Page 67 of Talk About… Secrets
They already knew me too well.
“I’m tired enough that I’ll behave this time,” I said.
“Don’t get used to it,” Beckett snorted behind me. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. We know our girl’s independent and has a fire to her. We saw those claws come out at the wedding firsthand.”
“Speaking of, I haven’t heard from Hailey, and I’m starting to get worried. She’s texting me some pictures, but that’s about it. It’s been weeks. Do you know when they’re coming back?”
Ifthey were coming back was the better question.
“Nolan said they were extending their vacation. I’ve checked in a few times. I believe they come back next weekend. Apparently, there was some amazing event going on in Italy that they just couldn’t miss.”
My feelings were a bit hurt that Hailey hadn’t told me herself, but then again, I wasn’t going to fault her. She was a newly married omega in one of the places she’d always wanted to visit.
Thankfully, right when I needed a distraction, The Landing came into view. As did the gorgeous lake behind it.
“We can eat out on the deck,” I said, gesturing. “This is probably the nicest restaurant you’re going to find in Rockwood Valley. Don’t worry, I’m sure you can find some surrounding cities or towns to take us to, and you can spoil me at all your favorite spots when we visit the city.”
“That’s definitely the plan,” Cade teased.
Beck shrugged. “To be honest, I don’t mind this small town. It’s kind of nice being able to walk around and not be crushed by a sidewalk full of people, or have to hear the cacophony of melding voices to the extent of madness.”
“God, is it that bad?” Drew asked. “Maybe I was always too busy with training and games to pay attention when I lived in the city.”
“No,” Cade said. “Not all the time. But Beckett here lives and breathes that job, so when he does leave the office, he doesn’t know how to people anymore.”
Spencer nodded. “Can confirm. But that’s all behind us now,” he added pointedly. “And I’m also starving, come on, freckles. Show us how Rockwood Valley does lunch.”
I’d been here plenty of times before, but walking in with my pack, I saw it with new eyes.
Eyes that were probably far more critical than they needed to be. The Landing was cute, but not as fancy as it could be. It had a weathered feel, like it had been here for generations. Even though they kept up with it, it still retained some character.
Would they find it lacking? Not as nice as the shiny, modern restaurants they were likely used to.
But how was that any different from our new pack house? I shook off those feelings of inadequacy, knowing that my men chose me for a reason and that they chose to follow me here. I couldn’t nitpick when they weren’t even doing that.
“Hello, can I help you?” the waitress asked, her smile bright. She must be new. I hadn’t seen her here before. She was a cute beta, her blonde ponytail swinging behind her as she led us out to the deck that overlooked the lake.
I appreciated that she didn’t stare at the guys longer than she needed to. There was no flirting right in front of their omega. I liked her already.
“Thank you. This table’s perfect,” I said. It was right in the corner, so we were up against the railing overlooking the lake. The sun was shining off the surface, and a slight breeze was coming in, keeping some of the summer heat at bay.
“I’m glad you like it,” she said with a friendly smile. “Here are some menus. Can I get you guys started with some drinks?”
“Sprite for me,” I said before everybody else put in their orders. Then I opened the menu. Finding the right food lately had been a struggle. Where I hadn’t had morning sickness, I had tons of food aversions. Things I loved suddenly soundedterrible.
There were a few safe things, like pasta, but I couldn’t tolerate the thought of a hamburger. Even though it was a hot day, my mind settled on broccoli cheddar soup. They served it with fresh bread, and that sounded phenomenal.
I closed my menu, satisfied with my choice, and one by one, the guys followed suit. By the time she came back with our drinks, we were ready to order.
She wrote down my order. Before she could move on, I added, “Could I have extra bread with that, actually?”
“That’s an amazing choice,” she said. “The bread is incredible here. They bake it fresh every morning, so every day I walk in,I smell literal heaven.” She chuckled. “I can also do a whole loaf for the table, how about that?”
“Perfect,” I agreed with a happy, little dance. Apparently, the baby was here for carbs.
Spencer ordered the same thing I did, and before long, he pulled me closer. I loved the feel of their hands on me. It was such a possessive, sweet gesture, and it settled my omega in ways I never realized. Maybe I was more touch-starved than I thought.
All those years of terrible dates and no long-term relationships wore on my omega more than I realized.
