Page 40 of Knot Gonna Give You Up

“Ray?” I get her attention.

As usual, she just looks at me, waiting for me to talk.

“I’m glad you’re here, and I’m glad Josie is helping. I can see the change.”

Her eyes tear up, but she holds them in as she gives me a wobbly smile before nodding and going back to her books. Emotions are not her strong suit. Noting that there’s still time to kill, I head to the living room with a smile, watching a show about finding cake. When Josie texts to say she’s ready for me, Ijump up like I’ve been burned and speedwalk to my wallet and keys.

“Have fun!” I hear Ray yell from the den.

“Don’t get into too much trouble!” I yell back, then leave the house.

By the time I pull up to Josie’s condo, my stomach is in knots. We haven’t really spent any time with just us two, and I hope I don’t push her away. Sometimes my foot gets in my mouth, and it’s hard to pull it out again. I glance around as I walk to her door and notice Jesse in his condo. He glances out his window and gives me a small hand wave before walking to a different room.

Josie’s opened the door before I can knock, and the air gets knocked out of my lungs. Even dressed for a casual date of walking around in some woods, she’s breathtaking. Her hair is bound up in a messy bun, some tendrils falling around her face, her jeans fit like someone molded them to her body, and her oversized t-shirt makes me smile. It’s black and a bit worn, featuring a side knot and a graphic of Rick Astley.

“You look amazing,” I tell her with a smile.

“Flattery will get you everywhere,” she winks, “You don’t look too bad yourself!”

I’m wearing a long-sleeved flannel with the sleeves rolled up, so I hold out my arm for her to take. There’s enough fabric left on my forearm that she can avoid my skin if she wants to. Josie grabs my bicep instead and nods at me. Grinning, I walk her to the car and we get settled in.

“When was the last time you went to Nature Art?” I ask.

“Gosh, I want to say four or five years? It was right before or after I started Touch Helpers. I just remember being so overwhelmed with everything to do with a start-up that I needed some Zen. Nature Art was exactly what I needed at the time.”

“That’s amazing; I can’t remember if I’ve told you, but I think it’s badass that you saw a problem and created a company to help fix it.”

She blushes a little, “Thanks, it’s been a lot of work and I couldn’t have done it without Georgie and James. They’ve been a rock for me since I hired them, and we’re almost at the point where I’ll need to hire a third Beta for Touch Helpers!”

We talk a bit more about her business, the challenges she’s faced, and what her strategy has been. It brings so much joy to her face that mine is smiling consistently. I share some of my business experience with her, and we throw ideas back and forth. Most of my family are investors or silent partners, but I’ve always enjoyed the idea of being more hands-on in business. So, I worked my way into a CEO position.

We arrive, and I grab two water bottles from the backseat to bring along. I want to make sure Josie stays hydrated while we wander around. Grabbing my wallet, I pay our fee and we walk into the park, side by side. I hold out her water bottle, and she grabs it well away from my hand before smiling at me.

“Glad you thought to bring these!” she says.

I shrug, “I like providing for you.”

Josie’s face flushes red, and she gives me a shy smile. I wish she was used to people providing for her, and I promise myself now that if she accepts me, I’ll spoil her rotten. I point out some ridiculous sculptures and we joke about what we see in them, but we also have thoughtful conversation about some of the pieces that do move us. She has an interesting view of the world that I probably never would have considered as an Alpha. Being around her and listening to her makes me feel like I’m a better person just for knowing her.

“So, how are Jesse and Vic?” I ask her, knowing she has a Match with both of them.

“Uh, good, Jesse pops by every now and again, and I actually got to go see Vic’s rental. It’s a cute house, a little small for a Pack bigger than three, but it’s perfect for him and Simon right now,” she responds.

“Oh, I’m glad you got to go check out their place! Did you get a chance to see Simon too? Us guys actually went out and did an escape room, and it was pretty fun.”

Josie smiles, “Oh yeah, I heard all about it from Vic. He enjoyed it too.”

Her neglect to mention Simon doesn’t escape my notice.

“Simon’s goofy side took me by surprise,” I confess, “I hope I get to see more of it. He’s really fun.”

“Yeah, he is,” Josie says softly.

I sense she’s still avoiding the topic of Simon. When we stop moving next, I take the chance to turn and face Josie directly.

“Are you okay with Simon? Did something happen? You don’t seem to want to talk about him, but I want to make sure he didn’t hurt you somehow,” I tell her.

Josie turns to me, surprised, but it evens out into a smile. “No, nothing like that. You’re sweet for caring. I… Well, we were… Um… I accidentally touched his face.”

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