Page 26 of My Begrudging Scent Matches

“Do you have family in town?” Grant asks.

“None here,” she admits.

“Do you miss them?” Grant asks. His eyes don’t leave the icy road they’re on, and it gives Alice the chance to really look at him. His straight nose and sharp jaw were now covered in a shadow.

“I do. They’re a lot, but it’s just because they care very deeply. I know I’m lucky to have them.”

“Your mom sounded nice.” Grant chuckles and part of Alice dies remembering that he talked to her mom while Alice was in heat in the same house. “She loves you.”

“I’m sure she loves you, too, now,” Alice says. “Forever indebted for helping her baby, blah, blah, I’m sure you heard all of that from her.”

“I did,” Grant admits. Alice can’t help the smile that digs into her cheek.

“Is your family here? Is that why you took the job?”

“My parents are here. Caleb’s got a pretty big family, but most of them are still in Ohio.”

“The pumpkin farmers,” she recalls.

“Exactly.” Grant stops at a light and fiddles with the knobs before warm air blows through the vents. He turns on Alice’s seat warmer, too, and she sinks further into the comfort and coziness of the space. “His parents flew in for the holiday, so it’ll be quite the gathering tomorrow.”

“Sounds like it.”

After a few moments of silence, Grant lets out a big breath. “Please join us.”

She doesn’t know if he means join their pack or join them for dinner, but neither sounds like a safe option in her mission of not letting herself get any more attached than her body and biology would so like her to be.

“There’ll be so much food, plenty of space—I know that everyone would love to meet you?—”

“Meet me in what capacity?” She can’t help but ask.

Grant shrugs. “Whatever capacity you’ll have us. Colleagues, acquaintances, friends, lovers.”

Alice can’t pretend she’s not tempted by the offer. It wouldn’t take much for their meal to be one thousand percent better than what she was going to cobble together with her sparse groceries and mostly dry ingredients. She could probably make a cabbage soup, but that’s only if the cabbage in the fridge hasn't wilted already, which is very likely that it has. . .

“Maybe,” she says. She’s too hungry and tired right now to say no outright. “I’ll think about it.”

When Grant pulls the car up to her apartment, she’s about to say her quick thanks before basically ducking and rolling out of the moving vehicle when she does a double take at a couple standing outside of her building, one ringing the buzzer repeatedly.

Alice lowers the window and leans outside. “Olivia?!”

Her sister and her mate turn around to look at Alice and Grant, and Alice’s jaw hangs open. “What the hell?”

“Al!” Olivia calls and runs up to the side of the car, nearly slipping on the slushy sidewalk. “We’ve been waiting for you.”

“Wh—”

“And just who is this?” Olivia extends an arm into the car through the open window. Grant, ever quick on his feet, puts the car into park and shakes her outstretched hand. “Olivia Walton, Alice’s favorite sister.”

“My only sister,” Alice cuts in, to Grant’s ever-growing charm and amusement.

“Grant Thompson, Alice’s favorite coworker. Thrilled to meet you.”

Alice gets out of the car to give her sister a long hug before also embracing her brother-in-law Jonathan. He introduces himself to Grant while Alice lightly pulls her sister’s hair which is tied in one smooth braid over her shoulder. She’s always coveted Olivia’s perfectly smooth auburn hair. “What are you doing here?”

“Keeping you company,” Olivia knocks some fresh snow off of Alice’s shoulder. “You can’t be alone for Thanksgiving.”

Alice hugs her sister again, tighter this time, touched that she would sacrifice time with the whole family to be with her in the city. “I love you.”

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