Page 28 of Slick Handling

CLOVER

Chapter 11

Clover

It smells like Coca-Cola. The sugary scent makes my nose tickle as I shift, rubbing at my eyes.

What woke me up?

McKinley is smiling at me as Vaughn gives me a tight smile.

He is not happy to wake up on the couch with me. I can see from the tense way that he holds himself and how he seems confused about where he is.

“I need to get ready.” He doesn’t look at me as he stands up and goes upstairs like he hadn’t just been holding me and cuddling me in my sleep.

My scent is cherry coke from him nuzzling against me and if he hadn’t run off I would like it a lot better.

“I’m doing my classes at home today. Do you want to get smoothie bowls and then I’ll help you set up for your Omega studies classes?” Mick asks, ignoring the fact that Vaughn just basically ran away from me..

Mickey’s so friendly with me. Openly kind and always trying to be helpful while his pack mates give me mixed signals. It's been either they give me a wide berth or throw confusing situations at me so I don’t understand what is happening. Everything feels so off balanced.

Am I bothering him too?

“Can I get changed first? I think it would be nice to walk around. Unless you’re busy and then it’s fine. It’s cold out and I just want to make sure that I don’t freeze. Unless you mind waiting and then I’ll just throw on shoes and I can be ready to go in a jiffy. Not that I’ll take a long time getting ready if I change. I don’t want to make you wait and,” I take a breath because I’m rambling. My hands cover my face as I feel the wash of embarrassment over me.

Mickey slides his hands delicately over my wrists, pulling my hands gently from my face.

His brown eyes are twinkling with amusement as he looks at me. Not as if he’s upset or mad but almost like I made him happy.

Little old me making someone happy? Is that possible?

“You take all the time you need, Clover. It’s a good idea for you to put on extra layers. Do you mind if I come up with you and start setting your laptop up to our Wi-Fi and making sure you’re all set for your classes? That way we can spend more time together.”

Nodding my head, I move up the stairs to the bedroom I’m staying in. It’s a guest bedroom that is filled with lots of scents. Usually, a lot of scents would bother me but it’s nice to know that they have family that cares about them and that they’re close.

Maybe I value family so much because it’s just me now.

“I’ll set it up on the desk here.” He motions where my laptop already is and I just nod, grabbing clean clothes to change into.

Most of my clothes are things that were given to me from The Omega Academy. Grammy and I made all our clothes back home. Nothing like the buttery soft leggings I like to wear or the big hoodies that I feel like I can swim in.

Comfort clothes didn’t exist for me before. Now, they’re all I want to be in.

The ensuite is connected and I rush through throwing on my black leggings and sherpa sweatshirt. Nearly falling out of the bathroom in the rush to prove that I’m not wasting anyone’s time.

McKinley looks up at me and smiles.

“You always look so beautiful, Clover. Give me just a second. Apollo acts like our Wi-Fi is top security and picks the most insane password known to man.” The Beta rolls his eyes like we’re sharing a joke and I step forward.

“What is it?”

“P@cKMaTher$ROOL69:p” He rattles off the series of characters as I nod my head.

“Is his hockey number 69?” I ask, “Or is his star sign a Cancer?” The Beta turns to me, looking at me up and down like he is trying to make sense of what I’m saying.

“Oh, you sweet summer child.” He shakes his head before shutting my laptop. “Let's go get breakfast together. I want to get to know you better.” He says it like he means it.

He makes me feel like it’s okay for me to have things to say and that my talking isn’t a problem. McKinley is the first person to not make me feel bad about it and I like that.

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