Page 9 of Wrong Number, Right Lion

“The room I’m working in doesn’t get much sun,” I fibbed.

“Shame you don’t make use of the attic. Seems like a perfect place for a home office.”

My office had been spared any damage thanks to the design of the house.

“It is, but I like to change things up. I get bored being in the same location. There’s always something new to see.” Like a handsome handyman flexing his muscles.

“Mmmm. The same old same old breeds boredom. I get it.”

He peered at the ceiling as I made my way to the sink. “How’s Princess?”

“Doing well.” As the mature tree had been female—I’d discovered the tree’s red flowers indicated it was female after I moved in—so Kalen had named the cutting. She needed a mixture of sun and shade at this stage, so I moved the pot a couple of times a day.

“Glad to hear our baby is okay. Look after her because we want her to grow big and strong.”

“I will.”

He tramped outside, and I leaned over the sink and tossed water on my face. Whenever I was near Kalen an inferno ignited in my belly and sweat slid down my spine. Jealousy stabbed at me as I wondered if he affected other omegas in the same way.

I returned to my makeshift office, determined to get to work and not pay attention to Kalen. He hadn’t given me a reasonable explanation of why, when a random guy called asking for help, he upped and offered it. It was his summer vacation, and he should have been at the beach or hiking or partying with friends. Not sweltering under the summer sun.

The phone buzzed. Stephen.

“How did you fare during the storm?” He didn’t bother with greetings but jumped straight into the conversation.

“Hmmm, shame you didn’t call me after it had passed.” Stephen and I were the same age, and we often teased and riled one another up.

“I was busy with, you know… flooding.”

I told him about my roof and how my favorite tree was now firewood.

“What?” I held the phone away from my ear as he screeched. “Why didn’t you come here? There’s always a bed or sofa free.”

I explained the structure of the house was intact.

“Did you get hold of Mackie?”

Oh,thatwas the handyman’s name. “Mackie. No. I…”

“Why not? Don’t tell me you’re living with huge holes in your roof.”

“You’ll never believe what happened.” I related my mistake and how Kalen had turned up and he was great. “We’re parents!”

“What? He put his dick in you and you’re already pregnant? My head hurts.”

I explained about Princess.

“You’re a freaking jerk,” he scoffed. He ranted about Kalen not having the proper credentials and he could have ripped me off. “And what if he steals your valuables?”

Other than a computer and a phone, I didn’t have many because I’d sunk all my savings into a mortgage.

“Is he hot?”

“I’m not going to answer that.”

A slap resounded through the phone. I knew Stephan well enough to know what that was. He’d whacked his forehead.

“He is. You can’t hire someone based on a hotness scale.”

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