Page 28 of Claimed By My Exiled Alphas
The honest answer was too complicated and too revealing for someone I’d met fifteen minutes ago. Because I’d been watching her from a distance for weeks. Because her smile made me forget I was supposed to be in exile. Because the way she moved through the world with careful grace and hard-won strength made me want to give her every good thing I could possibly provide.
“Because you’re trying to build something good,” I said instead, which was at least partially true. “And because I have skills that could help. And maybe because I’ve spent too long tearing things down instead of building them up.”
She studied my face like she was looking for deception, for the angle I must be working, for whatever threat I represented. Whatever she saw must have satisfied her, because some of the wariness in her expression eased.
“Okay,” she said softly. “Let’s figure out how to make this work.”
The next hour disappeared into detailed discussion of permits and inspections, equipment certification and code compliance. Talia proved to have done extensive research despite her confusion with the contractor quotes, asking intelligent questions that revealed both her professional competence and her determination to understand every aspect of her business.
I found myself explaining concepts more thoroughly than necessary, partially because she seemed genuinely interested and partially because it gave me reasons to stay close, to catchoccasional traces of her scent, to watch the way her face lit up when something clicked into understanding.
“The health department inspection will focus primarily on your food safety protocols and equipment functionality,” I explained, sketching a rough diagram on the back of one of her permits. “They’ll want to see proper separation between raw and cooked food prep areas, adequate refrigeration and hot holding capabilities, and documentation that your equipment has been professionally serviced.”
She leaned over to study my sketch, close enough that I could feel the warmth radiating from her body. “How do you know so much about restaurant regulations?”
“My family’s development projects included several mixed-use buildings with commercial food service.” I added another detail to the sketch. “I spent more time than I’d like to remember in meetings with health inspectors and commercial kitchen designers.”
“And now you’re using that knowledge to help me instead of building resorts that nobody asked for.” There was warmth in her voice, something that might have been approval or appreciation.
“Better use of my skills,” I agreed.
She straightened, putting some distance between us that felt like loss. “I should probably let you go. I’ve taken up enough of your afternoon.”
I glanced at my phone and was surprised to see it was nearly six. “I didn’t realize how late it had gotten.”
“Time flies when you’re discovering your renovation costs are seventy percent lower than you thought,” she said, and I caught genuine happiness in her smile.
“Apparently so.” I gathered the papers we’d been working with, organizing them back into logical order. “I’ll reach out tosome inspectors I know, get you names of people who’ll give honest assessments. Can I call you in a few days with referrals?”
She hesitated, and I could see her weighing trust against need, caution against opportunity. “You really don’t want anything in return? Just a testimonial?”
I want your phone number. I want reasons to see you again. I want to know what makes you smile like that, what brought you to Hollow Haven, what you taste like when you kiss someone you’re attracted to.
“Just a testimonial,” I said aloud, keeping my expression professional despite the heat pooling in my chest.
She pulled out her phone. “What’s your number?”
I gave it to her, watching as she created a new contact with my information. When my phone buzzed a moment later with a text containing just her name, I felt something settle into place that I hadn’t realized was misaligned.
“Now you have mine too,” she said. “In case you need to ask questions about the space or the equipment.”
“Or in case you need help interpreting contractor quotes that are wildly inflated,” I added.
Her smile was genuine this time, unguarded and warm. “Thank you, Cassian. For the help, for the advice, for not running away screaming when you saw what I was dealing with.”
“It was nothing.” I moved toward the door, reluctant to leave but aware that prolonging this first meeting might push against whatever boundaries she was carefully maintaining. “I’ll be in touch soon.”
Outside, the evening air felt cool after the warmth of the bistro space. I walked to my car with her scent still lingering in my awareness, vanilla and honey mixed with something uniquely hers that made every instinct I possessed want to turn around and find reasons to stay.
Talia Quinn was more than just a beautiful omega, she was easy to spend time with, the type of person I would give anything to get to know better. And now I had a legitimate reason to spend time helping her build something beautiful. Better yet, I’d just saved her tens of thousands of dollars and moved her timeline from impossible to achievable.
For the first time since arriving in Hollow Haven, I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be. Like maybe everything I’d been though was actually worth it.
For the first time since arriving in Hollow Haven, I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
Chapter 10
Talia
