Page 35 of The Fake Mate

“I have to go, Gran,” I tell her absently. “Lots to do. I’ll let you know soon.”

I’m not even sure she hears me hang up, still muttering about a menu for a dinner that hasn’t been set in stone yet.

I’m still just standing there. “What are you doing down here?”

“I was...” He looks me up and down, his eyes darting toward the way I’ve just come. “Were you having lunch?”

“Yeah. Over in the cafeteria.”

“Oh.”

“Were you looking for me?”

“I...” He shifts his weight from one foot to the other, almost like he’s uncomfortable. “Yes. I probably should have texted first.”

“No, that’s okay. I mean, I would have saved you the trip if you had and come to you, but it’s totally fine.”

“Right.” He nods down at the floor, still frowning. “Good. Okay.”

The expression on his face is still one of almost worry, and I push away the distraction of his scent as I reach out to press my fingers to his arm in concern. “Are you okay?”

His eyebrow quirks as he looks back up at me. “Okay?”

“Yeah, I mean... You don’t usually come down to my floor. Plus, you look super stressed. Did something happen? Because I can—”

“No, Mackenzie,” he interjects. He scrubs a hand down his face, his eyes darting down the hall. “It isn’t anything that—”

“Shit.” I follow his gaze, noticing an RN who’s turning the corner while perusing a clipboard. “Right. We shouldn’t talk about it here.”

“Mackenzie, I don’t think—”

I’m already scoping the area for a place we can talk since, unfortunately, I am not yet high enough on the ladder to have my own office. “Let me just—” I spot a utility closet down the hall, grabbing his arm a little tighter and dragging him with me. “Come here.”

He’s still half protesting as I pull him the extra ten feet and shove him inside the cramped space, reaching to flick on the light and peeking back down the hall to make sure no one noticed us before I shut the door.

“Okay,” I say, turning to regard him. “My bad. You probably didn’t want to be overheard.”

“No... There’s nothing really to—Shit.” He blows out a breath, looking more stressed than he did even a minute ago. “I really should have texted you.”

“What’s wrong? Just tell me.”

“Nothing’s... wrong,” he manages, not really looking at me now. “I just...” He sighs, seeming almost embarrassed. “I just haven’t seen you in a few days.”

I tilt my head, not quite understanding. “Okay?”

“I just...” I swear, if this weren’t Noah Taylor I was talking to, I might think he was blushing. “I haven’t scented you in three days.” He says the words very quietly, like it’s difficult. “I was starting to worry people might notice.”

“Oh.”

At first, there’s a tiny part of me that preens at this information. Some faraway omega hormone that does a little somersault as it parades through my bloodstream. Then I remember what we are, and I feel silly.

“That makes sense,” I say almost too quickly. “I’m sorry. It’s been so busy. I didn’t even think about people getting suspicious.”

“Suspicious,” he echoes woodenly, eyes fixed on my face now. “Right. Don’t apologize. It’s been busy upstairs too.”

“Still.” I shuffle my feet, feeling odd about the whole thing. Which doesn’t make any sense. Surely I can’t bedisappointedthat he only came to find me to do some maintenance work on our charade. That’s the whole reason we’re even talking right now, after all. “Wow,” I laugh. “Probably weird that I pulled you into the closet then.”

“It’s fine,” he assures me. “I suppose...” He looks around at the cluttered shelves on either side of us. “I suppose this is as good a place as any.”