Page 13 of Violet Moon
“I know,” Sera repeated.
“Azizam.”Parisa’s hand slid down Sera’s arm.“Can you tell me what you’re thinking?”
Sera glanced at her.“I’m fine.It’s just big news.I’m processing everything.”
“Well, you know I’m always here for you.And Wilma will be, too.”Parisa patted her arm and left.
Sera looked down at her hands and her mood sank further.She’d crushed the violet stems in her fist.Doing her best to make them look nice again, she placed them in the vase on Parisa’s desk.She had a feeling they wouldn't be admired today, but she wanted them there for Parisa just in case her Alpha had a moment for herself.
Sera glanced at the clock.She didn’t really have the time before her bakery shift, but she needed to run.She needed to be her wolf and deal with the rest of the day later.
five
IfParisawantedaGamma, Wilma was the right choice and Sera knew it.She could deal with it.
Sera’s day proved otherwise.
“Hugh, I’m falling apart,” she whined, holding her head in her hands as she stared down into the frothy latte art in her mug.Hugh had it waiting for her when she arrived after a hectic shift at Violet Moon.“I don’t know where my head was today.”
“At the top of your neck,” he replied.
Sera made a face at him.“I messed up orders, straight up forgot to schedule our fruit delivery, and stepped in custard.”
“Why was there custard on the floor?Of the bakery, I hope.”
“Yes, in the bakery.And I don’t know!I’ll have to ask Billie later.”She sighed, and it broke into a weak bout of laughter.“I ruined a shoe.”
“Which one?Not the good boots I like, right?”
“No, those are safe.”
“Thank goodness for small miracles.”
“Wait, are those the only pair of my shoes you like?”
Hugh sipped his espresso.
“Rude.”
“Your little red binder wasn’t there to save you?”
Sera shot him a look.“It was!Just, you know, after the fact.It’s how I realized I missed the delivery.I went back to find a receipt from that ceramics place we buy dishes from — knew exactly where that was, by the way — and I noticed I’d missed a note to call the farm we order from.”
“Was the note crumpled?”
“Beside the point.I found the thing, was triumphant for all of five seconds, and then stepped in custard.”
“I mourn for all the filled treats that never were.Speaking of —” He wiggled his fingers in front of him.
Sera reached into her bag and presented the pretty box all the bakery’s treats were packed inside.She’d tied it closed with a silver ribbon.“I come bearing gifts, of course.”
“The only gift I need is right here in front of me.”Hugh winked and flashed a bright, toothy grin.
“Flattery will get you nowhere.”
“But flattery gets you everywhere, my dear.”He took the box.“And it also gets me —” He let his voice trail off.
“Somenaan khormaei,since I know you can’t stand the overly sweet stuff and you love when it’s Parisa’s baking days.She didn’t have time to make her usual big batch today, so be glad you got one of the few.”She pointed down at her cup.“What do I have the pleasure of enjoying this evening?”
