Page 86 of The Alpha's Second Chance Mate

“I’ve missed you,” he said. “It feels like I’ve wasted most of my life without you. That part of medoeswant to be around you all the time. My wolf hungers for it. For you. I respect your boundaries, but the moment you think we’re ready, I’ll be ready, too. Whatever you need to feel comfortable, I’ll do.”

“Thank you for that,” I said. “I know it would be easy to try and jump right back to where we used to be, but I think this is the safest way.”

Nodding, he popped a chip into his mouth. After all the years I spent without him, it still felt strange to be sitting in a truck beside Cole Garrett. The easy thing would be to let loose and act as though the last fifteen years had never happened, but my walls were still up, protecting me against more heartbreak. Cole was doing everything he needed to, but there was always the chance he’d change his mind. Vanish again. Leave me alone like before. If that happened, I needed to stay strong and be ready to break the bond between us once and for all.

As we drove on, I hoped and prayed that wouldn’t be necessary.

20

COLE

We pulled into the Waldorf Astoria in the Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta. A valet opened our doors as we parked.

Avery turned and gaped at me. “I was thinking we’d be at, like, the Holiday Inn or something.”

“Not for our first real date. I wanted to spoil you,” I said.

The valet unloaded our bags as we stepped inside to check in.

Avery tugged at my sleeve. “Can you afford this place? It looks super expensive.”

That brought back the annoying thoughts of how much money I’d doled out to keep the pack afloat.

“I’m not broke, Avery,” I snapped.

She scowled. “No need to be a dick about it. I was only asking. I don’t want you overspending to impress me or something. I’ve never cared about money, and that hasn’t changed. You should know that.”

She looked affronted, and I heaved out an exasperated breath. Thathadbeen a prickish retort. What the hell was wrong with me?

“Sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean to sound like an ass. Money’s been on my mind a lot is all. This thing with the pack isn’t going to ruin me, but it will take a while to rebuild my portfolio. That’s all.”

She nodded, but still looked hesitant, and I kicked myself for it.

“This place is expensive,” I acknowledged, putting a reassuring arm around her shoulders. “But it won’t hurt my pockets to show you a good time. That’s all I can say. I’ll try to not let the issues back home bother me while we’re here. All right?”

“You’re right. I won’t bring it up again,” she said, relaxing and giving a smile.

We settled into our room, but throughout the process of freshening up, I still felt like a jerk for the way I’d reacted down in the lobby. This was supposed to be a special time, and we’d been in the hotel for all of one minute before I snapped at her—and over something as shallow as money. Hopefully, what I had planned for tonight would make up for it.

“Did you have any thoughts on dinner?” Avery asked, leaning her head out of the bathroom to look at me.

“I’ve already made reservations,” I said.

Her eyes widened. “Fancy. Where are we going?”

Recalling the fiasco with the steak and shrimp the other night, I hoped I’d made a good choice with the restaurant I picked.

“The Oceanaire Seafood Room?” I said, framing it as a question rather than a statement.

“Are youserious?” The smile that spread across her face sent a wave of relief through me. “I haven’t eaten there in… well,youknow how long.”

It was the nicest seafood place in Atlanta, and Avery loved seafood. At least, she had back in the day. I’d taken her to that exact restaurant after prom at her request.

“Good,” I said. “I was worried you’d stopped eating anything from the sea with Ashton’s allergy.”

She ran a brush through her hair and rolled her eyes at me. “Thatwas a painful conversation with his pediatrician. No more crab, no more oysters, no shrimp or scallops. Ugh. I can still do fish, which is great, but man, I’ve missed a really good lobster tail and butter.”

Even from across the room, my enhanced hearing picked up the gurgle of her rumbling stomach.

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