Page 31 of Unbreak Me

Ah, that was a topic I knew better than to push. His obvious addiction wasn’t something I liked, but it would be rude and obnoxious to start lecturing him right away. I hoped, though, that maybe someday he’d quit on his own. I had this feeling it was stress-related.

About halfway there, Day suggested we take a break, so I pulled into a gas station, went inside to grab a drink, and when I came back out, he was leaning against the hood of the car, cigarette in hand, staring at the sky as he exhaled thin streams of smoke.

He looked relaxed on the surface, but I could feel the tension radiating from him. It wasn’t something obvious; it felt deeper, like he was carrying an old, invisible thorn that had already festered—but if you paid attention to it, you’d see its effect: a constant, dull ache seeping into everything about Day.

Luckily, the rest of the drive went a bit better. He asked about my studies, and I told him a little about my major. Then we talked about his college days. Turned out, he once dreamed of becoming a writer. He even published a book through his own publishing house, but it was very niche, and he felt it had too many structural flaws to ever gain mainstream success. Finally, he ended up as an editor and a book marketer—something he was good at and actually enjoyed.

He told me about the authors he worked with, how he did beta reading for them, promoted their books on social media, created videos, helped set up their Instagram accounts and blogs, and even responded to readers on their behalf. It wasn’t ahigh-paying job, but it was fulfilling enough, and he didn’t plan to change careers anytime soon.

Finally, we arrived. I noticed Day’s eyes widen as he took in the house. When we stepped out of the car, he stood there quietly, looking around for a moment, seemingly soaking it all in.

I smiled under my breath, happy that he approved of my home.

DAY

Jan’s house turned out to be much bigger than I’d imagined. Honestly, I’d been picturing a small farm, but it was more like a sprawling plantation, with long rows of fruit trees and bushes stretching over a few low hills behind the main building. Definitely impressive.

Two golden retrievers ran out to greet us, tails wagging enthusiastically. They seemed friendly, even though I’ve always been more of a cat person. Jan introduced them as Max and Buddy.

The house itself had two wings, giving it the vibe of an old estate with a touch of southern secessionist charm. The lawn was immaculate—neatly trimmed, perfectly arranged flower beds, and not a blade of grass out of place.

I couldn’t help but wonder how a guy like Jan, with all this going for him, had stayed single for so long. Well, not anymore, obviously, but still. As I glanced sideways at him, I noticed he was already busy carrying suitcases inside. Following him in, I took in the house’s interior and was pleasantly surprised—it didn’t disappoint. Modern, spotless, and well-maintained, it had the feel of a big family home. However, to be honest, it looked like a lot of work to keep clean. The living room alone was massive!

Sure, I wasn’t obligated to pitch in with chores, but since I’d already told him I wasn’t planning on treating the parasitic part of the contract seriously—not in day-to-day life, anyway—I figured I’d better be ready to roll up my sleeves soon and make friends with the mop, the cloth, and the grind of dusting.

Two large cats, one white and one orange, strolled over to me, the orange one with a fluffy mane circling my leg. I bent down to stroke his back.

"That’s Milky and Fuzz. They’re my Maine Coons," Jan said with a small smile.

He led me upstairs to my bedroom, which turned out to be bright and spacious, complete with its own balcony and bathroom. Everything smelled fresh, like the bedding had just been changed, and the room was nicely aired out.

As I glanced around, my eyes landed on a colorful pile of fabric on a chair in the corner. A strange wave of emotions hit me—it was new nest-building material. He must’ve bought it yesterday.

Unsure how to react, I cautiously looked at Jan. Our eyes met, and he gave me a shy smile, clearly noticing my surprise.

I didn’t say anything, and he probably didn’t expect me to. In the ABO community, it was considered inappropriate to talk about nests with omegas, at least early on in a relationship. Nesting was way too personal. An alpha didn’t comment on whether an omega was nesting, how he was nesting, or why he wasn’t. In healthy relationships, those conversations could happen, but only after trust had been deeply established.

Personally, I’d only ever talked about nests with Nico, and even then, just once. I’d rarely felt enough trust in my life to have those kinds of conversations. Nesting was something deeply intimate for me, something that came from the very depths of my soul.

Jan set my suitcases by the large wardrobe and said, "Let me bring the rest. You just take a look around." He gave me that soft smile again.

"I can help—"

"No," he interrupted firmly, this time his voice carrying that unmistakable alpha authority.

A moment later, he headed downstairs for more of my stuff. I sighed and stepped out onto the balcony. The view was stunning.

The house was perched on a hill, surrounded by a circle of other slightly lower, soft green hills. No other buildings were in sight, giving the plantation an isolated, peaceful feel. Below the hillside, I noticed a serene pond with a small sandy beach. I couldn’t tell if it was for swimming or fishing, but I leaned toward swimming.

When Jan returned, I asked him about it. He stepped onto the balcony, glanced at the pond, and said, "Yeah, I love swimming. That’s one of the reasons I set it up. Originally, it was just a marsh overgrown with reeds, but I deepened it. Feel free to use it if you’d like!"

After he left to grab the last of my things, I stayed on the balcony, soaking in the tranquil views of the plantation and the colorful trees and bushes lined up, waiting to be sold to gardening enthusiasts. I wondered if Jan had employees or if he managed everything himself.

Later, I found out he only had one older beta worker to help with some small chores and pruning, but most of the other tasks, like packing orders, he handled on his own. I immediately decided I’d offer to help him with that.

Once all my stuff was brought in, we went to the kitchen, where Jan said he’d make us a late lunch. I felt a little awkward letting him serve me right away, but since I wasn’t familiar with the house yet, I figured I’d explore the kitchen later so I couldtake over next time. I firmly decided to make a point of NOT being a parasite that Eternal allowed me to be.

Jan quickly whipped up a simple but delicious lunch: toast with homemade cranberry jam, hard-boiled eggs with a creamy parsley-horseradish sauce, and fried Penny Bun mushrooms. When I saw those mushrooms, I gaped.

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