Page 12 of Mating With My Grumpy Alphas
"Rhett?" Hollis's voice called from the front of the shop. "You got a minute?"
I wiped my hands on a shop rag and headed toward the office, where Hollis was standing with what looked like measurements written on a piece of paper.
"What can I do for you?" I asked, settling behind my desk.
"The bookstore's heating system is acting up again," he said, looking apologetic. "I know you're busy, but—"
"When do you need it fixed?"
"Soon as possible. It's getting cold enough that customers are starting to notice, and I've got..." He paused. "I've got someone working for me now who seems to feel the cold more than most."
Something in the way he said it made me look up sharply. "The new hire?"
"Willa, yeah. I noticed she keeps her jacket on even when the rest of us are comfortable. Thought maybe she was just adjusting to the new environment, but today she looks like she's struggling with temperature regulation."
Temperature regulation issues in an omega was never a good sign. Especially not one who was probably dealing with suppressant side effects and stress from starting a new job in a new town where she didn't know anyone and had to work around alphas she didn't trust yet.
"I'll be by this afternoon," I heard myself saying. "Probably just needs a tune-up and maybe some new filters."
"Thanks, Rhett. I appreciate it. So will she, I think."
After Hollis left, I found myself planning the repair with more care than usual. Not just fixing the problem, but making sure the system would run efficiently and quietly. Maybe upgrading a few components that weren't strictly necessary but would improve overall performance.
Because hypothermic omegas were someone everyone would want to help, and it had nothing to do with the fact that I wanted to do something that would make her more comfortable in her new workplace.
Nothing at all.
By the time I made it to Pine & Pages that afternoon, I'd convinced myself this was purely professional courtesy. Hollis was a good customer who paid his bills on time and referred other people to my shop. Taking care of his heating system was just good business.
The fact that I'd brought pastries from Micah’s bakery was just... neighborly.
I found the heating unit in the basement, and it was immediately obvious what the problem was. Clogged filters, dirty vents, and a circulation fan that sounded like it was on its last legs. Nothing that couldn't be fixed, but it would take a few hours to do it right.
I was about halfway through the filter replacement when I heard footsteps on the basement stairs. Light, cautious footsteps that suggested someone who wasn't sure they wanted to come down here but felt obligated to check on the progress.
"How's it looking?" Her voice was carefully neutral, but I could hear the hope underneath.
"Fixable," I said without turning around. "Mostly just neglect. When's the last time anyone serviced this system?"
"I have no idea. I just started working here yesterday."
"Right." I pulled another filter out of the housing, grimacing at the amount of dust and debris. "Well, someone's been ignoring basic maintenance for at least a year. Maybe longer."
"Is that... expensive to fix?"
Something in her tone made me glance back at her. She was standing on the bottom step, hands wrapped around a coffee mug like it was providing essential warmth, wearing a jacket that looked too big for her frame. Like she was trying to disappear inside it.
"Nope. Just parts and labor." I shrugged. "But it’s Hollis’s problem, you don’t need to worry about it."
"I didn't mean—"
"I know what you meant." I turned back to the heating unit, mostly to avoid looking at her. "You meant you're worried about being the expensive employee who requires special accommodations. You're not."
"You don't know that."
"I know Hollis. He doesn't hire people he can't afford to keep comfortable."
She was quiet for a moment, processing that. When she spoke again, her voice was smaller, more uncertain.
