Page 11 of Wild Omegas
The customer service representative doesn’t push her further, but I can’t help but latch on to the information. Swapping carriersandphone types. It happens, sure. But in conjunction with a major move to the country from the city?
Is Josie running from someone?
My fists clench immediately and so tight that I have to turn away. The idea of anyone hurting or following Josie makes my blood boil. The feeling is so swift and so intense that I’m not surewhat to do with it other than track down whatever or whoever the issue is and handle it for her.
Someone taps my shoulder. I swing around a little too hot and nearly bowl Josie over.
She chuckles—tightly. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”
Good fucking job, I scold myself. “You’re fine. Are you okay?”
Josie lifts her chin up at me. “I’m a lot harder to hurt than that.” She holds up her collection of phone items in a branded paper bag. “All set. Thank you again so much. Getting a new number was so much quicker and easier than I expected.”
A whole new number, too? I tuck that piece of information away with all the rest. “I’m glad it’s all taken care of now.”
Josie smiles at me again and leads me back outside toward my truck. We were the first ones in here this morning and the day is still young. “We could head back unless you’d like to grab some coffee out here?”
Josie considers it while studying the cars passing by on the street. “Yeah, you know what? I’d love to. I haven’t been home to Fairwater since Christmas. Ever been to Cozy Roasts?”
“Can’t say that I have.” We hop into my truck and I pull out of the parking lot. Josie is almost small enough to need help climbing into the rig. “Usually when I come out to Fairwater Falls it’s to see family or for groceries. I spend… maybe too much time on the ranch.”
“Is there such a thing?” she asks.
Josie pulls up the GPS on her new phone and shows me where we’re going. Signal is pretty shoddy out here, especially on the new carrier she picked up, but I’ve seen enough to find Cozy Roasts.
I laugh. “I suppose not, no.”
We get onto the main road and follow it through town. A giant sign depicting a cowboy riding a bull dominates the roadon one side proclaiming:Rodeo Competition Soon — Sign Up Today.
Josie laughs.
I look over at her. “What? Not into bull riding?”
She holds up a hand. “No, sorry. I just didn’t realize that was a thing done in Fairwater Falls.”
I can’t believe she’s missed it. “Every summer.”
Josie bites her cheek. “I spend most summers in Cape Cod with friends or working busy tourist times in the city.” Her smile falls. “Well, I used to anyway.”
Before she ran to Wild Skies Ranch. Before whatever happened with whoever she’s running from.
I want to know everything. I have to stomp down on this selfish need to know before it becomes a problem. But it’s so clear this omega needs help—or at least, help dealing with whatever happened to set this chain of events into motion. But after a week, none of us know anything more about her than what she’s already shared.
She’s a Rose, her family owns Wild Skies Ranch, and her grandmother is letting her take over for a year. But she doesn’t know how to run a ranch and so she needs us. And she came here very suddenly.
It’s clear she doesn’t want to talk about this, so I settle instead for changing the topic back to the rodeo. “Your grandfather won the competition a bunch in the past. Obviously not once he was a grandparent, but before.”
Josie’s eyes widen. “Wait—really? Wait… how did I not know?”
I shrug but I’m smiling. “Not sure, Josie. Seems there’s a lot about our childhood you’ve forgotten.”
She scoffs. “Have not. I remember you, and running through the horse fields with you. At least a few holidays with both our families.”
We hit a red light, for which I’m grateful, because I look over at her. It’s so easy to get lost in her beautiful hazel eyes and her wild heart. “You have a lot less freckles now.”And a lot more curves.
I had a huge crush on Josie when we were young teens. I never in a million years would’ve thought we’d be in the same place again, let alone as scent matches. It’s been a week since the realization and I’m still not sure what to do with it—or whether Josiewantsto do anything with it. Even now her floral honey scent cocoons me in an all-encompassing wave.
So much about her is a mystery, and I just want to unravel it all. And her. Preferably in the bed of my truck.
