Page 2 of The Flavor of Us

“Well, lucky for me,” I say, forcing a grin, “I brought a bag.” I nudge the purse slung over my shoulder like it’s some kind of prize.

Her laugh is soft but genuine and for a second, it’s like no time has passed. Like we’re back to being…whatever we were before it all went sideways. But then her eyes meet mine and the tension snaps back into place.

“So,” she says after a moment, twisting to face me. “How’ve you been?” She’s still closed off, despite the soft conversation, her hands folded in her lap, one leg crossed over the other. Carleen’s giving me that business pose. I hate it.

An exaggerated breath falls from my lips as I shake my head. Ignoring this isn’t going to work. Trying to play into pleasantries as if we’re just two ships passing in the night isn’t going to work either. We’ve been texting for a few weeks now, rekindling feelings and I’m done playing it safe. “Can we just…skip the small talk? Please?”

Her eyebrows lift, surprised, but she doesn’t say anything. Just watches me, her expression unreadable.

I turn toward her fully, leaning forward a little, my voice steady even though my chest feels like it might explode. “I didn’t come back to talk about the weather, Carleen. Or to pretend like nothing happened between us.”

She stiffens, just barely, but I catch it. Her eyes flicker down to her hands, her fingers twitching like she’s trying to keep herself grounded. Goddess, we’re such a mess. “Tati—”

“No.” I cut her off, my voice firmer now. “I came back because I want something real. With you. And I’m ready to work for it—whatever that means. Whatever you need.”

Her eyes snap up to mine, wide and a little startled. “You don’t—”

“I do,” I say quickly, cutting off whatever excuse she’s about to throw at me. “I know you’re scared. I know you’ve got yourreasons and I’m not here to bulldoze over them. But I’m here, Carleen. I’m here because I want you in my life and I’m willing to fight for it. For us.” Tears gather in my eyes as I swallow back the bile creeping up in my throat. I hate being this assertive but Ellie told me that Carleen won’t easily take a step forward.

She’s been hurt too many times.

And if I want a forever with her—I have to fight for it.

She exhales sharply, her hands clenching into fists against her thighs. For a moment, I think she’s going to argue, to push me away again, but instead, she leans forward, resting her elbows on her knees. Her head dips, the tension radiating through her shoulders.

“You don’t get it, Tati,” she mutters, a rough edge to her tone. “This isn’t…it’s not simple.”

I reach out, hesitating for only a second before brushing my fingers against her arm. She doesn’t pull away and that tiny victory gives me the courage to press on. Carleen has said those same words to me before and every time, I’ve said the same thing. I just hope this time she believes me. “I don’t need simple. I just need you.”

She finally looks up at me and the raw vulnerability in her eyes nearly knocks the air out of my lungs. There’s so much there—pain, fear, guilt, longing—all of it swirling together in a way that makes my heart ache.

“I came back for this,” I say again. “Because I can’t imagine my life without you in it. So, whatever you’re dealing with, whatever you think is too much, let me help carry it.”

Her jaw tightens, Carleen obviously dealing with emotions she hasn’t let me see before. “Don’t judge me.”

Carleen’s words hang in the air between us, like the room itself is holding its breath.Don’t judge me.Her voice echoes in my head as I sit there, staring into her wide, vulnerable eyes. This is Carleen—confident, sharp-tongued, impossible-to-shakeCarleen—and yet, here she is, looking at me like I’m holding her whole world in my hands.

I swallow hard, reaching forward to grab her hands in mine. “I’d never judge you, Alpha. Not for anything.”

Calling her Alpha seems to give her some relief, a tiny crack in the armor but it’s enough to remind me that beneath everything, she’s still human. Just as scared of getting hurt as I am. Maybe more.

“I’m scared, Tati,” she admits. “I’m scared I’m not enough for you. That what you want…what youdeserve…is more than I can give.”

Her confession cuts deep, but I don’t truly know what she means. Carleen? Not enough? She doesn’t get it—she doesn’t see what I see when I look at her. Strong, fierce, beautiful, and so damnCarleenthat it drives me crazy.

I frown, leaning closer. “What are you talking about? Where is this even coming from?”

She shakes her head, her jaw tightening like she’s trying to hold it all in, but then the words come tumbling out. “I don’t…move fast, Tati. I never have. I need time to build that connection, to trust someone completely before I can even think about—” She cuts herself off, glancing away like she’s ashamed to even say it. “Before I can take things further.”

I blink as all the pieces fall into place. I suspected for a while but since we never truly made our relationship official, it never became part of the conversation. I wish it had. It would have made everything so much easier because in what world would I have judged Carleen for being herself? “Are you demi?” I ask, wondering if putting the question out there is too much.

Her eyes snap to mine, wide and almost defensive, like she’s waiting for me to laugh or brush it off. But I don’t. How could I? All I feel is a rush of love for this woman sitting in front of me, trying to bare her soul when she’s probably terrified I’ll break it.

She looks away again, her voice barely above a whisper. “Yeah.” It takes me a moment to realize Carleen is waiting for me to push her away, to agree with her that she’s not enough for me. I wonder how many have seen her and told her those very same words. I’m going to kill every single one of them.

Squeezing her hands in mine, I grab her attention again. “Alpha, I would spendeternityproving myself to you if it meant you’d love me at the end. I don’t care how long it takes, or what it looks like, or what anyone else thinks. I wantyou. Whatever you have to give, whatever you’re comfortable with—I’ll take it. Happily.”

Her breath hitches and then her lips curve into the softest, most genuine smile I’ve seen in months. It’s small, almost shy, but it’s real, and it makes my heart feel like it’s about to burst.

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