“Scared I’ll get hurt?” he asked.
“More like I have standards. I need to know if someone else is taking over the pack and if I can stand them as my Alpha.”
“Ouch, I feel a little hurt.”
“You’ll survive. Drive safe, Finlay. And thank you for insisting that I come and visit,” I said and opened my door.
“Best four dinners and breakfast I ever spent money on, Red,” he told me before driving away. Watching him leave made me feel strangely empty. Then I shrugged it off and headed into my apartment to list things I needed to do before I could leave.
Finlay called me when he got home, even though I had said a text would do. We talked for an hour as I walked around my apartment and packed my things in a random order. Nothing I would need to stay in town for a week or two. He asked me how I was feeling. My first instinct was to tell him I was okay. But I remembered him telling me to be honest, so I was. I told him it felt off being back, like a part of me was missing and my wolf was anxious and on high alert. Like the sweetheart he was, he offered to send Sam and Medow to keep me company. But I turned down the offer. I had done this before, and I knew it was temporary this time. I just needed my wolf to understand it as well.
The next morning, I got ready and headed down to the bakery. I had thought about how I should tell the sisters about leaving. After years of knowing them, I knew that once I told one, the other would know within two minutes.
“Amie! I have missed seeing that lovely face,” Mrs Andersen said as I came downstairs.
“Hello, it’s nice to see the place still standing,” I told her. She laughed.
“Nothing changes in this town, and if it does, it takes a lot longer than three days. Here, I have fixed some coffee and blueberry scones for you.”
“You’re an angel. I’m heading over to the diner.”
“Don’t tell me that slave driver of a sister of mine is making you work the early shift?” Mrs Andersen huffed.
“No ma’am. I just need to get some gossip from CeCe,” I told her and walked away before she could ask more questions and punch more holes in my weak lie. As I walked into the diner, the cook greeted me and when they heard him, Mrs Jones and CeCe came rushing back to give me a hug and say welcome home. It felt bitter sweet. “Mrs Jones, do you have a minute or two to talk?” I asked.
“Always, honey. Let me just place Frank’s breakfast order and then we can sit down,” she told me. I nodded and grabbed a table in the corner. She soon joined me with a cup of coffee in her hand. I sipped on the coffee her sister had made me and gathered my thoughts.
“Mrs Jones, I don’t know if I have ever told you how grateful I am that you took a chance on me the day when I arrived here. I was lost, and you gave me a way to earn money and a place to stay. It really means a lot to me,” I started.
“I’m happy I did. Workers like you are scarce. Why am I getting the feeling you’re trying to say goodbye?” She was as insightful as ever.
“My vacation,” I started.
“The first and only vacation you have taken in four years and that just coincided with a hot man stubbornly courting you?” Mrs Jones asked.
“Yes, that one.” She laughed. “I got an offer for a new position. It’s a good opportunity and at first I was going to turn it down, but now I have accepted. I need to hand in my notice. I’m sorry, but I can stay and work until you find someone to replace me,” I told her. She nodded.
“There is no one to replace you. But I think I can persuade Laura to come work here. I would be grateful if you could stay a week from her starting, to help train her. “”Of course. It’s the least I can do,” I agreed.
“Good, I appreciate it. So, this man of yours. Does he treat you right?” she asked.
“It’s nothing romantic between Finlay and me. But he treats me good,” I told her. She smiled and nodded.
“I won’t say I won’t be sorry to see you go. You are my best employee and a damned good girl. But I think you are doing the right thing. You are too good for a place like this. I always knew you were passing by. But I’m happy we got four years at least.”
“I’m happy as well,” I told her. Even if the town seemed to gnaw on all my sore spots at the moment. I knew I would look back on my time here as positive and a turning point in me finding and accepting myself.
“Let’s not make this old woman cry. I will talk to Laura and let you know when she can start. And I’m sending CeCe over. I’m guessing you want to talk to her as well?”
“Yes, thank you Mrs Jones.” CeCe came skipping over, filled with exciting news of what had been going on for the last three days. I happily let her talk and soaked up her overflowing positivity. As soon as I told CeCe I was leaving, her cheery mood vanished and she looked at me with puppy dog eyes. I felt like I had kicked a puppy.
“You’re leaving? Why?” she asked.
“It’s just my time. The job Finlay offered was just too good to turn down,” I said.
“Finlay, that’s that hot guy who didn’t give up until you agreed to meet him, right?” CeCe asked.
“Right.”
“I see, well than I approve, kind of.” I rolled my eyes as she did something on her phone.
“It’s not like that,” I told her.
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