Page 181 of Knot Baked Out For This
We drink our milkshakes, Levi stealing sips from everyone, Luca pretending not to notice, Reverie documenting the "aesthetic," and I realize something.
I haven't thought about town gossip once today.
Haven't worried about who's watching, who's talking, who's judging. Haven't cared that people definitely saw us leave thechanging room looking disheveled. Haven't stressed about what Korrin might think or do.
When did I stop caring?
"You're thinking too hard," Luca observes, nudging my knee under the table.
"She does that," Levi agrees, stealing another sip of my milkshake. "Overthinks everything."
"I do not!"
"You alphabetize your spices."
"That's organization!"
"You have a spreadsheet for cookie rotation."
"That's efficiency!"
"You color-code your day planner."
"That's—okay, that might be excessive."
They laugh, and I'm laughing too, and the diner is warm and bright and full of people who definitely saw the "Hazel and her Alphas" show but I just... don't care.
I'm happy about that.
Actually, genuinely, surprisingly happy.
"Ready for store number two?" Reverie asks, finishing her milkshake with impressive speed.
"No," I say immediately.
"Too bad! The vintage boutique on Maple has a sale!"
"Everything's always on sale there."
"Exactly! Permanent bargains!"
We pay—or rather, Luca pays while I protest and Levi distracts me by putting whipped cream on my nose—and head back into the October afternoon.
"You know," I say as we walk, "I actually had fun."
"In a thrift store?" Levi gasps dramatically. "Alert the media!"
"Reverie is the media," Luca points out.
"Alert the other media!"
"I'm starting a newsletter," Reverie announces. "The Hazel Chronicles: A Pack Romance in Real Time."
"Please don't."
"Too late! Already bought the domain!"
And as we head toward store number two, bags in hand, Alphas flanking me, best friend documenting everything, I think maybe gossip isn't the worst thing.
