Page 74 of Rejected Plus-Size Mate

He smiles, pressing his fingers to his lips and blowing me a kiss. With a happy bark and a wag of my tail, I turn and follow the others into the forest.

The next few days are such a flurry of activity, it’s almost impossible to measure time. People and supplies are being moved around the town while the new pack work on rebuilding houses and cabins. There is a lot of cleaning to be done in places that didn’t get burned down, and supplies to be restocked.

Even though I fall asleep each night tired and aching from head to foot, my heart is happy in a way it never has been before. Being away from Kyle reminds me of how much it hurt when I lost him last time, but now I know I’ll never lose him again.

He was the one who broke my heart… and he was the only one who could mend it.

After about a week, I head into Gladys’s diner early in the morning, ready for another hard day’s work.

Gladys greets me at the counter with a big smile. “And what are you doing here?”

“I’m here to work, obviously,” I chuckle. “You got a problem with that?”

“As a matter of fact, I do,” Gladys says, folding her arms and glaring at me with a mock frown. “Look around, girl.”

I do, but I can’t see anything strange. “I can’t see anything wrong.”

“That is exactly my point!” she declares. “The place is pretty much back to normal. There’s no reason for you to be here anymore.”

“Trying to get rid of me?” I ask wryly. “Admit it, you just can’t stand my company.”

Gladys laughs, coming around the counter to wrap me in one of her big, warm hugs. “It’s so good to see you happy, girl,” she says. “Get on outta here and go to your mate. It’s where you belong.”

“Thank you,” I answer. “For everything.”

“I knew it would all come good,” she says, stroking my hair. “You just had to be patient.”

I squeeze her a bit tighter. I can’t express how grateful I am that she took me in and gave me a safe place while I mourned for Kyle and what might have been. Without Gladys to welcome me into the diner every day, I might have completely given up on love.

And then I wouldn’t have been ready when he came back. I’d be closed off, shut down. Gladys helped keep love alive in my heart.

“Go on now,” she says, shoving me away. “You can take my car. That man of yours is waiting for you.”

I hurry out the door, jumping into Gladys’s little car and heading out of town towards Silver Meadows. The drive makes me remember my road trips with Kyle and how I can’t wait to go on another one.

We never got to try out that lovely hotel. Next time, we will.

Before I know it, I’m on the outskirts of town, cruising down the looping streets towards Kyle’s house. When I get there, he’s waiting outside for me, waving the second he sees the car.

I’m laughing as I throw the door open, and his arms are around me before I can even get out. For a few seconds, we get tangled together in our eagerness to kiss, and then he wraps his arms around my waist, grips me hard, and hoists me up to join his lips to mine.

“Welcome home, my love,” he whispers.

Happiness rings through me, and all I can do is kiss him back. I stroke his unruly dark hair with one hand, clinging to his waist with the other as the kiss deepens.

“We better get inside,” he says, laughing.

“Why?” I ask, my eyes wide with innocence. “What could possibly happen?”

Kyle laughs and pulls me close again, kissing me quickly.

“Believe it or not, I’m not worried about that. My neighbors are pretty far away, and I don’t think I’d mind if you hurled me to the ground right here and now and had your way with me.”

“Don’t tempt me,” I answer, wiggling my eyebrows up and down. “You know how impulsive I am. How can I resist if you’re going to tempt me with such vivid imagery?”

Kyle laughs and pulls on my hand. “Come on, I’ve got something to show you.”

I let him lead me inside, eager to see what the surprise is. I’m expecting a nice dinner or something similar, so I’m truly shocked when we get into the living room.

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