to me to claim my omega. Mine. How could I? I’d known him a few hours and we lived in different worlds. It would be nearly impossible to pursue a deep relationship, especially when I only had two more days in Primrose Keep. For Colby to want something like this was insanity.
My heart spoke to me and said it didn’t matter. With the sparks I felt for a caring, snarky, sexy omega like Colby, I wouldn’t be able to stay away.
4
Colby
Flowers. So many flowers. More than I could hold in my arms at once. So far only four bouquets fit, covering my face with peonies and lilies and baby’s breath.
“I want to take them all now. How will they fit in my car? How do I keep them from falling over?”
“You don’t,” Miguel said with an amused grin as he typed up the delivery form. “Just have a little patience and you’ll get them all tomorrow. There.” His pointer finger made a tap sound on the “enter” key.
Gabe grabbed my shoulder.
“What did you do to that guy? Something naughty?”
“Seven minutes in heaven, alright,” Clarke hooted from the corner. Ginger leaned closed to my ear.
“Did you give him a beej? The bomb beej of his life?” I shoved her away, my ears burning. Buster wagged a finger at me.
“That’s how you get a man to buy out a flower shop for you.”
“No, I didn’t blow a guy I’ve known for an hour in the staff lounge where I work with my bosses and best friends twenty feet away. Sorry to disappoint.”
“We’re sorry too, honey. You two almost made this place go up in smoke with all that chemistry,” Gabe said.
“For the record, I would have condoned that behavior,” Miguel said. “The alpha gave you your flowers. My whole damn store full of them. He’s a hero in my book. He gave me a great first day, but more importantly, he treated my little brother the way he deserves.” Ginger hiccuped.
“You should have given the man a BJ,” she said.
It was late when I got home, and though the effects of the liquor were wearing off, I could smell it in my pores. I knew the combination of that with very little sleep would make it hard to get up in the morning. That didn’t stop me from carefully arranging my four gorgeous bouquets, the favorites I carried home. I carefully placed them around my tiny apartment and they instantly brightened it up, making the space seem bigger, younger, more vibrant.
I did a ballroom dance with the daisies, singing a wordless tune as I floated around and around.
“Preston Reid,” I whispered, just to hear his name out loud. I snickered. “A rich executive guy like him would have a name like that. It reminds me of ponds, too, for some reason. Colby Reid,” I said, just to try it out. It was nice. Rolled off the tongue. Preston was tall, handsome, rich, and built. He spoke softly and carried a big stick, which was plain when his slacks were clinging to his every line. Looking at his abs, feeling on his shoulders, seeing him in my clothes, I thought about going to my knees for him and a whole lot more. I wanted him to claim me. I wanted to be his.
My shoulders slumped and I dropped into a groaning kitchen chair. It was never to be. I wouldn’t see him again. He was from Chicago and only in Primrose Keep for two more days. Besides, I didn’t stand a chance with an alpha like that. I plucked a daisy and twisted the petals against my face.
“I’ll just hold this as a memory,” I told myself. “A memory of the perfect alpha gentleman who bought me flowers.” I got changed and dropped into bed, stroking my quilt, and letting my imagination run wild with fantasies of carrying Preston’s child. When I finally fell asleep, dreams of a naked Preston holding a single daisy danced in my head.
The teasing started immediately the next morning. I should have known the guys weren’t going to let me live it down. No sooner did I walk in and the bell chimed over my head did they descend on me like a swarm of locusts.
“Did your man come over last night?” Buster asked, putting his hands on his purple Gucci-belted hips.
“Did you give him another Seven-Minutes-In-Heaven BJ?” Clarke tittered. Miguel cut in, slotting an arm through mine and pulling me into the classy little space, both of us angling our bodies as we rounded the checkout counter.
“Leave him alone, you pack of wolves,” Miguel scolded before lowering his voice, “Did you, though? Your BJs are great for my bottom line.” I shoved him off, slapping at his arms.
“There were no BJ’s, you guys. Not yesterday, not last night, never.” I grabbed my tasteful pink and green apron from the staff lounge and pulled it over my head, grabbing the pouch of petty cash from the safe. The buttons beeped and lit up as I entered the code. I readied the registers and booted up the point-of-sale system. Still, the gang swarmed me.
Ginger slammed a freckled palm down on the counter.
“Seriously. When are you seeing him again?” I suddenly became laser-focused on the crisp bills in my hand.
“Seriously, I have no idea what you mean.” Ginger slitted her green cat eyes.
“What do you mean, what do we mean? You two had insane vibes and we want to know when he’s taking you on a date.”
“And he better be springing for surf and turf. His pockets can handle it,” Buster added.
“I’m never going to see that guy again. I barely remember his name.”
“I have his full name on the delivery form. There’s about to be some hardcore stalking going on around here,” Miguel said, tapping his finger on the records screen. I moved it away.
“Guys, there’s no future for me and that alpha. I didn’t even want to get my hopes up. Just enjoy the flowers and live my life, you know?” They gave me the saddest faces I’d ever seen. Gabe, always the caretaker of the group, slid a warm arm around my shoulders.
