Page 55 of Cold Foot Croc

“Oh.” She frowned. “You can come to that. I thought you would be working in the morning.”

“I’ll get someone to cover my shift. If you want.” He held up his hands in surrender. “Only if you want. Don’t eat me.”

The last part was a joke, and she shoved him playfully in the shoulder. “Stupid,” she said around a laugh as she wiped under her eyes to make sure none of the earlier tears had escaped. “Why do you like me?” she asked suddenly.

“What?” Garret sounded baffled.

“Why do you like me? Is it because of the baby? Or is it some kind of hero-syndrome? Like you think I need help because my baby’s father isn’t here? Because if so, you are off the hook, you know? I don’t want you to pity me, or…”

“Is this you pushing me away?” he asked, standing. He put his hands on his hips and cocked his head, looking troubled.

“I don’t know. I just don’t want to do all this with you, and then you decide you don’t really like me when I’m different, after I have the baby. I mean, you haven’t even seen me Change yet. And this is all happening so fast—”

“You’re getting worked up,” he said softly.

“I am not. I’m asking important questions.”

“You know me better than that—”

“No I don’t.” What was she doing? What in the ever-loving-hell was she doing? She couldn’t stop talking, and coming up with problems. “I’m just worried when all the glitz and glamour of my pre-baby life is done, you will bounce. I don’t want to get too attached if you decide to do that.”

He wouldn’t look her in the eye right now. He stood there with his hands gripping his hips, eyes on the table, shouldersheaving slowly with his deep breathing. His jaw was clenched. “I get you panicking—”

“I’m not panicking. I’m fine.”

“I get you panicking,” he repeated, dragging his bright-teal gaze to hers. “But I don’t like it. I haven’t given you a reason to panic on me. I didn’t do anything wrong. Not on this one.”

She crossed her arms over her chest, and wished so badly that she could keep the next words inside of her. She couldn’t though. Something possessed her to say, “I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be around my nest until I work some stuff out.”

Garret stood there frozen for a couple of seconds before he nodded. “Okay. Let me know when you get it worked out.” It was a simple response, and clipped, and she could tell he was angry. Or hurt, perhaps. She could feel it, and it made her sick to her stomach.

What had even triggered this? It wasn’t even logical. She’d had a great day, and then she’d questioned him. Why?

“Hey,” she said, standing.

“I think I need to Change, and you know…figure things out,” he said low. He walked out the exit, shaking his head.

Raynah puffed air out of her cheeks and watched him walk out.

“Nice job, psychopath,” Cash said from where he was packing the leftover food into containers.

“Mind your own business,” she grumbled.

“You know, I did a background check on him. He’s clean. He seems like a good, genuine dude.”

“You did a background check on him?” she asked. “Seriously?”

“Yeah,” Cash said, eyes fiery. “I did one on all of you. If I am shacking up with a bunch of strangers, I want to know what I’m into. He’s clean.” Cash pointed at her. “You’re not.”

“What are you saying?”

“He took off work today to be here. Talked to your Alpha out of respect. Is willing to put up with this pregnancy shitshow for a baby who isn’t even his—”

“Cash, shut up!”

He slammed down the food container and strode for her, jammed a finger at her. “You shouldn’t shit on people who are better than you. He’s fucking stooping for you, Raynah. He’s better than all of us.” The disgust in his voice was so apparent as he walked away and yelled over his shoulder, “You owe him an apology.”

This was the part she hated. This was the part that she’d been afraid of. Crews were close-knit, like friends or built-in family, but what if a Crew didn’t mesh well? But as she watched Cash disappear out the way Garret had gone, that didn’t feel right. They’d all gotten along so well today, and probably had been for a while now, unbeknownst to her while she was dealing with all of these overwhelming feelings.

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