Page 89 of Lost
“Dude. That’s a shit ton of food,” I laugh.
“I’m not packing up all of it,” he mutters. “Most of it will be a test for the coffee shop. I’ve been wanting to expand into gluten free food for awhile, and this is a good way to do it. I noticed the way she watched you eat your bagel, though. It has to suck not to be able to eat things that you’re craving because it’ll make you sick.”
“No shit. Did you see how happy she was eating her pancakes though?”
“They were really fucking good,” he confirms, lifting his box of treats. As he comes closer, I can see that each section isdifferent, and he puts inserts inside the box to keep everything separated. “Okay, so I still went a bit overboard, yeah?”
The front door opens, and he checks the time.
“Let me just tell Sarah about how today needs to go,” he says, handing me the pastry box.
I hear him talk to his employee, smiling as she grabs a pad of paper to take notes.
“I got it, boss. I have the times the catering orders will be picked up, I’ll restock things and add the new menu items too, and it sounds like you’re on your way out,” she says cheerfully.
Ugh, almost too much for the early hour.
Lars grumbles something to her before walking back toward me and leaving things in Sarah’s very competent hands.
“She’d make a good manager,” I tease him as I make my way to the car. We’ll come back for his later.
“Maybe,” he grunts. “She’s part time right now, but when she’s here, I may as well not be.”
Smirking, I slide into the SUV, glancing at Lars’ truck that’s currently getting dumped on by more snow. We’ll probably have to dig it out later. Lovely.
“Hardware store first,” I murmur, waiting for the engine to warm up once I turn it on. I should have left the fucker running, but didn’t think about it.
“May as well go big or go home,” he says. “Let’s see if we can set this all up before she wakes up.”
Nodding as I shift the vehicle into reverse, I nod.
“I’m always up for a challenge.”
NOVA
Knocking on the door pulls me out of my sleep, and I’d consider refusing to answer it if I didn’t think it was my sister or her pack. They have a key to the house, so it’ll just delay the inevitable need to get up.
Pushing myself up to a sitting position, I wrinkle my nose at how salt crusted my lashes are. I can barely open my eyes, and walk haltingly to my bathroom to wash my face. Since it’s a tiny house with one bathroom, there are two doors into it for easy access.
“Coming!” I call out, my voice completely fucked from crying earlier. I use a gentle cleanser to wash my face and eyes, and then pat dry. A quick check of the mirror shows that my face is blotchy, but there’s no help for it now.
Dropping the towel over the lip of the sink, I stumble out to the front door, glad I’m wearing clothes now.
Blinking slowly at the alphas at the door does nothing to make them disappear.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
Lars winces at my voice, turning me around and hustling me inside.
“Nothing,” he grunts. “We wanted to come see you. I want you to have some tea for your throat before we talk. Do you have any?”
“Yeah,” I croak out, sitting down in the chair he pushes me into.
Watching Lars’ huge body moving around my kitchen is a mind fuck.
“Choose something to eat,” Caleb says, surprising me by my side.
Fuck. I was so distracted by Lars, I didn’t even realize he was in my house. What’s wrong with me?