“That sucks and we get it, Colby. That doesn’t mean you can’t get a little taste, though.” I groaned.
“The thought crossed my mind, but it would be too heartbreaking.” Buster chimed in.
“I don’t see where the problem is. The man treated you like a Disney Prince. Even if you can’t have a happily ever after, you can have a satisfied-right-now. Who could blame you for getting the nookie?” Buster shimmied his hips, making the giant gold “G’s” on his belt tinkle.
“Guys, can we let it go?” I said softly. My chest ached. How could I miss an alpha I didn’t know, a love I’d never have?
“Time to open our doors, guys,” Miguel said, saving my buns. Thankfully, a pair of customers were already waiting outside the door, so I had someone to distract us immediately.
We worked straight through the morning, which turned into the afternoon quickly. It wasn’t until almost two o’clock that we could catch our breaths.
Buster pretended to wipe the sweat off his brow in an exaggerated motion, his purple bell sleeves reminding me of Prince.
“So, isn’t your alpha coming back to eat your chicken?” He waggled his eyebrows.
“Is that a euphemism?” Clarke deadpanned. Buster shrugged.
“Could be. I don’t know what kind of kinky stuff Colby gets into.”
&nb
sp; “Guys, can we drop it?” I said, exasperation in my voice.
“The question is, can you drop it for Mr. Alpha Man?”
“I’m never going to see him again, okay?” The frustration got the better of me and I yelled to the ceiling. “I’m never going to see Preston Whatshisface Again!”
“For the record, it’s Reid.” There he was, standing in the doorway. The afternoon sun filtered in behind him, making him glow. He looked like a force of nature in his gray wool suit, neatly combed-back hair, and big smile.
“Colby Reid has a ring to it,” Ginger said with a shrug. I elbowed her, knowing I was turning into a beet. “What? Hyphenate then, mister modern omega. Or go with Preston Dalton. Whatever.” Preston grinned even wider. He must know exactly what he did to me. There’s no way I could hide how much I wanted that, even though I shouldn’t. He took a couple of steps forward, his fancy shoes shuffling on the polished concrete floors, hands in his pockets. He looked so charming, and maybe a little nervous, if his pinched expression was any clue.
“I never got my chicken dinner, you know. I figure it’s the least you can do.” I snorted a laugh.
“Please. My cooking is worth all that and then some. Get ready to buy out the store for me again.” I sounded so cocky, so sure of myself and my chicken-cooking skills, but hey, we were flirting here. My fantasy alpha had returned. My prince charming came back for me. Miguel clapped his hands together twice.
“Okay everybody, Colby’s officially on lunch. We’ll probe him for details after today’s BJ.” The whole place went up with laughter. Preston ducked his head, laughing, too. As my ears burned, I was glad he took their meddling in stride. It was almost like he welcomed everything they said.
“Come on, Preston, let’s get away from these crazy people. I don’t even like them that much.” I gave them all a fake evil eye. Ginger mimed being stabbed in the chest, her balled-up fist connecting with a soft thump.
“Ouch. That hurts, Mr. Reid,” she said. I winced. Shame on me, knowing they had more and better ammunition. In my hurry to shuttle Preston to the staff lounge, I grabbed his hand and pulled. I kept doing that, for some reason. My hand fit perfectly in his. I didn’t dare turn around or he’d figure out that I hadn’t meant to do that, and he’d know holding his hand lit up my world in ways it shouldn’t.
I breathed a sigh of relief when the pink door clicked shut behind us.
“It’s beef today. If you want to sit, I’ll heat it up for you.” I purposely didn’t look at Preston. Just him being here overwhelmed my emotions.
“Hey.” Caught off guard, I looked up into his piercing eyes. “I’m glad to see you.” He opened his arms to me, and like a helpless fool I fell into them. He squeezed me tight in a huge hug and held on. I squeezed back with enthusiasm. I’d never been held like this, I was sure of it. Preston’s embrace was tender, warm, caring, vulnerable, and strong. Just what my previous encounters had been missing. I bared my soul more in that hug than I ever had in bed.
We stood like that for a long moment, Preston holding me against his hard, beautiful chest, my face buried in his neck, breathing him in. He smelled like autumn somehow; the scent the air gets when the leaves begin to fall and there’s the undercurrent of cold beneath the dying summer heat.
“Gotta nuke the food.” I pulled away, otherwise I’d try to stand there in his arms forever and there was no forever with this alpha. Even this thirty-minute lunch was stolen time.
“Smells delicious,” Preston said a few moments later. We were in the greenhouse sitting on a stack of wooden pallets, me cross-legged and Preston with one ankle kicked up on his knee. The greenhouse was private and beautiful, if a little hot, filled with blooms in bursts of reds, yellows, pinks, and every shade of green known to man, the scents both soft and sharp but always sweet.
Preston took a bite of the food and moaned. “Sorcery. Where’d you learn to make pot roast like this?” My chest swelled with pride. I lifted my nose and grinned.
“Hogwart’s. I’m a Hufflepuff.” Preston laughed and my spirit took flight. “Actually, I taught myself growing up. When you’re raised by a single O-Mom and have younger siblings, you grow up fast.” I caught myself, brushing a strand of hair near my ear with my fingertips. “Sorry if that was too much. Why would you wanna hear my sob story?” Preston frowned.
