Page 183 of Forget

“Yes,” she says with a nod. “I hired a new grocery delivery service, and so far that’s going well, but I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. Maybe that’s pessimistic?—”

“It’s what you’ve been seeing daily, so it makes sense,” I tell her. “Some of it is growing pains as you find what works and what doesn’t.”

“I had an omega in Georgia reach out for possible relocation,” Aisling with a sigh. “I sent her and her daughters bus tickets. I’m going to meet her at the station in Minneapolis and bring her over. Which means, I need to also buy a van for the shelter.”

“I can see what you mean about the growing pains,” I murmur. “Caelin can find you a van with a solid price and no connection to you or the shelter. The plates will be untraceable as well.”

“Can he do it by next week?” she asks with a wince.

“Yep, I can text him now. It’ll be done by tomorrow, just because he needs to doctor the plates and paperwork. Insurance also will need to be put under an umbrella company,” I tell her, pulling out my phone to text our group chat.

“Wow,” she says as I huff out a laugh.

“Most things are easier with a hacker mate in your pack, Princess,” I say.

The waitress comes by to take our drink orders, and I order an appetizer when I hear Aisling’s stomach grumble. She sheepishly smiles as I shake my head.

“Your stomach is rioting,” I grumble. “We need to get you fed.”

The conversation is light as we chat and later order real food for ourselves when the waitress comes back with water for the table.

“This is nice,” Aisling confesses, popping a loaded smashed potato bite in her mouth. They have dollops of sour cream on them, and they’re delicious. Honestly, I’m harder than a rock simply watching her eat, though.

“I’m not complaining, but was there a special reason for the invite?”

“I wanted to spend time with you,” I confess. “I’m trying to bide my time, let you find your way?—”

“Is that why you’re hanging on the fringes?” she asks.

“I want to be a better alpha for you,” I tell her. I’m going to therapy sessions regularly, making sure I don’t run into Aisling when I go. Dr. Alys said she wouldn’t tell her until I do.

Which means I in fact need to tell her. I can tell in the slight glare she gives me whenever I report that Aisling doesn’t know about my sessions.

“Open and honest communication, Aiden,”she growls every time. For someone so tiny, she sure is bossy as hell and scary as fuck.

“Aiden,” Aisling murmurs. “You really don’t think you are?”

“Absolutely not,” I confirm, shaking my head. “Listen, would it piss you off if I was seeing your therapist? For sessions, I mean.”

Blinking in surprise, Aisling’s head moves from side to side as if weighing my words.

“No, it wouldn’t,” she says. “Dr. Alys is amazing. I think it’s great for you to be going. Is that where the idea that you’re not good enough is coming from?”

“Not necessarily,” I grunt. “I’m trying to get past the fact that I felt ignored when we first met. Those feelings aren’t something you were responsible for, since you didn’t know we were scent matches. In my head, you were pushing aside both biology and fate.”

“I didn’t know,” she says. “The second I smelled your scent, I was pulled to you in a way that made me feel unbalanced and crazy. I needed to find you.”

“That’s what I’ve always been told,” I sigh. “The scent matching is instantaneous, but when you didn’t show any signs of being affected, I was irrationally angry.”

“Is that why you were being an asshole when I was packing up my apartment?” Aisling asks.

“Sorry,” I say with a wince. “I was pissed at Cian’s wife because she’s the reason you were living in that tiny apartment. You did everything you could just to survive, while she was living in your father’s house. I wish I could kill her again.”

“So that was your handiwork?” she asks with a smirk. Aisling isn’t even slightly worried that I’m a serial killer. Cian’s enemies are mine, end of story.

“Your father and I,” I confirm. “She’s making wonderful fertilizer for the garden.”

Aisling’s lips twitch as our food arrives, and the waitress refills our glasses with water before disappearing.

---