Page 9 of Devon

Ryan had been so cute when he’d looked confused.Even though Devon knew he’d done the right thing by leaving, he’d wanted to stay.He’d wanted to spend more time with Ryan, get to know him, and show him that he could be a good mate.

He couldn’t be.He was leaving the village.That meant leaving Ryan, too, and even though they’d barely met, the thought broke Devon’s heart.

He leaned into the feeling.The pain was what he deserved after what he’d done to Kendrick.He didn’t understand what Ryan had done to deserve to be saddled with him, but Ryan would be fine eventually.

Devon just had to avoid him until then.

He knew that Ryan would try talking to him.He was a shifter who’d just met his mate.Of course he would try to convince Devon to be with him.Devon wouldn’t blame him for that, but he couldn’t listen to whatever Ryan had to say.He was weak and cruel, and Ryan didn’t deserve that.Devon had to stay as far away from him as he could.It would be the best thing he could do for all of them, but especially for Ryan.

Devon would stop feeling the pull toward Ryan, especially after he left the village.It would be more complicated for Ryan, but that was why Devon needed to start staying away from him now.The less time they spent together and the less they knew each other, the easier it would be for Ryan.It was the least Devon could do.He’d make the process of rejecting his mate as smooth and easy as he could.

For Ryan.

Devon was still shaken when he found a parking spot on a side street, but he felt better.Now that he was away from Ryan, it was easier for Devon to think clearly.This was the right thing to do.He would avoid Ryan, find a job, and spend as much time there as he could, and once he had enough money to land on his feet, he’d leave.He might have to leave his car because, technically, it belonged to the clan, but he’d find a way around that.

Maybe he could buy it from Clay and Rowan, but that would mean telling them why he needed to do that and explaining that he was leaving, which wasn’t something he was planning on doing.He was tempted to just disappear one night and never come back.It would hurt Melissa and Haley, but wouldn’t it be better for them to get a fresh start like that?

Devon didn’t want to tell people he was leaving because they’d try to stop him.They couldn’t see that things would be better for them without him.It would hurt for a bit, but eventually, they’d realize they were better off without him like his parents had.

He squeezed his eyes shut.He couldn’t start thinking about that.He had something important to do, which was to find a job.

He got out of his car and looked around.He’d gone from living in a city his entire life to living in a small village, but this town was neither of those things.It was small but bigger than the village, and it was quaint.Devon almost expected people to pop out from the bushes and start singing like in the movies.

No one did, even as he neared what he thought was the main street.He’d driven on it on his way in, but all the parking spots had been taken.Now that he got a better look, he wasn’t surprised.

This seemed to be the street where all the businesses were.He saw a pet shop, one that sold things for babies, a bookstore, and a small Italian restaurant.There was also a coffee shop that had ahelp wantedsign in the window.

Devon’s heart raced as he made his way toward the coffee shop.He’d never worked as a barista, but he was sure he could learn.He just needed someone to give him an opportunity.

His hands were sweating as he walked inside.He’d never had the money to go into coffee shops and order stuff to drink.He glanced up at the sign, his sight swimming when he saw how many options there were.How was a barista supposed to remember how to make all of them?

“Everything okay there?”the man behind the counter asked.He was older than Devon, maybe in his late thirties.

Ryan blinked.“I’m fine.”He cleared his throat.“I saw that you were looking for someone to work here.”

The man finished drying his hands on the towel he was holding and offered one to Devon.“I am.I’m Alex.”

“Devon.”

A door behind the counter opened, and a man came in.He was younger than Alex, probably close to Devon’s age, and had dark eyes and hair flopped over his forehead.There was a piercing in his eyebrow, and he was whistling.

Alex sighed as if this was a common occurrence.“Nicholas.”

“I already told you to call me Nic,” Nicholas said, wrinkling his nose.“When you call me Nicholas, it makes me sound like I’m a hundred-year-old.”

“Stop whistling.It bothers some of the customers.”

“You mean the customers who don’t know how to have fun?”

“Nicholas.”

Nic raised his hands.“Fine.I won’t whistle again.”He glanced at Devon and smiled.“And who’s this?”

“This is Devon.He’s asking about the job.”Alex turned back to Devon.“How about you shadow Nicholas for half an hour and see if this is something you want to do?If it is, I’ll hire you.”

Devon blinked.He’d thought it would be much harder to find a job.“I don’t have any experience.”

“Neither did I until I opened this place,” Alex said with a smile.“I don’t need you to have experience.I just need you to be willing to work.”

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