“Sob story? Sounds more like a survivor story. Society should stop shaming us for talking about our difficult pasts. They make us who we are.” That made me feel a little less silly.
“Isn’t that a little too much, though? When we’ve only known each other like twenty-four hours…” and you’ll have forgotten about me in forty-eight more. Preston set his food down and leaned forward, resting a hand on my thigh. The heat bled right through my jeans and soaked into my skin.
“Colby, this is weird for me and I don’t normally do this, but I want to know everything there is about you. You’re special and I want to know what you’re passionate about, what you hate, where you come from, and where you’re going. I’m not afraid to admit that. If you trust me enough to expose the most personal parts of yourself, then I’m honored. Enough small talk. I want to go deep with you.” His eyes probed into my thoughts, my soul. I broke out in goosebumps, shivering under the power of this alpha’s attention. I was unsure; I’d been in this situation before and ended up looking like a fool. This time felt different. I couldn’t hold anything back from Preston.
“Okay, here goes. My O-Mom has five kids, with a few different alphas. She could never quite find the self-esteem to find a mate, it seems. My A-Mom is in the wind. Left a long time ago. That means a lot less money around the house, a lot more stress, and a lot more responsibility for me. I did a lot of the cooking while Mom was at work. To relieve stress, I started growing plants in milk cartons. I didn’t have a lot of opportunities, but I found a way to be around plant life. I love being around beautiful green things.” I shrugged and held my arms out toward all the plants surrounding us. Preston listened thoughtfully and nodded.
“That must be why you’re such a caretaker and nurturer now. You’ve got plenty of fire, but damn, you’re sweet. A beautiful thing among beautiful things.” I couldn’t stand up to the look he gave me. It was so intense, full of tenderness and affection and focus and maybe lust, maybe even love? My fork clinked against the glass container as I speared a bit of meat. Something blossomed in my chest. Trust.
Trust for an alpha was dangerous. My alarm bells went off, but at the same time, I wasn’t capable of fearing Preston Reid. I hurried to change the subject. I’d sort my feelings out later.
“What about you? What bottom-ranked private school did you struggle to graduate from?” Preston laughed again.
“Yep, I had your classic, privileged, middle-class upbringing. My parents are great. My A-Mom is a workaholic and she passed that on to me, but really I have nothing to complain about and I’m grateful I got as lucky as I did.”
“Oh.” Why was this fancy, privileged alpha here with me? Preston leveled me with a look.
“Don’t go thinking your life experience is less valuable than mine. Neither of us is better or worse than the other. Things just are. Life just happens. We do the best we can with the hand we’re dealt.” Preston was humble and sincere, not a hint of superiority in sight. Even with his upbringing, he was down-to-earth like this? I never would have expected that.
Ginger came skipping up to us, breaking us out of our intense discussion.
“Forty-five minutes of heaven this time, huh?” Gabe wasn’t far behind, rubbing his hands together.
“I think we should tell Miguel you guys did it in his greenhouse. He’ll love it.” Clarke poked his head around the corner.
“You’re right, he will. He’ll probably get ideas.” Ginger and Gabe cringed.
“Scratch that, then,” Gabe said. He turned to me. “Sorry, honey. We’re swamped, otherwise we wouldn’t steal you from Mr. Wonderful.” Disappointment sunk in my stomach like a rock.
&n
bsp; “I’m so sorry, Preston. I’ve got to get back to work.” I wasn’t expecting what he said next.
“Could you use some help?”
“I bet he could,” Ginger said saucily.
“You want to help?” I asked, my voice lifting.
“I’m not ready to leave yet. I want to stay.”
“I want you to stay.”
“Good. I think we’re just getting started.” Preston licked his lips and I dripped some slick. More precious hours with the alpha of my dreams? I’d take it. I just had to make sure not to fall for him.
5
Preston
“You’re hopeless,” Colby said with the cutest smile. It crinkled his eyes at the corners. I had just botched my third bouquet and figured he was right, but it was worth it to see him smile like that.
“Why is tying a pretty string so hard?” I said as Gabe snatched the clutch of beautiful flowers out of my hand.
“You’re useless,” he declared. He slapped my hands away. “Go back to your fancy Chicago job and take Colby with you.” Colby blushed and grinned, but as much as his friends teased us, he didn’t argue. I loved it and judging by the way he bit his lip and peeked at me from beneath his lashes he did, too.
“How about you sort the flowers into piles for us? We won’t have you tying anything. I think you can handle piles.” Miguel pointed to the lush blooms on the long wooden table. A group of us were in the rear workshop while business went on as usual in the front. “A sprig of baby’s breath, two yellow roses, one white lily…”
“Pick up flowers, put them in a nice pile. That I can do.”
“We need to get this right. We’re going to get this right,” Gabe said, determination written all over his features as he tied a neat blue ribbon around one of the stacks I made. “This poor girl. She hired a big name to do her wedding decorations-” Miguel cut in, holding up a warning finger.
