Page 42 of For the First Time
“Go eat your lunch.And quit distracting me from work.”
Oaks guffawed so loud that the sound had to be fake.I gave him a pointed look before handing him his plate and telling him about the homemade barbecue chips and dip I’d made.He didn’t bother going into the dining room to eat, content to stand around the kitchen and eat over the free counter space while I worked to put everything away and clean up properly.
Finally, I managed to answer, “Hello.”
“Babygirl.You all right?”
“Yes, sorry.Oaks was distracting me.Is it going to be another late day?”If a single patient went over their allotted time, it was nearly impossible for the day to get back on track.Honestly, I always assumed Everett was going to be late.It was when he was going to bereallylate that he would call and let me know.Although usually not quite this early in the day.He liked to hold off as long as possible as if the delay in coming home was admitting defeat.
“Probably not longer than usual.I just wanted to tell you that I heard back from that lawyer.The one the patient of mine offered.”
My heart sped up, pounding against my chest.Only this time, it wasn’t from excitement or arousal.“Oh.”I met Oaks’s gaze, knowing he heard Everett, too.He had a mouth full of food, but he still reached out for me, letting me squeeze under his arm and cling to him.
Everett continued, “He wants us to come in for a meeting.He’s offered his pack home this weekend.”
“His pack home?Isn’t that weird?Are you sure it isn’t a scam?Maybe it’s not actually him.”
Everett laughed.“Yes, I’m sure Bartholomew is who he says he is.What do you think?Want to speak with a lawyer this weekend?”
I had so many questions.About the process, the potential consequences, the potential outcomes.If I finally asked someone with legal knowledge, even if they wouldn’t represent me, it would be a huge relief of stress on my life.
The scariest part was not knowing.Not knowing when I would get another letter.Not knowing if I would be arrested.Not knowing if the news of my investigation would be leaked to the media.I was forced to play in a game that I didn’t know the rules of, didn’t know where the boundaries were.
“Babygirl, what do you think?”
I shook my head, trying to collect my thoughts.Looking up at Oaks, our conversation from just a moment ago came back.“What about Atlas?Oaks thinks that he might be going into heat?”
“He is.But it won’t be this weekend.It’s better that we do this meeting now, so we don’t have to do it when Atlas truly has started.”
Oaks nodded his head in silent agreement.
“Okay.Let’s do it.”
****
When Everett had suggestedgoing to this meeting with the lawyer, I had foolishly thought he meantme.Not me and him and Oaks and Atlas, the latter refusing to so much as let go of my hand.
They had shown up at my apartment that morning to see it for the first time.Needless to say, they hated it.Atlas wanted to dump all my perfumes down the sink, claiming I didn’t need them anymore.Oaks was surprised that my place was ‘colorless.’Whatever that meant.And Everett had been shocked that my home didn’t have anything comfortable.Apparently, my couch was too hard, my towels too plain, and my closet was pitiful.
I’d shown them my stack of fun notebooks and pens, as well as my lucky stuffed animal in my purse, and even explained why my scent wasn’t staining the cushions or my clothes, but none of that appeased them.
Finally, I’d just kicked them all out and we left for our meeting.Atlas was in the back seat with me.By the back seat, I meant that I was sitting in the middle since he didn’t want ‘all that space’ between us and he looked very awkward straddling the little center console flooring.
Despite being in the city still, it took a good forty-five minutes to reach the large estate that Bartholomew Kelly was calling home.It had a grand wrought-iron fence around the property, not that it hid the giant home from view.The fact that there was this much space while still being inside the city proper, spoke to exactly howrichthese alphas were.
There was apersonliterally standing outside the gate.Like a little security guard that forced Everett to roll down his window and give his name to ensure that we were on some magical list.
Honestly, I was pretty sure we should turn around.I couldn’t afford to clean their couch if I spilled something on it, let alone actually pay for a lawyer of this pedigree.
“Maybe we should cancel?”I suggested.
Oaks turned in the front seat, giving me a look that told me we would absolutely not be doing that.Atlas pulled me impossibly closer, his lips pressing against my head in a quick kiss.
“If you truly feel uncomfortable, we’ll leave.”Everett made eye contact with me through the rearview mirror for only a moment before he was looking back at the paved driveway leading around an actual fountain in front of the house.There were dozens of birds on the beautiful sculpture, although it looked well taken care of—I didn’t see any white or black stains marring it.“I think we should at least hear him out.There’s a reason he wanted to meet with us.”
“Does it mean anything that he wanted to meet on the weekend?At his home?”At first, I’d thought that was a good sign.Now looking at the home, I was starting to wonder if he simply worked from it.I, too, would be hard pressed to leave this beautiful place each day.
We had only been parked for a moment before the large, grand front door swung open, and out shot a woman, nearly skipping as a dog that came up to her hips followed beside her.He had a bright pink wrap around his front leg, hinting at some sort of injury.
