Page 181 of Altius
“How are you feeling?” Kelsey asked as she served me a plate of lasagna on Thursday night.
“A bit of a headache, but nothing out of the norm.”
At least nothing that a double dose of meds and wearing Cal’s maroon cardigan couldn’t fix.
It was just the two of us—an increasingly rare occurrence—which meant it was time for an overdue conversation about our sisterly state of affairs.
After settling into her customary seat, Kelsey took small bites between probing stares, her green eyes overflowing with silent questions.
“It’s about fifty-fifty odds, Kels.”
“Are you just saying that to make me feel better?”
“No. That’s Cal’s honest opinion.” I was telling the truth. He and I had discussed the possible outcomes at length after Chantal’s directive to avoid Wyatt. “Even if I do have waning syndrome, it’s mild. Mostly hormone fluctuations and weight loss—but then again, my body could still be trying to process having a heat for the first time in three years.”
“But your pheromones are so inconsistent. Not a whiff for days and then boom. Orchid explosion.”
“Which could be explained by my anosmia. If I can’t tell when I’m emitting pheromones, how can I control the volume?”
Kelsey worried her bottom lip for a moment before giving a begrudging nod. “At least the rusty note’s gone.”
“I think the most likely outcome will be that I get put on a scent-blocker, have another heat in April or May, and everything will sort itself out.”
“Without mating Wyatt?”
I slowly sliced through each layer of pasta with the side of my fork. “That’s still up for debate.”
We ate in silence for a bit before I asked my own pressing, pest-based question. “Jacobi sent me seventeen texts today, wondering what you thought of the building.”
Kelsey tensed. “He keeps bombarding me, too.”
“You can turn him—us—down. We’re buying the building regardless. Dad’s handling the sale.”
Having an experienced realtor for a father came in handy when your best friend had a bad habit of wanting to waive inspections to save money, especially since we almost always had to take our rehabs back to the studs.
If the old garment factory was as full of lead and asbestos as I feared, Dad would make sure we got a good deal.
“It’s not that I don’t like the building or see the potential. But being here…” Kelsey set down her fork and pushed her plate away, resting an arm on the table as she met my gaze. “Everything is set up the way I want it, and I can handle things on my own. A store means increasing inventory, hiring people, and a million little decisions that might drive me nuts.”
“It might also mean getting a decent night’s sleep and a better work-life balance.”
She snorted. “That’s rich, coming from you.”
“But I’m nearing the finish line, Kels. I know what I’m working toward. The number of hours I can expect each week in a permanent placement, what it’ll take to maintain my license—”
“Without me,” she grumbled softly.
“No,” I said, reaching over to take her hand. “Becauseof you. I’ve only made it this far because you’ve taken such amazing care of me. You’re my rock, Kelsey. The glue that’s kept me in one piece.”
“Then why are you and Jacobi pushing me so hard to move out? I don’t mind having your guys over all the time, and the group dinners are fun.”
“Because you deserve to be happy, Kelsey. Honestly and truly happy—the kind of deep fulfillment that only comes from doing what you love. Surrounded by a pack who adores you.” I gave her a self-deprecating shrug. “I can’t give you that. Nor can I ask you to keep your wings clipped because I might have a relapse. It’s not fair to you.”
“But you keep getting hurt. How am I supposed to—”
“It’smyhealth, Kelsey. My responsibility. Not yours.” Leaning forward, I held her gaze, troubled by the tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. She had to stop putting me first. “I’m the one who has to do better. My seizure could have probably been prevented if I’d called Chantal or taken a day off.”
Holding up my scabbed right hand, I said with a sardonic laugh, “And I could have avoided this entirely if I’d listened to Cal and let him go after Garvey the way he wanted to. But I’m stubborn and proud. Determined to prove myself. To not be a bother—but turns out, that’s when I’m at my most insufferable, isn’t it?”
